It's only 28 pages long but Alice Searle's new booklet manages to cram in loads more facts, anecdotes and atrocities related to the famous Kersal Moor, the centre of Salford's social and sporting life for centuries.
In this ace little volume we learn that Red Rum visited the Moor while guesting at the Littleton Road Carnival in the late 70s, that there's probably the body of prisoner James Massey buried somewhere under the Salford City pitch, and that a bloke called Spanking Roger got rich by winning naked running races on the Moor. He's still commemorated in a pub name in East Manc, where his wealthy heiress `prize' had Moston Hall.
Alice also traces the history of rugby and football on the Moor, revealing that England rugby trials were held there in 1921 with 4,500 spectators. The All Blacks were also due to play on the pitch but the game was switched to Old Trafford instead – and they nicked the goal posts for the occasion.
There's loads more stuff about The Chartists and the stone monument that finally got erected on the Moor last year to commemorate the great workers rallies that happened there in 1839 as well as the famous racecourse.
Another top fact that has been revealed in the booklet is that Salford Council paid £7000 for the Moor when it bought the land from the Clowes and Byrom families in 1936 – but passed on buying the other half of the Moor which was offered for sale in 1937. So we got a load of houses built on it instead. `Plus ca change plus c'est la meme chose'…as they say.
MORE MOOR TALES
By Alice Searle
Unity Publishing Project £3
To get hold of a copy phone Alice on 07896 593813
* Please note that the annual Celebration of Kersal Moor event has been moved from 30th May to Saturday 27th August this year
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