Tom

Hi, I’m Tom and I’ve lived in Manchester since 2015. Over that time, I’ve spent countless hours walking its streets, cycling its backroads, and reading up on the stories behind the buildings I pass every day. Creating a walking tour has become a natural way for me to bring together my interest in local history and travel.

I’m especially drawn to Castlefield, where Roman ruins stand beside canals and railway viaducts, and you can really see how industry shaped the city. It’s an area I’ve explored again and again, piecing together how coal, cotton, canals and railways turned Manchester into “Cottonopolis.” When I’m after a change of pace, you’ll often find me heading down to Didsbury, just a 20-minute bike ride south of the centre.

In my Manchester tour, I focus on making the city's history clear, engaging and down to earth. I enjoy explaining how things worked — why a canal mattered, how a warehouse functioned, or what caused a district to decline and recover — while adding the occasional light observation along the way. My goal is simple: to help you notice the layers of the city and understand how it became what it is today.