The father-and-son who are 'Manchester's forgotten stars'
manchestereveningnews.co.ukThe Lord Mayor of Manchester will recognise two forgotten local visionaries today. A blue plaque will be unveiled on Thursday, March 7, at 3pm to honour two of Manchester's most influential men from the 19th Century, Absalom Watkin and his son Sir Edward Watkin, MP.
The plaque will be placed at the entrance to one of the city's most iconic buildings, the Manchester Central complex, formerly known as Central Station and GMex.
The ceremony will take place to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the first Great Central Railway train to leave Marylebone Station in London for Sir Edward's Manchester Central in March 1899.
Both men led fascinating lives, with Absalom dedicating his life to fighting for the rights of Manchester's poorest families. READ MORE: Ancoats refused to leave it behind - now this gem has a new beginning Read today's top Manchester Evening News stories He brought attention to the Peterloo Massacre in 1819 and led a national campaign to repeal the Corn Laws, which kept bread prices high during poor harvest years.
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