Enjoyed reading this thread.
I was on the Salford Uni Folk Club Committee 1969-73, not that I knew much about folk then. We were the most community activity at the Uni by far and could draw up to 300 on Sunday nights from the tower blocks around us. We had contact with the MSG as they had the sole agency and we had to book through them in those days.
In the mid 70's, I returned to M'cr to work (?) for BR. I joined Adlington Morris, then Gorton Morris. Gorton's first dance out took place 200 years to the day since the last record of the old side in the Gorton Recorder in 1775 (the Morrismen failed to turn out this year). Chris Cole was the main musician and taught Keith and Janet Hancock. Alison was Barry Billinge's sister and she with Tony played in the Gorton Silver Band. We used to visit the old folks homes each year and dance to the full silver band, which was magic, our kid! Gorton Tank evolved from the morris musicians.
There was a folk club at the Bird in Hand in Urmston, I remember seeing Mike Harding there "I'll do this song for my mother, who is up there somewhere.... (she's not dead, she's nicking lead off roof)", nobody mentined that.
Harry Boardman and Chris ran a club in the City for a few years, can't remember the name, but the Bass was good.
And for those who ask, Wigan, Bolton and Oldham are in Greater Manchester (and I was born in what is still Lancashire)
On my last night in England, we were partied out and went for a quiet pint at the Grey Horse in Gatley. Harry and Leslie happened to join us and we had a great night with them. Harry would have to be the most important folkie from Manchester much as I enjoyed Bernard Wrigley and the Tinkers.
As one of less than a taxi full of lanky folkies in Perth, it is easier to pick one here.