Declan, Things were very grey in the early '50's in the city, there wasn't a lot of colour about.

All the city centre buildings were a uniform black....I can remember being really surprised when Manchester Museum was cleaned up, and it was SANDSTONE!!!

As for smelling the spring on the air, our Ewan was quite right, but I think you had to be young and optimistic to smell it properly through the polluted air.

I was brought up close to the Mersey, and that, too, was black and looked thick and poisonous.....probably was!!!

Cheers, Bron.