Originally a residential street, Princess Street became the site of many textile warehouses and large office buildings during the 19th century. Some of these have since been demolished but most have been converted to other uses.
It is a conservation area and home to many historically important buildings, including the Mechanics’ Institute and the New Union Hotel pub, which marks one edge of what is now known as the Gay Village.
Princess Street Bridge No 97 is a minor waterways location on the Rochdale Canal between Castlefield Junction and Ducie Street Junction.
As there are more bridges than locks on the Rochdale canal their numbers do not sync, so bridge 97 is next to lock 87. Bridge 97 is low enough for Danny, one of the many bargemen taking raw cotton to the mills in Manchester’s ‘Cottonopolis’ era, to walk his barge through it, foot-stepping the bridge underside, back to the barge.
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Street,_Manchester
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/511/conservation_areas/970/whitworth_street_conservation_area/3