England
Things you probably didn't know about Manchester
The world’s first industrial city, and where the computer age quietly began.
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1948 — fact 1 of 5
The first stored-program computer ran here
On 21 June 1948, the "Baby" executed its first program at the University of Manchester — the birth of modern computing.
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1903 — fact 2 of 5
The suffragette movement was founded here
Emmeline Pankhurst established the Women’s Social and Political Union at her Manchester home in October 1903.
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1904 — fact 3 of 5
Rolls met Royce in Manchester
Charles Rolls and Henry Royce first met at the Midland Hotel in May 1904, creating one of motoring’s great names.
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2004 — fact 4 of 5
Graphene was isolated here
In 2004, two University of Manchester scientists peeled apart graphite with sticky tape and found a material one atom thick.
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1991 — fact 5 of 5
Oasis formed in Manchester
The band that defined mid-90s British music got together in the city in 1991.
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Our Manchester collection is part of a growing local-history library — more cities and facts are being added.