Our local open space and green belt, Carrington Moss, was reclaimed in the latter half of the 19th century for farming and the disposal of Manchester's waste. A system of tramways was built to connect the Moss with the Manchester Ship Canal and a nearby railway line. 'Night soil' was collected and transported here from the 1880s until the 1930s, after which the refuse was mainly ash. In 1971 it ceased to be a refuse dump.
Now considered a delicacy, in the 19th century oysters were plentiful and cheap. Oysters were very popular with the lower class who used them as a substitute for expensive beef in stews and soups. The shells were thrown out with the 'night soil' which ended up at Carrington, and today they can still be found.
