The year 1816 was especially marked by the appointment of a new agent for the Manchester estates of Lord Ducie. William Johnson was one of a new race of men bred by the tremendous building activity of the nineteenth century, for he waa something more than a rent collector, he was a land surveyor, and his was the task to transform the hills and fields of Strangeways into a regular gridiron attractive to potential lessees. In the year of his appointment to the post Strangeways had just created new arteries to connect itself to Manchester that were quickly to bring the bare streets to life with the bustle of building. These were the two new bridges, the one, Strangeways Bridge, crossing the Irwell to Salford, and the other, Duoie Bridge, crosing the Irk and forming a connexion for the new route of the main road to the north, for York Street was a welcome alternative to the old steep and dangerous route up Red Bank. Connecting the two brldges was New Bridge Street, passing between the Work House and the Jubilee Charity School. This new arrangement was successful in it aims and advances were immediately made as the first offers for land were accepted.

Map 2 dates from about this period, and shows clearly how the new layout was superimposed on the old fields. The decision had been taken to do away with several of the industrial premises on the west side of Great Ducie Street, together with the Bowling Green Inn. Provision was made for a market, which in fact never materialized, and all commercial premises were in fact rigorously excluded by the covenants in the leases.

Johnson's workbook survives for a few years after 1819, and provides a detailed calendar of the changes that were rapidly taking place. (34) The process was one of removing earth, rubble and rubbish in order to build up street levels, and, more importantly, the construction in each of the new streets of what are described as "soughs" or sewage drains, reflecting not only improved sanitary provision in towns but also the susceptibility of Strangeways to flooding in winter, to which it had fallen victim frequently in its history. Johnson appears to have provided permanent employment for about half a dozen labourers and a handful of carriers who shifted soil, and these appear to have been quite well treated. Holidays with pay were quite frequently given, at Christmas, the new year, Good Friday and Whitsun (then an important holiday period, the "Lancashire Wakes", when the races were held at Kersall Moor) and were also given for the funeral of George III and the coronation of George IV. The pay itself appears to have been reasonable for the period: three shillings per day; and there is one very interesting example of sick pay being paid: "To allowance to William Clegg, one of the labourers, who is sick of the scarlet fever and has not been able to attend to his work during the week." Clegg received eleven shillings, just over sixty per cent of full pay, which must have been quite generous for the time. (35)

One other perquisite was provided for the workmen from time to time, namely the eight shillings disbursed "To John Walker for liquor given to Farmers when carting limestone on the road." (36) This must have been in consideration of the thirsty nature of the work and must have been the duty job of carting rubblsh for which liquor was also allowed. (37)

Reference to page 20, and comparison between maps 2 and 3, shows clearly the concentration of early building along the east side of Great Ducie Street with, by 1823, piecemeal building spreading towards the Irwell . There is only one letter written by Johnson that survives, written in May, 1817 but it is important and revealing in that it deals with the earliest sales made while he was agent. (38) He writes:

"I hope you would receive a letter from me written two or three days ago on the subject of Millington's offer etc. I have now enclosed a sketch which will explain some other offers recently made ... a plot proposed to be taken by Thomas Coates ... I apprehend his notice for taking it is to enable him to carry on some part of his business as a calico printer ... If thls becomes a bargain it will be necesary to be careful to prevent his bringing a nuisance here. I must confess I am not without doubt about the propriety of letting him have this land on any condition ... If this lease be granted at all it must be with very strict covenants against nuisance or offensive trades - but if it be for the purpo6e of a Dyehouse there will be a decided objection against it."

And, almost ominously, Johnson adds, "The houses are certainly far from being so pleasant as they used to be."

Sales by William Johnson, 1816-1823 (38)

1817 June 24th Hole and Potter Brewery Street

July 25th Samuel Boden Great Ducie Street

December 25th Robert Pritchard ditto

ditto William Nightingale ditto

1818 May 1st William Briddon ditto

June 1st - Edwards York Street

September 29th David Law Great Ducie Street

December 25th Joseph Gleave York Street

1819 June 24th John Wakefield Great Ducie Street

December 2nd James Walton ditto

December 31st James Grimshaw ditto

1820 June 24th William Ludlow Nightingale Street

December 25th Joseph Smith Strangeways Hall

ditto James Hodkinson Francis Street

1821 ditto James Wood Mary Street

ditto Matthew Swindells New Bridge Street

1823 May 16th Joseph Fletcher ditto

September 23rd ditto ditto

ditto James Whitworth Moreton Street

ditto James Wheeler

December 25th Caleb Lea Broughton Lane

Some work had obviously been done before 1819, when Johnson's workbook begins, in laying out the street pattern of Strangeways, above all the creation of Great Ducie Street, York Street (later Cheetham Hill Road) and New Bridge treet. In January 1819 Mary Street was being formed by cartloads of dirt, rock, stone and bricks, and in the latter part of the year Francis Street and Brewery Street were being formed or altered, together with Charlotte, Jubilee and Nightingale Streets. Work started in the new year on Moreton Street, and Nightlngale Street was levelled. At the end of the year Little Bridge Street was formed, but then work was halted by the harsh weather of January 1821.

"It came with a white robe and a frost-bitten countenance, which grew sharper and more pinched as weeks and months went by. It looked down on the currents of rivers and canals, on the secluded still waters of Strangeeways Park ..." (40)

Over the next two years only two sales were made, at Christmas 1821, and work progressed slowly. In June, 1821 a sewer was formed in Julia Street, and in the December Johnson Street was formed and the Octagon cottage in the park was thatched. At this time too a butcher's shop was built, to have a monopoly of the trade in Strangeways. In the summer of 1822 the pace of work increased with the formation of Carnarvon Street and John Streets. (41)

The names Johnson chose for the streets are nearly all quite straightforward, and typical of the period. Lord, Ducie, Moreton, Tortworth and Reynolds all refer, of course, to Lord Ducie's titles and family names, whilst Francis, Carnarvon and Denbigh are references to Lord Ducie's spouse and her family. Frances together with Mary, Charlotte, Catherine, Julia, John, Percy and Augustus are nearly all traceable to members of the family and formed for over a century a very striking local group. Nightingale Briddon and Verdon recall and honour some of the very first people to purchase building leases after Johnson became agent, while Johnson himself sought immortality in Agent Street and of course, Johnson Street.

Johnson fell from favour with the young Lord Ducie at the end of 1823. He had acted, partly from necessity, with a great degree of independence, and it was his failure to maintain communications with Lord Ducie and to gain his approval for all decisions and actions that led to his eventual replacement. The plan that was his work, and was printed in his last year as agent, survived however with only minor amendments till its completion more than half a century later. Johnson was a most successful land surveyor, but was less successful as an estate agent, in the original sense of that profession, and his eventual replacement was hardly surprising. (42)