Rusholme is about 2 miles south of Manchester City Centre and was incorporated into Manchester in 1885. Until the 19th Century, Rusholme was predominantly a farming area, although spinning, shoe and rope making existed as cottage industries.

As the City became slave to the Industrial Revolution, some forward thinking planners designed schemes for Rusholme, hoping to entice the rich industrialists to settle there.

The result was a complete mixture of inhabitants. Behind the apparent wealthy neighbourhood of villas and main street with prospering shops, lived the unseen and poorer lower classes.

One of the wealthy families occupied Platt Hall. Its grounds were later enlarged and became known as Platt Fields.

Platt Fields is well known amongst Mancunians as a large pleasure garden. It has been host to many spectacles over the years, including magnificent displays of, for example, motorbike riding (the Police force), Fireworks, Fun Days, Shows, Circuses, Fairs and regular exhibitions. They continue to the present day.