Didsbury Road". During the Victorian expansion of Manchester, Didsbury developed as a prosperous settlement; a few mansions from the period still exist on Wilmslow Road between Didsbury village and Parrs Wood to the east and Withington to the north, but they have now been converted to nursing homes and offices. The opening of the Midland Railway line in 1880 contributed greatly to the rapid growth in the population of Didsbury, with stations at Didsbury and Withington and West Didsbury offering easy rail connections to Manchester Central. The line closed in 1967, although Didsbury station building remained standing until its demolition in
Moston, Manchester "The Moston Menace" due to his formidable physique. Another footballer, Charles Broadhurst, was also born in Moston. Major Henry Kelly VC, MC & Bar was a Moston born officer in the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment who saw action in the First World War. Kelly received his Victoria Cross for his action on the 4 October 1916 at Le Sars, France. He was awarded his Military Cross & Bar for subsequent acts of heroism in the war. After the war, Kelly moved to Ireland and went on to become the chief of staff for overseas operations in the Free