Roger Aytoun made a lot of dreadful decisions during his lifetime, from gambling away his inherited fortune and getting so paralytic on his wedding day he had to balance on his comrades. But choosing to visit Manchester proved to be one his better moves.
The trip would ultimately result in his name being immortalised in local history – with ‘Aytoun’ slapped on street signs, student campuses and apartment blocks hundreds of years later.
But this Major General also went by another moniker during his heyday – commemorated by the eponymous pub in Miles Platting: The Spanking Roger.
It was a nickname unlike any other – seemingly inspired by Aytoun’s love for fisticuffs and ironman reputation.
Originally from Scotland, Spanking Roger galloped into Manchester in 1769 to bulk out his regiment and bring in more soldiers – employing an unusual recruitment tactic.
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Aytoun would challenge punters in local pubs to drunken brawls – and if they lost they’d have to join him at war.
The soldier’s penchant for scrapping was his strong suit and he rarely lost – meaning many in Manchester might have signed up.
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But the best part of his trip to the North West was undoubtedly bumping into old wealthy widow Barbara Mynshull.
Whilst in Manchester, Spanking Roger had visited Kersal Racecourse and caught the eye of wealthy local widow Barbara Mynshull – who’d become one of the region’s richest figures after her marriage to successful apothecary Thomas Minshull.
Some reports say he’d turned her head after participating in a ‘Male Nude Race’ on the track that day. But at 6ft 4”, Aytoun cut an imposing figure regardless, and Mynshull was instantly besotted.
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Despite being more than four decades apart in age, the pair quickly got married – a shocking scandal that would have been talk of the town.
Mrs Mynshull of Chorlton Hall was a prestigious local personality, and despite Aytoun’s heroics at war (he also fought at the Great Siege of Gibraltar), his ‘reckless and improvident habits’ were another reason the pair appeared an unsuitable fit.
Mynshull might have realised what she was getting herself in for on the day of the wedding – when a deliriously drunk Spanking Roger had to be propped up by his pals to actually take part in the ceremony – but the worst was yet to come.
After moving into the grand Hough Hall, Mrs Aytoun’s new husband spent the remainder of her years squandering her fortune on gambling and booze – leading to some of her property becoming liquidated (some of the land they owned is still there today – forming the KAMPUS site developed by Capital & Centric and HBD).
Mrs Aytoun passed away in 1783, and Spanking Roger went on to remarry – tying the knot with Jean Sinclair who was the daughter of John Sinclair of Balgregie.
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He died in 1810.
But it was today – February 2 – Roger and Barbara’s wedding anniversary, that paved the way for this chaotic character to imprint himself in Manchester’s history.
His legend has even transcended international borders and led to the creation of a Spanking Roger Gin in Gibraltar – inspired by his participation in the Great Siege.
The logo, quite suitably, shows Aytoun with his fists raised.
That’s how he always liked it.
Feature
You can get a mobile massage treatment in your office – just like us
Thomas Melia
We’d like to introduce you to the pioneering personalised service offering massage treatments on the move at practically any location including direct from your office– including to those of us here in Manchester.
In a world where you can get practically anything delivered straight to your door, it wasn’t going to be long until some genius invented a way to get a massage from the comfort of your own office.
Named ‘London’s first digital beauty concierge’, Ruuby have been pampering the nation’s capital for almost a decade before branching out to further locations.
The gorgeous set up provided by RuubyLook at that lovely branding on the towels.They did wonders with our otherwise plain downstairs office space. (Credit: The Manc Group)
In October 2024, the company expanded beyond its domestic reach in the likes of the capital, the Cotswolds and Surrey into Europe, making its first mark Switzerland: the perfect country for both luxury and essential beauty treatments with a tailored experience.
The month following saw the group moving up North and all the way to Manchester, where people can now book professional treatments best suited to them, right on their doorstep.
If you’re feeling scepticalstill, you can take it from us here at The Manc; we couldn’t tell you how relaxing and comforting these massages are.
There are a range of treatments available and we opted for two bespoke massages, a sports massage and a deep tissue massage.
Each experience is suited to your personal needs meaning each massage therapist will be able to fine-tune their relaxation abilities to what benefits you best.
After choosing the bespoke massage that I felt would work best for me, I went into this with no prior massage experience and I came out feeling taller, broader and more refreshed. Highly recommend.
Mid-day office massage? Yes, please.How relaxing. What a shame you have to go back to work after!Credit: The Manc Group
My masseuse guided me throughout the whole process and we soon discovered that I was able to tolerate much harder pressure than I thought which helped release tension I didn’t even know I had!
The same applies to how firm you’d like your session to be, as the masseuse can help with a brief overview of your time together, but the amount of pressure you like is down to personal preference.
It’s not just massages either: there’s everything from waxing, nails and hair to physio and IV drips; how about getting Marbella ready in less than an hour with a spray tan service set up wherever you are?
As Ruuby is a mobile and remote work environment, there are a number of at any time up and down the country, meaning your next beauty slot could be as little as an hour away, find out more HERE.
Farm shops are cool now – and Albion Farm Shop is the best of the best
Daisy Jackson
At some point in life, your idea of a great day out switches from drinking and clubbing to visiting a farm shop, or a garden centre, or something similarly wholesome.
And up in the hills above Manchester is surely one of the best in the UK – Albion Farm Shop.
This Saddleworth favourite is half-cafe, half-shop, with produce all either grown right outside, or sourced as locally as possible.
And while places like Hollies Farm Shop in Cheshire pull in seriously big, glamorous crowds (maybe it’s the Molly-Mae effect), there’s something much more charming and authentic about Albion Farm Shop.
Maybe it’s the tractors parked outside, the fact the produce section is in a drafty barn, the mismatched shelves and cabinets. It’s not curated like this – it just is.
The food in the cafe itself is up there with the best British grub in the North West, and I say that with my hand on my heart.
Whether it’s a full breakfast spilling over the edge of a plate, sandwiches served in a doorstop of bread, or a full menu of burgers made with British beef cap and smoked bone marrow patties, you can’t steer far wrong.
Rag pudding at Albion Farm ShopChips with a side of bone broth gravy Those huge burgers
There are chunky chips served with a full bowl of bone stock gravy on the side (hello, this is Oldham), onion rings so big you can wear them as a bangle, and big bowls of homemade soup.
And it would be remiss of me not to mention the rag pudding, a traditional dish from this neck of the woods. Famously, she’s not a pretty menu item, but this steamed suet pastry stuffed with braised beef shin is comforting and delicious.
If you want to stick northern fare but don’t fancy rag pudding, you can also grab a wedge of cheese and onion pie, lambs liver with mash, or any number of seasonal specials (for us, it was roast pork).
There are cracking views of the surrounding countryside, a resident cat who’s usually sleeping in the entranceway, and charm packed into every square foot.
Albion Farm Shop is at Oldham Road, Delph, Saddleworth OL3 5RQ.
The resident cat at Albion Farm ShopRoast pork in the cafeThe Albion Farm Shop cafeAlbion Farm ShopInside the shop itselfThe produce barn Local cheesesBakery itemsThe produce barn
The Manc -
2nd February 2021 
