A house in Didsbury that birthed one of the most famous faces of modern television has gone up for sale in Manchester.
The unassuming semi-detached 5-bedroom house may look ordinary and suburban from the outside, but it has a fascinating place in 20th-century television and modern British art.
Home to the renowned contemporary sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe from 1951 to 1964, this is the place where she created some of her most famous works – as is shown outside on a blue plaque installed in 2018, following petitions by the Modernist Society and the 20th Century Society.
That includes the iconic gold theatrical mask BAFTA statue, which is still given to winners at the TV awards to this day.
This immediately recognisable sculpture was in fact created in the garage of the home after Mitzi converted it into an artists studio for herself.
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However, the New York-born artist also worked with a range of materials include textiles, ceramics, and jewellery.
She also developed her own technique to mass-produce abstract designs in concrete in relief as architectural decoration, applying it to some pieces that can still be seen around Manchester today.
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Image: Gascoigne Halman/RightMove
Of her surviving sculptures in the city, only a handful remain – including a stone frieze at the Heaton Park reservoir pumping station and a fiberglass relief at the base of Owens Park Student Tower.
Mitzi initially moved into the house with her husband, history professor Marcus Cunliffe, and lived many happy years there before she died in 1970 aged 88.
The couple also had another house in France.
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Image: Gascoigne Halman/RightMove
Writing about Mitzi in 2012, Modernist Society founder Maureen Ward paid tribute to her life and work, saying:
“Mitzi might have been born in New York but her soul belongs firmly in the North West of England and her Didsbury garage.”
“If we were the sort to award blue plaques or lobby for a Hollywood-style Wall of Fame scheme in our own city, Mitzi would top the bill.
Image: Gascoigne Halman/RightMove
“She epitomises the spirit of an exuberant, utopian partnership between planners, architects, artists and sculptors dedicated to rejuvenating the public realm after the chaos of the blitz; functional yet accessible, experimental yet egalitarian, international yet rooted in everyday surroundings.
The 1920s 5-bedroom house is now on the market for £675,000 with estate agents Gascoigne Halman, who write:
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“The property comes with an interesting history having been the residence where famous sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe designed the BAFTA award that is used today.
“The property offers a grand entrance hallway, three reception rooms, four bedrooms, two bathrooms and an additional one bedroom annexe to the rear. Whilst in need of some modernisation the property boasts superb potential to enhance further.”
Manchester Metropolitan University announce landmark partnership with MCR Basketball
Danny Jones
Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) and Manchester Basketball have detailed a renewed and landmark partnership that looks set to nurture the next generation of talent.
Joining forces with MMU, this is not only the latest effort by MCR Basketball to further invest in young players and grassroots sports here in Manchester, but yet another example of further education creating viable routes into the game for their sporting stars of the future.
While the two organisations already boast an established relationship, this next step in their continued teamwork should prove even more fruitful for both parties, as the still only recently relaunched local basketball side looks to raise its profile in the city.
Confirming their intent to further intertwine their youth development setup and plans to innovate pathways for players, representatives from both met to confirm the announcement this week.
🤝 New partnership to drive basketball innovation & develop future talent. @ManMetUni & Manchester Basketball have announced a new strategic partnership to advance research, education and development of basketball to inspire the next generation of talent. #RepTheCity
With existing coaching staff already working between the two and both of the male and female training camps based over at Platt Lane Sports Complex, it only feels like a natural fit.
Moreover, this increased collaboration between the two is also a promising prospect for MMU Sport, specifically, meaning much more than just the sharing of facilities at the likes of Platt Lane over in Fallowfield and the National Basketball Performance Centre at Belle Vue.
As well as pooled resources, this will also crucially create potential opportunities for those at the uni or preparing to graduate, including student internships and more.
Claire Bradbury, Manchester Basketball CEO, said in an official statement: “As basketball in Manchester enters a new era, we’re excited to formalise our partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University.
“This is a true collaboration bringing together elite, professional basketball and leading academic sports expertise to create opportunities that support the development of players, staff and students.
Together we are investing in the future of basketball to grow the game in our region and working to establish the city of Manchester and Manchester Basketball as one of the leading basketball hubs in Europe.”
Man Met are looking pitch-perfect for the region’s leading ‘college ball’ feeder club, to use more American terminology, already.
Laura Hickman-Sparkes, MMU’s Head of Business Engagement and Partnerships at the Institute of Sport, went on to say: “Basketball is entering an incredibly exciting period, with growing participation, investment and visibility across Europe.”
For example, as well as the Super League Finals having been held at the AO Arena, the city is also most notably hosting a regular season NBA fixture at Co-op Live – a historic moment, to say the least.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Manchester Basketball at such an important time and look forward to creating opportunities for our students”, she adds, “supporting innovation through research and helping to grow the game across Manchester and beyond.”
In other MMU Sport-related news, their very own ‘Visiting Professor’, who has only just retired from the professional circuit, is also set to fly the flag for the institution and disabled athletes across the country.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Manchester Basketball/Peter Simmons)
News
New Prime Minister Andy Burnham announces VAT cuts on household electricity bills over winter
Emily Sergeant
It’s been less than 24 hours since Andy Burnham officially became Prime Minister, and he’s already announced his first measure.
After giving his first speech as Prime Minister outside the doors of Number 10 yesterday, where he said he intended to ‘give people some breathing space’ straight out the gate, it has now been announced that millions of households across the UK will benefit from immediate action to help with their electricity bills this winter.
The Government says it wants to address the cost of living crisis first and foremost, and will do this by tackling rising bills with a tax cut to remove VAT from domestic electricity bills from 1 October, just in time to impact the next Ofgem price cap.
This immediate action applies and is funded for this financial year.
The cost of this immediate action for this financial year is being funded from the £1.8bn Digital ID programme – which Burnham also announced he would be scrapping.
Any further action – including on funding for longer-term measures – will be taken at the Budget, alongside an Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast, and all decisions at that point will continue to be funded with the Government’s fiscal rules, it has been confirmed.
Cutting VAT on electricity bills is expected to take around £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap in October, and this is on top of the £150 removed from bills at the last Budget.
All suppliers are expected to pass the VAT reduction on to all customers, including those on fixed tariffs.
Small businesses who qualify for the domestic energy VAT relief and are not registered for VAT, as well as charities and residential care homes eligible for the reduced rate, will also benefit.
“I said I wanted to give people breathing space, and that’s what I’m announcing on my second day as Prime Minister. We’re taking immediate action to cut taxes on energy bills, put more money in people’s pockets, and bring back hope.”
Georgina Pellant -
1st October 2021 
