Morrissey has always portrayed his roots as being that of crushing poverty. In reality he was lower middle class near the end, and probably simply middle class at other times.

In America, we would be slotted as such, and it has always surprised me that so many people have bought into the image of Morrissey as some kind of third world wonder, who escaped the ghetto to become a star. Right.

It's just not true. He had a nuclear family until he was virtually an adult, and he was allowed to do pretty much whatever he wanted, without interruption. He had relatives all over America who he visited, while other fledgling pop stars didn't have anything, and would consider such trips a great luxury.

His mother even sold the family car when he got home-sick in America in order to fly him back home.

Morrissey grew up pretty much like his predominant fanbase: A spoiled middle class loner who is tough to please, and whose coddled family life has led him to believe that he is suffering needlessly.

Crushing poverty ? Can you really remember what it was like here in the UK, to live in MT's Britain ? And to have decay and poverty all around ?

In Manchester, I almost never survived a trip to belle vue and again to a nearby pub. Those were hard times.

I have read some rubbish recently but your post is just madness. We have all had struggles and yours are best left offline,

Strawberry.

Ugly old houses now

...we didn't have to see someone peeing in his old toilet :p

ala “The Present Owner: M-Word. (My Trip to Morrissey’s House)” - THE FUTURE Magazine

those pics were nice....thanks. doesn't look so bad to me. thanks again.

Just because you visit a street in 2007 and think it looks all nice and middle classed doesn't mean it was that way in 1975. These are ex council houses we're talking about. Most of them will have been sold off by now and be privately owned. If they are privately owned people will have invested in their upkeep themselves rather than having to wait for the council to give them a lick of paint every ten years or so.

In London, there are plenty of incredibly posh places now that were complete dumps 30 years ago.

Anyone brought up in a council house is not middle classed. That's a fact.

To call Firswood middle class is beyond a joke.

I'm sure that a lot of people who bought houses there would like to think that they live in Chorlton, or at least Chorlton-borders, but in reality Kings Roads sits right next to Old Trafford - not the nice football or cricket ground - more like one of the most deprived parts of the country (high unemployment etc..)

At the moment the area is enjoying being slap bang in the middle of some gang turf wars where gangsters from Manchester come over the border into Trafford to take a pop at each other.

Haivng said that - there is a fantastic sense of community to the whole place (many people think that they "belong" to the area) good ol' Mozzer was probably in the minority.

... thanks for the pics, this is something I've always wanted to see in detail and context... I wonder who has his bedroom now and if they know it... people do get up in arms over class distinction... I understand that large parts of greater Manchester have been economically revitalized since the late 70s early 80s... Stretford actually looks quite nice, ...is it true about the turf war? How far is Sretford from downtown Manchester? Regarding Coronation Street.. It appears to still be filmed on location,not a set in London, where in Manchester is it filmed? Also, is the man still a fan or does he think its gone to Americanized crap... I watch occasionally to get my Manc fix and find most episodes pretty bad but occasionally there is still something gritty,real,unusual,emotional and Northern... would be interested to hear from someone who might know or care... would also love to see more pictures of Manchester.... his school, St. Marys Secondary Modern (if it still stands)Old Trafford... anything you feel like putting up.xoxoxo

I'm loving the gorgeous autumn colours. It looks like a lovely place to grow up.