Rusholme was changing rapidly at the start of the twentieth century. Once a small village, it became a city suburb in 1885 as Manchester expanded and the city boundaries were redrawn. In 1907 you could still see the legacy of its rural past, as the field in front of Platt Hall was cut for hay.
Hay is not just for feeding horses. It can be used for bedding and nesting material for chickens and other birds, for mulching the garden and to soak up muddy ground at festivals and events.
You can use it decoratively by making it into ornaments, and even to make hats, toys and instruments.