On of Manchester's minor rivers, now fully culverted.
It was too small to support much industry, although it was doubtless much abused for disposal of effluent.
Green's map of Manchester & Salford, surveyed in 1787 - 1794, shows several buildings which may have drawn power from the stream. The most notable was Mr Salvin's Factory in Ancoats, which straddled the stream. A larger building is shown alongside, and a smaller one straddling the stream a short distance north. Salvin's was significant as the first factory used by McConnel and Kennedy (in partnership with Benjamin and William Sandford) to produce textile machinery. Slightly further downstream are shown an iron works and a pottery.
'Salvin's Factory' was extensively remodelled and expanded over the years, and disappeared with Ancoat's transformation to a dense concentration of industry and housing. The area was subsequently cleared, leaving nothing of interest, with no sign of Shooter's Brook. However, the site's importance was recognised, and it underwent archaeological investigation. An excellent book, published in 2007, reveals the findings relating to Salvin's factory, to the slightly later New Islington Mill, and traces the history of the area and its industries [1]
1838 Report: 'NUISANCE FROM SHOOTER'S BROOK. Charles Simpson and Thomas Yates, inspectors appointed by the nuisance committee of the Manchester police commissioners, presented Messrs. Joseph Whitworth and Co., machine-makers, of Chorlton street, and Messrs. Samuel and Sarah Isherwood, of Bloom-street, for a nuisance arising from the insufficiency of a culvert in Granby-row fields, Lower Brook Street. Mr Shorland, surveyor to the commissioners, having been sworn, stated that on the 22d of January 1835, he drew the attention of the paving and soughing commissioners to this culvert, which was then in the course of formation, and notice of its insufficiency was then given to the parties engaged in its construction. Mr. Hadfield and Mr. Isherwood had purchased the land through which Shooter's brook ran, from Aytoun's estate, and to make the whole of the land available, made the culvert, which was however very unsuitable for the conveyance of the water, and backing it up at flood times, occasioned the inundation of all the property between London-road and Granby-row fields. The tunnel in Store-street was of twenty-two feet passage, and that was very inadequate ;whilst that put in by Mr. Hadfield, and which was near the Catholic chapel, contained only sixteen feet, and that put down by Mr. Isherwood but thirteen feet and a half. The flood in the poor people's houses in that neighbourhood last December, by the backing of the water, was as high as four feet one inch. The confined part was eighty yards in length, and extended from the Bridgewater Canal to Isherwood's spindle manufactory. By getting the consent of Lord Francis Egerton, the water might be turned into the tunnel by Mr. Knowles's coal-yard. Store-street was often flooded, even with a large tunnel, to the depth of two feet six inches. To make the alterations either in London-road, or to re-tunnel the land, would cost about £200, and it might be done within three months. Messrs. Whitworth and Co. had purchased the part belonging to Mr. Hadfield. The tunnel complained of lay between Chorlton-street and a branch of the canal lately cut by Mr. Green—The jury amerced the parties in £5, to be increased to £250 if the nuisance were not abated within four months.' [2]