Karen Allerton arts

We kicked off the project with a Manhole Hunt, and had a lot of fun spotting many

different types and styles of manhole covers. Initially, we didn't find many, made by Needhams, but throughout the duration of the project we spotted more and more.

 

It is incredible the amount of detail and variety of different styles that you can find, if you take the time to look, at something we can all so easily overlook.

 

Our research also uncovered some of Needhams early publicity and articles written about the company:

 

What’s in a name? A great deal. The name Needhams of Stockport and that of Manholes are synonymous. It was in the reign of William 1V that the Principal’s grandfather first made his acquaintance with Stockport. In those early days he commenced business in The Park at Stockport. Here he remained until his eldest son John purchased the present site, (Portwood) in the early sixties.

 

It was in the year 1846 that the first contract with the Stockport Corporation was undertaken.

From and entirely local sphere the name spread throughout the length and breadth of

England and Wales. Places so wide apart as Gateshead, Plymouth, Liverpool,  Margate, Brighton, Blackpool, Felixstowe, Southport, Coventry, Wigan, Hereford, Preston and many authorities in the County of London have been supplied with manholes and other requisites.

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