Arriving in Manchester in 1763, Elizabeth Raffald hit the ground running, and launched her first venture, a catering business, from her home. Not long after, in 1764, she opened a 'confectionary' store, what would now be considered a deli, on Fennel Street in the city, selling everything from sweets, soups, and meats, to table centrepieces. Whilst at Fennel Street, Elizabeth also started a staff employment service and a cookery school for young women.
Moving her confectionary store to the Market Place, she began advertising the business in the local newspaper, listing, amongst other items, “Plumb cakes for weddings." This is considered one of the first references to what has now become the modern day Wedding cake.
In 1769, Elizabeth published her first must-have cookbook, 'The Experienced English Housekeeper', which contained over 800 (!!) original recipes, including the first recipes for Piccalilli, crumpets, and an early version of the Eccles Cake. The book was so successful it was reprinted 13 times and even became a favourite of Queen Victoria who is said to have copied recipes from the book into her personal diary.
Between 1769 and 1772 Elizabeth's business streak continued with her running the Bull’s Head Inn in the market place, starting a carriage rental business, establishing a post office, and helping to create Salfords first newspaper, Prescott’s Journal.
In 1772, Elizabeth created the first ever Manchester and Salford trade directory, essentially a yellow pages of its day. The directory was a great success and was updated in 1773 from 60 to 78 pages.
Finally, in another publishing venture, Raffald co-wrote a midwifery manual with Manchester surgeon, Charles White. Unfortunately the manuscript was never printed in her name, seemingly sold off by her alcoholic husband following her death.
What makes Elizabeth's story all the more incredible is that whilst launching and running her businesses she also gave birth to at least 9 children! Elizabeth died in April of 1781 and is buried at St Mary's church, Stockport
We're sure you'll agree that Elizabeth's story and entrepreneurial spirit is one which should be remembered and celebrated for years to come which is why it's been fantastic to be able to include her in the Manchester Hidden Stories mural.
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To stay up to date with the progress of the #MCRHiddenStories mural, be sure to follow Meha on Instagram 
Mix up an Old Fashioned for Father's Day with 
Meha’s episode saw her take on a brief from Ben and Marc, a Manchester couple who wanted a piece designed to fit in their new converted Cotton Mill apartment, which captured their love of Manchester and its heritage.
To find out who won the commission you’ll have to watch the episode, which is available on the BBC iPlayer 
Meha is very much a researcher and loves to get into the details of a piece, exploring the musical, sporting, cultural, and architectural icons of a city. Her style is based around intricate line work paired with bold coloured backgrounds, designed to capture the story of a city or place.
For commissioned pieces, Meha really gets to know the buyer and their preferences, requesting images personal to them, their favourite colours, special locations, and any quirky, one-of-a-kind, references they'd like to see in their artwork. Depending on the scale of the piece, commissions can take from just a few weeks up to 6 months to create.
77 of the Bee's were auctioned off in aid of the We Love MCR Charity raising an amazing £1.1 Million, with Meha's Bee being purchased by a private collector for an impressive £10,000!!
With the bee's popularity continuing to rise, Meha has had many requests to replicate her colourful 
The Manchester Bee's representation of hard work make it the perfect icon to adorn the walls of office spaces across the city, whilst bringing a splash of colour too!
If you fancy brightening up your space with a hand drawn Meha mural get in touch with us today by emailing orders@mehaart.com.
Credit: Kerry Beall
“When I create from the intuitive guidance system we all have, a flood of energy pours into the work and almost decides its own narrative.”
Credit: Barry Spence
Wallpaper and mural designer Barry is another artist who was involved in the Bee Manchester campaign. His cosmic work is inspired by the effects of light, from the Big Bang to the desert sunset.
Gemma Truman, Colours of the Wind, Glass Blown Vases, Photo Credit Simon Bruntnell
One of just a few female glass-blowers in the UK, Gemma has more than a decades experience in the art of making beautiful blown glass objects. Taking inspiration from the outdoors – in particular birds and birds nests – the Northern Quarter-based artist creates an abundance of unique designs. From woven cotton rope installations to ornaments and original trophies, her work is demonstrated in an abundance of different industries.
Credit: Stanley Chow
World-famous illustrator Stanley Chow produces iconic prints with defined strokes that have become his unmistakable style. His work has been featured across the world in The New Yorker, GQ and Wired and he began the art by sketching his friends, including fellow famous Mancunian, Elbow’s Guy Garvey.
Born and raised in Manchester, much of his work is a pinnacle of the north. He has produced artwork for local campaigns portraying local music artists such as Sting, and his Great Northerners collection featured portraits of legends such as Liam Gallagher and Sir Ian McKellen, with 15% of sales going to local charity Forever Manchester.
Credit: Meha Art
“The stories people tell, and the journeys they remember when spotting a familiar place fascinate me”
Credit: Ian Rayer Smith
“In a world preoccupied with technology, there is something remarkable about painting.”
Credit: Michelle Taube
Illustrator Michelle is a popular watercolour painter who specialises in recreating local scenes and football paintings. Since winning IJAYA Young Artist of the Year in 2007, she has grown into a popular local artist with a uniquely recognisable “washy” style. Her process includes layering oil paints, combined with collage and photography which allows for her specific effect.
Credit: Ambrin
Jewellery designer Ambrin has had a lot of success in the city and often designs her work on the back of a societal issue, such as her golden “tampax pearl” which was made in response to the tampon tax, after they were dubbed luxury items.
). It’s high time that we shared some of our favourite Mancunian art and artists with you, so here’s a Manchester art tour of our apartment!) and moving to Berlin hasn’t stopped us adding to our ever-growing collection!
Manchester's Hidden Stories - Places of Prominence
In this blog we delve into the history and stories behind some of Manchester’s often forgotten buildings which Meha has depicted in the Manchester’s Hidden Stories mural.
This & That Cafe
Tucked away on Soap Street, This & That is Manchester’s no-frills, canteen style, Indian curry house. If you’ve never been before it may take you a minute to find it but once there, don’t be fooled by the modest exterior as inside you’ll find authentic, home-made curries and sundries bursting with flavour. Established in 1984, This & That is a family run business famous for its ‘Rice and Three’ combos where for a set price you take your pick of three curries from those on offer. Dishes change daily but you can expect to see a mix of meat, veggie, and vegan offerings with favourites such as Lamb Keema, Chicken Masala, and Daal on the menu. This & That is extremely popular so be prepared to wait a little, however with delicious Indian curries from as little as £4.50, it’s definitely worth the wait.
Vimto
First concocted in 1908 by John Noel Nichols in a tiny terrace house on Granby Row in Manchester city centre, Vimto, or Vimtonic as it was called then, started out life as as a herbal tonic designed to give the drinker ‘Vim & Vigour’. In fact, in 1912, Vimto was actually trademarked as a medicine! Enjoyed both hot and cold, the unique Vimto flavour is a special combination of fruits (grape, blackcurrant and raspberry), spices, and herbs which remain a secret to this day. As Vimto grew in popularity, Nichols began exporting the drink around the world, in particular to the Middle East where it was a huge hit in countries such as India and Burma (now Myanmar). Interestingly, to this day, Vimto cordial sent to the Middle East is double the strength of the UK version, to cut down on transport costs and suit the local palate more. Vimto is now sold in more than 85 countries and the distinct flavour can be found in all manner of treats, from ice lollies, to fruity snacks - and all from humble beginnings in Manchester!
The LGBT+ Centre
The LGBT+ Centre found at 49-51 Sidney Street was Europe’s first entirely publicly funded, purpose built centre for the gay community, and first opened in 1988. It’s important to note the significance of the timing, Section 28 had just become law, and so the decision by Manchester Council to fund a building built solely for the gay community was a huge step. Over the years the centre has faced numerous threats of closure due to funding cuts but has overcome these with the help of long-term staff and dedicated volunteers who recognise the need for a space committed to supporting the LGBT+ community. The centre is currently home to the Sidney Street Community Cafe, a number of social and support groups, and the Jaye Bloomfield resource library, as well as hosting many other events throughout the year. As of July 2019, the centre is undergoing a huge £2.25million transformation which will see the original building demolished and replaced with a new three-storey centre, ensuring its place as a safe place for LGBTQ+ people for years to come.
Manchester Craft & Design Centre
Situated in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, the Craft and Design Centre is housed in a beautiful Victorian building which was once the city’s Smithfield Fish Market. Following the development of the Arndale Shopping Centre, in 1978, it was decided that the fish market would become a craft village, housing craft-makers from potters and jewellers, to furniture makers, weavers, and more. Manchester Craft Village first opened in 1982 as an artists’ cooperative before re-branding as Manchester Craft and Design Centre, and becoming a not-for-profit limited company, in 2003. These days you’ll find the centre a hub of creative activity with two floors of contemporary craft studios, many incorporating small shops, where artists both work and sell their wares. On the ground floor you can even find two of the original fishmongers’ booths, now home to the quaint Oak St. Cafe Bar, where you can enjoy fresh produce from local growers, as well as vegetarian, vegan, and wheat free options. Open 6 days a week, the centre regularly hosts exhibitions, public workshops, and other events. If you’re after beautiful gifts to remember Manchester by or looking to explore the cities bustling creative side, MCDC should definitely be your first port of call!
In my study, you will have probably already seen the 
I love her art because it’s so colourful and vibrant but it’s also full of lots of little details and I seem to discover something new every time I look at it. We love Meha’s art so much in fact, that we also bought a Las Vegas print to remind us of a fantastic holiday with friends there a couple of years ago.
Our newest art by Meha is an amazing Berlin print which now hangs in our guest bedroom / Airbnb (yes, that’s still happening and we hope to be open at the end of October!). It looks amazing in the room and I absolutely love how it stands out on our white panelled walls.
I guess you can tell we really love Meha’s art! She has 
