We’ve curated a handpicked selection of some of the best MehaArt gifts that are guaranteed to go down a treat on Christmas day.

Details on a free event hosted at The Portico Library to celebrate the libraries rich collection as part of the City of Literature's Festival of Libraries.

As one of the latest skylines to join the best-selling Skyline glassware, it's time to take a closer look at some of the landmarks that feature on the Glasgow gin goblets and whisky tumblers.

Glasgow Science Tower

Holding the Guinness World Record for the tallest full-rotating freestanding structure in the world and standing tall at 127 metres high, there’s no better place to catch a glimpse of Glasgow’s panoramic views than the Glasgow Tower.

Originally known as the Millennium Tower, the tower is the result of an international competition to design a tower for Glasgow with Richard Horden and Buro Happold as the brains behind the original architectural and engineering design respectively.

With the whole structure being able to rotate 360 degrees, the tower is more than a place to enjoy views of Glasgow’s city centre and surrounding landscape. Marvel at the design of Scotland’s tallest freestanding building, which showcases engineering in its finest.

Gallery of Modern Art

Built in 1778 originally as a townhouse, the neoclassical building opened as the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in 1996. As a gallery for contemporary art, exhibits have included the works of internationally-renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, David Hockney and Sebastiao Salgado. GoMA has also proudly celebrated local artists in the past including Scottish artists, John Bellany and Ken Currie. The gallery also includes a permanent display of the building’s history and its transformation from townhouse to gallery.

Duke of Wellington Statue

Outside the Gallery of Modern Art stands the Equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington, Glasgow most often found with a traffic cone on its head.

The status was sculpted by Carlo Marochetti, an Italian artist whose other works include the statue of Queen Victoria on horseback in George Square, Glasgow as well as statues across England and Europe. The statue celebrates Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, one of the leading political heads and serving as Prime Minister twice in the 19th Century.

The statue has since become notable for being adorned with a traffic cone - a quirky move that is said to represent Glaswegian humour. In 2011, it was included in the Lonely Planet’s list of “top 10 most bizarre monuments on Earth”.

City Chambers

Viewed as one of Glasgow’s most prominent buildings, Glasgow City Chambers can be found on George Square. The building is a result of another competition, this time in the 19th Century when it was designed by William Young, a Scottish architect. In August 1888, it was inaugurated by Queen Victoria, and it’s at the front of the building that the aforementioned statue of Queen Victoria by Marochetti can be found. The iconic landmark of Glasgow’s skyline has been the home to the city councils ever since.

The Finneston Crane

As a nod to Glasgow's heritage in engineering, the Finneston Crane is a giant crane found in the city centre. Once used for loading cargo onto ships, the crane is no longer operational and is one of eleven remaining giant cantilever cranes in the world.

Playing its role in public artwork, in 1987, local sculptor George Wyllie’s full-size replica locomotive was suspended from the crane. The replica, made of straw, was later burned to reveal a metal framework.

This week we've been taking over Etsy Manchester's Instagram where Meha shared her favourite makers from in and around Greater Manchester.

To celebrate the end of the takeover, we've partnered with over 20 makers to offer you 10% off your next Etsy order. From jewellers and homeware to loud prints and photography, there's certainly something for everyone!

Just use the code EtsyMcr10 between now and the end of March 2021 on any of the shops below to get your 10% off.

MehaArt | The Print Studio MCR | Pumpkin & Peas | Hello Falcon | Ollie & Fred

Cocoon Homeware | Art is My Therapy | The Kitschen Disco | Emily Lisbeth Jeweller

Jilly G Design | Honey Blossom UK | Lorris Silver Jewellery | Christopher Walster | AMWRAPUK

Hamilton & Home | Yanthia | Amarthia | Blue Fox Ceramics | Olganna

Blue Butterfly Crafts | Emmy C Photography | Natalie Gaynor Designs | Painting Rainbows

As part of the Wild in Art 50 Windows of Creativity, Meha recently created three pieces to celebrate Greater Manchester in all its glory.

About the exhibition
Created by Wild in Art and supported by Manchester City Council, 50 Windows of Creativity is an exhibition displaying art - whether that’s ceramics or crafts, mosaics or murals - in windows and spaces around the city. Like Meha, each artist is connected to Greater Manchester. The art trail will help to support the city’s art and creative community, its businesses and cultural venues at a time when they need it the most.

A selection of the pieces will also be auctioned, with proceeds going to their artists and makers as well as The Lord Mayor of Manchester Charity Appeal Trust - We Love MCR Charity.

Pieces are on display until 5th December as part of the exhibition. 

About Meha’s pieces
Each of Meha’s pieces are kindly sponsored by TFGM, with various nods to transport included in the drawings. Meha’s pieces can also be purchased here, on our website, either individually or as a set of three. 

Northern Quarter and Ancoats
Discover the Northern Quarter and Ancoats’ past and present with this skyline piece. Known as the “the world’s first industrial suburb”, Meha pays homage to Ancoats’ industrial past with its cotton mills. Manchester’s Cottonopolis is now home to some of the city’s best eateries and independents with a backdrop of the colourful murals of Pichi & Avo and Dale Grimshaw. Available to buy from £20.

 

Canal Street
With recognition to Alan Turing to Emmeline Pankhurst alongside The Whitworth, Manchester Town Hall and the Manchester Museum, the skyline of Canal Street demonstrates the history and heritage the city has to offer. But let’s not forget the tribute to the city’s food either with the inclusion of the Vimto bottle and Hatch, the destination for independent eateries, breweries and retailers. Available to buy from £20.

 

Spinningfields & Deansgate

Standing tall in the centre, the eye is immediately drawn to Meha’s drawing of Manchester Cathedral. But spot the cultural venues included too, from the likes of The Portico Library, the Opera House and Royal Exchange. With its rich history, the addition of Chetham’s Library, the meeting place of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1845, is also a must. More modern features include the Tower of Light, Printworks and of course, arguably the nation’s favourite soap opera, Coronation Street. Available to buy from £20.

 

To find out more about 50 Windows of Creativity, click here. 

MehaArt turns 5 this year and to celebrate this big Birthday we're taking a look back over the past 5 years and how the business came to be where it is today.

2015

2015 saw Meha create the first of her now signature skyline designs, and of course she had to start off with Manchester! Featuring many of Manchester's most recognisable landmarks this design has constantly evolved over the last 5 years to include new buildings as they pop up.

Meha also introduced her Didsbury and Industrial Manchester skylines in the first year of MehaArt.

2016

In 2016, Meha took on her first mural commissions, including a large scale version of her Industrial Manchester design, at the Manchester Creative Studio.

October 2016 saw Meha take the leap to launching the MehaArt website, which remains largely unchanged to this day. You can see what the website looked like on the day it launched above!

2016 also saw Meha take part in the Manchester Christmas Markets for the first time, and as a result her Manchester Skyline mug featured in Manchester Confidential's Christmas Market Gift Guide.

2017

In 2017 Meha teamed up with Newcastle department store Fenwicks to create the Newcastle skyline range. The design is now available on mugs, aprons, tea towels, coasters, and more!

Meha's now super popular gin glasses first appeared in 2017 too, with the first design featuring buildings from Manchester's famous skyline including the Beetham Tower, Manchester Cathedral, and the National Football Museum.

2018

2018 proved to be a busy year for MehaArt starting with features in both Olive food magazine and Living North, and even sneaking onto Coronation Street where Meha's black and white Manchester Skyline print was spotted on the walls of the factory!

July 2018 saw Meha collaborate with paint manufacturer Airlite to produce an interactive skyline piece at TedEx London which highlighted their air purifying paints.

Also in July, Meha took part in the amazing Bee in the City trail, decorating one of the giant fibreglass bees with her colourful Manchester skyline design. The bees were ultimately auctioned off to raise money for the We Love MCR Charity’s Stronger Communities fund with Meha's bee raising an incredible £10,000.

2018 also saw MehaArt go international with a feature in German food magazine, Essen und Trinken, who shared Meha's Berlin tea towel design.

2019

In April 2019 Meha took part in BBC One's 'Home is Where the Art Is', a show where artists create a personalised commission for a mystery buyer.

Meha created a collection of pieces for Manchester couple Ben and Marc designed to capture their love of the city and its heritage.

You can find all of the pieces Meha created for Home is Where the Art Is on the website here.

July 2019 saw Meha's MCR Hidden Stories murals get underway, a collaboration with NOMA and the Old Bank Residency, this was a project designed to capture the stories of Manchester which are often forgotten.

The MCR Hidden Stories mural is Meha's largest to date, covering over 40 boards which will be used around the NOMA neighbourhood.

October saw the launch of the Liverpool Art Book which features Meha's black and white Liverpool Skyline design. You can order the book online from Amazon here.

The first of Meha's skyline workshops launched in December 2019 at the annual Etsy Made Local: Manchester pop-up event at the People's History Museum. Guided by Meha, attendees created their own interpretation of the Manchester skyline using personal stories to guide their design.

2020

January 2020 started out with Meha's Manchester Skyline print Music Edition being selected for the first Manchester Open, an exhibition celebrating the creative talent of Greater Manchester residents.

In February of this year Meha sat on a panel at the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce's Business Women's Network Summit, where she discussed entrepreneurship and building a brand.

And that brings us right up to the present day!

We're excited to see what the rest of 2020 brings (after the chaos of Corona!!) and look forward to the next 5 years of MehaArt too.

Celebrated for well over a century on the 8th March each year, International Women's Day (or IWD) is a day focussed on celebrating the achievements of women around the world. IWD also provides a platform to reflect on the inequality women experience, to call for change, and to raise awareness of bias against women.

To celebrate this year's International Women's Day I'm sharing just three of my favourite female artists with you.

Emily Lamb

Emily Lamb describes herself as a 'Painter and traveller connecting people to the wilderness …'. Her work focuses on the natural world, with bold, expressive depictions of wildlife intended to draw attention to the plights of endangered species and communities in Africa.

In 2019, Emily was the first artist in residence at Angama Mara, a stunning safari lodge above the Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya. Whilst there she painted 17 pieces which were raised $12,000 for the Angama Foundation in just 10 days.

Emily describes her style as an attempt to "translate the places, people and creatures of Africa into a medium that can communicate the beauty and emotion that the continent evokes..".

One of her most recent projects is the Daily Sketch for Wildlife series where she created a sketch a day for 400 days, selling the pieces for £100 each with 100% of the proceeds going to wildlife charities. You can see the full range of sketches on her Instagram here.

Victo Ngai

Victo Ngai is an LA based illustrator originally from Hong Kong whose work is inspired by comic book drawings, Japanese painters, and classic children's book illustrations. Ngai creates her pieces using pen for the line work, various mediums to create textures, such as acrylic or oil pastels, before finally using Photoshop to digitally colour the artwork.

Her illustrations combine intricate, highly detailed line work with skewed perspective and limited colour palettes to create pieces which take the viewer to a place of fantasy.

Ngai's work can be seen in newspapers and magazines, on packaging and advertisements, in books, and as storyboards for animations. Her clients have including The New York Times, Penguin Random House, Dreamworks, and Apple.

Ngai has also taught at the New York School of Visual Arts, The Illustration Academy, and gives guest lectures at universities and art schools around the world. Her most recent achievement saw her awarded the Hamilton King Award, for excellence in illustration, by the Society of Illustrators.

Swoon - Caledonia Curry

Caledonia Curry, better known in the art world as Swoon, is a Brooklyn based street artist who specialises in large scale paper cut-outs of human figures. She began using the name Swoon when her then-boyfriend had a dream about the two of them doing graffiti together where she tagged her work with the pseudonym.

Interestingly, using the genderless nickname resulted in people expecting Swoon to be a man, a not unexpected assumption in the male dominated world of street art. Caledonia now sees 'Swoon' as more of a concept, embodying her belief that the combination of dedication and creativity can create “cracks in the facades of impossibility and inevitability”.

Caledonia’s process involves creating her signature large human forms on recycled papers, which can take weeks to paint and cut, before glueing them to derelict buildings, street signs, and other blank walls using wheat paste.

Her work is inspired by fairy tales, myths, and sacred femininity, as well as a desire to create portraits which capture the essence of a person or community.

What started out as a two month project of portraits has now seen Swoon continue her work for over 10 years, with pieces appearing in the São Paulo Museum of Art, the Tate Modern, and New York’s Museum of Modern Art amongst others. Her most recent practice has seen her exploring more visual storytelling through the use of film animation.

There are so many more fantastic female artists who I could have featured in this post, these are just three of the incredible artists who inspire me to keep creating.

Mention that you're thinking of going on a romantic getaway and the first place that comes to mind is Paris, but why exactly is this popular destination known as the City of Love? Read on to find out...

The Architecture

Of course the most romantic part of Paris has to be the magnificent Tour de Eiffel, with it's grand wrought iron tower and sparkling lights illuminating the night sky. This famous landmark is a popular proposal spot with an impressive one in 679 proposals taking place there.

As well as the Eiffel Tower, the streets of Paris are lined with more examples of architecture such as the stunning Notre Dame Cathedral, the iconic Arc de Triomphe, and the gothic Sainte-Chapelle, all adding to the romance of the city.

The City of Lights

Another of Paris' nicknames is the City of Light and you can see why when the sun sets and the illuminated buildings and bridges come to life. The twinkling lights of more than 296 statues, monuments, churches, and hotels create the perfect atmosphere for a romantic stroll along the river Seine.

Fun Fact: The name actually comes from Paris being one of the first cities in Europe to have street lighting, the result of Louis XIV and the Lieutenant General of Police, Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie, wanting to gain trust from the public by creating safer streets in the capital.

The Language & Culture

Originating from Latin, French is considered one of the most romantic languages in the world and is often dubbed “the language of love”. One of the reasons for this is that French requires you to drop the consonant at the end of a word, removing the harsher sound and creating a smoother, more free flowing language.

Paris has also long been associated with extravagance, from the afore mentioned architecture, to fine art, music, and fashion. Visiting the city's many world-renowned museums, art galleries, and fashion houses is a must, and makes for a picture perfect romantic date.

Fun Fact: According to a survey by Google Translate, French is the language most often used to translate romantic expressions.

The Food

If the way to the heart is truly through the stomach then Paris, and it's 40,000 restaurants, must guarantee true love. For the French, enjoying good food is a way of life, encouraging people to come together and 'enjoy the art of good eating and drinking’.

With elegant fine dining and cosy cafe's on every street corner, Paris is the perfect place to spend a romantic evening indulging in gastronomic delights and fine wines.

Fun Fact: In France, people eat an estimated 500,000,000 snails per year.

Looking for a gift to remember the City of Romance? You can see our Paris Skyline gin glass here and our Paris glass tumbler here.

Known for its famous architecture such as York Minster, Castle Howard, and the City Walls, York is a city bursting with history making it the perfect place to feature on our Skyline Glassware. Read on for a full rundown of each York landmark to make it on to our balloon gin glass and whiskey tumbler.

National Railway Museum

The award winning National Railway Museum houses Britain's largest collection of railway memorabilia and began in 1948 when British Railways inherited the collections of rail companies. With over 6000 objects on display, 100 of which are locomotives, the museum attracts a huge number of visitors each year with 782,000 people visiting in the 2018/19 season. Some of the historic vehicles on display include a Japanese bullet train, the beautiful Art Deco Duchess of Hamilton locomotive, and the world's fastest steam locomotive, the Mallard. RANDOM FACT: The Museum's library contains over 20,000 books and over a million photographs, covering every area of the history of the British railways.

Holgate Windmill

Built in 1770 by miller George Waud, Holgate Windmill is the oldest surviving 5-sailed windmill in the country. Perched overlooking the hamlet of Holgate, the mill was perfectly placed to allow local farmers to transport grain to the windmill and for Wauld to provide high quality flour to the city of York. The windmill remained in production until the early 1930’s and despite many attempts to restore it, became neglected, eventually leading to the development of a housing estate around the windmill. Following the creation of the Holgate Windmill Preservation Society in 2001, the mill has been fully restored and continues to produce stone-ground flour to this day. Remarkably, 2020 will see the windmill marking its 250th anniversary!

St Mary's Abbey

Once known as the richest abbey in Northern England, the Grade I listed St. Mary’s Abbey is a Benedictine monastery first built in 1088 on the North bank of the River Ouse.

York Minster

Regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful cathedrals, the history of York Minster stretches back over 2,000 years to Roman York and the birth of modern day Christianity. The cathedral is home to more medieval stained glass than anywhere in the country and features stunning examples of gothic architecture and medieval stonework. Climb the 275 steps to the top of the Central Tower and you’ll find yourself at the highest point in York with spectacular views across the city and beyond. The Minster remains a thriving church to this day with daily prayer and worship taking place. If you’d like to visit the Minster, tours run from Monday to Saturday between 10am and 3pm.

Guy Fawkes Inn

We’ve all heard of the infamous Gun Powder plot of November 5th 1605 but did you know that Guy Fawkes was born in York? Guido Fawkes was born in a medieval inn that stands just a stone's throw from York Minster on 13th April 1570 before being baptised at the St Michael Le Belfrey Anglican church just across the street. From humble beginnings in York he went on to become the most famous conspirator of the Gunpowder Plot, a failed attempt to blow up the houses of parliament and everyone inside, including King James I. The birthplace of Fawkes is beautifully preserved and now runs as a 4 star hotel and restaurant, the perfect spot for a tasty meal at the end of a busy day exploring the city. RANDOM FACT: During his involvement in the Gunpowder Plot, Fawkes gave his name as John Johnson when arrested by the police.

Skeldergate Bridge

Built between 1878 and 1881, Skeldergate Bridge is a Grade II listed building which links York Castle to Bishophill. It was designed by civil engineer George Gordon Page in a Gothic Revival style, inspired by medieval architecture. The bridge, together with its attached tollhouse, features beautiful examples of Gothic architecture including the cast iron parapet decorated with six-pointed stars, trefoils, and the icon of York, a white rose. The bridge was last opened in 1975 and the winding mechanism is no longer in use.

York Racecourse

Having won the Flat Racecourse of the Year Award for the fourth year, York Racecourse is known as one of the best race tracks in Europe. The course attracts over 350,000 racegoers each year and is the third biggest racecourse in Britain in regards to the total prize money on offer. The track hosts three of the UK’s biggest races, the Juddmonte International Stakes, the Nunthorpe Stakes, and the Yorkshire Oaks as well as Europe’s premier handicap race, the Ebor Handicap. RANDOM FACT: York Racecourse has hosted many distinguished visitors, including Pope John Paul II, who said open-air mass there during his visit to the UK in 1982.

Jorvik Viking Centre

During an archaeological dig between 1976 and 1981, members of the York Archaeological Trust discovered remnants of the Viking city of Jorvik encased in wet-mud beneath the Coppergate site. Regarded as one of the biggest discoveries of modern archaeology, the Jorvik Viking Centre stands on the exact site where the excavations took place. The museum transports you back to 10th century York with a variety of displays reconstructing Viking-age shops, markets, and street scenes. The latest attraction is an immersive ride experience which takes you on a Viking adventure exploring the people and places of Jorvik. Jorvik Viking Centre is open from 10am daily and is the perfect destination for a family friendly day out in York. RANDOM FACT: Vikings take their name from the area known as Viki in Oslo Fjord – an area renowned for its pirate raiders.

Castle Howard

Castle Howard is a stately home found just outside of York which took over 100 years to complete. The stunning private residence features 1000 acres of land incorporating beautiful woodlands, formal gardens, and numerous lakes. With its incredible architecture, interiors, and world-renowned art collections, it’s easy to spend an entire day discovering the delights of this historic home. Castle Howard remains a family home to this day and has been so for the past 300 years. RANDOM FACT: Castle Howard isn’t actually a castle, in this case ‘castle’ is used to refer to an English country house built upon the site of a former military castle.

Clifford's Tower

Clifford's Tower is the only remaining part of York Castle, first built in 1086 by William the Conqueror. Over time, the castle and tower were rebuilt many times, with the current tower dating back to the 13th century where it is thought to have been used as a treasury or jail. A climb up to Clifford's Tower will see you rewarded with amazing panoramic views of the city and surrounding countryside. RANDOM FACT: The tower got its current name in 1322 when Roger de Clifford was executed for treason by hanging in chains from the tower walls.

York Castle Museum

York Castle Museum is home to thousands of historic artefacts which recreate the daily life of York over the past 400 years. Interactive life-size reconstructions include everything from family homes and shops, to the cell where famous highwayman Dick Turpin spent his last night before being executed. Located in a Grade I listed 18th century prison, York Castle Museum is a great place to visit as a family, kids get free entry with a paying adult!

York City Walls

At 3.4km long, York's City Walls, also known as 'Bar Walls', are the longest and most complete medieval city walls remaining in England today. The walls consist of five main ‘bars’ or gateways, one Victorian gateway, and 45 towers. They were first erected by the Romans in 71AD before being improved by the Vikings in 867AD, and upgraded to stone in 1226. Today, the walls are Grade 1 listed and attract over a million people to the city every year. A full circuit will take you around 2 hours but there are lots of gaps along the route giving you plenty of opportunity to take a break to enjoy the rest of York’s incredible historic sights. RANDOM FACT: All together, the walls weigh approximately 100,000 tonnes! You can see our York gin glass here and our glass tumbler here.

Continuing our discovery of the stories behind the people and places featured in the #MCRHiddenStories mural, this blog takes a look at some of the businesses, big and small, established in the city.

Rolls Royce

Did you know that one of the most famous car brands in the world started right here in Manchester? It all began in 1904 when Henry Royce, founder of F.H. Royce and Company based in the city, decided to move on from making electrical fittings and start making motor cars. His first car was the two-cylinder Royce 10, and it was this motor that was pitched to car dealership owner Charles Rolls. Their first meeting took place at the Midland Hotel, on Peter Street, on the 4^th of May 1904. Thoroughly impressed by the Royce 10, in December of the same year, Rolls agreed to take all of the cars Royce could make. Through Royce’s engineering expertise and Roll’s experience in the automobile trade, the first Rolls-Royce car, the Rolls-Royce 10 hp, was unveiled at the Paris Salon in December 1904. The pair went on to establish Rolls-Royce Limited in 1906 and the rest, as they say, is history! Top Tip: If you’re ever near the Midland, be sure to head up the steps and on the right you’ll find a sculpture and plaque dedicated to the meeting of Rolls and Royce.

Albert Jones

An example of a small, purpose-built warehouse, this former textile factory has remained pretty much unaltered since it was first built in 1860. Found on Richmond Street in the Northern Quarter, it was first a shirt factory until 1946 when Albert Jones Textiles took it over. It’s still used by for the textile industry to this day and is currently owned by a Lebanese family. Thanks goes to Skyliner Manchester for bringing the Albert Jones story to our attention.

Ho's Bakery

A family-run Chinese Bakery, Ho’s is well known in Manchester as the place to go for home-cooked cakes, traditional Chinese sweets, and dumplings. Found on the corner of the famous square by the Chinese Arch in Manchester’s China Town, Ho’s has been a Manchester institution since it first opened in 1980. Now run by the third generation of the Ho family, the bakery specialises in traditional Hong Kong style sweet and savoury patisseries such as Sweet Melon Cake, Pork Dumplings, and our personal favourite, the irresistible Honey Bun’s. They also offer a range of celebration cakes, all of which are suitable for vegetarians. Inside you’ll find a few tables to eat at however if the temperamental Manc weather is uncharacteristically sunny, we’d recommend eating outside on the pagoda-topped benches to really soak up the atmosphere of China Town.

Shudehill Mill

Shudehill Mill, also known as Simpsons Mill, was a five storey mill built in 1782 by inventor and entrepreneur, Richard Arkwright and his partners. Found between Miller Street and Angel Street, the mill is considered the first powered textile factory in Manchester. Originally, the mill was designed to be powered by a Newcomen (fuel-burning) engine, but for unknown reasons, this did not come to fruition and the steam-powered textile mill was born, paving the way for Manchester to become an industrial powerhouse. Unfortunately the mill was badly damaged by fire in 1854 and had to be rebuilt before being completely demolished in 1940, following damage as a result of the Manchester Blitz. As images of Shudehill Mill itself are hard to come by, Meha has created this board in the style of L. S. Lowry, inspired by his work which depicted industrial Northern life and often featured mills similar to Shudehill. ______________________________________________________________________________ To stay up to date with the progress of the #MCRHiddenStories mural, be sure to follow Meha on Instagram here.

Next up in Meha’s #MCRHiddenStories mural in collaboration with NOMA Manchester and The Old Bank Residency are a series of boards exploring the stories of inspiring scientist’s. Read on to find out more about Balloonist James Sadler, Physicist Professor Brian Cox, and Botanist Kathleen Drew-Baker.

James Sadler

A pastry chef from Oxford, James Sadler was a celebrity of 1780’s Britain, after he became the first ever Englishman to fly. Inspired by Joseph and Etienne Mongolfier, the French brothers who first conquered flight, Sadler began experimenting with gas filled balloons and made his first flight in 1784. At a time when knowledge about our skies was lacking, people were concerned that Sadler may collide with Heaven, or be attacked by ‘sky dragons’. Thankfully this didn’t happen and he took off from Oxford, flying for 30 minutes, and covering six miles before landing in Wood Eaton. Following his first flight, Sadler became a huge celebrity, with memorabilia from drawer knobs to bidet’s featuring his image. He became so famous in fact, that he, and three of his balloon’s, were given top billing at the 1814 jubilee at the personal request of the Royal family. So, what connects Sadler to Manchester? Two of Sadler’s further attempts at balloon flight took off in the city, with the first, from the garden of one John Howarth, in Long Millgate, watched by a crowd of over 5,000 people. The flight was a success and saw Sadler, with a cat for company, flying seven miles north to Radcliffe where he promptly landed in a reed bed. Named after Sadler, you’ll find Manchester’s newest public square, Sadler’s Yard in the cities Northern Quarter as part of the NOMA Manchester neighbourhood.

Brian Cox

Known for revitilising the British public’s interest in Physics, Professor Brian Cox credits his love of the subject to Carl Sagan’s book ‘Cosmos’. Born in Oldham in 1968, Cox’s early years were spent dreaming of space travel, before his passion turned to music in his teens and saw him join a local band, Dare, as a keyboardist. He recorded music and toured with Dare in the late eighties returning to his love for Astronomy when the band split in 1991, completing a degree in Physics at the University of Manchester, followed by a PhD in particle physics. Prior to his PhD, Cox was again a keyboardist for another music group, D:Ream, best known for their 1994 hit, ‘Things Can Only Get Better’. Confronted with the choice of going on an international tour with the band or staying in Manchester to finish his PhD, Cox decided to stick to his first love, completing his doctorate with a thesis titled, ‘Double Diffraction Dissociation at Large Momentum Transfer.’ In 2005, he began working as a professor of particle physics at the University of Manchester and made his television presenting debut hosting episodes of BBC One’s Horizon programme, looking at topics such as ‘Can We Make A Star on Earth?’. Following this he presented a one-off show, The Big Bang Machine, which resulted in him being offered his own series, Wonders Of The Solar System. Since then, Cox has hosted numerous science based shows including Stargazing: Live, Forces of Nature, and The Science of Doctor Who. He has also co-authored and written a number of books including, ‘Why Does E=mc²?’. Cox currently works on the ATLAS experiment, one of four major experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, requiring him to spend time at CERN in Switzerland.

Kathleen Drew-Baker

Born in Leigh in 1901, Kathleen Drew-Baker was a British botanist who’s research into edible seaweed, known as Nori, led to her being celebrated in Japan as the saviour of seaweed. Drew studied Botany at the University of Manchester, graduating with first class honours, before going on to complete a Master’s degree in 1923. Kathleen also spent 2 years studying seaweed at Berkley College, California, which gave her the luxury of spending time in Hawaii, where she would collect samples for her research. On her return from the United States, she headed back to Manchester University and became a researcher and lecturer in Botany. Following her marriage to fellow academic Henry Wright-Baker in 1928, Kathleen was removed from her lecturers position as the University had a policy of not employing married women. This wouldn’t stop her however, and she overcame this obstacle by becoming an honorary research fellow. Drew’s research into the life cycle of the red algae Porphyra Umbilicalis, resulted in the discovery that in order to continue their growth cycle, the seaweed’s spores needed to be in old seashells to seed. This discovery was of great interest to scientists in Japan who had long been searching for the solution to devastating crop failures of Nori seaweed. Japanese Nori seaweed was, and still is, widely used in staples of Japanese cuisine such as Sushi and by using Drew’s findings, they developed new farming methods which lead to a resurgence in Nori crops. When Dr Drew-Baker died in 1957, she was unaware of the impact her research had had on Japan’s seaweed industry. She became known as the ‘Mother of the Sea’ and every year on the 14^th April, the annual Drew Festival is held in Kathleen’s memory n the city of Uto, Kumamoto. Thanks goes to Skyliner Manchester for bringing Kathleen’s story to our attention. ______________________________________________________________________________ To stay up to date with the progress of the #MCRHiddenStories mural, be sure to follow Meha on Instagram here.

If you grew up in the seventies and eighties, you’ll most definitely have heard of some of Cosgrove Hall Films most famous creations, if not the studio itself. Do Danger Mouse and Count Duckula ring a bell? What about The Wind in the Willows? Founded in 1976, Cosgrove Hall Films was the brainchild of Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall. Having first met whilst studying at the Manchester Regional College of Art & Design (now known as Manchester Metropolitan University), the pair started their first independent company together in 1971, Stop Frame Animations, which specialised in short films, commercials, and series including Noddy (1974). The company also created opening sequences for a number of children’s TV shows including the titles for the hit series Rainbow in 1972. Craving more creative freedom, Cosgrove and Hall closed Stop Frame in 1975 and established Cosgrove Hall Films in January 1976. Making their home in a converted tobacco and confectionery warehouse on Albany Road in Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, the business would go on to become, at the time, one of Europe’s largest animation studios.

Running for 161 episodes, Danger Mouse, voiced by David Jason, was Cosgrove Hall’s biggest success, entertaining over 24 million viewers. The series followed the ‘World’s Greatest Secret Agent’ as he, and his rather useless sidekick Penfold, took on a variety of baddies including evil Baron Silas Greenback. Another regular character to appear in Danger Mouse was Count Duckula, a vegetarian vampire who aspired to become rich and famous, who was given his own spin-off series which also grew to become one of the studios most successful programmes airing in the United States on Nickelodeon through the late eighties.

In 1989, the studio produced its first feature length film, an animation of Roald Dahl’s classic book The BFG. The film included an ‘Easter Egg’, with a poster for their hit show Danger Mouse appearing in the background on a young boys bedroom wall. The studio also collaborated with best-selling author Terry Pratchett, producing two series for Channel 4 based on two of Pratchett’s Discworld novels, Wyrd Sisters, and Soul Music (1997). Continuing their work in children’s television, Cosgrove Hall produced series such as Bill and Ben, Andy Pandy, and in the mid 00’s developed a new version of Postman Pat. Cosgrove Hall Films closed in 2009 as a result of ITV Granada deciding the company was no longer financially viable. The original home of Cosgrove Hall, on Albany Road, is now a block of residential flats named Cosgrove Hall Court and features a plaque in tribute to the studios most well known productions including Danger Mouse, The Pied Piper of Hamlin, and The BFG. Meha's Manchester's Hidden Stories tribute to Cosgrove Hall Films takes on a Pop Art style, full of vibrant colour and bold shapes, to represent the fun and lively nature of kids TV. ______________________________________________________________________________ To stay up to date with the progress of the #MCRHiddenStories mural, be sure to follow Meha on Instagram here.