Over the last couple of years, I started noticing a number of Manhole Covers in the local area. The interest was probably piqued by a Facebook Group that I had stumbled across, as probably one of those ‘You may also be interested in things’ suggestions. This group is called ‘Manhole Covers Around the World‘, and people post photographs of these items in their local area with, generally, a brief explanation of where they are, such as, town, city, region and country. There are some quite exotic one out there.
Having seen other people’s examples, I started looking at the ones in and around Preston. Looking in Walton le Dale specifically, I saw one with “EDWARDS PRESTON” embossed on it during the casting process. Through other research, I had learned about a number of historical Preston foundries. However, Edwards (Edward’s) had not been one of them. It was puzzling. Also, a ‘Red-Herring’, of sorts, was the fact that I knew about one called Seward’s. When researching Thomas Blackburn and Sons Foundry in Preston, I learned that by 1922 it was owned C. Seward and Co and in 1936 it became a Public company. It seemed odd, but I started to wonder if the one’s locally should have had ‘Seward’ on them and not ‘Edwards’.
When revisiting the Thomas Blackburn story, I went back to the Preston Digital Archive Flickr collection. The Preston Digital Archive was created in 2008 with the initial aim of gathering together a total of 2,012 vintage images of Preston to celebrate the 2012 Preston Guild – an event that takes place every 20 years. As well as old photographs of Preston and the surrounding areas, the archive has a large collection of old printed material, such as advertisements. During my search, I found this one for Thomas Blackburn & Sons Ltd., Preston.
Looking at the ‘INCORPORATING’ section, shed some light on the Edward’s Foundry Manhole Covers.
RUSSELL EDWARDS & CO
IRONFOUNDERS
BAMBER BRIDGE
Phone: Bamber Bridge 85205
makers of Metal Casements, Gutters and down Pipe, Flange and Soil Pipes. Pillars and Posts, Lamp and Rail Standards. Gulleys and Manholes.
Grams: ‘CASELDON’
There is also a relationship with Stevenson’s Engineers.
Whilst the advertisement does not give anything away with regard to a premises address, I am reasonably confident that they were operating out of what was originally Pilkington’s Pneumatic Works and later taken over Baxendale’s from Chorley, who would become BAXI.
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Manhole Covers Around the World
A post of an EDWARDS manhole cover on the ‘Manhole Covers Around the World’ Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/manholecoversaroundtheworld/permalink/28228499973464709
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