Manchester and Bees

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kazmcc

Queen Bee
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Messages
3,147
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Location
Longsight, Manchester, UK
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
None, although I have my eye on one ( Just don't tell Dusty ;) )
I have always known Manchester had a special relationship with bees, but never really looked into it, until now. Here is a little of what I've found out so far.

The floor of the Great Hall Entrance, in Machester Town Hall, has mosaics of bees laid into the floor. You can take a virtual look at the entrance here Man Town Hall, Great Hall Entrance, virtual tour search down to the floor and have a look at the many honeybees laid into it.

This is taken from the wikipedia page from Manchester Town Hall Decorating the floor of the entrance hall is a mosaic depicting the bee, the symbol of Manchester's being a hive of industry during the 19th century. The bee is also carved into many of the pillars and walls about the building.

The Manchester coat of arms also has bees in it, you can see a globe at the top, with the bees inside here, Manchester Coat of Arms

Lots for me to read, thought I'd share this with you. :)
 
From Wiki:
Decorating the floor of the entrance hall is a mosaic depicting the bee, the symbol of Manchester's being a hive of industry during the 19th century. The bee is also carved into many of the pillars and walls about the building.
 
off for a virtual tour, going to try and spot them. A visit this week me thinks :)
 
Found some in the glass above the fire place in the reception room too. :)
 
Got a photo of a painted bee on a bollard near Chinatown in Manc...will that do? :auto:

Ah yes, thanks susbees, that reminds me...there are loads of bees on bollards in manchester. Seems this bee link goes further than I realised. They are in Rusholme too, a ward of Manchester :)

On the Salford coat of arms too. I wonder how many other areas have bees on their coat of arms...or is it just the Manc area? Boddonigtons, a great Manchester brewery has bees on it's emblem also.
 
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I can't see clearly the carvings on the pillars. I am told the cathedral has bees carved into something too. Another aspect to my bee madness, finding bees carves and pictured all over Manchester :)

Seriously though, this would be a good aspect for the school to follow up on. I am going to mention it to the teacher I deal with.
 
The bee also features on Napoleon's coat of arms as a symbol of immortality. Maybe Napoleon passed through Manchester during his retreat from Wigan (only Mike Harding Fans from the '70s will get that).
 
The bee also features on Napoleon's coat of arms as a symbol of immortality. Maybe Napoleon passed through Manchester during his retreat from Wigan (only Mike Harding Fans from the '70s will get that).


Lol, I'm a bit young for that of course, I'm a baby still ;)
 
(only Mike Harding Fans from the '70s will get that).

I didnt realise that the link had been made that far back.

I first heard of it in the 90's.
 
Boddingtons a sadly missed great Manchester brewery:(

Ian

I always thought it was particularly cruel that it was smack bang next door to Strangeways Prison. The smell must have driven the inmates barmy :D
 
I always thought it was particularly cruel that it was smack bang next door to Strangeways Prison. The smell must have driven the inmates barmy :D

lol, yeah, never thought of that! I lived near the carlsberg brewery in Moss Side for a few years, and the cockroaches were horrendous :( Now I live in Longsight, I have to put up with the two legged variety :(
 
Longsight. I have a mate who lived in Moss Side in the 70s and we used to drink on the Stockport Road in Longsight. He went to Stanley Park School.
 
Longsight. I have a mate who lived in Moss Side in the 70s and we used to drink on the Stockport Road in Longsight. He went to Stanley Park School.

Ahh, which pub, do you remember? I'm not originally from this part of Manchester though, I'm an Ashton lass, Tameside :)
 
It was 35 years ago but if memory serves they included the Bay Horse and the Farmers Arms (or Farmers Rest)
 

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