Terraced houses in Grove Street, Gartside, which once stood on the present-day location of Hardman Square
Anew public art project is bringing to life the stories of people who occupied the area of Spinningfields in Manchester in the 1800s. a place lived by artist Maddi Nicholson is a series of permanent cast iron sculptures in Hardman Square, now a thriving financial district but once packed with terraced housing that provided homes for workers in industries operating close by at the time.
Following a public launch day on 20 July, present-day residents, workers and visitors to Spinningfields can now view and interact with the house-themed sculptures, each one located on the site where a home once stood. The sculptures visually tell the stories of the past occupants of the houses they represent, including Martha Barry a ‘Washerwoman’, Maria Spencer ‘Keeper of the Mangle’ and Martha Harrison the ‘Knocker Up’.