Artworks put the spotlight on our historic buildings
ASTRIKING series of pen and watercolour paintings of Stockport’s historic buildings have flowed from the pen and brush of Edgeley artist, Kate O’Brien, who can be found working on her creations at her ‘Glass Umbrella’ stall, in the Covered Market.
Among them is the 1930s Plaza Theatre, also the iconic brick railway viaduct, reputedly the world’s largest brick structure, after widening in the 1880s, the ‘Glass Umbrella’ market hall itself, built in 1861, after which her stall is named, and the unique St Petersgate Bridge ‘street over a street’ finished in 1868.
She works entirely by hand and employs colour wash backgrounds to add a striking effect to the pictures.
Her painting of Little Underbank steps between the historic Queens Head and the bridge is remarkably detailed.
The Queen’s Head is thought to date back to the 1700s, the reign of ‘Good Queen Anne’ and once entertained the town’s intellectual elite whose favourite tipple was punch.
The liberal supplies of liquor required was provided by an illicit still in the sandstone tunnels at the back, but a raid by Revenue men broke the landlord’s heart, as the entire contents were poured into Tin Brook.
It was the extra business in the ‘Glass Umbrella’ that decided the Council to improve market access by building Petersgate Bridge, against the foreboding of traders on Little Underbank, who thought it would ruin their passing trade.
Instead it brought tourists to gawp at the bridge and buy postcards.
Access to the Market Place has always been difficult and in 1860 during a firework display seven people were trampled to death in a rush down narrow Mealhouse Brow just outside the town’s historic dungeon, taken over recently by Stockport Heritage Trust (opens second Saturday every month).
Gradually the Market Place is attracting a new night time economy with restaurants, pubs and shops.
The Covered Market itself was based on the one at Shudehill in Manchester and built of cast iron girders and columns with wrought iron trusses, the roof clad with timber and slate and the sides glazed.
It is still doing service almost 160 years later, despite attempts to have it demolished and the market redeveloped wholesale in both the 1940s and the 1980s. Long may it continue so! »»Read how local people successfully opposed attempts to destroy the character of Stockport in copies of Stockport Heritage Magazine available at Book Exchange, Staircase House, St Mary’s Heritage Centre and from www. stockport heritagemagazine. co.uk.