The Manchester Bee - What Does It Mean?

On a recent visit to Manchester I repeatedly saw representations of bees painted across the town.

I was intrigued as to what the Manchester-Bee connection meant, and how long it had been around, so I decided to ask the locals.

It turns out that the bees in question are in fact worker bees and the imagery pays homage to the city's industrial heritage.

The 19th century saw a huge change in the way goods were produced for trade. Human skill gave way to production lines and mass produced goods. No where was this more evident than in the textile mills.

These mills were frequently referred to as 'hives of activity', with their employees compared to the bees, and herein lies the connection.

Manchester has taken this symbol and turned it into a recognisable, city-wide brand. What symbols have become synonymous with the places where you live? Are they deserved, or foisted upon them by more unfortunate circumstances?

As ever all content is my own, unless otherwise attributed. If you have enjoyed this brief foray into history then please consider upvoting, resteeming or following.

Ta ra for now

!steemitworldmap 53.480759 lat -2.242631 Manchester d3scr