Taking a break

Construction activity is taking place across Manchester city centre, so a common sight is construction workers in high-viz jackets taking a break from their work and relaxing

This is Lincoln Square, close to three busy construction and renovation sites - the Town Hall, the Hidden Gem church, and the massive St Michael’s scheme. So there are a lot of high-viz jackets about. The statue is Abraham Lincoln, it commemorates Manchester worker’s role in supporting the Union’s naval blockade of the Confederacy during the American civil war. Lancashire processed much of the world’s cotton at the time, and ship and mill owners wanted and lobbied for the blockade broken as it jeopardised their businesses. But despite the resulting destitution and poverty, the workers agreed not to touch cotton picked by slaves. In brass below the statue is Lincoln’s letter of 1863 to the workers of Manchester thanking them for their support and recognising the consequent hardship they were enduring.

I was in Manchester to have my hair cut, my first visit in well over three months. M is going to come to our house in 4 weeks, and will cut J’s, which she is delighted about.