2021 Maintenance Hole and Gully Covers of Wirral { 28 images } Created 15 Apr 2021
They might be simple and utilitarian in purpose, but maintenance hole (manhole) and gully covers reveal a rich industrial and social history, one which we simply walk by and largely ignore every day. I started photographing these pieces of street furniture in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic as part of my daily routine of permitted exercise walks near my home in Wirral, north west England. With their distinctive designs, ornate shapes and names embossed on the cast iron covers they offer a glimpse of the past. Many, it seems, were installed even before World War II, at a time when the road network in England was being developed and built. Thousands are still in use today.
Wirral Metropolitan Borough has responsibility for around 35,000 active gullies, and historically the covers for these have been supplied by companies from as far away as London and Rotherham. Until local government reorganisation in 1974, the maintenance was divided between the old Cheshire County Council and the four local municipalities which now make up Wirral. It is still not uncommon to find covers with a long-closed foundry name emblazoned on them. In addition, there are around 600 manhole covers in Wirral, almost all round in shape, a design feature which makes them easier to fit and less likely to collapse than square or rectangular versions. Most of these are now in the ownership and care of United Utilities. Because of damage, around three gully grates have to be replaced each month in Wirral by the local council, which does not now have a programme of routine maintenance due to budget constraints. They simply wait until the covers have to be replaced before ordering a new one. One big problem is theft: there are periodic spates of disappearances, often associated with the price of raw materials. To date, however, Wirral has not suffered the fate of one local authority in Scotland where around 50 covers were stolen in what became known in 2004 as the Great Drain Robbery. To replace a humble cover can cost anything from £70-£500, depending on what traffic management measures need to be put in place.
I have discovered that I am not alone in my interest in the gullies. There are websites and Twitter accounts dedicated to documenting and commenting on the covers, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is amongst possibly hundreds of what are termed operculists or gridders. It has been reported that he photographs the covers as a hobby. There are enthusiasts too in many other countries, often in locations where local authorities utilise colourful and decorative designs which add a touch of elegance to the average street scene. In some parts of the world, such as Berkeley, California, manhole covers has been renamed maintenance hole covers to reflect the more gender-neutral times we are living in.
It’s just another layer of history to add to the story of these humble objects which I walk past every day. Except now, I make a point of photographing them.
Wirral Metropolitan Borough has responsibility for around 35,000 active gullies, and historically the covers for these have been supplied by companies from as far away as London and Rotherham. Until local government reorganisation in 1974, the maintenance was divided between the old Cheshire County Council and the four local municipalities which now make up Wirral. It is still not uncommon to find covers with a long-closed foundry name emblazoned on them. In addition, there are around 600 manhole covers in Wirral, almost all round in shape, a design feature which makes them easier to fit and less likely to collapse than square or rectangular versions. Most of these are now in the ownership and care of United Utilities. Because of damage, around three gully grates have to be replaced each month in Wirral by the local council, which does not now have a programme of routine maintenance due to budget constraints. They simply wait until the covers have to be replaced before ordering a new one. One big problem is theft: there are periodic spates of disappearances, often associated with the price of raw materials. To date, however, Wirral has not suffered the fate of one local authority in Scotland where around 50 covers were stolen in what became known in 2004 as the Great Drain Robbery. To replace a humble cover can cost anything from £70-£500, depending on what traffic management measures need to be put in place.
I have discovered that I am not alone in my interest in the gullies. There are websites and Twitter accounts dedicated to documenting and commenting on the covers, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is amongst possibly hundreds of what are termed operculists or gridders. It has been reported that he photographs the covers as a hobby. There are enthusiasts too in many other countries, often in locations where local authorities utilise colourful and decorative designs which add a touch of elegance to the average street scene. In some parts of the world, such as Berkeley, California, manhole covers has been renamed maintenance hole covers to reflect the more gender-neutral times we are living in.
It’s just another layer of history to add to the story of these humble objects which I walk past every day. Except now, I make a point of photographing them.
