of the Old Iron Foundry, Manchester
William Green's map of 1787 - 1797 shows 'Mrs. Fletcher's Iron Foundry' with a small group of other buildings in a rural area, between the River Irk and the road known as Red Bank. This puts the foundry on the north bank of the Irk, just upstream of Scotland Bridge. The site is now a car park.
1788 Listed as Phebe Fletcher and Co., iron forgers and founders, Red bank [1]. Note that although Fletcher's works was alongside a river, there is no evidence from contemporary maps that it was water-powered, unlike the iron forge of James Bateman. It therefore seems unlikely that Fletcher's forging activities were on the scale of Bateman's.
1799 'Notice is hereby given, THAT the Copartnership Trade, lately carried on at the Old Foundery, Manchester, by Phoebe Fletcher and Jacob Silcock, (under the Firm of Phoebe Fletcher and Co) is legally Dissolved upon the 22d. Day October last, he the said Jacob Silcock having made an Assessment of all his Estate and Effects for the Creditors, as appears by a public Advertisement in Wheeler's Paper .......'[2]
1800 Phoebe Fletcher and Son, Old Iron Foundery, 2 Foundery Street, Red-bank.[3]
1812 Sale Notice: 'SALE BY AUCTION. By order of the assignees of William Wardle, a bankrupt, on Monday the ninth day of March, next, at three o'clock in the afternoon, at the house of William Sumner, the Dog Tavern, Manchester, subject to such conditions as will be then and there produced; Lot 1 The Life Estate of the said bankrupt of and in all that IRON FOUNDRY, with the Messuage or Dwelling-house, outbuildings and gardens thereto belonging, situate and being in Foundry-street, near Scotland Bridge, Manchester aforesaid, formerly in the possession Mrs. Phoebe Fletcher, but now of Messrs. Radford and Waddington. This Lotis subject to Chief Rent of £49 8 9.
Lot 2. The Life Estate of the said bankrupt of and in all that Messuage or Dwelling-liouse and Shop, situate in Market-street-lane, in Manchester, aforesaid, in the occupation of Mr. Lane, ironmonger. For further particulars apply at the office of Mess. Halstead and Ainsworth, Solicitors, Manchester.'[4]