A link to the Past

July 17, 2013

A link to the Past

We had a work experience student spend a week with the firm, who was related to the founder William Telford Gunson.  Through him partner Dominic Stanger made contact with his grandfather Malcolm Cross who was Earnest Gunson’s (William’s son) grandson.  Malcolm aged 88 and in fine form, was an engineer and lives in Barrow in Furness.  On a recent visit Dominic met him and spent a few hours getting some fascinating history of the firm and his recollections of his grandfatther.  He recalled visiting Earnest for Christmases at his house in Elm Road Didsbury and being taken in his grandfather’s Rolls Royce into the firm’s offices in Marsden Street.

He told of how the firm had done the surveying work for the pipe from Thirlmere in the Lake District to provide fresh water to Manchester and how when the tap was turned on, it took a full 24 hours before the water arrived in Manchester!  His grandfather made a name for himself as councillor opposing city council corruption in the awarding of contracts for the construction of Manchester Ship Canal.