This is a good size safe and was very clean when it came into our hands. This has the shield brass plate on the door which usually go missing.
We have added a quick design to give you an idea of what this little gem could look like after a restoration.
History: Withy Grove Stores in Manchester is one of the city’s oldest family-run businesses, with a history dating back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The origins of the business can be traced to 1799, when John R. Solomon established the Richmond Safe Company, specialising in iron-branded and iron-clad strongboxes, primarily for maritime use. Around 1840, the company relocated to offices on Withy Grove and was renamed Withy Grove Stores. The business then expanded, opening additional sites in Leeds and Liverpool.
Withy Grove Stores became well known as a safe manufacturer from the 1850s through to the 1970s, standing alongside other prominent names like Milners Safe Company of Liverpool. The shop at 35-39 Withy Grove has operated for over 130 years, selling safes and office furniture, and is recognised as one of the last remaining traditional businesses in the area, which is now a conservation zone.
Ownership of the business has remained within the Solomon family for generations. By the 1980s, each of the company’s sites was managed by a different Solomon sibling, and the Manchester location is still owned and run by family members today. Despite its somewhat derelict appearance and irregular opening hours, the shop continues to operate, and its distinctive signage and historic frontage have made it a local curiosity and a symbol of Manchester’s commercial heritage.
Withy Grove Stores represents a rare surviving example of Manchester’s industrial and retail history, maintaining its presence even as much of the surrounding area has changed or been redeveloped.
Please get in touch for pricing on this safe. Prices vary depending on the design chosen.
Size: (HxWxD) 608x408x400(+40mm for handle)
Weight: 64kg
