Men and women of the 21st century can’t imagine their lives without the services of a hairdresser or barber. They have become an integral part of the lives of Manchester residents. At the same time, it should be noted that one of the first hairdressers in the world appeared in Ancient Egypt. According to historians, back then, women used natural dyes (henna) to give their hair a fresh shade and hide grey hair. Moreover, they also did treatments (conditioning) using a mixture of almond and castor oils scented with frankincense. And what were the first barbershops on the territory of old Manchester? Learn more at manchesterka.com.
The birth of the hairdressing business in Great Britain
The first mentions of barbers in Great Britain date back to the mid-16th century. Back then, they were not just cutting hair but also were real surgeons who performed manipulations. Such barber surgeons were early doctors of the Middle Ages. Their main task was to care for sick and wounded soldiers during or after battles.
At that time, they performed complex surgical operations. The barbers were skilful and could easily perform various tasks from cutting hair to removing teeth and even amputating limbs.
Great Britain, including Manchester, officially recognised them only in the middle of the 16th century, when the Fellowship of Surgeons was created. It was a completely separate profession that united all barber surgeons. It should be noted that this organisation didn’t include doctors and medics.
The development of hairdressing in Manchester
The roles of surgeons and doctors were separated in the early Middle Ages. The former served Manchester’s lowest class, while doctors lived in palaces and castles and simply observed patients, considering themselves superior to surgical practice. Doctors had a wealth of academic knowledge that they relied on to identify symptoms, injuries, and ailments and provide appropriate advice for treatment. Such specialists knew Latin and were educated, and therefore, surgical practice was something low and unworthy for them.
Diseases and other ailments of patients, peasants, monks and workers of early Manchester were treated by barber surgeons because doctors didn’t want to “dirty their hands”.
Barber surgeons didn’t have proper training but acquired their skills from other Manchester specialists. The path of a barber surgeon was very difficult, rough and confusing. In addition, their business covered a very wide range of services.
In addition to cutting hair, barber surgeons engaged in bloodletting, tooth extraction and treatment of wounds, injuries as well as various skin and venereal diseases. In addition, old barbers practised topical applications and poultices, as well as performed complex procedures including trepanation, amputation, cauterization and childbirth, all things that the average doctor of the era would never perform.
The first barber surgeons in Manchester were multidisciplinary specialists with a huge burden on their shoulders. They not only provided beauty and a neat appearance to the city’s population but also fought for their lives during the difficult years of wars and epidemics.
Barber surgeons performed their first procedures at Manchester monasteries.
The first modern hairdressers in the city
Over time, the hairdressing business in Manchester began to develop in tune with the city itself. As Manchester expanded and prospered, many barber surgeons and their new points for receiving patients appeared in the city too.
By the 17th century, barber shops began to work at ordinary shops or on market counters. Then they served not only as a place where you could have your hair done and get treated but also as a social space. There, people learned the latest news and gossip.
In the 18th century, barbering became a more serious business in Manchester. With the rapid growth of the population, the demand for hairdresser services has increased many times. Residents of the city showed an unprecedented interest in fashion and style.
However, the very art of hairdressing that we all know in the 21st century was born in Manchester only at the end of the 19th century. Then traditional hairdressing salons began to open one by one on the central streets of the city. They provided city residents exclusively with beauty services, such as haircuts, shavings and other self-care.
The driving force behind the development of hairdressing was the Industrial Revolution in Manchester. It completely transformed a small town into a bustling metropolis, where the demand for hairdressing services increased dramatically. This era of industrialisation gave rise to a thriving market of hairdressing services as well as prominent hairdressers and stylists in the city.
The beauty industry also developed rapidly during the 20th century. The city was filled with various salons that provided hairdressing services for both men and women. Such places served everyone, from middle and working-class people to local celebrities, politicians and socialites. Due to such a rapid growth of the hairdressing business, Manchester couldn’t be called a purely industrial city, since it developed every sphere of urban life.
Taking a step into the new digital age, Manchester is giving its residents a whole new approach to self-care. The city has dozens of beauty salons for women, which not only cut hair but also provide comprehensive care, manicures, pedicures, hair colouring and more. At the same time, there are separate salons for men called barber shops. They offer men a wide range of hair, eyebrow and moustache care services. Moreover, in addition to beauty procedures, you can have fresh coffee and soft drinks there.