The fascinating hobby of mudlarking has seen a massive surge in popularity over the past few years. In fact, the pastime has become so popular in London now, authorities have stopped issuing permits to mudlark on the foreshore of the River Thames due to the overwhelming numbers of people wanting to do so. For those who don't know, mudlarking involves digging in the mud near rivers for interesting or historical objects , usually when tides are low.
The original Victorian mudlarkers of the past once scavenged the river beds of The Thames to scrape a meagre existence out of dire poverty. These days, however, the practice has seen a resurgence among collectors with a keen interest in history. Some of the treasures typically unearthed include clay pipes, bottles, fragments of pottery, coins and glassware.
READ MORE: Manchester's lost prisons would make Strangeways look like Pontins READ MORE: The dramatic days when a huge army of children left Manchester as others slept Other more unusual finds include antiquities such as jewellery and weapons, to Victorian pocket watches, have also been unearthed. But the hobby of searching river beds for treasure isn't strictly confined to the River Thames. Manchester's rivers are also keepers of a history yet to be discovered - thanks to the Industrial Revolution and the communities and industries that sprang up around the Irk and Irwell .
One man who has managed to unearth some of these fascinating objects from the past is Steven Bailey. Steve.
