Meller Speakman’s roots are deep. They date back to Mr E Meller who established a Land Agency and Surveying business in Manchester in 1836, just a short while after the World’s first steam-powered railway opened between Manchester and Liverpool in 1830.
In 1860 Mr Meller brought his son on board to form the partnership E Meller and Son before recruiting a further addition – Mr Speakman – becoming E Meller Sons & Speakman some years later. Records show the partnership then expanded their business south and across Cheshire and included the management of Mr Henry Loyd’s Minshull Vernon Estate for over 50 years until it was sold in 1912. A framed letter dated December 1912 displays Mr Loyd’s gratitude to their longstanding service and can be found hanging in our new offices!
In 1916 the firm amalgamated with a Land Agent, Mr J H Hall; the firm was renamed Meller Speakman & Hall and moved to new offices located in Cooper Street, Manchester. One of the estates Mr Hall managed was the Toft Estate, Knutsford and Meller Speakman continues to manage the estate to this very day! In 1933 Mr Hall was commissioned by Manchester City Council to identify a number of potential sites for a new airport to replace Barton aerodrome. The recommended site was ‘Ringway’, or perhaps better known today as Manchester International Airport, which now handles over 23 million passengers a year!
In 1946 Meller Speakman & Hall acquired an interest in John E Braggins, auctioneers and Estate Agents based in Knutsford and in 1976 the ‘association’ formally became Meller Braggins & Co.
More recently in 2013, the Land Agency business of Meller Braggins became Meller Braggins Estates Plus before re-branding this year to the new name Meller Speakman coupled with a move to new offices in Wilmslow.