This book traces interest in Egyptology in Manchester and the surrounding towns from the early nineteenth century, when interest in Egypt first developed through travel and business links, to the benefactions and dedicated work of cotton men and women who helped to build up and to display the remarkable collections which can be seen to this day. The second half of the book starts in the middle of the twentieth century when the focus became more scientific. The Manchester Mummy Project was pioneering in its day and the Manchester Protocol which laid down a tested methodology for mummy studies became accepted world-wide. The story is brought up to date with an overview of the ground-breaking work of the KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology.