Abraham Flatters and Charles Garnett established their company in 1901 to supply microscopical equipment. The first location of the company was as a chemist shop at 46 Deansgate, displaying the microscope and lantern slides made by Flatters at his home in Church Road, Longsight. By 1906, Flatters and Garnett Ltd employed a staff of 12. The company sold the chemists on Deansgate and moved to 32 Dover Street, near the University and opposite the Manchester High School for Girls. The firm hired and sold large numbers of lantern slides on all aspects of natural history. In 1909, a serious rift developed between Flatters and the other directors. The Garnetts agreed to buy out his share and Flatters set up a business with some other members of the staff under the name of Flatters, Milbourne and McKechnie at premises on Church Road. In 1913, Flatters and Garnett Ltd moved to larger premises at 309 Oxford Road, opposite the University. About a year later, the company developed Mersol, an immersion oil for use with high power microscope objectives which became very popular and sold well for many years. Flatters & Garnett Ltd expanded its business steadily during the 1920s, increasing their range. In 1932, the firm acquired a large Victorian house on Wynnstay Grove in Fallowfield where it moved the microslide, specimen, photographic and chemical departments. In 1950, the company introduced the Mikrops industrial projector. This replaced the microscope for routine examination in many laboratories. Due to financial problems, the company went into liquidation in 1967.

Hilda Sharpe was the author of a geological notebook published by Flatters & Garnett, Manchester. She studied at Cambridge University where she gained a Cambridge Natural Science Tripos. Later she became Science Mistress at Edgbaston High School for Girls.