Charles Clegg

• Born : Princess Street, Manchester, December 12th, 1828.
• Baptism: 22 January 1829. St Stephens Church Salford.
• Married Julia Aylmer 26 March 1856 at Manchester Cathedral. She died 1901
• Bankruptcy : 1887
• Died : 23 May 1922
• Funeral: St John’s Higher Broughton 26 May 1922

When Charles Clegg died in 1922 in his 94th year, he was described by one obituary writer as “the pioneer of lofty warehouse-building in Manchester.” As a result of Clegg’s longevity, no-one remained to dispute the claim. Of the first warehouse architects Gregan had been dead for over seventy years and Walters for almost half a century. Even Clegg's direct contemporaries, the second generation of Manchester architects who began their careers in the 1850s were all but forgotten figures to the new generation of architect shaping the face of Manchester after the First World War.

Charles Clegg was born in David Street (later re-named Princess Street), Manchester on 12 December 1828, the son of Charles Clegg senior and Hannah. At the time of his birth his father was in partnership with Robert Bosfield operating saw mills at David Street/Faulkner Street. He was educated privately at T. Hodgson's and James McPhearson's schools before being articled to Edwin Shellard.

In 1851, at the age of 22 he joined John Knowles in a highly prolific partnership which continued until the death of John Knowles in 1879. Included among their works were Warehouses of Messrs. Ralli Brothers, Peter Street; Messrs. De Jersey and Company, Blackfriars Street; Messrs. Graham and Company, Sackville Street; and Messrs. Frasers, Portland Street; also designed the Palatine Insurance offices; the Edinburgh Insurance offices; the Standard Assurance Company's offices; York Buildings, York Street; the Greek Church; St. Paul's Church, Brunswick Street; the Presbyterian Church, Brunswick Street; the Trevelyan Hotel, Corporation Street (now Trevelyan Buildings); and the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool.  Many of their buildings survive, with hardly a major thoroughfare in Manchester without an example of their work.

Following the death of John Knowles, Charles Clegg continued on his own account for some three years before admitting his son, Charles Theodore Clegg into partnership. In the same year (Knowles) or in 1884 (Clegg) Frederick J Knowles was also made partner. This partnership ended in 1885. In 1887 Charles Clegg became bankrupt in part as a result of debts owed to Frederick John Knowles under the terms of his father’s will. His public examination was reported in some detail, providing a summation of his career in his own words, as follows:

MANCHESTER BANKRUPTCY-COURT. YESTERDAY. (Before Mr. Registrar Lister.) THE BANKRUPTCY OF A MANCHESTER ARCHITECT. Re Charles Clegg —The bankrupt was Charles Clegg, who had followed the business of architect in Manchester, and he now came up for his public examination. In answer to the questions put to him by Mr C J Dibb, the official receiver, stated that he commenced business in 1851, when entered into partnership with Mr. John Knowles, who had since died. The firm was known Clegg and Knowles, and its offices were first Chancery-place, Booth-street, then 40, Brown-street, and afterwards in Cross-street. After the death of Mr. Knowles, an account was taken of the position of the firm, and it showed that he was indebted to his late partner's estate to the extent of over £5,760. This was not the whole of his indebtedness, for on certain works being finished and a complete account being taken, he found that he had to pay over to the representatives of his partner £11,000. Of this amount he had paid about £6,000 and had given security for the remaining £5.000. He carried on the business alone for three years after Mr. Knowles's death, and then took his own son, and the son of Mr. Knowles into partnership. This partnership, so far as it related to Mr. Knowles was dissolved at the end of 12 months, and the business was carried on by him (the bankrupt) and his son. On Mr. Knowles leaving the firm, agreement was made that the debtor should pay him £340 in discharge of any claim against the estate, and £300 a year until he had cleared off his indebtedness to his late partner. His statement of affairs showed that, on the partnership account, his gross liabilities were £1,294 19s. Id., and his assets were the value of £868. This did not include the money which he had agreed to pay Mr. Knowles, for he did not regard it as a partnership, but his own personal liability. His separate statement of affairs showed that his unsecured liabilities amounted to over £3,700, and that the assets, after deducting the preferential claims, were of the value of about £6,000, leaving surplus on the separate estate of £2,100. He admitted that a very large proportion of the claims upon him went back for several years, and this he accounted for by the fact that he had always had good credit given him. He first became aware that he could not meet his liabilities in November last, but he had hoped to be able to meet them means of his future profits, and also the realisation of some of his property. —The examination was adjourned for a fortnight. [Manchester Courier Thursday 24 March 1887 page 7]

From 1886 Charles Clegg practiced in partnership with his son under the title Charles Clegg & Son until his own death in 1922 although he had taken no active role in the business for some ten years prior. However, never again was he able to achieve the pre-eminence that the firm of Clegg & Knowles enjoyed in the 1860s and 1870s. By the end of the nineteenth century new practices were emerging, notably C H Heathcote and later Harry Fairhurst challenging for supremacy in commercial warehouse design.

Residence
1855    Brunswick Terrace, Pendleton
1861    Charles Clegg (jnr) 21, Lime Grove, Oxford Road, Manchester.
1871     "Sunnyside" Leicester Street Higher Broughton. Manchester.
1878/9    "Sunnyside" Tetlow Fold, Higher Broughton. Manchester.
1882    Charles Clegg    “Linden Lea”, Brooklands
1883    Charles Clegg    “Linden Lea”, Brooklands   
1884    Charles Clegg    “Dane Bank”, Lymm
1886    Charles Clegg    “Dane Bank”, Lymm
1889    Charles Clegg    “Montford”,  Didsbury Road, Heaton Norris   
1890    Charles Clegg    "Montford",  Didsbury Road, Heaton Norris
1899    Charles Clegg    “Norman House”, Altrincham.
1922    Charles Clegg    Aylmers Field. Ringway, Cheshire