Business Premises 13-19 Oldham Street Manchester

This building has recently been completed under the supervision of Messrs North Robin and Wilsdon on behalf of Messrs C & A Modes Limited. It is fronted on two sides with faience, the lettering and coloured decoration being in faience coloured during manufacture. The framing round the window is in the same material and the whole of the superstructure is set back slightly to avoid the appearance of being supported by glass. About 6,000 feet super of the ground floor is devoted to arcades and  windows, the latter having a run of 400 feet. The windows are illuminated by 400 lights, these being screeed from view by valances, hooked to a wire mesh suspended three inches from the ceiling and movable to any desired position. A transformer station is contained in the basement, reducing the supply of current to 210 volts. The total cubic capacity of the building is 574,000 square feet and the whole was completed and handed over in 8 months 15 days.

Following is a list of the principal contractors; The Russell Building and Construction Company, Manchester, main contractor, including demolition and floors; Redpath Brown and Company limited, steelwork; Shaw=s Glazed Brick Company, faience; Saunders and Taylor, heating; Strand Electric and Engineering Company, lighting; Etchells Congdon and Muir, lifts; Samuel Elliott, Reading, furniture, window backs, glazing, etc; Stevens and Adams, wood block flooring. [Builder 20 December 1929 page 1050]

C & A moved to Arndale Centre before eventual closure. Their former building was converted to Sacha’s Hotel.

Reference    Builder 27 January 1928 Page 201
Reference    Builder 6 April 1928 Page 603 - tenders (additional sub-contractors)
Reference    Builder 20 December 1929 page 1050 and 1053 - illustration Oldham Street elevation
Reference    Manchester's Northern Quarter English Heritage pp 65-66