Chepstow House 20, Chepstow Street Manchester

Chepstow House was built for Sam Mendel, one of the best-known figures of his day on the Manchester Cotton Exchange. An entrepreneur and speculator, he dealt on an unprecedented scale, buying huge quantities of cloth and often holding futures contracts for months ahead, thus cornering whole sections of the market. Such was the scale of his business operations that large warehouse premises were required. His original warehouse in Dickinson Street was soon outgrown and his second, built in 1858 and known as the Portland Street Palace had to be enlarged. Finally, in 1874 he moved to the new warehouse in Chepstow Street which occupied a roughly triangular site between the road and a branch of the Rochdale Canal. His chief markets were in India and China and his obituary recorded that from the basement of his warehouse "Night and day, a battery of hydraulic presses discharged volleys of bales for the East, the West and the South". However, the speculative nature of his trade did not survive the opening of the Suez Canal. Goods which Mendel had shipped via the Cape of Good Hope were suddenly in competition with goods sent more quickly through the Suez Canal which could be more competitively priced. Mendel retired almost immediately and the business was sold. (In fact, the Suez Canal opened 17 November 1869, thus pre-dating the opening of the new warehouse)

Mendel lived at Manley Hall, Whalley Range, a palatial Italianate house with a belvedere set in terraced gardens with fountains, a hot-house and extensive stables. “On the breeziest and sweetest side of Manchester and upon a terrain not seductive by reason of its undulations, Mr Mendel erected a mansion, which he gradually fitted and furnished with a splendour which made him the modern Haroun Alraschid of this part of the country.” Soon after thie new warehouse was completed Mendel’s business failed spectacularly. Manley Hall  was also sold with the collapse of his business and the contents, including a vast art collection was sold in a sale lasting 21 days in March 1875.

Right away down Chepstow‑street, out of Oxford Road, far from public gaze, a huge warehouse pile has been rearing its stately proportions to accommodate the business carried on by our merchant prince, Mr. Sam Mendel, who will, we presume, remove from the classic pile in Portland‑street into this new Gothic structure, when complete. This large building is the work of Speakman and Charlesworth, and to our thinking, certainly the most important, both in size and design, that this firm has carried out. It is their most successful effort as a piece of design, and, moreover, a triumph for Gothic architecture, inasmuch as it proves beyond doubt its complete adaptability to a purpose for which originally it certainly was not intended, viz., a Manchester warehouse. A result so satisfactory can only be obtained by skilled hands, heads, and hearts - heads trained to a true appreciation of the broad principles of mediaeval art; hearts full of affection for its beauties; and hands trained to give expression freely, and with spirit, to the germination of beautiful thoughts, and a loving desire for truth and honesty. An excellent view of this warehouse is obtained from the corner of Bridgewater‑street and Chepstow‑street, the two forming a sort of obtuse angle, which is finished with a tribune angle turret, having a curvilinear stone termination. This termination is really the only faulty part of the design; and here we think an important principle in construction has been lost sight of. Stone is a hard, unbendable material, and when used constructionally (as in this case) for a roof it should take a severe form, the curved or globular outlines being more appropriate to a pliant material. The entrance doorway might have been treated in a more important manner; it looks somewhat small, and wanting in dignity for so large a building. The impression produced by a contemplation of this building is that its objects can be easily divined. By the forms of window openings, and long lines of well‑designed labels and string courses, a feeling of extent, breadth, and repose is produced, proclaiming unmistakably that it is a huge storehouse, and not a palace. The upper storey is very successful architecturally, being composed of gables and gablets; the gables, of course, marking the main angles of the building. It should be borne in mind that Messrs. Speakman and Charlesworth worked almost entirely in brick and stone for their elevations, and this warehouse is an excellent instance of the capability of these two materials for producing a pleasing and substantial effect.[The Critic 15 June 1872 Page 259]

WAREHOUSE CHEPSTOW STREET MANCHESTER FOR MR SAM MENDEL - The basement floor is used chiefly for the packing and making up of goods, the packing being done by fourteen powerful hydraulic presses. Approaches are obtained fronm Chepstow-street and Great Bridgewater-street. Leading from this floor and under the loading way at the Chepstow-street end are the engine and boiler houses etc. Under this floor runs a portion of the River Tib which it was found necessary to divert from its original course. The ground floor is used for general warehouse purposes and has two large covered loading ways, one at each end of the warehouse. It is approached from both streets. The chief entrance to the warehouse is from this floor, in the centre of the building, and communicates with the first floor by the grand staircase, 10 feet wide, handsomely arcaded on both sides in stone.The first floor is diverted to a large general office for clerks, private offices, waiting room, sample and pattern rooms occupying the Bridgewater and Chepstow-street ends and the whole of the back; the remainder is used for warehouse purposes. A large fireproof safe is built on this floor in the general office. From the grand staircase is a corridor 14 feet wide leading to offices etc. and joining one at the back, 7 feet wide, which runs the entire length of the building, the flooring of which, as well as the staircase is covered with 6lb lead, with French polished margins of pitch pine. On either side are moulded and panelled pitch pine; screens filled in with plain and chequered plate glass, French polished, as is the whole of the woodwork and fittings on this floor. A central staircase from the clerks' office communicates with the whole of the upper floors. The two-pair and three-pair floors are used entirely for warehouse purposes. On the latter, however, is a commodious kitchen and dining room etc. for the use of the clerks generally. The floors are constructed of beams 7 ft apart, supported by iron columns on which are laid 11 in by 3 in. planks, grooved and tongued with hoop-iron. There are three large hoists running from basement to top floor; three staircases of stone, independent of those already described connect the several floors, on each of which is commodious lavatory and WC accommodation, the walls of which are tiled throughout with coloured glazed wall tiles in patterns. The warming of each floor is accomplished by several large upright coils, supplied from boilers below. Ventilation flues are built in all piers between the windows. The windows are glazed throughout with chequered an plain plate glass. The warehouse occupies a total area of 2,400 square yards, and has a frontage of 304 feet. The contracts for the different trades were let separately in all cases, and have been efficiently carried out by the following: excavations and brickwork, Mr William Healey; masonry, chimney-pieces and grates etc., Messrs J H Patteson; carpentry and joiners work, Robert Neill & Sons; plastering painting French polishing etc., Mr William Hood; plumbing & glazing, Mr Robert Heyworth; slating, Messrs J Kirkley & Sons; cast ironwork, Messrs Bellhouse & Company; ornamental wrought ironwork Mr Robert Jones; all of Manchester.The engine, boilers and presses were supplied by Messrs Nasmyth Wilson & Company of Patricroft near Manchester. The building was designed and partially completed by the late firm of Speakman and Charlesworth and has been completed by their successors, Messrs Speakman, Son and Hickson of Manchester at a total cost of £40,000, exclusive of site and machinery. [Builder 4 April 1874 Page 288].

Reference    The Critic 15 June 1872 Page 259
Reference    Builder 4 April 1874 Page 288 with plan and engraving Worthington G Smith del.