Co-operative Stores, Assembly Rooms and Offices Radcliffe

The Radcliffe and Pilkington Co-operative Industrial Society's premises, in Stand Lane, formed one of the most important buildings in the town. The ground floor was occupied by shops and offices. Above them was a spacious hall for public meetings, concerts, etc., 111 feet by 43 feet 6 inches, and capable of accommodating 1,200 to 1,300 people. There was also a reading-room and library, the latter containing (including the books in the reference department) about 4,000 volumes. In later years the hall on the top floor was used briefly as a cinema but also served as a venue for wedding receptions and dances.

BURY - A new Co-operative Hall was opened at Bury, on Saturday week. The buildings are situated in the centre of the town, with a frontage to the principal street of 178 feet and cover an area of 1,325 square yards. The whole is cellared throughout, the basement being used for storage; the ground floor is occupied by shops. The first floor is occupied entirely by storerooms, newsroom, library, offices, and workrooms. The second floor over one portion of the building provides large workrooms, as well as clubroom, and an assembly-room capable of accommodating from 1,300 to 1,400 people, about 104ft. long, 45ft. wide, and 31ft. high. A tearoom, fitted up with every requisite for providing tea for 1,000 or 1,500, also adjoins the assembly-room. The buildings, which will cost about £12,000, have been erected from designs prepared by Messrs. Maxwell and Tuke, of Bury. [Building News 26 January 1878 page 4]

CO-OPERATIVE HALL AND STORES, RADCLIFFE - A new block of buildings which has been erected by the Radcliffe & Pilkington Cooperative Society has lately been opened. The buildings are situated in the centre of the town, with a frontage to the principal street of 178 feet, and cover an area of 1,325 square yards. The whole is cellared throughout, the basement being used for storage; the ground floor is occupied by shops for sale of groceries, drapery, boots and shoes, furniture, and meat. The first floor is occupied entirely by storerooms, newsroom, library, offices, and workrooms. The second-floor over one portion of the building provides large work-rooms, as well as clubroom, and an assembly-room capable of accommodating from 1,300 to 1, 100 people. The room, which is about 104 feet long, 45 feet wide, and 31 feet high, is entered by three separate staircases, two of these being fireproof. A tea-room, fitted up with every requisite for providing tea for 1,300 or 1,500, adjoins the assembly-room. The buildings, which will cost about £12,000, have been erected from designs prepared by Messrs Maxwell and Tuke, of Bury. The contractors have been: - Masons, Messrs. Openshaw and Buckley; joiners’ work, Mr John Allen; plumbing, the late Mr William Brooks, all of Radcliffe; brickwork, Mr J. Bleackley, Prestwich; plastering, painting, and decorating, Messrs J. Lomax & Sons, Bury; heating, Messrs B. Hoyle and Company, Manchester. [Builder 23 February 1878 page 201]

RADCLIFFE - The new co‑operative stores are now completed at Radcliffe. The secretary's office and board‑room, each 30 feet by 22 feet, are upon the first‑floor. The news‑room is a well-lighted room, 52 feet by 25 feet, with a panelled pitch‑pine ceiling handsomely furnished in pitch-pine, with newspaper stands, tables, seats, writing‑desk, reference library, etc, all especially designed for the room. The library and conversation room are arranged in convenient juxtaposition. The remainder of this floor is occupied lay store‑rooms for the grocer. The exterior is a neat brick building with stone dressings. Decoration, wherever introduced, is composed of combinations of ordinary stock bricks. The work has been executed by local contractors at a total cost of nearly £15,000, from the plans and under the superintendence of Messrs Maxwell and Tuke, of Bury. [Building News 11 April 1879 page 399].

Reference    Manchester Guardian Wednesday 23 June 1875 Page 3 (Contracts)
Reference    British Architect 4 January 1878 Page 12
Reference    Building News 26 January 1878 page 4
Reference    Builder 23 February 1878 page 201
Reference    Building News 11 April 1879 page 399

Radcliffe and  Pilkington  Co-operative Industrial  Society Limited,  Stand  Lane —  Branches:  Radcliffe  Hall,  Water  Lane  Black  Lane, Chapelfield,  Spring  Lane,  James  street,  Bolton Road, and  Ainsworth Road