Extensions to Whitworth Galleries Whitworth Park Manchester

WHITWORTH GALLERIES, WHITWORTH PARK, MANCHESTER. The three galleries which were erected in 1894 and 1897 at the back of Grove House having become too small to accommodate the works of art and textiles, etc, which have been got together by the Whitworth Institute, it has been found necessary to increase the gallery accommodation. During the last twelve months an extension has been erected on the west side of the central gallery, consisting of three large rooms, two of which are 80 feet. by 29 feet, and the third 80 feet by 32 feet. All these rooms have circular ceilings, and the roof principals have been designed so that nothing appears below the line of the ceiling. The lighting is from skylights on each side of the roof. The walls are boarded to the springing of the ceiling, which is at a height of 14 feet above the floors. Large folding doors give access to the new rooms from the central gallery. The new galleries are being used to store the exhibits from Grove House and the front corridors, and arrangements are now being made to take these down, and to erect in place of them a large range of buildings to complete the facade on the east front. These new buildings will have a frontage of 209 feet facing toward Oxford Road. In the centre of the facade will be a circular porch carried on five pairs of coupled columns of polished grey granite. Inside the porch there will be a large vestibule leading into an entrance hall 33ft. 4in. by 33ft. 4in., the ceiling of which will be divided into panels by beams carried on polished grey granite columns, and in the large square central panel will be a glass dome to light the hall. On each side of the hall will be cloakrooms and lavatories for ladies and gentlemen. A wide doorway from the entrance hall will give access to a sculpture hall, 102 feet 6 inches by 33 feet by 20 feet high, lighted from high windows along each side of the whole length. The two end walls are arcaded with three arches carried on polished granite columns, and giving access to the present north and south galleries and to two staircases leading to the upper floors. Beyond the staircase hall at each end is a square pavilion, 33 feet by 33 feet, the one to the south on the ground floor to be used for official rooms and the one to the north for exhibition purposes. From the sculpture hall, in a line central with the front entrance, a wide doorway will lead into a corridor, giving access to the present central gallery, and on each side of this corridor will be a top lighted gallery for exhibition of textiles, etc. The galleries are so planned that a clear view will be obtained from the front entrance, through the entrance hall. sculpture gallery, corridor, and central gallery to the extreme end of the new western galleries, a total length of 244 feet. The upper floor over the sculpture hall and the north and south pavilions will contain library, council chamber, and exhibition rooms. Each of the two staircases gives access to the basement, which will contain, in addition to the present galleries, rooms for the staff, a large strong room and storage for chairs, etc, and a connecting corridor between the north and south basement galleries. The new facade will be built of thin red bricks and terra-cotta, to correspond with the present galleries: the entrance hall and cloak rooms will be only one story in height, covered with a flat roof, over which good light will be obtained to the sculpture hall, and the two bays over the staircases will be carried up as square towers, breaking the long line of the facade. It is expected that the new galleries will be ready for occupation in about fifteen months, Messrs J. W. Beaumont and Son, of Manchester, are the architects.

Reference    Building News 8 February 1907 page 203 and illustration
Reference    Manchester City News 16 November 1907. Page 6 with illustration