Free Library and Municipal Buildings Openshaw
THE OPENSHAW FREE LIBRARY AND MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS – This building, which has been erected by the Manchester Corporation, aided by a large donation and a gift of the site from the legatees of the late Sir Joseph Whitworth, and which is to be opened today, stands on the north side of Ashton Old Road, adjoining the Whitworth Baths, which were presented to the Corporation three years ago by the legatees. The whole site contains an area of about 1,830 square yards, and is almost entirely covered by buildings. The buildings provide accommodation for – a free public library and reading rooms; a public hall, with retiring rooms, etc; classrooms for technical instruction; and coffee tavern and recreation rooms. As the site has frontages to two streets (Ashton Old Road and South Street) ample entrances and exits are provided to the different departments.
The free library is entered from Ashton Old Road, and comprises a library with space for borrowers 49 feet by 30 feet, reading room 60 feet by 40 feet 6 inches; and boys’ reading rom42 feet by 29 feet, with separate entrance from South Street. These rooms are divided from each other by glazed screens, which ensure complete superintendence of all parts by the attendants in the library. The library is lighted from large windows looking into Ashton Old Road, and the bookcases are fixed at right angles to the windows, giving space for about 10,000 books. The reading room is in two parts, the larger part being 60 feet by 30 feet, and the smaller part 47 feet by 9 feet, and they are divided from each other by an arcade of four semi-circular arches carved on polished granite columns. The larger part has an open-timbered roof with skylights the whole length of the room, of Heywoods’s patent glazing; the walls are faced with bricks, the lower part, to a height of 4 feet 6 inches, being a dado of golden brown glazed bricks, and the upper part faced with buff bricks, relieved with bands of red. The arches and jambs of the windows are also finished in red pressed bricks and terra cotta. Newspaper racks are fixed on both sides of the room, and two rows of reading tables accommodating about 64 readers, run down the full length of the larger part of the room. The boys’ reading room is lighted from South Street, and contains reading tables and forms with accommodation for about 120 readers. A separate counter and bookcase are provided in this room. A room 12 feet by 9 feet 6 inches is provided for the use of the assistants, fitted up with a small cooking range and lavatory accommodation.
The public hall is 75 feet by 45 feet and the principal entrance to it is through a large entrance hall from Ashton Old Road. A large gallery is provided across one end of the hall, and at the opposite end is a platform, the full width of the hall, 10 feet wide, and raised 3 feet 6 inches above the floor of the hall. Behind the platform and at the same level, are two large retiring rooms, with lavatory accommodation to each, with separate entrance from South Street. The hall has an open timbered roof with semi-circular principals of 45 feet span, carried from moulded brick and stone corbels. The principal lighting is from large dormer windows in the roof and from windows on one side of the hall. The floor is laid with pitch-pine blocks on a concrete bed. An extra door for exit has been provided, to be used in case of alarm. The hall and gallery are seated with benches carried on iron standards, and there is seating accommodation for about 700 persons, not including the seats on the platform.
The rooms for technical instruction are provided partly in the basement and partly on the first floor, overlooking South Street. The accommodation comprises six classrooms, store-room, masters’ room and lavatories.
The coffee tavern comprises a room on the ground floor 37 feet by 30 feet which may be used as a coffee or dining room, smoke and games room, and a billiard-room 58 feet by 30 feet on the first floor. A large kitchen, scullery and pantry are provided on the ground floor, from which connection with the billiard and smoke room is provided by means of a small lift. The smoke-rom is finished with seats all round, a circular bar counter, and eight marble topped tables, sets of draughts, chess and dominoes being provided.
The walls of nearly all the rooms and passages throughout the building are faced with bricks, either glazed or unglazed, buff and red, no plaster being used except for the walls of the library and the ceilings. All the joiners’ work is of pitch-pine, stained and varnished. The building throughout is heated by hot water. The elevation to Ashton Old Road is carried out in accordance with the elevation of the adjoining Whitworth Baths, and is faced with red Ruabon facing bricks and terra-cotta. The contract for the building has been carried out by Messrs R Neill and Sons, of Strangeways; the heating and ventilating by Mr E Hatton, Sackville Street; and the whole work has been executed from the plans and under the superintendence of Messrs J W and R F Beaumont, architects of this city. [Manchester Guardian 7 July 1894 page 5]
Reference Manchester Guardian Saturday 4 June 1892 page 11 (Contracts)
Reference Manchester City News Saturday 4 June 1892 page 8 (Tenders)
Reference Manchester City News 7 July 1894 Page 5 – opening
Reference British Architect 10 August 1894 Page 95 with illustration
Reference Manchester Guardian 7 July 1894 page 5 – description
Reference Manchester Guardian 9 July 1894 – opening ceremony