Head Offices for the Manchester and Leeds Railway Hunts Bank Manchester
HEAD OFFICE FOR MANCHESTER AND LEEDS RAILWAY - The head offices for the Manchester and Leeds Railway, at Hunt’s Bank are advancing rapidly to completion, being raised to the level of the second floor. Much delay was experienced at first, owing to the unstable character of the ground on which the building is placed, and the architects, Messrs Holden, have taken all proper precaution to have the foundations firm and secure, going down in some parts to a depth of 43 feet below the ground level. It is pleasing to notice instances of care and attention in foundations, as so many fine buildings are sadly deficient in this respect; as for example the Town Hall and the Athenaeum in Manchester, both of which show cracks in stonework, arising from a sinking in the foundations. The erection for the head offices is built of Yorkshire stone, and the design is in the Italian Palatial style of architecture usual in the 10th century. The site is an irregular piece of ground, the principal front being 76 feet long, from which the building extends back about 96 feet. The height from ground line to cornice is about 42 feet, divided into two lofty storeys. The whole of the rooms in the basement is fireproof, and of very strong construction. Below the level of the ground floor windows is a broad tooled string course, under which is rustic worked masonry. In the centre of the principal front is a handsome Italian doorway, with the customary moulded jambs, dentelled cornice, trusses, ace. The ground floor windows, two on each side of doorway, have unusually bold broad moulded architraves; and the upper storey has Italian corniced windows level with the bottom of the latter runs a moulded string course. A bold dentelled cornice will surmount the whole. The back parts of the erection are in rock-faced Yorkshire stone. These offices, with the arching over of the River Irk, will when completed materially improve the approach to one of the handsomest railway stations in the kingdom. The station for the Manchester and Leeds, and Manchester and Liverpool railways, which I allude to, ranks high as an engineering work, having two iron bridges of great span, and embankments of considerable height. The erection for refreshment and waiting rooms, offices, etc., are designed with a substantial simplicity and fitness, which we look for in vain in structures of greater pretension. [The Civil Engineer and Architects Journal. January, 1846]
MANCHESTER & LEEDS & HULL RAILWAY. TO STONE MASONS, BUILDERS, IRON FOUNDERS, &c. THE DIRECTORS will meet at their Offices, Palatine Buildings, Hunt's Bank, Manchester, on Monday, the 5th of February next, to RECEIVE TENDERS for the ERECTION of their HEAD OFFICES, at the Victoria Station. Plans and Specification, also printed forms of Tender, will be ready on Monday, the 29th inst. On application to Messrs. J. and J. P. Holden, Architect, at the New Palatine Hotel. The tenders must be delivered at the Secretary's Office, Palatine Buildings, by Ten o clock, a.m., on Monday, 5th February; and the parties tendering must be in attendance at the same place, at Three o' clock, p.m on that day. The Directors do not bind them- selves to accept the lowest tender. By order, JOHN JELLICORSE, Secretary. Manchester, 18th January, 1843. [Bradford Observer 25 February 1844 page 1]
MANCHESTER AND LEEDS RAILWAY - To Builders and Contractors - The Directors of the Manchester and Leeds Railway Company will meet at the Offices, Palatine Buildings, Hunts Bank, Manchester on Monday the 5th May 1845 to receive tenders for the erection of their proposed Head Offices at the Victoria Station. The drawings and specifications, with printed forms of tender will be ready on and after Wednesday the 16th April instant, at the offices of Messrs Holden, architects, 46 King Street, Manchester.
Reference David R Bellhouse, David Bellhouse & Sons, Manchester Chapter 3
Reference Bradford Observer 25 February 1844 page 1
Reference The Civil Engineer and Architects Journal. January, 1846
Reference Manchester Guardian 9 April 1845 page 1 - contracts
Reference Manchester Guardian 19 April 1845 page 3 - contracts
Reference Manchester Guardian 16 April 1845 page 8 - contracts
Reference Manchester Guardian 25 April 1845