Building Name

Headquarters Royal Army Medical Volunteer Corps.

Date
1903 - 1904
Street
Upper Chorlton Road
District/Town
Whalley Range, Manchester
County/Country
GMCA, England
Work
New Build
Contractor
Robert Neill & Sons

The handsome new headquarters which have been built in Upper Chorlton Road, Brooks's Bar for the Manchester Companies of the Royal Army Medical Volunteer Corps will be formally opened this afternoon by Major General Mackinnon, Director General of Auxiliary Forces. A memorial tablet which the officers have provided to those members of the Corps who served in South Africa, seven of whom died there, will in the course of the ceremony be unveiled by the Lord Mayor. This will be followed in the evening by the annual distribution of prizes. [Manchester City News 7 January 1905 Page 5 Column 1]

NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS - The work of the Manchester Royal Army Medical Volunteer Corps will be greatly facilitated by its new headquarters which were opened on Saturday in Upper Chorlton Road, Brooks's Bar. Built of red brick and stone in a military style of architecture, the premises contain among other apartments a spacious central hall, rooms for officers and men, a lecture hall, gymnasium, a billiard room and canteen. An open air drill ground has also been provided which is fringed with young trees. The buildings and drill ground extend over an area of four acres. Besides the officers and men of the Corps, the other Volunteer battalions of the city were well represented at Saturday's function and the Lord Mayor and other prominent citizens attended by invitation. ....   Report continues with speeches, including that of Lt. Col. Coates, commanding officer. This noted that of the cost of the new headquarters,  £4000 had been contributed by the public and £10,000 had been provided in the form of a War Office loan. [Manchester City News 14 January 1905 Page 4]

MANCHESTER MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS HEADQUARTERS - The new headquarters of the Manchester Companies of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Volunteers) are situated at the corner of Upper Chorlton Road and Darnley Street and, with the outdoor drill grounds, cover a space a little over four acres. Built of red stock brick and Rainhill stone, the administrative portion of the headquarters is dominated by two towers. The principal part of the building is a circular central hall. Around this on the ground floor are the caretaker=s apartments, the commanding officer=s room, orderly room, adjutant=s room, stores and offices for the quartermaster, the men=s canteen and other offices. On the second floor is placed the officers= mess which includes a dining room, ante room and billiard room, the sergeants= mess and a large kitchen. In this part of the building there is also provided a lecture room and another room which can be used for demonstrations. The lecture room will accommodate from 300 to 350 men. In the upper storey is a room for the band, gymnasium and seven bedrooms and store rooms. The drill hall is 160 feet long by 76 feet 6 inches wide, exclusive of platform and balcony 15 feet deep at one end of it. In addition there is a large outside drill ground. Around two sides of the outside of the drill shed are placed nine waggon houses. The buildings have been designed by Mr T Cunliffe, architect, and built by Messrs Neill & Son. [Builder 7 Jan 1905].

Reference    Manchester City News 7 January 1905 Page 7 Col 1
Reference    Manchester City News 14 January 1905 Page 4 Col 3
Reference    Builder 7 January 1905 Page 23