Household Stores Association, 42-44 King Street West (Kings Building)
Built for the Household Stores Association Limited whose name appears in Slater's Directory of 1880-81. References to a hotel entrance, top floor kitchens, and grinding and cutting machinery in the British Architect report are confusing. No hotel is listed in Slater's other than the Star Hotel and livery stables on the opposite side of King Street West extending up to Deansgate - part of the site now occupied by Kendal Milne.
NEW PREMISES FOR THE HOUSEHOLD STORES ASSOCIATION - Messrs Mangnall and Littlewoods, Architects. The site of these new premises is in King-street West, better known as Lower King-street. The building is in the Italian style with the main front towards King-street. It is five storeys in height and is built of Yorkshire stone in the lower portions, the upper storey built of brick with stone dressings. The main entrance is at the corner of King-street and Southgate. The entrance vestibule is floored with marble concrete, which with the German tiles and marble concrete on the wall of the entrance to the hotel, has been supplied by Messrs. Patteson. On each floor is a central area, octagonal in form, with a rooflight over. On the top floor are arranged the kitchen offices. The building is heated by hot-water apparatus supplied by Mr. R. R. Gibb of Liverpool. An hydraulic table hoist for the lifting of heavy goods has been fixed by Messrs. E. T. Bellhouse & Co. Messrs J. Bailey & Co. of Salford have supplied three of their water motors on the horizontal cylinder principle to drive the chopping and grinding machinery. Messrs. Neill & Sons were the general contractors for the building and for the fittings and fixtures; and the sub-contractors were:- Mr P. Hodkinson, brickwork; Messrs Ellis & Hinchcliffe, masonry; Messrs Longden & Co., ironwork; Mr H. Lightfoot, plumbing and glazing; Mr. George Kirkley, slating, Mr. Harwood, plastering and painting. Mr. Edward Wood has acted as clerk of Works. [British Architect. 5 September 1879 Page 95]
MANCHESTER - The premises in Albert‑square of the Household Stores Association, Limited, where the business has been hitherto carried on have been found too contracted. About 18 months ago the directors intrusted to Messrs. Mangnall and Littlewood, architects, of Manchester, the designing and carrying out suitable erections for the special purposes required upon an eligible plot in King‑street West. The space of ground covered by the buildings is about 1,300 square yards in all, 300 yards of which, at the end furthest from Deansgate, are devoted to the purposes of a hotel. The style of architecture adopted in the entire erection is Italian, and the principal frontage is five stories in height, the lower portion being of Yorkshire stone, and the upper story of brickwork is intermixed with stone dressings. The heating apparatus is on the principle of distribution of hot water in small wrought‑iron pipes, and Mr. Renton Gibb, of Liverpool, has executed this work. Messrs. Neill and Sons are the general contractors for the buildings and for the fittings and fixtures. Mr. Edward Wood has acted as clerk of works. [Building News 5 September 1879 page 294]
NEW BUILDING FOR THE MANCHESTER HOUSEHOLD STORES. The premises in Albert-square, where the business has hitherto been carried on, have been found too contracted and inconvenient for the increasing operations of the association, and about eighteen months ago the directors entrusted to Messrs Mangnall and Littlewoods, architects, of Manchester, the duty of designing and carrying out suitable erections for the special purposes required upon an eligible plot in what was then called Lower King-street, but is now King-street West. The space of ground covered by the buildings is about 1,300 square yards in all, 300 yards of which, at the end furthest from Deansgate, are devoted to the purposes of an hotel, as it was deemed advisable to make use of the licence which attached to the site. The hotel is to be let to a suitable tenant. The style of architecture adopted in the entire erection is Italian, and the principal frontage in King-street West is five stories in height, the lower portion being of Yorkshire stone, and the upper story of brickwork, intermixed with stone dressings. The elevations are characterised by a somewhat novel arrangement of the windows. The main entrance to the household stores, at the angle formed by King-street West and Southgate, is octagonal in plan, with three semi-circular headed doorways of handsome treatment, surmounted by stone cornice and pediment. This feature of the design is carried upwards to a steep octagonal slated roof and lofty flagstaff. The entrance vestibule is floored with marble concrete, which, with the German tiles and marble concrete on the wall of the entrance to the hotel, have been supplied by Messrs Patteson. The first floor, entering from the street, is devoted to the department of groceries, provisions, wines and spirits, fancy stationery, leather goods, packing, delivery, etc. The second floor is appropriated to drapery, drugs, boots, shoes, etc., and in this storey are the business offices, also the waiting and refreshment rooms for ladies. The third story will be used for brushes, ironmongery and other branches, as may be found expedient. A kitchen and offices are arranged on the top floor for the cooking and supplying of meals for the whole of the employees in the establishment. The delivery of goods has been provided for by a covered loading area, running lengthwise along Back Bridge-street, provided with sliding doors to all departments. The lifting of heavy articles will be effected by one of Messrs E. T. Bellhouse and Company’s hydraulic table-hoists, by means of which goods can be lowered from the covered cart-way to the cellar story, and can be otherwise available for raising or lowering for four stories, the total lift being 35 ft., and the size of moving table 6 ft. by 4 ft. 6 inches. It is on the same principle as the hydraulic press; a ram of l-4 inches diameter rises in a cast-iron cylinder, into which the water from the street mains is admitted as the moving power. The valve apparatus for regulating the upward or downward motions is so arranged as to be used from any floor, or from the table itself. The ram and table are counterbalanced by weights. The other appliances for raising and lowering consist of a hand-rope hoist made by Messrs A. Woodward & Company, and another similar one removed from the old premises, also a pair of inclined plane gantries, by which heavy casks are adroitly lowered. In the department of power may be mentioned three of Messrs J. Bailey & Company’s water motors, on the horizontal cylinder principle, worked from the street mains, which are to drive the machinery for chopping and grinding sugar, grinding coffee and rice, fruit-dressing and other purposes. The cast-iron columns and beam-boxes supporting the various beams and floors are made into ventilating shafts, being continued through the roof by galvanised iron flues and ventilation cowls attached thereto. Each beam-box is of novel construction, the sides having openings through which the current of vitiated air from the various rooms is conducted upwards through the hollow of the columns. We are told that this is a suggestion of a director. Other ventilating shafts are built in the walls. The artificial lighting is by means of gaseliers. The heating apparatus is on the principle of distribution of hot water in small wrought-iron pipes, and Mr. Renton Gibb, of Liverpool, has executed this work.
Messrs. Neill & Sons are the general contractors for the buildings and for the fittings and fixtures; and the sub-contractors are: - Mr P. Hodkinson, brickwork; Messrs. Ellis and Hinchcliffe, masonry; Messrs Longden and Company, ironwork; Mr. H. Lightfoot, plumbing and glazing; Mr George Kirkley, slating; and Mr Harwood, plastering and painting. Mr. Edward Wood has acted as clerk of works. The establishment was opened for use on Monday, 1st September. [Builder 6 September 1879 page 1000]
NEW PREMISES OF THE HOUSEHOLD ST0RES ASSOCIATION, LIMITED. The premises in Albert-square, Manchester, where the business has been hitherto carried on, have been found too contracted and inconvenient for the increasing operations of the association, and about eighteen months ago the directors entrusted to Messrs. Mangnall and Littlewoods, architects, of Manchester, the duty of designing and carrying out suitable erections for the special purposes required upon an eligible plot in what was then called Lower King-street, but is now King-street West. The space of ground covered by the buildings is about 1,300 square yards in all, 300 yards of which, at the end furthest from Deansgate, are devoted to the purposes of a hotel. The style adopted in the entire erection is Italian, and the principal frontage in King Street West is five stories in height, the lower portion being of Yorkshire stone, and the upper story of brickwork intermixed with stone dressings. The main entrance to the household stores, at the angle formed by King-street West and Southgate, is octagonal in plan, with three semi-circular headed doorways of handsome treatment, surmounted by stone cornice and pediment. This octagonal feature of the design is carried upwards to a steep octagonal slated roof and lofty flagstaff. The entrance vestibule is floored with marble concrete, which, with the similar tiles to the floor and marble concrete on the wall of the entrance to the hotel, have been supplied by Messrs. Patteson. The building is well lighted by the numerous large windows, and has, likewise, an extensive central area on each floor, octagonal in form, over which is a roof light, rendering valuable the counters which surround each area opening. The heating apparatus is on the principle of distribution of hot water in small wrought iron pipes, and Mr. Renton Gibb, of Liverpool, has executed this work. The cellars for storage are spacious and convenient, having floors of asphalte. Messrs. Neill and Sons are the general contractors for the buildings, fittings, and fixtures. The cost, including fittings, will be about £25,000. [Building News 16 January 1880 page 68 and illustration]
Reference British Architect Vol 12 5 September 1879 Page 95
Reference Building News 5 September 1879 page 294
Reference Builder 6 September 1879 page 1000
Reference Building News 16 January 1880 page 68 and illustration]
Reference M F & P Vol 8 - Household Stores Association