Building Name

Institute for Seamen Trafford Road Salford

Date
1900 - 1902
Street
Trafford Road
District/Town
Salford
County/Country
GMCA, England
Work
New Build
Contractor
William Southern & Sons

THE CHURCH AND INSTITUTE FOR SEAMEN AT OLD TRAFFORD. On the 1st of August last year the foundation stone of the Church and Institute in Trafford-road was laid by her Grace the Duchess of Buckingham and Chandos. The building, which has been ready for upwards of a month, is to be opened to-day by Lord Inverclyde {chairman of the Cunard Company). After the opening ceremony the Bishop of Manchester will conduct a dedicatory service in the church. The Institute is nearly opposite the dock gates, and on its south side, only separated from it by the width Gladys-street is, or, rather, soon will be, the Custom House. The architectural style may be classed as late Gothic. The character of the secular and sacred parts the building is expressed respectively in the design. The chapel occupies the greater part of the upper floor furnished and fitted as an episcopal chapel of the Church of England. At the east end is the usual railed-in sacrarium with the Lord's Table and a reredos above it, There is ,outside the rail, a combination of lectern pulpit and prayer desk, simple and convenient. The body of the chapel is filled with comfortable benches the modem church type, and there is a west end gallery. The entrance is at the south-west, the best seen corner, and the stairs are contrived to be equally easily accessible from outside, or from the clubroom below the chapel. There is a solid oak bell turret and a good bell. The vestry is at the west end adjacent to the staircase. To the east the chapel is a spacious and lofty room, with a staircase, for the use of the officers - a thoroughly comfortable and pleasant room. The ground floor space is occupied by the men's clubroom, well lighted and warmed, and fitted with lookers for the men's belongings. Beyond this, on the east side, is the chaplains room, and still further east are the officers' entrance and the staircase. In the basement are the arrangements for heating and ventilating. There is also a good kitchen, and, of course, fuel stores. The ventilator works summer and winter, and its efficiency, as well as that of the heating. is guaranteed by the contractors. The building is lighted throughout by electricity. Outside there is a liberal use warm toned ashlar stone, which harmonises well with the red bricks. The roof is covered with dark olive green slates, which constitute a very suitable covering for a red brick building. The building committee and Mr Medland Taylor, the architect, are to congratulated on having such builders as Messrs. Southern to give this outward expression to their desires and designs. The only other separate contractors are Messrs. Saunders and Taylor for the heating and ventilation, and Messrs Steinthal for the electric lighting, and both firms merit a word of commendation. The contract sum has not been exceeded for the works undertaken. [Manchester Courier 24 September 1902 page 8]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 11 December 1900 page 5
Reference    Building News 9 August 1901 Page 174
Reference    Manchester Courier 24 September 1902 page 8
Reference    British Architect 26 September 1902 Page 232