Manchester Conservative Club, 34-36 St. Ann's Street, Manchester

In an attempt to outdo the Reform Club in King Street, the Manchester Conservative Club purchased a site of 106 feet by 68 feet on the south side of St Ann's Street at its junction with Cross Street and close to the Exchange. The land costs were about £61,000 with building costs almost the same. Designed in the palazzo style, the three-storey building was faced entirely with Yorkshire stone elaborately and richly carved. Shops were provided at ground floor level on the Cross Street frontage with the club rooms on the floors above. The main entrance to the Club on St Ann's Street above which was the head of a female and spandrel panels with figure subjects cut in high relief.

The club was opened by Mr Richard Assheton Cross MP, later Lord Cross on 26 October 1876. It later became the Constitutional Club. The building was later named Hanover House and National House. In 1991-2 a major refurbishment was carried out by Architects Group Practice for Scottish Metropolitan.

Manchester Faces & Places described the main entrance and stair: - The outer vestibule leads immediately to an arcade hall communicating with the main staircase. The floor is paved with Italian mosaics, and the decorations and furnishings are in every particular in harmony with the richness of the place. The entrance hall and vestibule, which are divided on each side into semi-circular panels or blank arches, three on each side, are filled with mural pictures representing by single symbolic figures "Monarchy", "Justice", "Peace", "Law", "Fame" and "Mercy". The wide staircase is from top to bottom painted in plain colours, with an ornamental dado, while the ceiling and top landing are very chastely finished with coloured decorations and ornamental handwork. The staircase is well lighted by plain stained glass windows. In the three windows on the top landing are figures representing "Music", "Painting" and "Architecture", underneath these are four windows with symbolic figures representing "Spring", "Summer", "Autumn" and "Winter" and below these, four others in which the seasons are represented by flowers and plants. The principal rooms of the club were at first floor level, lit by six windows to Cross Street and two to St Ann's Street. The magnificently furnished dining room extended the full 96 feet length of the Cross Street frontage while the library, which faced St Ann's Street, was elaborately decorated with full height bookcases at each end. There was also a second smaller library at this level. At second floor level were two top-lit billiard rooms, private dining room, smoke room, card room and smaller dining room, while on the third floor were dressing rooms and kitchens. [Manchester Faces and Places]

THE MANCHESTER CONSERVATIVE CLUB-HOUSE - THE Manchester Conservative Club-house, which is now in course of erection from the joint designs of Mr. Robert Walker and Messrs. Horton & Bridgford, occupies a site at the corner of St. Ann's-street and Cross-street, with an elevation towards the former of 68 ft. in length, and towards the latter of 106 ft., both faced with Yorkshire stone. The architecture is Italian in style. A bay window carried through the one and two pair floors will mark the junction of the St. Ann's-street and Cross-street façades. The club will occupy the whole of the one-pair floor, together with all the floors above; a portion also of the ground floor and basement.

The large dining-room is on the first floor. It will be a lofty room in three divisions, separated by detached columns, the end - division being 25 ft. wide, and the central division 36 ft., and in length altogether about 98 ft. It is entered through a glazed ornamental screen direct from the principal staircase, and will occupy the whole length of the Cross-street frontage. In the rear and to the right of the principal staircase is the luncheon-room, with serving-room at the back; this serving-room is also in immediate communication with the dining-room. The library, which is entered from the staircase on the left, is lighted on two sides, and in extent will occupy the greater portion of St. Ann's-street front on this floor.

Two billiard-rooms on the second floor, each for two tables, and lighted from the top, with the addition of side-lights, will take up the whole length of the St. Ann's-street frontage and a portion of the return in Cross-street; on this floor, adjoining, is a large private dining-room, which can, if required, be used for a private billiard room, with a smoke-room beyond. In the rear and over the luncheon-room are two private dining-rooms, with still and service-rooms at the back.

Over the principal staircase, on the three-pair floor, are the members' dressing-rooms, complete with bath-room, having private staircase in close communication with principal staircase. Closets and lavatory for the use of billiard-rooms, &c., are provided on a mezzanine floor in the rear, between the one and two pair floors. The steward's private rooms are on a mezzanine floor in the rear, between the two and three pair floors. Spacious and conveniently fitted-up lavatories and W.C.s, with cloak-room, are provided on the ground floor in direct communication with the principal staircase, as also a committee or waiting room.

The kitchen department is on the three-pair floor, occupying the whole of the floor over the private dining-room and smoke-room on the two-pair floor, and also the steward's private rooms in the rear. A cart and tradesmen's entrance is provided at the end of the Cross street front, and also a receiving-room, with hoist and staircase to kitchen floors and basement. The flooring throughout will be fireproof. The space on the ground floor, towards the two fronts is arranged so that it can be let off for shops and offices, and the basement for vaults. The contract has been let to Messrs. Neill & Sons, of Manchester, for £21,473. [Builder 10 October 1874 page 848-51]

MANCHESTER - New Conservative Club - This Club will occupy an important site at the corner of St. Ann's-street and Cross-street, with an elevation towards the former of 68 feet in length, and towards the latter of 106 feet, both faced with Yorkshire stone. The architecture is Italian in treatment. An oriel window carried through the one and two pair floors will mark the junction of the St. Ann's-street and Cross-street facades. The Club will occupy the whole of the one pair floor, together with all the floors above; a portion also of ground floor and of basement. The entrance to the Club is from St. Ann's-street through an arcaded vestibule communicating with the principal staircase, which is well lighted by side windows, and it is proposed to fill them with stained glass. One Pair Floor. —The large Dining-room is on this floor, and will be a lofty and well-proportioned room in three divisions separated by detached columns, the end division being 25 feet wide, and the central division 36 feet, and in length altogether about 98 feet; it is entered through a glazed ornamental screen direct from the principal staircase, and will occupy the whole length of the Cross-street frontage. In the rear and to the right of the principal staircase is the Luncheon-room, with Serving-room at back; this serving-room is also in immediate communication with the Dining-room. The Library, which is entered from the staircase on the left, is well lighted on two sides, and in extent will occupy the greater portion of St. Ann's-street front on this floor. Two Pair Floor. - Two lofty Billiard-rooms, each for two tables and well-lighted from the top, with the addition of side lights, will take up the whole length of the St. Ann's-street frontage and a portion of the return in Cross-street on this floor; adjoining is a large private dining-room, which can, if required, be used for a private Billiard-room, with a roomy Smoke-room beyond. In the rear and over the Luncheon-room are two private Dining-rooms, with Still and Service-rooms at back. Over the principal staircase on the three pair floor are the members' Dressing-rooms, complete with Bath-room, &c, having private staircase in close communication with principal staircase. Closets and Lavatory for use of Billiard-rooms, &c, are provided on a mezzanine floor in the rear between the one and two pair floors. The Steward's private rooms are on a mezzanine floor in the rear, between two and three pair floors. Spacious and conveniently fitted up Lavatories and w.c.'s, with Cloak-room, are provided on ground floor in direct communication with principal staircase, as also a Committee or Waiting-room. The Kitchen department is on the three pair floor, and will be very commodious and complete, occupying the whole of the floor over the large private Dining-room and Smoke-room on two pair floor, and also the Steward's private rooms in the rear. A cart and tradesmen's entrance is provided at the end of the Cross-street front, and also a Receiving-room, with hoist and staircase to Kitchen floors and basement. Sleeping accommodation for the servants is provided over this department in the rear. The flooring throughout will be fireproof. The space on the Ground floor and towards the two fronts is arranged so that it can be let off for shops and offices, and the basement for vaults. The design is the joint production of Mr Robert Walker, of Moorgate-street, London, and Messrs Horton and Bridgford, of Cooper-street, Manchester; and the contract has been let to Messrs Neill and Sons, of Manchester, for £21,473. It is expected that the building will be finished ready for occupation in about eighteen months. [British Architect 16 January 1874 Page 46]