Manchester Law Library, 14 Kennedy Street, Manchester

A most notable and delightful building by Thomas Hartas,  once home of one of the oldest provincial law libraries, founded in 1820. The style is Venetian Gothic, of only three bays, each divided into three again with richly traceried and strongly moulded frames to the openings. An oriel marks the first‑floor reading room, steps lead up to the entrance, to the right, recessed behind a traceried screen. The building has three floors with two main staircases. The Entrance foyer has the entrance to the library itself to the left and a top‑lit staircase leading up to the first‑floor reading room and to second‑floor rooms which could be let separately. The ground floor housed a circulating library (now with 20th century furnishings). Stairs lead from it to the first‑floor reading room, which has most of the (slightly rearranged) attractive original fittings. The ceiling has moulded wooden ribs, the wooden cornice a frieze with pierced quatrefoils. Tall bookcases have cresting and slender detached shafts, some placed at right angles to the wall making separate bays. Arched upper screens have open cusped arcading, rising from piers placed against the bookcase ends. Stained glass by S. Evans of Birmingham includes roundels showing judges in wigs.

It was originally intended to have a taller and more varied skyline in stone but the owners of Massey Chambers on the opposite side of the road, objected to the proposals on the grounds of loss of "ancient lights." To overcome these objections Hartas proposed an iron cresting with central gable, surmounted by the scales of justice but this was rejected by the Law Society on the grounds of cost and the principal facade was terminated with a flat cornice.

THE MANCHESTER INCORPORATED LAW LIBRARY - The members of the legal profession in Manchester will tomorrow (Wednesday) morning see their new Law Library building, erected on the south side of Kennedy Street open for their use. Practically this will be the first time since the Law Library in Manchester was instituted (over sixty-five years ago) that it has had what may be called a home of its own. ..... The new building is a handsome stone faced structure in the Decorated Gothic style from the drawings of Mr Thomas Hartas, architect of this city. The ground floor and cellars are devoted entirely to the storage of the books, while the first floor is provided with a fine reading room. An additional feature in the building is a room set aside for the exclusive use of law students. The internal arrangements are of a very superior description. The library contains a collection of 11,00 volumes. [Manchester Guardian 8 December 1885 page 5]

A NEW LIBRARY AT MANCHESTER - A new library building of four stories has recently been opened in Kennedy Street, Manchester for the Manchester Incorporated Law Library Society. The basement is used for the storage of old books; the ground floor contains the books in circulation; the first floor is used as a members’ reading room and the second floor for meetings of law students. The front is faced with Pillough stone, and is designed in the Early Decorated style. Owing to the narrowness of the streets, both at the front and back, an unusual amount of window surface is obtained. This however is arranged for without sacrificing an appearance of stability in the building by recessing the windows somewhat deeply and forming boldly projecting piers between them. The contract was taken out by Councillor Holt of Cheetham for the sum of £2,465 and the works have been completed within that sum. The brickwork was done by Mr Healey of Salford; the stonework by Mr Kirkham; the furniture and decorations are by Messrs Goodall & Company of Manchester; the stained glass by Mr S Evans of Birmingham; and the mosaic work by Messrs E Smith & Company of Coalville. The architect is Mr Thomas Hartas of Manchester. [Builder 19 December 1885 Page 882]

MANCHESTER -A new library building of four storeys has recently been opened in Kennedy Street, Manchester, for the Manchester Incorporated Law Library Society. The basement is used for the storage of old books, the ground floor contains the books in circulation, the first floor is used as a members' reading room, and the second floor for meetings of law students. The front is faced with Pillough stone, and is designed in the early decorated style. Owing to the narrowness of the streets both at the front and back, an unusual amount of window surface is obtained. This is, however, arranged for, without sacrificing an appearance of stability in the building by recessing the windows somewhat deeply, and forming boldly projecting piers between them. The contract was taken by Councillor Holt, of Cheetham, for the sum of £2,465, and the works have been completed within that sum. The brickwork was done by Mr. Healey, of Salford, the stonework by Mr. Kirkham, the furniture and decorations by Messrs. Goodall and Co., of Manchester, the stained glass by Mr. S. Evans, of Birmingham; and the mosaic work by Messrs. E. Smith and Co., of Coalville. The architect is Mr. Thomas Hartas, of Manchester. [British Architect 26 February 1886 page 216]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 8 December 1885 page 5 – opening
Reference    Builder 19 December 1885 Page 882
Reference    British Architect 26 February 1886 page 216