Manchester & Salford Bank Mosley Street.

NEW BUILDING FOR A BANK IN MANCHESTER – The Manchester and Salford Banking Company have for some time found the premises occupied by them in Mosley Street (part of a pile only) far too small for the proper transaction of their business, and they have accordingly resolved to erect a new building for which the plans have been prepared, and operations have commenced for clearing the ground. The site selected is central and commanding, and, as the architect is already widely known, here and elsewhere, by his works, and is one who has always made the most of his materials, we anticipate a very welcome addition to our street architecture. The site is at the junction of Mosley Street and York Street, the third being Back Mosley Street; and while the frontage to Mosley Street is 112 feet, the depth from that street to Back Mosley Street is 80 feet. It was at first thought that there would be more ground than was needed for the bank; but, as it was found that the attempt to plant a small warehouse at the rear would have no satisfactory result, and would in all probability cramp the main building, the idea of doing so was wisely abandoned. An advantage has thus been gained; for while the accommodation supplied for the banking business will be ample, prospectively, for a score of years to come, the building will, for all practical purposes, stand detached. Mr E Walters, of Cooper Street, who designed our Free Trade Hall and many of our finest warehouses, is the architect; and the style he has adopted is the It. Not that pretty softness of effect has been considered; for, as is most appropriate for the object, Mr Walters has determined that all shall be as simple and massive as possible. The building will be of three storeys; the lower stage being rusticated, and the windows resting on some nine feet of solid masonry, marked only by the simplest of lines. The height from the ground to the top of the balustrade will be fully 86 feet, which, for three storeys only, will ensure a bold effect. The entrance will be from Mosley Street, at the point nearest St Peter’s Church; there being a broad entrance porch which will be carried only to the lines of the ground floor. By means of a flight of steps, and an outer and inner lobby, access will be gained to the banking room, which will be a noble apartment, 84 feet long,50 feet wide and nearly 27 feet high. The floor and the ceiling will be rigidly fireproof; and there will be special arrangements for “the treasury.” In fact, in every part of the premises the most approved modern appliances for comfort and safety will be introduced; the architect having made a tour through al the principal metropolitan banks with a view to the perfection of his plans. The building will be of Yorkshire stone; an probably a couple of years will be needed before its doors are opened to the customers of the Manchester and Salford Banking Company. [Manchester Guardian 11 February 1860 page 6]

MANCHESTER  — The Manchester and Salford Banking Company have resolved to erect a new building, for which the plans have been prepared, and operations have been commenced for clearing the ground. The site selected is a central one, at the junction of Mosley Street and York Street. The frontage to Mosley-street is 112 feet, and the depth to Back Mosley-street is 80 feet. Mr. E. Walters, who designed the Free-trade Hall and many warehouses at Manchester, is the architect; and the style he has adopted is the Italian. The building will be of three stories; the lower stage being rusticated, and the windows resting upon some 9 feet of solid masonry’, marked only by the simplest lines. The height from the ground to the top of the balustrade will be fully 86 feet. The entrance will be from Mosley-street; there being a broad entrance porch which will be carried only to the height of the lines of the ground floor. By a flight of steps, and an outer and an inner lobby, access will he gained to the banking room, which will be 81 feet long, 50 feet wide, and nearly 27 feet high. The floor and the ceiling will be fire-proof; and there will be special arrangements for “the treasury.” The building will be of Yorkshire stone. [Builder 18 February 1860 page 109-110]

MANCHESTER ARCHITECTURE - Next in importance to the new Assize Courts, the new building erecting in Mosley-street for the Manchester and Salford Bank claims mention. It is an entirely stone building of immense proportions, designed in the Italian style, by Mr. Edward Walters; but as yet it is not sufficiently advanced to admit of further description, beyond saying that it is wholly fireproof in its construction, and gives every sign of being a noble building somewhat quotidian in character it must be confessed, but perhaps not the worse for that. Mr. Walters is an artist, who can well afford to resort to the commonplace in style. [Building News 7 June 1861 page 473]

MANCHESTER AND SALFORD BANK. - The engraving on the opposite side represents the Manchester and Salford Bank which is just being erected. The frontage in Mosley-street, as seen in the engraving, is 114 feet; the side, in York-street, has six windows, and is 78 feet; height of building 69 feet; total area about 950 superficial yards. The whole is executed in Yorkshire stone; string course under bank windows is of granite, and the door, 16 feet by 8 feet, has jambs of polished granite. The bank proper

is 83 feet by 49 feet, exclusive of entrances and private rooms, and clear height 27 feet; windows of bank, 17 feet by 7 feet, with descending wrought-iron shutters in one sheet. There are ten columns in the interior 2 feet diameter, on which are wrought-iron girders 3 feet deep supporting the interior walls of first floor, on which is arranged the board-room, 46 feet by 32 feet, with octagonal ceiling and circular top light. Other parts of this floor, and the upper floor, are devoted to private apartments for the sub-manager residing on the premises. The plan of the building has been arranged by William Langton, Esq., the present manager, and is most complete in every respect. The treasuries, voucher-room, hydraulic hoist for books, bullion, etc., are in the basement, the whole of which is fire-proof, as also the bank ground-floor. The cost of the building, exclusive of the land, is about £25,000. The bank is detached from the adjoining buildings in Mosley street, which adds much to its importance. The building was opened for business on the 15th of August. The masonry and brickwork were contracted

for by Messrs J. and H. Patterson; the ironwork by Messrs E. T. Bellhouse and Company; and the rest of the work by Messrs Bowden, Edwards, and Forster. [Building News 19 September 1862 page 218]

MANCHESTER AND SALFORD BANK. - We regret exceedingly that, in our account of the new building of the Manchester and Salford Bank, we omitted the name of the talented architect. The designs were prepared by Mr Edward Walters, to whom Manchester is much indebted for many of its finest buildings, and the whole of the works were carried out under his personal superintendence. Mr Walters has also lately designed considerable additions to the Manchester and Salford District Bank, in Spring Gardens, Manchester. [Building News 17 Oct 1862 p299]

Comparisons are proverbially odious; and yet speaking of Manchester commercial buildings, one cannot avoid a comparison between Mr Walters’ buildings (the Manchester and Salford Bank, at the corner of York and Mosley streets) and “all Lombard Street.” Large banks and insurance offices are rising in Lombard Street just at this time; but the greatest of these efforts in bricks and mortar – and that, we humbly submit, is the bank of Messrs Robarts, Lubbock and Company – is a mere pigmy in comparison with this Manchester bank; whose massive unbroken stylobate, some 8 feet high, would, drawn out to its full length, go far towards reaching half way down one entire side of Lombard Street. It is one of the few buildings of Manchester occupying a site adequate to its pretentions; it is by no means equal in merit as a design, to others of Mr Walters’ works, but (albeit it is void of any commendable originality desirable in so large a work by so capable a hand) the design is wholly free from defects in detail and composition. Mr Walters might have made more of his opportunity; many an architect of ability by aiming at more would have done less, and peradventure have spoiled the whole affair; as might be seen in a well-known warehouse of even more Brobdingnagian proportions, not far away from this bank. [Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal, Vol. 28, May 1865, p. 130]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 11 February 1860 page 6
Reference    Builder 18 February 1860 page 109-110
Reference    Building News 7 June 1861 page 473 – Architecture in Manchester
Reference    Building News 19 September 1862 page 218
Reference    Building News 17 Oct 1862 p299
Reference    Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal, Vol. 28, May 1865, p. 130