Market Hall Bolton

BOLTON - MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL ‑On Wednesday last, a special meeting of the council was held in the Borough Court; W. Gray, Esq. mayor in the chair. The minutes of the various committees   were read. Those of the Markets Committee were the next important ‑ The following resolution had been adopted. AThat the sub‑committee be authorised to proceed with notices and negotiating for the purchase of, and taking measures where necessary to obtain adjudications as to the amount to be paid for, all or any part of the property, respecting which they were, on the 13th of November last, desired to defer proceedings until the committee should. have received plans of the intended market houses and approaches.

The premiums of £50 and £30 for the best and second-best competition plans for the New Market House, had been awarded to Mr. G. T. Robinson, architect, Wolverhampton and Mr. Leigh Hall architect, Bolton, respectively. ‑ It had been resolved “That the placing of slaughter-houses underneath the market would probably become a nuisance and be incompatible with good sanitary arrangements. It is the opinion of the committee that it is not desirable to place the slaughter houses under the  new market.”

It had been agreed that Mr. Robinson, of Wolverhampton, should be the architect upon his entering into arrangements satisfactory to the committee and council, for the erection of the New Market House; also that the mayor, Messrs Rushton, Hick, Walsh, Marsden, Arrowsmith, Giles, Cross , and Wolstenholme, should be a sub‑committee to confer with Mr Robinson as to the terms upon which he would carry out his design or any modification thereof. At a meeting of the committee on Monday evening, a report was presented from the sub‑committee appointed to confer with Mr. Robinson, stating that Mr. Robinson had attended a meeting of the sub‑committee on the 15th instant, and had stated that the usual terms granted to architects for superintending the erection of works like the present were ,5 per cent upon the outlay, and that he proposed to undertake the work on those terms. The sub‑committee after consideration, had resolved that an offer be made to pay Mr Robinson £720 for his services as architect ‑ such services to include the provision of a statement of the quantities of every description of materials required, detailed specification of work to be done, working drawings, and all other duties as architects usually perform for the remuneration granted to them in respect of their services. This report had been adopted by the committee. The proceedings of the committee were confirmed, and it was stated that Mr Robinson had accepted the offer made to him. [Manchester Guardian 22 March 1851 Page 9]

OPENING OF BOLTON NEW MARKET-HALL. - On Wednesday, 19th ult. the new Market-hall at Bolton was opened with masonic and other ceremonial. The plans for a new market-house were advertised for end of the year 1850; for the best design £50 and for the second £30 being offered, the cost of the building not to exceed £17,000, and the area to be 7,500 yards. Twenty-four plans were sent in from architects in different parts of the kingdom; and the markets committee ultimately fixed upon that of Mr. G. T. Robinson, architect, now of Leamington; the second premium being awarded to Mr. Leigh Hall, of Bolton, architect. In May, 1851, Mr. Robinson was appointed architect, with £720 for his services. The first estimate of Mr. Robinson was £18,000. but this was subsequently increased to £26,700 by additions. After this the erection of the Market-hall was contracted for by Mr. W. Tomkinson, of Liverpool; and the construction of the Knowsley-street Viaduct, across the Croal, by Mr. John Evans, of Darwen.

The work connected with the Market-hall was commenced on 5th April, 1862. Early in 1853 a sub-committee reported that the purchase of property for the site and approaches would, with the cost of completing the building, amount to at least £70,000; part of the property, however, being afterwards available. In April, 1853, and thereafter, it was found that the construction of the foundations of the basement-story arches was defective, some of the arches having fallen; and, after various procedure, the foundations were secured, and the whole of the sixty-six piers rebuilt. The error was attributed to neglect on the part of a clerk of works. After this the work proceeded safely towards completion, although, even still, it is not quite finished.

The building itself is a rectangular parallelogram, 294 feet 5 inches long, by 219 feet 9 inches wide, giving an area of about 7,188 square yards, or nearly 13 statute acres, and is surrounded by four broad and spacious streets. The four fronts of the building are similar in design and character, though they differ somewhat in detail. That to Knowsley-street consists of a centre portico of the Corinthian order, and is upwards of 50 feet in height. The accommodation afforded by the market will be for upwards of 600 salesmen. The whole of the area is covered by rough plate-glass roofs, of 50 and 25 feet wide, the apex of the main one being nearly 51 feet from the ground floor; and the glass consumed for that purpose weighs 80 tons, and measures 30,000 feet. The glazing has been done by Mr. Hugh Makinson, of Bolton; the painting by Mr. William Peat; and the gas fittings have been erected by Messrs. Taylor and Galloway. The clerk of works during all but the earlier part of the construction was Mr. Matthew Jepson. The cost of the building, exclusive of the site, is estimated at £45,000. The net income, it is estimated, will be £3,000 a year, besides £1,000 for property to sell or let.

In the construction, there were 35,409 cubic yards of excavation; 12,028 cubic yards rubble walling; 13,645 superficial yards brickwork; 6,664 superficial yards flagging; 1,500 superficial yards gallery landings; 59,924 cubic feet of ashlar; 30,000 superficial feet of glass; 823 tons of wrought and cast ironwork. The whole cost of the improvement, including bridge in Knowsley-street, approaches, paving, property purchased, and market-hall itself, has been estimated at £90,000. [Builder 5 January 1856 page 9-10]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 22 March 1851 Page 9
Reference    Manchester Guardian 17 December 1855 page 4
Reference    Manchester Guardian 20 December 1855 page 4
Reference    Builder 5 January 1856 page 9-10  opening with extensive descriptive note