Pioneers Central Stores Toad Lane Rochdale

THE EQUITABLE PIONEERS' NEW STORES—The committee of the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society Limited, have accepted the tender of Messrs. Harrison and Birch, for the erection of their new premises, situate in Toad-lane and St. Marys-gate. The premises consist of three shops upon the ground floor with store rooms in the basement storey. The second storey will contain a show room for drapery, store room for grocery, and large well lighted offices.' The third storey will contain a library-room of an area of 150 superficial square yards, a well-lighted news-room containing 170 superficial square yards of area, also two committee-rooms, and a waiting-room. The fourth storey will be suitable for meeting-room, and capable of seating 1500 persons. The fronts of the .first storey will be built entirely of Ashlar stone polished, forming pilasters betwixt each window and door, and each stone will contain a raised moulded panel upon the face and returns; each pilaster having a moulded base, and caps with frieze and moulded cornice over all the shop doors and windows The exterior of the first storey is in the Gothic style of architecture, having neat moulded string and springing courses, and columns with moulded bases and carved capitals to each window with moulded and arched heads cuspated, and all the intermediate space filled with pitched faced pierpoint walling- finishing with moulded neck mould and cornice except over the circular" part opposite the junction of St. Mary s-gate and Toad-lane, where there is panelled gable containing the initials of the society, the year when it was established, and the date of the intended erection. Surmounted upon the top of the same is beehive, supported upon each side with a cornucopia emblematic of industry and its results. The total height of the building from the footpath to the top of the stone cornice is 22 yards. Mr. James Cheetham is the architect, and we regret the committee have not adopted his intentions of having all the columns of polished granite, as they would have given a most pleasing effect to the building. The building is intended be completed in 12 months from the signing of the contract. [Rochdale Observer 10 March 1866 page 4]

DESCRIPTION OF THB BUILDING. The premises are just being completed at the junction of St. Mary’s Gate and Toad Lane, on the site of the old Theatre and the Temperance Hall, and a description of the architectural and other properties of the building may not be uninteresting to our readers. The stores are intended to supersede those at present in use, which are disconnected, inconvenient, and too limited in extent for the increased business which is continually transacted at the central establishments. Many people will know that at present the grocery, butchering, tailoring, shoe-making, and clogging departments are each carried on in separate shops in Toad Lane, whilst the drapery establishment is in Cheetham Street, thus making the premises much more scattered and insecure, as well as more inconvenient to manage than is desirable. This has long been felt by the society, and two or three years ago it was determined as soon possible to erect commodious and convenient stores, which would afford accommodation for the several branches of industry under ®ne and the same roof, and place the management of their gigantic business upon an easier and safer basis. The design of the building was entrusted to Mr. James Cheetham, of Spotland Road, who has had the architectural management of the several excellent branch buildings which the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers’ Society possess, and with the extent of the ground at his command a most noble erection is the result, the total cost of which will be over J610.000. The inside work and fittings are now being rapidly proceeded with, and it is expected that the early part of November will see the actual commencement of business upon the premises. From the elevated position of the site, the stores form one of the most conspicuous objects that meet the eye in almost any direction on the Castleton side of the town, as also from many other standpoints, and the high altitude which the building itself has attained (66 feet) this prominence is increased. It may found necessary at some not very distant period even to increase the size of this building, and if so it may perhaps be possible to secure a little of the adjoining land at nearer what the committee think “a fair price” than it seemed possible at present. The circumscribed area consequent upon this difficulty has doubtless contributed somewhat the adoption of such a high building, and it is satisfactory to be assured that notwithstanding the exceeding lightness of the external appearance and the consequent effect, extra strong workmanship in the interior will fully compensate for any apparent weakness of the exterior, and render the building quite safe. The premises are four storeys high, besides the basement storey. There are three shops on the ground floor, with store rooms and shoemakers’ work room on the basement storey. Two of the shops contain an area of 200 superficial square yards each, and are to be used as grocery and drapery stores, and the other, which is to be devoted to the shoe business, contains an area of 85 square yards. The second storey comprises show room for drapery, store room for grocery, and large well-lighted offices. In the third storey are a library room with an area of 150 square yards, a well-lighted newsroom, containing an area of 170 square _ yards, together with two committee rooms and one waiting room. The fourth storey forms one large room suitable for public meetings and lectures, and capable of seating 1,500 persons, being by far the largest room in Rochdale. The ceilings of the several rooms are not of plaster, but are cased with wood, cleanly varnished, wood mouldings of a neat pattern, and finished in the same style, being also employed with advantage. The library, news, and meeting rooms are exceedingly well ventilated, and the newsroom is remarkable especially for its air of light and cheerfulness. This room overlooks St. Mary’s Gate, whilst entrance is gained to it and the offices, library and meeting rooms by a glass-covered passage leading out of Toad Lane to flights of stone steps. Warming apparatus will be affixed under the staircases, and lavatories and other conveniences will be found on each landing. The fronts the first storey are built entirely of Ashlar stone, polished, forming pilasters betwixt each window and door, and each stone contains a raised moulded panel upon the face and returns; each pilaster having a moulded base, and caps with frieze and moulded cornice over all the shop doors and windows. The exterior above the first storey is in the Gothic style of architecture, having neat moulded string and springing courses, and columns with moulded bases and carved capitals to each window, with moulded and arched heads, cuspated, and all the intermediate space filled in with pitched faced pierpoint walling; finishing with neck mould and cornice. Over the circular part of the building, the junction of the two thoroughfares in which stands there is a dial for a public clock, 7 feet in diameter, which is visible from many points of the town at which there' has hitherto been no such advantage, and as it is to be lighted at night will form valuable acquisition to the public conveniences of the town. The dial is surmounted a large bee-hive, flanked by two cornucopias, resting upon extensive stonework, and giving an air of great beauty with its industrial symbolism. The windows in the first storey are nine in number, containing magnificent sheets of plate glass, which are to be secured at night by means of Clarke and Co.’s patent self-coiling steel shutters, similar to those which are in use at several of the branch stores. Two shop doors abut upon St. Mary’s Gate, besides a gateway at the end. leading into a covered passage for loading and unloading carts in; and in Toad Lane there are two doors in addition to one communicating with the passage which leads to the rooms above. The premises, which have been erected under Mr Cheetham’s personal superintendence, will form, with the elevated position, ornamental frontage extensive accommodation and suitability for the purposes intended, decidedly the most pleasing feature of which the town can boast. Messrs. Harrisen and Birch are the builders, Mr. Southwick the contractor for the internal fittings of the drapers’ shop and offices, and Mr Peters for the fittings of the grocery and shoe departments. [Rochdale Observer 5 October 1867 page 6]

THE ROCHDALE CO-OPERATIONS - The Equitable Pioneers Society Limited so famous throughout the world for the significance of their name and success of their enterprise—has been erecting a new central storehouse, which has cost them more than £10,000. The size and appearance of the new building will be fairly representative of the dimensions to which the society has grown since it started, twenty-three years ago, doing business in humble shed, with but small handful of sovereigns for capital. The premises are of four storeys, having stone front with Gothic adornments, and great clock outside, which will be the most conspicuous time' keeper in the town. The ground floor is occupied by three shops -  grocery and drapery departments of 200 square yards each, and a boot and shoe department of smaller area. The cellars are to serve as workrooms for shoemakers and cloggers, and for warehousing. A drapery show-room, a grocery storage-room, and offices occupy the second storey. A news-room (in size 170 square yards), library-room (150 square yards), two committee-rooms, and a waiting-room take up the third storey. On the fourth is large room, capable of seating 1,500 persons, which is intended for public meetings and entertainments. The whole of the building is well ventilated, and heated by a warming apparatus. The building has been designed by an amateur architect, Mr. James Cheetham, of Spotland Road, and erects under his personal superintendence. It is remarkable for the amount of glass window space in the exterior but the constructor has provided substantial walls and employed strong iron columns so as to ensure stability even when the rooms are well filled with the persons and things expected to crowd them. The actual opening of the building for business will probably take place in November. [Bury Times Saturday 5 October 1867 page 2]

Pioneers Central Store - All that remains of the four-storey building erected in 1867 at the junction of Toad Lane and Cheetham Street is the large stone beehive originally sited above the clock. The beehive is now situated at the rear of the museum.

Reference    Rochdale Observer 10 March 1866 page 4
Reference    Rochdale Observer 5 October 1867 page 6
Reference    Bury Times 5 October 1867 page 2