Proposed Conservatory and Exhibition House, Botanical Gardens, Old Trafford

A special general meeting of the members of Manchester Horticultural Society was held at Manchester Town Hall, King Street on Monday 6 September 1852 to discuss a report on the erection of a new building. The committee had advertised for plans and those of Thomas Risley had been selected. The cost was estimated at £2,029 without plant stages and with only two coats of paint and the council hoped to increase this amount by voluntary contribution. Notwithstanding the optimism of the committee at this meeting it would seem that the Botanical Society lacked sufficient funds to erect the building. In June 1853 a special exhibition was organised to raise funds for the conservatory, at which time a little over £1,000 had been raised. Tenders were invited in July 1853 but nothing further was reported and it is assumed that Risley’s scheme was aborted with new proposals prepared by Thomas Worthington. The Manchester Guardian provided a detailed description of Risley’s design:

According to Mr. Risley's design, approved of this meeting, the proposed building will be in form a parallelogram, 150 feet in length by 90 feet in width. It will be divided into three compartments or aisles - a centre one, and two side ones separated from it by columns and arches. The centre aisle will be 45 feet, and the side ones 22 feet 6 inches each, in width. The roof over the side aisles will consist of a single slope, and will be 22 feet from the ground; that over the central aisle will be arched. the arches forming its support springing from the entablature of those between the centre and side aisles. It height will be 39 feet.  The building will be divided across the middle by a latitudinal aisle or transept, 45 feet in width, having an arched roof similar to that of the central aisle from which, and the side aisles, this transept will be separated by cast-iron columns and arches. Over the space formed by the intersection of this transept with the central aisle, there will rise from the roof an octagonal dome, the top of which will be 70 feet from the ground. At the ends of the transepts and of the centre aisle there be similar, though smaller, domes. Their height from the ground will be 27 feet. One half of the octagon of which they will consist will be within the lines of the parallelogram first described, while the other will project it being supported by projecting ribs. Including these four domes, the extreme length of the building will be 159 feet and its extreme width 134 feet. The building will be constructed principally of cast iron and glass, though wood will be introduced in the sashes of the sloping roof, in the arches of that over the central aisle and transept, and in the domes.  The sides of the building will be supported by flat cast-iron pillars, which will rest upon a stone foundation of the most durable nature. The space between each two pillars will be divided into compartments about four feet in width which will be glazed with squares of glass, four feet long, and ten inches in width, and weighing 16 ounces to the superficial foot. The domes will all be composed of wooden ribs, and will be glazed with glass, weighing 21 ounces per superficial foot, which will be arranged on an entirely new principle, to prevent its being broken by frost. The rafters of the sloping roofs over the side aisles will be of cast iron; these roofs will consist of movable wooden sashes, glazed with glass of similar weight to that of the domes. The floor of the building will be boarded quite closely, no Interstices being left between the planks. The internal arrangements of the building are not yet decided upon. It is, however, intended that there shall be a fountain beneath the central dome, and that the space available for plants shall be about 4,000 feet. The total area of the building will be 13,500 feet and this arrangement would leave room for between 3,000 and 4,000 persons to promenade, without inconvenience. Provision will be made for the admission of fresh air into the building through some of the columns at the sides which will be hollow; while the vitiated air will be allowed to escape through openings in the domes and upper parts of the building. The plan by which the building shall be warmed has not been decided upon. The precise situation of the building in the gardens has not been finally settled, but it will be placed upon an esplanade forming a promenade, which will be reached by flights of steps. There will probably be an entrance to the building under each of the external domes. The work of erection is to be proceeded with as speedily as possible, as it is intended that the building shall be finished by the time of holding the first exhibition next spring; when this novel and elegant structure will add greatly to the attractions of the gardens and the convenience of the visitors. [Manchester Guardian 8 September 1852 page 4]

MANCHESTER BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY – Builders, or others willing to Contract for the Excavators, Bricklayers, Masons, Carpenters and Joiners Works, the Iron-founders and Smiths Works; and Plumbing, Glazing and Painters Works required in the erection of the proposed NEW CONSERVATORY for the Manchester Botanical and Horticultural Society, may see the plans and specifications at the offices of Mr Risley, architect, 27 Stock Exchange Buildings. [Manchester Guardian 9 July 1853 page 11]

Reference        Manchester Guardian 8 September 1852 page 4
Reference        Manchester Guardian 9 July 1853 page 11 - contracts
Reference        Manchester Guardian 23 July 1853 page 11 – contracts