Reform Club King Street Manchester
MANCHESTER REFORM CLUB - We give a view of the Club-house now in course of erection in Manchester. The basement is to be let as stores, the ground floor as offices; the Club, starting from the first floor, is approached by a grand central hall and staircase. The hall and ante-hall are to be groined, and the walls decorated with terra-cotta and marble columns. The staircase is to be of oak, with carved balusters, inlaid with various kinds of wood. On the first floor is a large dining-room, 80 ft. long by 32 ft. wide, with panelled oak and pitch-pine coiling, decorated with gilding. The doors and dado are of carved oak. On the floor are also strangers' dining-rooms, coffee-room, &c. On the second floor is a large billiard-room, to hold four full-sized tables, card-room, smoking-room, and so forth. The front and side elevations are to be of ashlar work, and with polished granite columns, red and grey, and different coloured polished marbles. The contract is taken by Mr. Nield, builder, Manchester, for £20,000. The architects are Messrs. E. Salomons and J. P. Jones, of Manchester and London. [The Builder 26 March 1870 page 249]
MANCHESTER REFORM CLUB. - One of our illustrations this week, represents the Manchester Reform Club. The basement is to be let as stores, the ground floor as offices, the club, starting from the first floor, will be approached by a grand central hall and staircase. Tho hall and ante hall to be groined, and walls decorated with terra cotta and marble columns. The grand staircase to be oak, with richly carved balustrade, inlaid with various kinds of wood. On the first floor is a large dining room, 80 feet long by 32 feet wide, with richly panelled oak and pitch pine ceiling, decorated with gilding, etc., carved oak doors and dado; on this floor arc also the strangers' dining rooms, coffee rooms, etc. On the second floor are billiard rooms, card rooms, smoking rooms, etc. The front and side elevations are to be of ashlar work, with polished red granite columns, and different coloured polished marbles. The contract is taken by Mr Niell, builder, late Mayor of Manchester, for ,20,000. The architects are Messrs E Salomons and J P Jones, of 21, Whitehall Place, London, and 63, King Street, Manchester. [Building News 18 March 1870 page 211]
MANCHESTER - The new Reform Club, Manchester, is now receiving its final touches and it will be opened about the end of next month. The architect is Mr Salomons and the builders R Neill and Sons. Internally the ornamentation is in keeping with the external character of the building. The principal entrance in the King-street front leads through the entrance hall and vestibule (which are ornamented with plaster arcading and polished walnut and pitch pine wood) to the main staircase and the dining room and billiard room on the first floor. Encircling the building are regular suites of offices. The kitchens or culinary department is at the top of the building.[Building News 29 September 1871 Page 239]
THE NEW REFORM CLUB - The new building for the Manchester Reform Club, which has been in course of erection about twelve months, has so far approached completion that it was opened last night by an inaugural soiree. It occupies a commanding site at the corner of King Street and Spring Gardens, and will, from its extremely handsome appearance, and the tasteful nature of its exterior decorations, be a set-off to the plain and prosaic buildings in that part of the city. It is not difficult, even upon a casual inspection, to perceive that in carrying out the architect’s designs, expense has not been allowed to stand in the way. There has been freedom even to lavishness; and no material has been used except the best and most substantial. The Committee have spent no less a sum than ,60,000 upon the site, building and furniture.
The character of the architecture is Venetian, freely treated. The stone that has been used is Yorkshire freestone, with which the dark coloured Shap granite columns of the massive doorway fronting King Street, and of the windows, contrast well. On either side of the door are two two light windows. Above the door is an elegant balcony, where we shall probably hear some political addresses at future election times. The central of the five windows of the second floor (the dining room) opens upon this balcony. The capitals of the columns supporting these windows are enriched with sculpture, as also are the ends of the label moulds of the arches over the windows. The third floor is lighted by five windows in pairs; and above all rises an elegant open parapet. At the east and west angles of this front are turrets, corresponding in character with the main front, except that each of the three windows on the middle floor is smaller than the adjoining ones, and above them are panels containing emblematic life-size figures, those on the east front representing the arts, and those on the west the sciences. At the roof each turret is a lantern, with a parapet, above which rises a pyramidal roof. The Spring Gardens side of the building has an irregular front, occasioned by the shape of the site, and the necessity of making the principal room rectangular. From King Street a railing marks the boundary of the site in Spring Gardens; and beyond it, in spring Gardens, the front is parallel to the street. The angle thus obtained is occupied by an oriel of two storeys, with a gracefully decorated window in each storey. The waste pipe at the adjoining corner has been, with great good taste, let into the building, thus avoiding what is a frequent disfigurement. The east front is of five floors, and while strictly in keeping with the general design, is much less ornate than the south front. All through, the decoration has been introduced only where it could subserve a useful purpose, and the effect must be a gratification to the Committee of the Club as it is pleasant to the outside observer.
The principal doorway leads by a vestibule 15 feet wide to the staircase, which is 28 feet by 23 feet with stairs 8 feet wide. This is the only portion of the ground floor occupied by the club, all the remainder of the space being let as offices. On the first landing is a lavatory, with the necessary adjuncts; and a few steps further, the main dining room, 79 feet by 32 feet - a fine airy apartment, with an outlook into King Street. The fittings of this apartment are of the most substantial character, and the mural and other decorations, like those of the rest of the building, are tasteful and appropriate. The walls are painted with an elaborate pattern, having a peculiar tapestry-like effect. The ceiling is composed of pitch-pine, and decorated in colour, with a surbase also of pitch-pine decorated. Provision is made for the necessary serving accommodation in adjoining rooms. On the next, or mezzanine floor, are provided private dining rooms and committee rooms which front Brown street; and above the principal dining room is a billiard room, which will perhaps be the handsomest in the city, 80 feet by 33 feet fitted with every necessary convenience. The monogram of the Reform Club enters freely into the decorations of the walls and furniture. There will be five billiard tables, made by Messrs Burroughes and Watts, of London; and Messrs Orme and Sons of this city.
The following proof engravings, presented to the club by a member of the Committee, have been hung in the reading room - The House of Commons after Phillip; the Gladstone Cabinet, the Aberdeen Cabinet, at Literary Party at Abbotsford, Dr Johnson and his Friends, the Council of the anti-Corn Law League; portraits of Her Majesty, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Argyll, Lord Palmerston, Earl Russell, Lord Brougham, Sir R Peel, Daniel O’Connell, sir Thomas Potter, Lord Macaulay, Joseph Hume, the Earl of Carlisle, the Rt Hon C P Villiers, the Rt Hon T Milner Gibson, George Wilson, Mark Philips, Joseph Brotherton, W Rawson, Thomas Ashton, Colonel Thompson, James Kershaw, Sir E Armitage, Sir Isaac Newton, Douglas Jerrold, and Charles Dickens. In the private dining room the following proof engravings, the gift of the same gentleman, have been hung - Denizens of the Highlands after Rosa Bonheur; the King of the Forest, Man proposes - God disposes and Chevy after Sir Edwin Landseer RA; Cromwell and his Family at Hampton Court; Gibraltar after Stansfield; the Last Sleep of Argyll after Ward; and the Relief of Lucknow after Barker.
The fine staircase is constructed of polished pitch-pine and walnut wood; and the landings, as well as the floors, both of the billiard and dining rooms are of parquetry, or inlaid woodwork, which has been made in Germany, by the Illfeld Parquet Company of London. The smaller rooms, no less than the large dining and billiard rooms have been finished with extreme care, and are, in some cases, handsomely decorated. We may refer especially to the smoke room, uponthe walls of which has been painted a striking design, the main feature being a tobacco plant. A pipe enters into the decoration of the upper part of the dado. The decoration of this room will be much admired. The artist is Mr Thomas, in the employ of Mr J J Harwood, who has worked after a design furnished by Mr Salomons, the architect.
The kitchen has been placed on the top floor, in order to avoid annoyance from smells as well as to give facilities for ventilation. The ranges and fittings, which are most complete, have been furnished by Messrs Benham and Sons of Wigmore Street, London. A steam hoist has been constructed for the purpose of supplying the kitchens with necessities; while for conveying dinner to the rooms below, another hoist, also worked by steam, has been provided. The saving of time by this arrangement, and the facility with which the waiters will do their work, are obvious. On the upper floor are also reading and smoking rooms, with rooms for servants of the club and sleeping apartments for some of the officials.
The building has been erected from designs by Mr E Salomons, Fellow of the Institute of British architects by whom also the whole of the decoration has been superintended. The contractors are Messrs Robert Neill and Sons; and the interior decoration work is in the hands of Mr J J Harwood. The carving and sculpture have been executed by Messrs T R and E Williams of Lower Mosley Street. Messrs Doveston Bird and Hull of King Street have provided the furniture, which is all handsome and substantial; and the gas fittings, in the supply of which there has been an unfortunate delay, are by Messrs Ratcliffe and Tyler of Birmingham. The silver plate has been specially manufactured for the Club by Messrs Elkington and Sons; the breakfast sinner and tea services will be from the works of Messrs Wedgewood and Sons of Etruria; and the glass from the establishment of Messrs Molineaux, Webb and Company of this city. A system of atmospheric bells (known as Schildberg’s patent) manufactured by Messrs J F Clarke and Company, Moorgate Street, London, has been put up for the service of the several apartments.
The soiree last evening was attended by a large number of ladies and gentlemen, the members of the Club and their friends. All the rooms were thrown open, and the universal expression was one of admiration at the comfort and the tasteful decoration of the new building. Refreshments were served in several of the smaller rooms and in the commodious billiard-room; and dancing was enjoyed in the large dining-room. The more public proceedings in connection with the opening of the club will take place tomorrow (Thursday), when the Earl Granville will preside at a banquet in the Free Trade Hall. [ Manchester Guardian 18 October 1871 page 8]
The Reform Club was opened by RT Hon Earl Granville on 19 October 1871. [Building News 27 October 1871 Page 317]
