Territorial Army Headquarters Ardwick Green Ardwick Manchester

NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR THE 2nd MANCHESTER VOLUNTEERS - No time has been lost in making the preliminary arrangements for carrying out the intentions expressed by Colonel Rocca at the last annual meeting for the distribution of prizes; and sufficient progress has been made to justify the expectation that the next annual meeting will be held the regiment's new quarters.

A site of land has been secured, which includes the premises now occupied the 2nd Manchester at Ardwick, supplemented by other land adjoining it, which will give frontage for the new buildings of 90ft. in length to Ardwick Green. Mr. Lawrence Booth, FRIBA, of this city, has been commissioned to prepare the necessary plans and designs, and, in consultation with Colonel Rocca and other officers, has arranged the extent and design of new structure. The scheme, as approved, provides for a large drill-hall 72 feet in width, having a roof of permanent character, properly lighted, and a floor composed of wood block pavement laid on concrete. This will be approached from Ardwick Green through an archway having a clear width of 12ft. On the right this which will be the principal entrance, there will be, on the ground floor level, the men's room, the sergeants' room, and the bar; and the left, the staff sergeants' office, the principal staircase, and the armoury. Over these rooms, and on the first floor, there will be the commanding officer's room, orderly room, officers' room, committee room, and clothing store, together with lavatory, etc. All these rooms communicate with a balcony 72 feet in length and six feet in width, extending across one end of the drill hall. The accommodation on the second floor comprises a shooting gallery 48 feet by 23 feet, which will also be used for recruit drill, a practising room for the band, and a store room. There will also be on this floor level, but cut off from the other rooms, the sitting room, kitchen, scullery, and other conveniences of the caretaker's residence, and immediately over them the necessary bed rooms. The residential portion of the building will be approached by a separate entrance and staircase from the side street. The whole of the building, except the drill hall and the armoury, will be cellared, as to provide accommodation for warming apparatus, stores, etc. Having regard to the exceptionally fine character of the site, the importance of the purposes to be served, and the spirit in which the project has been initiated, the architect has endeavoured to design a building worthy of all those considerations. The first or lower storey ia in the Norman style, the intermediate in the Tudor, and the upper in what ia known aa the castellated. The several styles grew originally out of each other, and are in fact only parts of what is generally called the Gothic style; and in their present adaptation are intended to indicate in a distinctive manner the several purposes of the new building. Looking at the front of the structure the extreme left is marked a massive flagstaff tower, rising considerably higher than the other portions of the building; and on the extreme right by subordinate turret. The central feature the large Norman archway with the portcullis giving access to drill hall, &c. Over this and enclosing it is another arch, under which are the windows of the commanding officer's room, from which latter an outside balcony is projected on brackets. Surmounting the whole is a large panel containing the regiment's well-known motto—" Always Ready"—in bold raised letters. The walling is to be faced with parpoints, and the dressings will be of millstone grit or other suitable sandstone. The several floors will be of concrete carried on wrought iron joists, and boarded where necessary on wood sleepers bedded therein, and will be fireproof. The roof or flat, over the whole of the building, except the drill-hall, will be of similar construction, and be covered with an impervious asphalte. The principal staircase will be of stone. An apparatus will be fixed the basement to warm all the rooms, but in addition to this each room will have open fire place and grate. Glazed and enamelled bricks will be used as inside linings to the walls where necessary, and tinted glass in most of the windows. The building operations are intended to be commenced whenever the necessary builders' estimates of cost have been procured, which will probably be within a month from this time. [Manchester Courier 16 March 1886 page 7]

OPENING OF THE DRILL HALL – The land on which the new Headquarters of the Manchester Volunteers stands, on Ardwick Green, includes the site of the old headquarters, supplemented by other land abutting thereon, which has had to be acquired under circumstances of a pressing character and at considerable cost. On one side and along the rear it is hemmed by other buildings, present and prospective. the other side there an open passage of 8 feet in width only, but the principal front has not only wide street but the whole length of Ardwick Green as a vista. The Drill Hall is situate the roar, and is lighted from the roof. It is approached from Ardwick Green through an archway of 12 feet width, and also through an ordinary doorway from the side passage. The front portion of the building, which serves a screen to the Drill Hall, is arranged as follows: The basement contains store cellars for camp equipments, coals, and warming apparatus. On the ground floor are the men's room, the sergeants' room, the bar, the main entrance, the staff-sergeant's office, the staircase leading to the upper rooms, and the armoury, the latter having no cellar underneath it. The commanding officer's room, adjutant's room, officers' room, committee-room, clothing store, &c, are on the first floor, and over them are the large shooting-gallery, a band room, and storeroom in connection with it. The staff sergeants' residential quarters are situate in the upper part of the great tower. The Drill Hall is paved with wooden blocks, and some of the other floors are formed of concrete on iron joists. The front of the building is faced with Yorkshire parpoints, and has freestone dressings. The style of architecture is Gothic, beginning with Norman boldly treated groundwork, and finished with castellated parapets. There are open fireplaces in all the rooms, addition to a system of warming hot water. Mr. Lawrence Booth, FRIBA, of Manchester, designed the building and superintended its erection, and Messrs. Robert Neill and Sons, of Manchester, were the contractors for the principal works.

At the opening ceremony Mr L Booth, architect of the building presented to the Duke of Cambridge with a handsomely bound album, which had been specially prepared Messrs George Faulkner and Son. The cover is maroon in tint, of Russian leather, richly embossed, and having on one face the arms his Royal Highness, and on the other those of the regiment, on brass plates. The inside of the cover is lined with white silk, and the first page contains the following inscription, beautifully illuminated:—"Presented to his Royal Highness Cambridge, K.G., Field Marshal on the occasion of opening the new Headquarters the 20th Lancashire Rifle Volunteers, Ardwick Green, Manchester, September 30th, 1887." Then follow a photographic view of the exterior of the building and plans of the several floors, and the remainder consists of the history of the regiment and description of the new headquarters, neatly written on vellum.