(Third) Manchester Royal Exchange

Manchester’s third cotton exchange. Subsequently further enlarged and altered by Bradshaw Gass & Hope

THE NEW MANCHESTER ROYAL EXCHANGE - A proposed elevation for the new Royal Exchange to be erected in this city, drawn by Mr Mills, architect, was exhibited in the Exchange yesterday. We presume it to be understood that this drawing is merely a suggestion from one gentleman and that the committee will follow the usual course, either seek a competition or instruct a few leading architects to prepare plans [Manchester Guardian Saturday 26 August 1865 Page 4 Col 6]

Early in the (eighteen) sixties the rebuilding of the old Manchester Exchange was contemplated, and in view of the present extension of the Royal Exchange it may be of interest to call to mind the great interest aroused throughout the architectural profession in the earlier building. No fewer than fifty-three architects from all parts of the country competed for the work, in the alternative hope that they would at least obtain one of the three premiums offered. The drawings were on view in the Exhibition Room of the Old Exchange, and were inspected by more than 8,000 persons. The first and second premiums were awarded to Messrs. Mills and Murgatroyd of this city, and the third premium of one hundred guineas to Mr John Lowe, whose design was submitted under the motto "Mens conscia recti." All the premiated designs were in the Italian style, but a Gothic design, submitted by Mr. Alfred Waterhouse found many admirers, and was secured from him by the promoters of a rival scheme intended to be located elsewhere. [Lowe obituary  Manchester City News 7 February 1920 page 7?

The new Manchester Royal Exchange is now being erected under the direction of Messrs Mills & Murgatroyd, architects. The Corinthian order is carried out throughout the fronts of the building and the principal entrance in Cross-street is formed by a fine granite-cased opening from the portico. The land being, from its central position, about the most valuable in Manchester, it was determined to make the distance of the Exchange-room above the street sufficient for obtaining shops below the room and fronting on to three of the streets. [The Builder 29 October 1870]

THE MANCHESTER NEW ROYAL EXCHANGE - Our present illustration represents the interior (of the central portion only) of the Manchester Royal Exchange, now in coarse of erection by Messrs. Mills & Murgatroyd, of Manchester, architects. In our last year's volume (October 29th), we published a view of the exterior from the north-east, accompanied by a description, in which the dimensions and some particulars of the internal arrangements are stated. It may be interesting to some of our readers if we now give a short history of the buildings in Manchester which have been used for exchange purposes, as illustrating in some measure how the trade of the manufacturing district of which Manchester is the centre is extended, and how important the work in question is to that community. Previously to 1806 Manchester may be said to have been without any room especially used as an exchange. The merchants used to meet in a kind of market-hall, or in the open street, as most convenient, and the space almost opposite the northern end of the old Exchange, then known by the name of Penniless-hill, was the place mostly so used. This condition of affairs at length became be inconvenient, that a few gentlemen formed themselves into a company, with the view of erecting a more suitable building, where merchants might congregate for the transaction of business, and in 1806 architects were invited in a limited competition to send in designs for a building proposed to be erected at the lower end of Market-street, upon a site that had been purchased of Lord Ducie for the purpose. Mr. Harrison, of Chester, whose name as an architect of the day must always be mentioned with honour and respect, was the successful competitor, and he received the commission to carry his design into execution. It will be remembered that Mr. Harrison was the architect who constructed the stone bridge over the Dee, at Chester, and of which it is not speaking too highly, even in the present day, to say that there are few works of the kind which show more skill. The new Exchange of 1806 comprised within its walls a post-office, and some large rooms fitted for assemblies and receptions: it was opened with some ceremony in 1809, the capital raised being £32,000. The area of the room was 452 Square yards, and for the first five years the average number of subscribers was 1,417 per annum. The numbers varied from time to time, and in 1838 having risen to 2,000, the shareholders thought it desirable to bestir themselves to provide increased accommodation for the subscribers. To accomplish this, they retained the services of Mr. A. W. Mills as architect, who recommended the removal of some of the walls and floors which separated the post-office from the rest of the building, and at a very small out- lay an area of 800 yards was secured. The possibility of this enlargement had evidently engaged the attention of the original architect, as the walls and other portions of the building which had to be interfered with seemed to be especially arranged, so as to be easily removed. The capital was raised to £54,000: the committee at that time contemplated the erection of a new post-office on a plot of land purchased by them for the purpose; but some differences of opinion as to the position having arisen, the Government referred the question to the Manchester corporation, and the site then proposed was abandoned. The enlarged room, however, had been opened but a very short time before the committee be- came satisfied of the necessity for a further extension, and in 1844 steps were taken with that object. With the consent of the corporate authorities, some narrow streets were absorbed, and the building extended very much to the limits of that which in its turn is now being superseded, and which contains a floor area of about 1,630 square yards. It was in this room that her Majesty, attended by the Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales, some other members of the royal family, and the late Duke of Wellington, graciously received the address of the Manchester Corporation, in the year 1851, upon the occasion of her visit to the then borough. An elegant throne was erected in the room, and some important alterations were made in the interior of the building for the purpose of the reception. In the presence of the assembled citizens, the honour of knight- hood was conferred on the late Sir John Potter, who was then in office as mayor, and, to mark her approval of the reception she met with, her Majesty directed that Manchester should be designated as a city (up to that time it had been a borough under a charter granted in 1301, by Thomas de Gresley, fourth Baron of Manchester), and that the Exchange should be designated as the Manchester "Royal" Exchange. The subscribers rapidly increasing in numbers, until they reached nearly 6,000, it became a question with the proprietors whether they should proceed to a much more extensive enlargement than any that had hitherto been made, or permit the Exchange to be removed to another part of the city. The difficulties of continuing it in its present neighbourhood and site were considered; and, as it was impossible to enlarge its borders without a very extensive interference with the public thoroughfares, the representatives of the public had to be consulted. After a number of almost insurmountable obstacles had been overcome, the committee determined to proceed; arrangements were made with the corporation for stopping up some streets and widening others. The capital of the proprietors was raised to £450,000. Valuable property was purchased from various proprietors, none of which had been erected more than forty years, and about an acre of additional land was procured upon which to erect the new building. The value of the land which had to be purchased may be estimated by the fact that some portions cost at the rate of £459,000 per acre. In addition to the cost of the land and the proposed building, the comparatively recently- erected Exchange had to be entirely sacrificed, inasmuch as the new building must extend over the site occupied by the old one; and as the subscribers must be temporarily accommodated in a portion of the new building before the old one can be pulled down, the difficulties of construction have been considerably increased and the design of the architects materially influenced by these considerations. Nevertheless, it is expected when the room is completed that it will satisfy the requirements of the public taste and the convenience of the subscribers for many years to come. When finished, the building will form a nearly square block, the four streets which enclose it being the most important in the city; and although the surrounding space is circumscribed for so large a structure, the way in which the principal features of the design have been dealt with, placing them as much as possible opposite the ends of the leading approaches to the building, will enable the general outline and most salient points to be Been to the greatest advantage. [Builder 7 January 1871 Page 13]

MANCHESTER - The first portion of the New Manchester Royal Exchange - nearly two-thirds of the intended building - has just been finished, and on Monday was thrown open for the use of subscribers, the Old Exchange having been closed on Saturday. There was no opening ceremony. When completed the room will be the largest covered room in the world used for secular purposes, and in its present state it affords 70 per cent more accommodation than the Old Exchange. The old building was in the Doric style - the new one is in the Corinthian style - the principal feature of the exterior being the octostyle portico of the main front to Cross-street, and a large dome over the centre of the building. A lofty tower and spire will be built in the new portion which has yet to be erected. [Building News 6 October 1871 Page 258]

MANCHESTER EXCHANGE - So far as the exterior of the building is concerned, it may be said to be completed, with the exception of the balconies and tower. The latter is to rise to a height of about 180 ft. Upon these the work- men are now engaged. Most persons will be astonished to find what an immense space will be available for the purposes of the Exchange when the building is completed there being no less than 4,000 square yards of flooring. At present the full proportions of the room cannot be appreciated, and it is difficult to estimate the effect until the partition is removed. But there cannot be a doubt that Manchester will possess in the Exchange, when it is completed, one of the most remarkable rooms in the world. So great a width and altitude has but rarely been attempted. It is 96 ft. in width. We have already given some illustrations of this building. [Builder 3 January 1874 page 19]

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, MANCHESTER - In a previous number we published an Ink Photograph of the completed portion of this large edifice, showing the octostyle Corinthian portico which forms the main entrance to the principal floor from the street known as Cross-street. The view now given com prises the two opposite sides of the building as seen from St. Ann's Square. This portion is in course of erection. The building occupies a portion of the site of the Old Exchange, with a consider able additional plot on the east side, the total area covered being 5,400 square yards. The land being about the most valuable in Manchester, the Proprietors were compelled to look to other sources of revenue besides their large subscription list for a return upon their capital of £450,000. The irregularity of the levels of the sur rounding streets having necessitated the floor of the Exchange being placed some distance above that of the lowest of those levels, it was determined to provide shops below the room fronting three of the streets. Behind the shops are stores, a very handsome restaurant, and a central hall, approached from Bank-street, in which carts can be loaded and unloaded in connection with two storeys of fire-proof cellars reaching to a depth of 24 feet below the street level. The service to these cellars is by means of hydraulic hoists. The floor of the main room is fire-proof, constructed with rolled iron joists and concrete.

The main entrance, as before stated, consists of an octostyle Corinthian portico, approached by a flight of steps on either side; the columns are 3 feet 6 inches diameter and 35 feet. high. The pediment is filled with the Royal Arms removed from the Old Exchange, which was a work of the late Mr John Thomas. The entrance doorway to the Exchange proper is formed by a fine granite-cased opening from the portico. There are other entrances near the four corners of the building; the one at the corner of Exchange-street and Market-street being surmounted by a tower, 180 feet high, forming a central feature at the end of Victoria-street, which approaches the side diagonally on the axis of the tower. The arched heads of the windows in the angle blocks or pavilions, containing the staircases, have groups of sculpture, by Mr E. G. Papworth, by whom also other figures and groups have been prepared, illustrative of the industries of the principal towns of Lancashire and of the nationalities with which her commerce is conducted. The area of the Exchange itself is 4,050 superficial yards, com prised in a large central area and double rows of aisles on the sides towards Market and Bank Streets, and a single aisle on the Exchange-street side, which is that shown in our present view. Rooms for the secretary, committees, and attendants are also upon this principal floor, with handsome lavatories and general conveniences. The central area is 96 feet between the piers; it is surmounted by a large central hemispherical dome, 62 feet in diameter, carried on pendentives, and by two smaller segmental domes, the height from the floor to the eye of the central dome being 120 feet The aisles are of less height, and above them are ranges of offices, approached by staircases from the principal floor and the street. The architectural arrangement of the large room consists of a range of arches springing from pier to pier, separated on the side next the central area by columns of red Irish marble, 3 feet 2 inches diameter and 33 feet high, and standing on grey marble plinths, 5 feet high; the large pilasters are cased with red and grey marble from the quarries of Messrs Sibthorpe and Son, of Dublin. Above the entablature is a clerestory, the arches of which are carried on shafts of terra cotta, made by Messrs March and Sons, of Berlin. All the lights of the clerestory are made to open by machinery for ventilation; shafts are also provided through which warm or cold air is driven into the room by a fan and steam-engine placed in the basement. The value of the site may be estimated by the fact that some portions cost at the rate of £459,000 per acre. The comparatively recently-erected Exchange had to be entirely sacrificed, as the new building extends over its site. The subscribers had to be temporarily accommodated in a portion of the new building before the old one was pulled down, and in consequence the difficulties of construction have been considerably increased, and the design of the Architects materially influenced by these considerations. The building forms a nearly square block, the four streets which enclose it being the most important in the city; and although the surrounding space is circumscribed for so large a structure, the treatment of the principal features of the design, which are placed as much as possible opposite the ends of the leading approaches to the building, enable the general outline and most salient points to be seen to the greatest advantage. The interior, when completed, will be in every respect a noble room of which Manchester may be very proud, while the Architects may be congratulated upon their uniform success throughout the building. The contractors for the works are Messrs Parker and Son, of Liverpool, who have themselves executed the masonry and brick work; Mr Southern, of Salford, being the contractor for the carpenter and joiner's work, and Messrs Jaffrey, of Manchester, for the plumber and glazier's work, and the copper with which the domes and a large portion of the roof of the building are covered. The plastering has been undertaken by Mr Harwood, of Manchester. The sculpture has been executed by Mr E. G. Papworth, of London; and the Architects are Messrs Mills and Murgatroyd, of Manchester. [British Architect 13 March 1874 page 169]

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE - In our previous numbers will be found photographs and particulars of this magnificent building, including some account of the necessity which has existed for opening it in sections, so as not to interfere with the daily proceedings on 'Change. The second portion having been so far finished as to provide the interior accommodation, the great central area was on Monday thrown open in all its length and breadth for the accommodation of the subscribers. At least six months must elapse before the tower at the angle in St. Ann's Square can be finished, and there is a great amount of work to be done in many other portions of the building, but all that remains for the builder to do is subsidiary to the main object. We understand that the opening of the large hall will take place undis- tinguished by ceremonial of any kind. The subscribers will take possession of the western part of the floor as they have long done of the eastern; and there will be an end of the matter. The successive enlargements of the Manchester Exchange (says the Manchester Guardian) may be regarded as so many landmarks in the history of the trade and manufactures of our city. The first Exchange, which was erected on the site between Market-street and Exchange-street, in 1806, was repeatedly enlarged, and especially in 1856. The large room, however, was soon found to be quite inadequate to the growing number of subscribers, and the proprietors obtained, eight years ago, the Act under which they have erected the present building. Manchester now possesses the largest Exchange room in Europe, and probably in the world. The room which was completed in 1856 measured 185ft. by 82ft.; the dimensions of the present room are 215ft. by 194ft. The area of the Exchange itself is 4,050 superficial yards; the central area is 96ft. between the piers—wider, it is said, than Westminster Hall; and there are double rows of aisles on the sides towards Market-street and Bank-street, and a single aisle on the Exchange-street side. The central area is surmounted by a large hemispherical dome, 62ft. in diameter, and by two smaller segmental domes; the height from the floor to the "eye" of the central dome being 120ft. The aisles are of less height, and above them are ranges of offices. The architectural arrangement of the large room consists of ranges of arches springing from pier to pier, separated on the side next the central area by columns of red Irish marble, 3ft. 2in. diameter and 33ft. high, and standing on grey marble plinths 5ft. high; the large pilasters are cased with red and grey marble from the quarries of Messrs. Sibthorpe and Son, of Dublin. Above the entablature is a clerestory, the arches of which are carried on shafts of terra cotta, made by Messrs. March and Sons, of Berlin. All the lights of the clerestory are made to open by machinery for ventila- tion; shafts are also provided through which warm or cold air is driven into the room by a fan and steam engine placed in the basement. The offices are approached by staircases from the main floor of the street; and by a "passenger hoist," worked by hydraulic power, at the angle in St. Ann's Square, by which an easy means of access to the long corridors will be provided. At the western end of the great hall, and on the level of the first corridor, there is a balcony for the use of distinguished visitors, who may wish to see one of the most remarkable sights which the commercial world has to offer—namely, high 'change in Manchester. They will see thousands of men continually passing and repassing before them, and presenting a mass which only lacks color to be picturesque as well as imposing; and they will hear a volume of sound which can only be compared to that of the " many-sounding sea." Adjacent to the balcony are smaller recesses, whence visitors less distinguished may, themselves unseen behind a metal screen, gaze upon the busy scene below. The most conspicuous portion of the building externally is the tower, which is now in course of erection at the Victoria-street corner. This will be carried to the height of i88Jft. The portion yet to be erected is circular in plan, with eight pilasters and open spaces between, and it will be crowned by a metal roof, with finials. The tower will contain a clock, having a dial 7ft. in diameter, by Mr. Jones, of Whitchurch; and in the upper portion will be hung the bells, upon which the Westminster chimes will denote the quarters. Messrs. Warner and Sons, of London, who had the honor of casting the great bell in the Westminster Clock Tower, are about to cast for this tower a " tenor," weighing four tons, upon which the hours will be struck. Whether a bell of this size will be an unmixed blessing to the neighbourhood we do not stop to inquire; certain it is that the clock in the tower face will be extremely useful. The view from the tower will be only second in interest to that which the great tower in Albert Square will give us. Descending from this elevated post, we may briefly glance at what has been done and is doing around the main block and in the cellars. In addition to the numerous offices above and around the great hall, there is a reading gallery, 120ft. long, on the Bank-street side; a magazine room, 33ft. by 15ft.; rooms for the directors and the master; post and postal telegraph offices; strong rooms, lavatories, &c. The completion of the western section places fourteen new shops, making twenty-seven in all, at the disposal of the company. The proprietors of the "Manchester" have acquired a large room accessible from Exchange-street, which will be fitted up as a ladies' restaurant. Some of the new shops are already occupied by tradesmen who have been compelled to migrate from Victoria Market and other places which are doomed to be improved out of existence. Below the shops are two vast ranges of cellars, which have been excavated in the solid rock, and are therefore singularly adapted for the purpose to which they have to a considerable extent been applied—namely, the storage of liquor of various kinds. It only remains, in conclusion, to repeat that the architects are Messrs. Mills and Murgatroyd, of Manchester; that the general contractors are Messrs. Parker and Son, of Liverpool, who have themselves executed the masonry and brickwork; that Mr. Southern, of Salford, is the contractor for the carpenter and joiner's work; that Messrs. Jaffrey, of Manchester, are the contractors for the plumber and glazier's work, and the copper with which the dome and a large portion of the roof of the building are covered; that the plastering and the general decoration of the hall have been executed by Mr. Harwood, of Manchester; and the sculpture by Mr. E. G. Papworth, of London. The clerk of the works is Mr. Grimes. [British Architect 23 October 1874 page 265]

MANCHESTER EXCHANGE - The new buildings for the Manchester Exchange, designed by Messrs. Mills & Murgatroyd, architects, were illustrated some time since in our pages. The work is now nearly approaching completion; the greater part of the news-room has been in occupation by the subscribers for some little time, and the whole will be finished and opened on the 19th inst.; that is the date named for completion, at least, but no formal ceremony is contemplated. There will still be work to be done in getting the offices on the upper floors ready for occupation, but this does not affect the main portion of be interior in which the business of the Exchange is carried on. The room is of imposing size, and on the whole has a fine effect, whatever may be thought of some of the detail. What may be termed the wall-design of the room, consists of an "order" and an attic; or we may perhaps call the upper part a "clearstory," to borrow a Gothic term. The order is represented by large half-columns of red Cork marble, unfluted, with gilt foliated capitals and metal bases; these latter were made in Berlin, and are excellent specimens of casting, and very good in design. A deep cornice, frieze, and architrave, carried right round over the columns, give a strong horizontal line, about three-fourths of the height from the floor, and over this the space on the two long sides is pierced with semi-circular-headed windows, with shafts between them, the corresponding space at the ends being occupied by a wall arcade. The windows are filled with lightly-stained glass, with borders and an ornamental centre. The ceiling has a deep bracketed cove supporting a soffit, and the centre portion is divided by transverse soffits into three compartments, the centre one covered by a large dome, and the end compartments by lower and smaller domes. The large dome Is treated as a coffered dome, with the coffers filled with ornamental glass of the same type of design as that in the side windows: it looks rather heavy, as it rises of course from the ceiling and not from the walls; in such a case it is better to treat the dome as a skylight rather than as a solid structure. Care has been taken to furnish a tolerably adequate basis for it, so far as the eye is concerned, by the large brackets which interrupt the cove opposite the angles of the dome. The domes are sprung from the rectangular compartments of the ceiling on nearly flat pendentives; the space between the pendentives, forming a long low panel on each face beneath a segmental arch, is filled with symbolic subjects, drawn in outline, representing in the centre dome Commerce, Science, the Arts, etc.; and in the smaller domes the four Seasons; the end compartments only of the smaller domes being painted in this way, and the side ones filled with conventional floral ornament. Messrs. Harwood, of Manchester, are the contractors for the decoration; but the designs in the interspaces of the pendentives are by Mr. Thomas. The base of the dome bears the inscription, from the book of Proverbs, "A good name is more to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold" or to that effect. One gets rather tired of this cant of painting up such texts in places of business. Everyone on the floor of the room will be occupied in the pursuit of riches, and what is the use of denying it on the ceiling?

 A reading-room, on a mezzanine floor, runs the whole length of one side of the great room, with an excellent light, and a compartment at the end further shut off as a writing-room. Every convenience in the way of accessories, retiring- rooms, etc., is provided on a liberal scale throughout. The telegram stands, besides other ornamental ironwork in the way of lamp brackets, have been supplied by Messrs. Smith, of Birmingham; but the pendent chandeliers, for lighting the large room, are supplied by Mr. Rigby, of Manchester: these are patent paraffine lamps; the rest of the lighting is by gas. The grates and mantel-pieces, and the ornamental wall tiling, are supplied by Mr. Pattison, of Manchester; and the majority of the ironwork of construction by Messrs. Fairbairn. The ornamental glass is by Mr. Edmundson, of Manchester.

The portion of the ground-floor next the exterior is mostly occupied by shops, which are commodious and well lighted, and are already mostly let. A portion of the upper floors, behind the large room, will be let as offices, but this part is not so forward as the rest. The remainder of the floor is occupied by two extensive dining and luncheon rooms, taken by the Liverpool and Manchester Restaurant Company (Limited). One of these is finished and opened; it is lighted entirely by gas, no daylight being available, but looks none the worse on that account. The line of a street which formerly went across the centre of the site, at right angles with Market, street, is retained in this floor, which it traverses, from an open entrance at one side of the present building: this forms one access to the restaurants, which are on each side of it; but its more important use is as an access for carts laden with goods to the back of the shops. Below this floor, which is about on a level with Market-street, are two stories of vaults, let, or to be let, as wine-cellars. The space under the flight of steps in Cross-street, leading to the principal entrance, is utilised as a smoking-room in connexion with the restaurant, and below this are the kitchens. The site has certainly been made the most of in regard to a remunerative return for capital expended. A hydraulic lift is provided in the building; a wind-dial will be formed in the newsroom, connected with a wind-gauge on the roof; and an electric clock furnished by Mr. Ritchie, of Edinburgh, will give the time to all the clock-dials fixed in different parts of the building. The whole of the work has been carried out under the immediate superintendence of Mr. Grimes, as clerk of works. [Builder 17 October 1874 page 859]

Reference           Manchester Guardian 27 March 1871 page 4

Reference           Manchester Guardian 27 March 1871 page 8

Reference    Manchester Courier Saturday 30 September 1871 Page 6 Column 2-3
Reference    Building News 6 October 1871 Page 258
Reference    The Builder 29 October 1870
Reference    Builder 7 January 1871 Page 13
Reference    British Architect 13 March 1874 page 169
Reference    British Architect 23 October 1874 page 265
Reference    Builder 17 October 1874 page 859 - Manchester Exchange and Town Hall.