Chorley Town Hall (Architectural Competition)

1st premium    "Cotton"                     Ladds and Powell of London
2nd premium    "To be or not to be"    Lockwood and Harvey 75 Piccadilly Manchester
3rd premium    "Let Chorley Flourish"   J J Bradshaw Bolton

DESIGN FOR TOWN HALL, CHORLEY - We this week give an unsuccessful competitive design for a new town-hall for Chorley, Lancashire. The result of the competition adds another to the long list of unsatisfactory ones; as wo believe that the design which was selected is not being carried out. It will be remembered that the Town Council invited architects to compete, and issued a sketch-plan suggesting that the town-hall and offices in connection therewith should be placed towards St. Thomas's-square, the frontage towards Market street to be laid out for shops. By the time most of the competitors had their designs well in hand the majority of the townspeople showed a determination that the hall should front Market street, having simply lock-up shops underneath, and that no other arrangement should be accepted. This accordingly led to this design being prepared as an alternative, and certainly it was not inferior in arrangement to any sent in. After a long squabble in the Council, it was agreed to call in a professional man to select a design. Mr. Paley was accordingly asked to take the office, and he selected one (very properly so) agreeing with the original instructions issued, and that of Messrs. Ladds and Powell, we believe, was successful. The design we illustrate is by Messrs. Woodzell and Collcutt, of 12, Finsbury-place, South. [Building News 17 January 1873 Page 70]

Reference     The Architect 1 June 1872 page 290
Reference    Building News 17 January 1873 Page 70 - Unsuccessful design illustrated