Building Name

Commercial Buildings Cross Street Manchester

Date
1867
Street
11-15 Cross Street
District/Town
Central, Manchester
County/Country
GMCA, England
Client
Commercial Building Company
Work
New build
Status
part demolished 1980s
Contractor
William Southern

Constructed on a site bounded by Cross Street, Newmarket, Pall Mall and Back Pool Fold. The buildings were demolished in the 1980s to be replaced by 5-6 storeys offices, save for the retained façade to Cross Street

THE NEW STOCK EXCHANGE – Today the members of the Manchester Stock Exchange, who have hitherto met in the Royal Exchange, will assemble for the first time in their new room on Commercial Buildings, Cross Street. The Exchange Room forms a part of a large and handsome structure which has been erected by the Commercial Buildings Company, and is now fast approaching completion. The building has been thrown back 15 feet from the present line of the footpath, with a view to the future widening of the street. The front will be occupied by shops and offices; and there is a separate entrance in Newmarket Street to the Stock Exchange, which is upon the first floor, and is reached by two flights of steps. The Exchange Room is 66 feet in length by 46 feet 6 inches in breadth. It is well-lighted, and the arrangements of the members’ desks has been devised upon the most convenient plan. There is accommodation for about 120 members; and opposite the main entrance are a spacious reading room and offices for each of the telegraphic companies. Messrs Walters, Barker and Ellis, of Manchester, are the architects of the building. [Manchester Guardian 21 April 1868 page 5]

THE MANCHESTER NEW STOCK EXCHANGE - On Tuesday last, the members of the Manchester Stock Exchange assembled for the first time in their new room, in Commercial Buildings, Cross-street. The Exchange-room forms a part of a large structure which has been erected by the Commercial Buildings Company, and is now fast approaching completion. The front will be occupied by shops and offices; and there is a separate entrance in Newmarket-street to the Stock Exchange, which is upon the first floor, and is reached by two flights of steps. The Exchange-room is 66 ft. in length, by 46 ft. in breadth. There is accommodation for about 120 members; and opposite to the main entrance are a reading-room, and offices for each of the telegraph companies. Messrs. Walters, Barker, & Ellis, of Manchester, are the architects, and the entire contract for the building has been executed by Mr. Wm. Southern. [Builder 25 April 1868 page 306]

Of a very different class to the last is the building in Cross Street called Commercial Chambers, and which contains the new Stock Exchange. This is carried on solid piers from the ground; the ground storey pier being made, we suppose, as wide as the demands for shop light will allow them to be, but not as wide as they ought to be to give the proper stability to the design. The building is in a round-arched style, the leading lines horizontal, and some detail, as the archivolt mouldings of the windows, partaking of the classic type, while the carving of the caps, and the proportion of shafts and caps to each other are decidedly of Gothic character. On the whole, the elevation is a very successful specimen of general classic form, or, we should prefer to say, horizontal form, with details of that boldness and depth of shadow which characterise the best Gothic work. The front is in two differently coloured stones, harmonising very well now, while they are new, but we should fear not sufficiently strong in contrast to retain their effect for long in smoky and rainy Manchester. One defect in the design is that the doorway is badly placed, not being centrally under any other feature; and a pier on the first floor comes just over the haunch of the arch, which of course, is bad both constructionally and artistically. But this is the only positive fault we should find with the building. Internally there is a good and well-lighted staircase; and as a whole, this building is a credit to its architect, whose name we did not learn. [Manchester Guardian 20 October 1868 page 7 - taken from the Builder]

Reference        Manchester Guardian 20 October 1868 page 7 - Art Notes in Manchester (from the Builder)
Reference        Manchester Guardian 21 April 1868 page 5
Reference        Builder 25 April 1868 page 306