Liberal Club Police Street/ Agnew Street Pendleton

NEW LIBERAL CLUB AT PENDLETON - The new Liberal Club which has been for some time in course of erection at Pendleton has now nearly approached completion and the inaugural ceremony will take place on Saturday. The institution is intended to subserve two important ends, viz the promulgation of political opinions and social improvement. All the appliances of a first-class club will be placed within the reach of the working classes, and no restrictions will be placed upon the members other than those which obtain in the leading metropolitan political clubs. The building stands upon a piece of land adjacent to the Pendleton Town Hall, and forms a portion of the newly erected block of business and other premises. The site is the gift of Mr W Agnew, who has also undertaken the cost of erection, the two representing the sum (exclusive of the furnishing of the club) of about ,4,000. The club has been erected by Messrs R Neill, builders and contractors, Manchester, from the designs of Messrs Ellis and Barker, architects, Cooper Street, and these firms may be congratulated upon having produced a building which cannot fail to meet with unqualified approval. The material used is stock brick, with stone cornice and mouldings. The basement consists of an entrance hall, porter’s apartments, a lecture room and another large room. The latter two rooms are so contrived that by the removal of a partition one capricious hall can be formed, offering accommodation for 600 persons. There are also upon the basement lavatories and a patent hoist serving the whole of the building. A broad flight of stairs, with iron and walnut balusters, gives access to the first floor, upon which are the reading room and library, serving rooms and a coffee room, 30 feet by 25 feet. A good stock of books has already been presented to the club, and it may be mentioned that all the principal rooms in the institution have been hung with engravings presented by Mr W Agnew. There are also an excellent portrait in oil of Mr John Bright, the gift of Mr B Armitage; busts of Mr Gladstone, Mr Cobden, etc. In the upper storey is the billiard room, which is perhaps as handsome and commodious an apartment of the kind as can be found in the country. Its dimensions are 50 feet by 25 feet and about 32 feet high. The roof is supported by four elliptical iron girders, and the apartment is amply lighted by glass and gas. Three tables, manufactured by Messrs Orme and Sons will be placed in the room, and covered benches along the walls will afford ample accommodation for those desirous of watching the players. A feature of the room consists of a handsome clock, the gift of Mr W H Bailey of Salford. Adjacent to the billiard room is a serving room and the necessary offices. The fittings of the institution are of an elaborate character. The woodwork is of the best pitch pine, and the floors are covered with Kamptulicon. The ventilation and sanitary arrangements are perfect of their kind. The painting and decorating have been undertaken by Mr Roper; the fittings are supplied by Mr R Barlow; the gas fittings, specially designed for the club, have been supplied by Messrs Thomas and Company of Deansgate; and the furniture by Mr Mack, Mr Wall of Pendleton, and others. The building is cellared throughout. Already upwards of three hundred persons have become members of the institution and it is expected that the influence of the club, both political and social, will be very considerable. [Manchester Guardian October 1874 page 8]

SALES BY AUCTION All those admirably designed and substantially erected Buildings and Premises adjoining the Pendleton Town Hall, and lately occupied by the Pendleton Liberal Club, with the Freehold Site thereof, containing 473 superficial square yards, and free from chief rent. The premises contain spacious entrance hall, large lofty and well-lighted lecture hall or meeting room, and other rooms on the ground floor: reading room, card-room, smoke-room, committee room, bar and lavatories on first floor, with large roof-lighted billiard room, suitable for three tables, and other rooms adjoining on the second floor. There are also spacious cellars and stores in the basement. A curator’s house adjoins, and is connected with the club premises. ... This is a capital opportunity for the establishment of a social club in Pendleton, and very little outlay would be required to put the premises into thorough and complete order for immediate occupation.  [Manchester Guardian 29 October 1895 page 3]

* Streets re-named Broad Street and Gardner Street,