Building Name

Parr's Bank, Spring Gardens, Manchester

Date
1902 - 1903
District/Town
Manchester
County/Country
GMCA, England
Client
Parr's Bank
Work
New Build
Contractor
R Neill and Sons

Built for Parr's Bank in 1902 in a Baroque style which displayed many extravagant features and with some increasingly fashionable art nouveau detailing, particularly in the wrought ironwork. Exaggerated keystones, block rustication, obelisks and pedimented dormer windows are incorporated into the design, while, between the windows of the double height banking hall, paired Doric columns support nothing more than elaborate scrolled brackets. The corner main entrance is emphasised by angle turrets and a large dome. The entrance gates which slide sideways into the masonry piers show Art Nouveau influences. Unusually for Manchester, the bank is constructed of red sandstone.  The double height banking hall exhibited Heathcote's usual richness of materials. The columns with their monolithic shafts of Pyrenees marble support a coffered ceiling. The walls are lined with coloured marble and stained glass is incorporated in the lower panels of the windows.  Probably one of Manchester's most opulent banking halls, with deep mahogany woodwork, green ceramic and marble walls, rich ceiling plaster-work, stained glass windows and elegant Ionic columns. The bank later became a branch of the National Westminster bank and was threatened with demolition in 1972. It was saved as a result of efforts by the Victorian Society and the upper floors converted into offices. A new use for the banking hall has been difficult to achieve. For a time it became Green's Cafe- Bar and after a further period of closure, The Athenaeum.

We give this week an illustration of these two buildings which are being erected by the respective companies simultaneously on adjoining sites in Spring Gardens and York Street, Manchester. The architects for both buildings are Messrs C Heathcote & Sons of the builders Messrs Neill & Sons Manchester. The two blocks have been designed in harmony, though with features in the elevation to make them distinct. The stone is of a reddish hue with a grey Aberdeen granite plinth. The main entrance of Parr’s Bank is also granite, but unpolished. Except for the offices occupied by the Economic Society, their building is planned for offices in the front and ware-rooms at the back. The ground floor and basement of Parr=s Bank are entirely for their banking business, the rest of the building being arranged for offices, with an entrance in York Street. The banking chamber covers 1000 square yards nearly one third of which has a large double top light. The whole is lined with marble. The total cost of the whole block (land and both buildings) will be about £225,000. Our view is from a perspective by Mr C.W. English. [Building News 28 February 1902 Page 307]

PARR’S BANK, MANCHESTER. This bank is in course of erection on a site in Spring-gardens and York-street. The whole of the ground floor, 25 ft. in height, is occupied by the Banking Company. This chamber is roofed in with a large domed top-light. The whole of the banking portion is lined with Spanish, French, and Italian marbles, large detached monolith columns of “ground antique” marble forming special features. The large windows to the ground floor are made of bronze framing. The upper floors of the building are arranged for offices for letting purposes. The exterior is built of red stone, with the exception of a polished grey granite plinth and a main entrance of unpolished granite. A dome surmounts the roof at the corner; this and the lantern above it are covered with copper. The whole of the basement is used by the bank, large strong-room accommodation being provided. The builders are Messrs. Neill & Sons, Manchester, and the architects Messrs. Charles Heathcote & Sons, Manchester. [Builder 14 June 1902 page 592]

MANCHESTER. - The new head offices of Parr's Bank, situate in Spring Gardens and York street, Manchester, were opened for the first time on Saturday morning last. The exterior of the building, which is designed in Victorian Renaissance style, is of red Carlisle stone, the roof being of green slates and the dome surmounting the tower of copper. The bank occupies the whole of the ground floor and basement. The latter floor is practically in two portions, one portion being given up to the various strong‑rooms, the other half to the various rooms usually assigned to the clerking staff of a large bank. The ground floor is handsomely decorated, the whole of the interior being lined with marble, and all the woodwork being of dark stained mahogany. A feature of the banking chamber is the saloon roof over the clerks' portion. This roof is treated with enriched fibrous plaster work and leaded glazing. The large windows of the bank are framed in bronze. The whole of the upper floors, three in number, are divided up into offices for letting. The contractors for the building are Messrs. Neill and Sons, Manchester, and the architects Messrs Charles Heathcote and Sons, also of Manchester. [Building News 11 December 1903 page 792]

NEW BANK, MANCHESTER. -The new head offices of Parr's Bank, in Spring-gardens and York-street, Manchester, are to be opened on Saturday, the 15th inst. The building has been designed and completed in all its branches by- Manchester firms. The exterior of the building, which is designed in a modern Renaissance style, is of red Carlisle stone, the roof being of green slates and the dome surmounting the tower of copper. The bank occupies the whole of the ground floor and basement. The latter floor is practically in two portions, one portion being given up to the various strong rooms, the other half to the various rooms usually assigned to the clerking staff of a large bank. On the ground floor the whole of the interior is lined with marble, and the woodwork is of dark stained mahogany. A feature of the banking chamber is the saloon roof over the- clerks' portion. This roof is treated with enriched fibrous plaster work and leaded glazing. The large windows of the bank are framed in bronze. The whole of the upper floors, three in number, are divided up into offices for letting. The Plenum system of ventilation has been adopted through- out the building. The contractors are Messrs. Neill and Sons, Manchester, and the architects, Messrs. Chas. Heathcote and Sons, also of Manchester. [Builder 5 December 1903 page 587]

We give an illustration of a gable in the new building now approaching completion in Spring Gardens, Manchester, which has been erected for Parr’s Bank Limited. The building is erected in Carlisle red stone. The whole of the ground floor and basement is used by the bank, the ground floor storey being entirely lined with marble. The black and white monolith columns are an effective feature. Great attention has been given to the strong-room arrangements which have been executed by Messrs Chubb and Sons. The whole building, including the screens and desks, has been carried out by Messrs R Neill and Sons, builders, from the designs of Messrs Charles Heathcote and Sons.  [Architectural Review 1903 page 198-199]

Reference    Building News 28 February 1902 Page 307 and illustration.
Reference    Builder 14 June 1902 page 592 with plan
Reference    Architectural Review July-December 1903 page 198-199
Reference    Building News 11 December 1903 page 792
Reference    Builder 5 December 1903 page 587