Shop, Showroom and Offices Bolton Street/The Wylde. Bury
NEW BUSINESS PREMISES, BURY - A new pile of buildings has been erected at the top of Bolton-street by Messrs Driffield Brothers, drapers, and which has taken the place of some miserable old buildings which were totally unsuited to the centre of a town like Bury, however valuable specimens of the architecture in vogue in olden times. The site of the new premises is in the very centre and holding a commanding position at the junction of the main arteries of Bury. The new premises are built from designs by Messrs Maxwell and Tuke, architects, Bury, and carried out by local contractors. The new buildings face Bolton-street and the Old Market-place. The whole of the ground and cellar floors will be devoted by Messrs Driffield to their own business purposes; but the three upper floors on the side facing the Old Market-place have been arranged as offices, two of which have been taken by Messrs Maxwell and Tuke. The remainder of the building is appropriated as the living department for young people engaged in the business. The entrance to the principal shop is in Bolton-street, opposite the end of Silver-street. This is a room 48 feet by 24 feet and 14 feet high, surrounded on three sides by fittings with moulded cornices, perforated frieze and ornamental brackets. The whole of the woodwork in the shop is to be painted and grained oak and varnished. At the extreme end of the principal shop is the millinery showroom, 28 feet by 14 feet, the entrance to which is in the centre of the shop, opposite to which will be placed a large plate glass mirror. To the right of this room is a mantle and shawl room, 38 feet by 20 feet, the three large windows of which overlook the Old Market-place. The two last mentioned rooms will be finished in polished and ebonised woods, slightly relieved with gold ornament. The shop and show and mantle rooms are arranged en-suite, the return to the shop being trough a large doorway about half way up the right-hand counter. The whole of the cellar under these large rooms is arranged as a ware-room and showroom for linens and other heavy goods. The approach is from the principal shop, opposite the shawl room entrance. Arrangement is made for unloading goods from carts at the back, and passing them down an inclined plane into the ware-room, which has been prepared with a damp-proof floor for their reception. The large back yard at the rear of the residence is gained y a special arrangement. The back part of the shop for a distance of 24 feet is roofed in with fire-proof brick arching covered with asphalte. This forms an open yard, and allows the whole of the ground floor space to be used for business purposes. The exterior of the building is composed of polished Yorkshire stone. The shop fronts are of cast iron, with enrichments, cast by McFarlane of Glasgow. The windows are of plate glass, the upper parts from special designs. [Builder29 March 1873 Page 249]
NEW BUSINESS PREMISES, BURY - The new premises for Messrs Driffield Brothers, which are situate in a commanding position facing the Old Market Place in the centre of Bury, have been erected from the designs of Messrs Maxwell and Take, by local contractors. The whole of the ground and cellar floors will be devoted to the business, but the three upper floors on the side facing the Old Market Place have been arranged as offices. The principal shop is 48 feet by 24 feet, and 14 feet high, surrounded on three sides by handsome fittings with moulded cornices, perforated frieze, and ornamental brackets. The counters have boldly panelled fronts, brackets, and mahogany tops. Above these are rails for the display of light fancy articles. From rails near the ceiling will hang heavy goods, so that the whole space will be utilised. The millinery show-room is 28 feet by 14 feet, and the mantle and shawl-room 38 feet by 20 feet, and both will be finished in polished and ebonised woods, relieved with gold ornament. The shop and the show and mantle-rooms are arranged en-suite. The whole of the cellar under these three large rooms is arranged as a ware-room and show-room. Arrangements are made for unloading goods at the back, and passing them down an inclined plane into the ware-room, which has been prepared with a damp-proof floor. The large back-yard at the roar of the residence is gained by a rather novel arrangement, the back part of the shop for a distance of 24 feet being roofed in with fire-proof brick arching covered with asphalte. This forms a very airy and open yard where it is most needed, and allows the whole of the ground space where it is most valuable to be used for business purposes. The exterior of the building is composed of polished Yorkshire stone. The shop fronts are of cast-iron, with enrichments, cast by Messrs. McFarlane, of Glasgow. [The Architect 29 March 1873 page 175]
Reference Manchester Guardian Saturday 20 January 1872 page 10 (Contracts)
Reference Builder29 March 1873 Page 249
Reference The Architect 29 March 1873 page 175