I collect old buildings.
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| Union Bank of Manchester, 2024 |
So, l was pleased when my friend Juliette sent over this picture of the former Union Bank of Manchester.
More so because it is one l have passed heaps of times over the last half century.
It is on the corner of Chatham Street and Piccadilly and does seem to have an uncertain future.It was built on the site of pa previous bank in 1911 and is on for those fine Manchester commercial buildings, which shout out solid reliable and trustworthy.
All of the things the Directors of a bank would want to project, and I think the Union Bank of Manchester got it right.
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| The site in 1886 |
Just when it closed I have yet to discover, but it seems to have still been part of the Barclays empire in 1969.
It’s last occupant appears to have been Pound Empire who were trading there in 2008, after which it seems to have been empty.
In 2012 a To Let sign adorned a spot above the door to 12a but that subsequently vanished and the place has been a boarded up and forlorn looking site.
There have been various applications for the development of the property, dating back to 1982, all of which were granted.
The latest is for "Listed Building Consent for the external and internal alteration and refurbishment of no12. Piccadilly to form aparthotel in association with the erection of a 32 storey building (land at no. 14-16 Piccadilly), including ground floor cafe (Use Class E (b), first floor exhibition hall (Use Class F1) and a rooftop bar and restaurant (Use Class E (b)), and associated works.”**
Planning applications can be a fascinating key to the story of the building because with many of them comes a Heritage Report, and the one for 12 Piccadilly does not disappoint.
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| Chatham Street with the bank to the left, 1963 |
The report fills a much-wanted gap because there is not much else that I can find about the place. Even my Pevsner fails to mention it.***
Although to be fair it does reference its next door neighbour on Chatham Street, which was the Refuge for the Manchester & Salford Boys; and Girls’ Refuges which played a major part on the welfare of young people in the late 19th and 20th centuries and still fulfils that task today as the Together Trust.****
So that pretty much is that , leaving me just to thank Juliette and recommend the link to the planning application and the Heritage Report.
Well almost the end, because my friend Juliette is also a writer, and is currently writing three novels on John and Enriqueta Rylands. The first is due out in September and will be on sale in amongst other places, Chorlton Bookshop.*****
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| Longford Hall, Stretford, 1914 |
It is entitled Longford, follows their early lives before they met, their romance, marriage and the start of their life together in Longford Hall.*****
I could say more but that would just spoil the read.
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| 12 Piccadilly, 2024 |
Location; Piccadilly
Pictures; the former Union Bank of Manchester, 2024, from the collection of Juliette Tomlinson, and the site of the bank prior to its construction from Goad’s Fire Insurance maps, 1886, courtesy of Digital Archives Association, http://www.digitalarchives.co.uk/ and Chatham Street, from London Road, 1963, Higham, W., m00942, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass Longford Hall, 1914 from the series Longford Park, issued by Tuck and Sons, courtesy of Tuck DB, http://tuckdb.org/
*Manchester History, https://manchesterhistory.net/manchester/tours/tour13/area13page60.html
**Planning request for 12 Piccadilly, 137795/LO/2023, Manchester Planning Portal, https://pa.manchester.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=RZ0YZJBCLTX00
*** Manchester, Clare Hartwell Pevsner Architectural Guides, Penguin, 2001
****The Ever Open Door, 150 years of the Together Trust, Andrew Simpson, 2020, Together Trust
*****Longford, Juliette Thomlinson, ISBN 978190606930, due out in September 2024
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