Mechanics' Institute, Manchester
Mechanics' Institute | |
---|---|
Mechanics' Institute, Princess Street, Manchester | |
General information | |
Architectural style | Italian palazzo style |
Address | 103 Princess Street, Manchester, England |
Year(s) built | 1854 |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | J. E. Gregan |
Designations | |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
Official name | 103, Princess Street |
Designated | 10 May 1972 |
Reference no. | 1247391 |
The Mechanics' Institute, located at 103 Princess Street, Manchester, England, is notable as the building in which three significant British institutions were founded: the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS) and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). In the 1960s it was occupied by the Manchester College of Commerce. It has been a Grade II* listed building since 10 May 1972.[1]
History
Early years
The institute, which was one of many, was established in Manchester on 7 April 1824 at the Bridgewater Arms hotel. Its purpose was to provide facilities for working men to learn the principles of science through part-time study. The original prospectus of the institute stated
The Manchester Mechanics' Institution is formed for the purpose of enabling Mechanics and Artisans, of whatever trade they may be, to become acquainted with such branches of science as are of practical application in the exercise of that trade; that they may possess a more thorough knowledge of their business, acquire a greater degree of skill in the practice of it, and be qualified to make improvements and even new inventions in the Arts which they respectively profess. It is not intended to teach the trade of the Machine-maker, the Dyer, the Carpenter, the Mason, or any other particular business, but there is no art which does not depend, more or less, on scientific principles, and to teach what these are, and to point out their practical application, will form the chief object of this Institution.[2]
The most notable of the founders were William Fairbairn, John Dalton, Richard Roberts, George William Wood, George Philips, Joseph Brotherton and Benjamin Heywood. The last of these chaired the first meeting, became the leading patron and is often considered to be the founder. Many of these men shared similar interests, such as being Unitarians and members of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, aside from a desire to improve the commercial, industrial and technological life of Manchester. In this regard, Brotherton stood out as a deviation from the norm, for example in politics and religion.[3] Others among the founders were James Murray, Thomas Hopkins, J. C. Dyer and Phillip Novelli, all of whom were later significant figures in the Anti-Corn Law League.[4]
In 1825 the first building in England expressly designed for use as a mechanics' institute was erected for its use in Cooper Street, off Princess Street, in Manchester.[5] This was demolished in the early 1970s.[citation needed]
Although the original purpose of the institute was maintained, it was increasingly the case that emphasis was placed also on the wider social aspects of the organisation. Heywood's initial optimism regarding the moral upliftment of a significant number of working men through technical education was tempered by the realisation that tiredness and even employment status impeded its achievement. From around 1830, the scope of education was widened to include more elementary aspects, there were proposals to set up reading groups in surrounding areas that would be supplied with books from the institute's library, and also moves to encourage involvement in sports and in general social events. Mostly led from the top, although occasionally the result of explicit demands from its membership, the changes included the creation of a room for reading newspapers, a change in the type of lectures, which became less rigidly based on scientific topics, as also did the library stock, and events such as concerts, exhibitions and excursions played a more important role. Facilities for educating women and children were also introduced but, for example, a request to begin classes in history was rejected because of fears that it would lead to debates about politics.[6]
This institute organised the first City exhibition in 1837 and this led to a large number of similar exhibitions in English industrial towns and cities.[7] By the 1840s, the exhibitions included thousands of casts, busts and masks relating to the fashionable subject of phrenology and were attracting over 100,000 visitors. The Manchester Phrenological Society used its facilities.[8]
Relocation
The institute moved to the current building in 1855. The building was designed by J. E. Gregan in an Italian palazzo style and was Gregan's last work.[9] It consists of three tall storeys with a basement and blind attic storey and is constructed of brick with stone dressings. "It set a standard for the scale of the commercial warehouses which were to follow, but the nobility and purity of the design sets it apart from its neighbours."[citation needed]
The inaugural meeting of the Trades Union Congress was held in the building, 2–6 June 1868. In 1882 it was decided to establish a technical school, the Technical School and Mechanics' Institution; it opened in September 1882.[5] This was the beginning of the institution later known as UMIST.
Present day
As of 2002 the building contained archives from the National Labour History Museum,[10] which were subsequently relocated with that museum. It is currently run as a conference and meetings centre.
Alumni
- Mary Louisa Armitt who founded the Armitt Library[11]
- Robert Whitehead, engineer and developer of the first self-propelled torpedo[12]
- Ellen Wilkinson, Labour Party MP and social justice campaigner.
See also
References
- ^ "103, Princess Street - Manchester - Manchester - England". Britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. 11 May 1972. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
- ^ Tylecote, Mabel Phythian (1957). The Mechanics' Institutes of Lancashire and Yorkshire Before 1851. Manchester University Press. p. 131.
- ^ Tylecote, Mabel Phythian (1957). The Mechanics' Institutes of Lancashire and Yorkshire Before 1851. Manchester University Press. pp. 129–130.
- ^ Pickering, Paul; Tyrell, Alex (2000). The People's Bread: A History of the Anti-Corn Law League. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 226. ISBN 978-0-56720-497-4.
- ^ a b Frangopulo, N. J., ed. (1962) Rich Inheritance. Manchester: Education Committee; p. 85
- ^ Tylecote, Mabel Phythian (1957). The Mechanics' Institutes of Lancashire and Yorkshire Before 1851. Manchester University Press. pp. 132–134.
- ^ Kusamitsu, Toshia (1980). "Great Exhibitions before 1851". Hist Workshop J. 9 (1): 70–89. doi:10.1093/hwj/9.1.70.
- ^ Cliff, Alice (Spring 2014). "Coming home - Bally's miniature phrenological specimens". Science Museum Group Journal. 1 (1). doi:10.15180/140102.
- ^ Hartwell, Clare (2001). Pevsner Architectural Guides: Manchester. p. 219.
- ^ Hartwell, Clare (2001). Pevsner Architectural Guides: Manchester. pp. 196–197.
- ^ Eileen Jay, 'Armitt, Mary Louisa (1851–1911)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 13 Nov 2015
- ^ Brown, David K. "Whitehead, Robert". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36868. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Sources
- Pevsner, Nicholas; Hartwell, Clare & Hyde, Matthew, The Buildings of England: Lancashire — Manchester and the South East (2004) Yale University Press ISBN 0-300-10583-5
External links
- Manchester Mechanics' Institution archive, University of Manchester Library.
53°28′37″N 2°14′21″W / 53.4769°N 2.2392°W / 53.4769; -2.2392
- v
- t
- e
- Deansgate Square South Tower (201m)
- Beetham Tower (169m)
- Deansgate Square East Tower (158m)
- The Blade (154m)
- Three60 (154m)
- Elizabeth Tower (153m)
- Deansgate Square West Tower (141m)
- Viadux (136m)
- Deansgate Square North Tower (122m)
- CIS Tower (118m)
- Affinity Living Circle Square (116m)
- Oxygen Towers (110m)
- Angel Gardens (108m)
- City Tower (107m)
- Bridgewater Heights (106m)
- Artisan Heights (95m)
- Axis Tower (93m)
- 1 Spinningfields (92m)
- River Street Tower (92m)
- Arndale House (90m)
- Manchester Town Hall Clock Tower (87m)
- Cambridge Street Block A (83m)
- One Regent (82m)
- Civil Justice Centre (81m)
- Manchester One (80m)
- 1 Circle Square (76m)
- 3 Hardman Street (75m)
- Great Northern Tower (72m)
- One Angel Square (72m)
- 3 St Peter's Square (72m)
- The Gate, Angel Meadow (68m)
- The Light House (67m)
- Victoria Residence (67m)
- The Principal Manchester (66m)
- Victoria Mill (65m)
- Albert Bridge House (64m)
- 111 Piccadilly (64m)
- Islington Wharf (64m)
- The Slate Yard Flint Building (64m)
- Skyline Central (63m)
- The Peninsula (63m)
- Cambridge Street Block B (63m)
- No. 1 Deansgate (62m)
- Owens Park Tower (61m)
- Brooklyn Hotel (61m)
- One Castle Wharf (61m)
- Manchester Business School Hotel (60m)
- St James's Buildings (60m)
- 2 Leftbank Apartments (60m)
- 3 Leftbank Apartments (60m)
- 3 Piccadilly Place (60m)
- Chancery Place (60m)
- The Lume (60m)
- Affinity Living Circle Square Tower 2 (60m)
- One St Peter's Square (59m)
- Two St Peter's Square (59m)
- Landmark, St. Peter's Square (59m)
- 2 Circle Square (59m)
- Hotel and MSCP, Circle Square (59m)
- Lowry House (58m)
- Minshull Street Courts (57m)
- UNITE Tower (57m)
- Cornbrook Works Tower 1 (57m)
- Ramada Renaissance Hotel (56m)
- Parkway Gate Block 1 (56m)
- Royal Exchange Theatre (55m)
- 1 New York Street (55m)
- St James's House (55m)
- Bank Chambers (55m)
- Vita Circle Square Tower 1 (54m)
- Kampus Tower 1 (54m)
- Kampus Tower 2 (54m)
- Affinity Living Circle Square Tower 3 (54m)
- No. 1 Marsden Street (53m)
- The Stile, Angel Meadow (53m)
- 82 King Street (52m)
- Oxygen Tower 2 (52m)
- Vox Tower 1 (51m)
- Kampus Tower 3 (51m)
- New Century House (50m)
- Hexagon Tower (50m)
- Parkway Gate Block 2 (50m)
(city centre or Grade II* listed)
- 1 The Avenue
- 1–3 York Street
- 25 St Ann Street
- 38 and 42 Mosley Street
- 46–48 Brown Street
- 50 Newton Street
- 53 King Street
- 84 Plymouth Grove
- 100 King Street
- Afflecks
- Alan Turing Building
- Albert Hall
- Ancoats Hospital
- Arkwright House
- Athenaeum
- Baguley Hall
- Bank Chambers
- Barlow Hall
- Barton Arcade
- Central Library
- Chetham's Library
- Chips
- Clayton Hall
- Corn Exchange
- County Court
- Daily Express
- Dalton-Ellis Hall
- Didsbury Campus
- Estate Exchange
- Former Bank of England
- Free Trade Hall
- Gateway House
- Old Granada Studios
- The Green Building
- Grove House
- The Haçienda
- Hanover Building
- Heaton Hall
- Holyoake House
- Hough End Hall
- Hulme Hall
- Hulme Hippodrome
- Institute of Biotechnology
- John Rylands Library
- John Rylands University Library
- Kendals
- Lawrence Buildings
- Law Library
- Lincoln House
- London Road Fire Station
- Manchester Art Gallery
- Manchester Museum
- Mechanics' Institute
- Memorial Hall
- Midland Hotel
- Minshull Street Crown Courts
- Science and Industry Museum
- National Graphene Institute
- Nicholls Building
- Odeon Cinema
- Old Wellington Inn
- One Piccadilly Gardens
- Pankhurst Centre
- People's History Museum
- Police Museum
- Portico Library
- Playhouse Theatre
- Redfern Building
- Reform Club
- Rose Hill
- Royal Eye Hospital
- Rylands Building
- Sackville Street Building
- Sharston Hall
- Ship Canal House
- Slade Hall
- Smithfield Market Hall
- St Anselm Hall
- Saint Mary's Hospital
- St Michael's
- Strangeways
- Sunlight House
- Theatre Royal
- Toast Rack
- The Towers
- Transport Museum
- Urbis
- Uttley House
- Victoria Baths
- Whitworth Art Gallery
- Whitworth Building
- Wythenshawe Bus Garage
- Wythenshawe Hall
- 107 Piccadilly
- 1830 warehouse, Liverpool Road railway station
- Albion Mill
- Asia House
- Beehive Mill
- Bridgewater House
- Brownsfield Mill
- Brunswick Mill
- Canada House
- Chorlton New Mills
- Churchgate House
- Dale Street Warehouse
- Havelock Mills
- India House
- Jackson's Warehouse
- Lancaster House
- McConnel & Kennedy Mills
- Murrays' Mills
- Old Mill
- Piccadilly Mill
- Royal Mill
- Shudehill Mill
- Watts Warehouse
(Grade I or II* listed)
- British Muslim Heritage Centre
- Brookfield Church
- Castlefield Chapel
- Christ Church
- Cross Street Chapel
- Holy Name of Jesus
- Edgar Wood Centre
- Gorton Monastery
- Holy Trinity Platt Church
- The Hidden Gem (Church of St Mary)
- Jewish Museum
- Manchester Cathedral
- Manchester Reform Synagogue
- St Ann's
- St Chrysostom's Church
- Church of St Cross
- St George
- St James
- St John
- St Mary (Hulme)
- Church of St Michael
- St Nicholas
- St Peter
- Upper Brook Street Chapel
- St Wilfrid
- O2 Apollo
- Arndale Centre
- Bridgewater Hall
- Castlefield Bowl
- Central
- Co-op Live
- Contact Theatre
- Cornerhouse
- The Factory
- Great Northern Warehouse
- HOME
- Palace Theatre
- Parrs Wood Entertainment Centre
- Opera House
- The Printworks
- Manchester Arena
- Manchester Academy
- O2 Ritz
- Royal Exchange Theatre
- Victoria Warehouse
- Alan Turing Memorial
- Albert Memorial
- B of the Bang
- The Glade of Light
- Cenotaph
- Rise up, Women (Emmeline Pankhurst statue)
- Peacock Mausoleum
- Victory Over Blindness
- Architecture
- Castles
- Churches
- Grade I listed
- Grade II* listed
- Grade II listed
- Mills
- Monuments
- Tallest
- Warehouses
Italics denote building under construction