Knott Mill Police Station centre corner of Deansgate and Great Bridgewater Street 1849 OS Map

Knott Mill Police Station Alleyway which can be seen on the 1849 OS map

Manchester City: A Division

Deansgate. Knott Mill 

Oct 9th 1839                  Included in GP and Finance Committee report as to Watch Office Lock-ups surrendered to Sir C. Shaw. However Sir C Shaw decides ‘unsuitable for his purpose and the lease to be let go’.

Mar 16th 1843              To examine the formerly used Lock up at Knott Mill and fit up the same as a lock up.

April 6th 1843               To effect the alterations required.

May 4th 1843                Now operational.

Nov 1st 1843                  Rental for 3 months £29.1.5

Feb 22nd 1848              HM Inspector’s report for Sec of State Home Dept into improvements requested to Lock-up accommodations – strong pane of glass to be inserted in the cell shutters being closed in cold weather without the cells being made dark.

Jan 13th 1853                Rent £17.10.1d

Sept 4th 1856                 Mr Goodwin owner of the Lock-up to lease 4 cottages and a slaughterhouse at £55 p.a. for 28yrs and WC to make necessary alterations.

May 21st 1857                Plans approved for improvements £364

Dec 3rd 1857                  Sgt now required

Sept 22nd 1859              Necessary ventilation to 2 cottages required.

April 12th 1860              Heating apparatus in the cells has been very unsatisfactory and on the last few days had to discontinue its usage.

1863 Slater’s                   Deansgate:        243 Two Cocks and Sun Vaults  285 Police Stations  307 Crown Inn

Sept 21st 1867                Rents and charges for cottages in the force Cottage coals and gas 3/- Lodgings for single men 1/-

Oct 17th 1867                 Following the death of Sgt Brett in the ‘Fenian Outrage’ the LUSC ordered to make arrangements to secure the stations by:-  Plating the doors in iron, wrought iron bars to windows, iron gate to entrance passage (see above photo taken before 1892 presumably).


29 Sept 1869                 HMIC Inspection reveals: 4 cells, 4 rooms for lodging accommodation and lodging for 5 officers

March 7th 1872            Repair to cottages.

1879 Slater’s                  Deansgate: 299 Police Station A Division [due to re-numbering] Joseph Simpson, James Mathews Inspector

Pre 1892 the station closes

Jan 14th 1892               As part of the recent increase in the boundaries of the A Division to include Goulden Street PS in the North east and Hulme to the south a request was made  'for a station in the area of Knott Mill to help time taken to convey prisoners to Albert Street and reduce injuries'.

June 6th 1892                Erection of PS in Bridgewater Street for £1976

25th Aug 1892               Request for the use of the ‘Deansgate PS yard for the drilling of Post Office messenger boys. It was the Post Master general’s view ‘for effecting improvement in the appearance and deportment of the telegraph messengers’.

This request would indicate the old premises still stood (operational or not) prior to the opening of Bridgewater Street PS on the south side in 1893. What is not clear is why Knott Mill PS closed at least four years before the site was overrun by the G.N.R.Co. extension other than general unsuitability albeit a clear operational need for a station was evidenced.

1899                                 Caminada’s report details the previous sale of ‘the old Knott Mill PS which was rarely used’ to the Great Northern Railway Co in his critic of the money spent on the Bridgewater Street north side station in 1898.

2012                                 Railway arches now demolished.