Manchester Town Hall floor plans: The ground floor with central Police Office rectangle with the stairs to the basement just visible within. The first floor with the Great Hall above the police station. Basement plans of the room layouts were not published for security reasons.
1877 A reproduction of the original limited edition pamphlet detailing the opening ceremonies, plans and guided tour of the New Town Hall is retained in the Police Museum. City of Manchester Press 1977 from the original William Morris Press Ltd. The section relating to the police reveals that:
Cart or vehicle ramp from Cooper Street to basement level courtyard that encircles the inner building. A ‘keys office’ was just off this ramp.
The entrance to the main police station and inquiry office was along the courtyard to underneath the main waiting hall entrance. Once in on the left-hand side was the night constables room and off that a long cell corridor housing 6 cells and the furthest being prisoner lavatories. Each cell being 13’ x 8’.
Comfortably fitted out retiring rooms for the constables were provided.
‘Everything so arranged so they have no need to leave their own department.
2013 A site visit arranged with the head of security and the Museum curator was conducted with a view to identifying the original features and extent of the police operation within the Town Hall. The following photograph gallery reveals the present conditions and corroborates the description given 136 years earlier. Further details revealed were; potential kitchens and larders, substantial anti-rooms into which it is assumed the CID were removed from upstairs.
The existence of riot gates across key sections of the courtyard and internal stairwell to seal off the entire cell and uniform section if required.
Upstairs revealed the last remaining evidence of acid etched glass panels in substantial oak door frames relating to the Chief Constables rooms and Detectives Office.
Basement level. Click photo for more information
Cart or vehicle ramp from Cooper Street to basement level courtyard that encircles the inner building. A ‘keys office’ was just off this ramp.
The entrance to the main police station and inquiry office was along the courtyard to underneath the main waiting hall entrance. Once in on the left-hand side was the night constables room and off that a long cell corridor housing 6 cells and the furthest being prisoner lavatories. Each cell being 13’ x 8’.
Comfortably fitted out retiring rooms for the constables were provided.
‘Everything so arranged so they have no need to leave their own department.
2013 A site visit arranged with the head of security and the Museum curator was conducted with a view to identifying the original features and extent of the police operation within the Town Hall. The following photograph gallery reveals the present conditions and corroborates the description given 136 years earlier. Further details revealed were; potential kitchens and larders, substantial anti-rooms into which it is assumed the CID were removed from upstairs.
The existence of riot gates across key sections of the courtyard and internal stairwell to seal off the entire cell and uniform section if required.
Upstairs revealed the last remaining evidence of acid etched glass panels in substantial oak door frames relating to the Chief Constables rooms and Detectives Office.
Basement level. Click photo for more information
Glass lantern slides held at GMP Museum & Archive : 1900s slides 22-24. They depict the Town Hall cell corridor, cell with double length bed (note second pair of feet - cell 13' x 8'), Charge Office procedure - believed day reserve (charge office) officers with 'pill box' hats.
Ground floor level
Manchester Town Hall
Jan 22nd 1876 Detectives to inhabit York Hotel Chambers for 3 months
Aug 24th 1876 Detectives to take over their offices Monday next.
29 Sept 1977 HMIC Inspection report: [Police] Offices in the Town Hall are spacious and commodious.
1879 Slater’s Police Station Town Hall Lloyd Street Albert Square : Charles Malcolm Wood [Chief Constable]
Mar 20th 1885 Detective’s Office to move to the basement to permit more space & separate the D.I’s office and general reshuffle to afford a suitable Supt’s office.
23rd Nov 1893 Resolution for the WC to arrange for the continued services of a constable on the Town Hall gateway on Lloyd St. The officer was initially removed by the Superintendent for other duties but reinstated by the Chief Constable on the condition that the Town Hall General Committee pay for the services of the constable. The General Council passed this back to the WC for their consideration and they resolved no charge would be levied.
16th April 1896 1896 quinquennial report: Rent of offices at the Town Hall £1,014.1.6. Total WC Rent and rates £2550.10.0
19th May 1898 City Surveyor to be instructed to obtain an estimate of the cost of fixing of glass fanlights instead of perforated iron ones at the various police stations. [believed this is to the cell doors such as Fairfield St PS] Tender £126
27th Dec 1898 Pedal cycles used by constables to convey books to and from the Town Hall and Division Stations [Albert St A Div, Willert Street B Div; Fairfield St C Div; Cavendish St D Div.] Weekly allowance to those officers to maintain them of 2/6 was inadequate.
1st Jan 1899 D. Supt Caminada resigns after 31years service.
26th Jan 1899 Pension of D. Supt Caminada : £195 pa not £210 as 2/3rds of average pay over 3 years not of last annual pay of £315. Upgraded to £210 on appeal - 2nd March 1899.
1899 Caminada’s report details that the Albert Street and Newton Street could be closed if the Town Hall was used as a central lock-up.
28th Sept 1899 The Chief Fire Officer reports that the Fire Brigade telephone switch board at Jackson’s Row Fire station [due to close for the new London Road Fire and Police Station] now has 45 lines of police stations running to it. During the day most calls are between these police stations and during a fire these are not answered by the Fire Brigade officer on the switch board who is dealing with calls to the Fire stations. The CFO recommend to remove the police telephone lines to the Town Hall.
WC recommends (and resolves) that there is no suitable room at the Town hall and it would need three constables to man and an annual charge of £300 to the National Telephone Co. However the N.T.Co will supply a 24hour monitoring service at the their central office for £333p.a.
29th March 1900 LUSC: The substitution of a self acting w.c in lieu of those provided in the cells of the various police stations.
4th July 1900 Supply of horse ambulances currently used by the Fire brigade of Manchester at four police and fire stations: 8 horses and 6 horsemen at £1,000 p.a and £550 p.a costs to the National Telephone Co with 4,000 subscribers to assist with lines to stations.
29th Nov 1900 C.Con’s Peacock report regarding the HMIC Mr Herbert Croft’s letter regarding the mounted police: 50 officers from previously trained cavalry men within force. Cost of 50; tunics 40/- each, boots 30/-, saddles and bridles 60/-, spurs and belts 15/- and tuition of £428.2.6d.
3rd April 1901 3rd Lancashire Royal Engineers (Vols) request use of a central place for infantry drill. To organise a Town Hall Company as well as in connection with Technical Schools so it claims to be representative of all City official departments. The Lord Mayor and the Committee to promote the Corps.
9th May 1901 LUSC: to purchase all articles needed to clean the police stations for 12 months.
The C.Cons to submit a report for the use of telephonic equipment at ambulance stations, and to obtain a tender for a combined prison van (£90) and ambulance conveyance to the infirmary (£82.7.0d).
The Gas Meter Testing Station at Jackson’s Row Fire Office [Bootle St] and the Chief Fire Officer to continue as they will not be leaving for two years until the new premises [London Rd] are erected.
15th May 1901 Quinquennial Valuations: [not made part of the WC valuations as police station section owned by the General Committee as part of the Town Hall complex].
31st Oct 1901 Mounted Officers: 25 previously appointed and paid for with a view to a further 25 mounted officers. C.Cons now requested those further 25 officers at £334 and 25s each per sword.
2012 Premises remain although station closed in the 1930s. The police will reopen the counter only for City Centre police business. [M.E.News 13th march 2012]
Aug 24th 1876 Detectives to take over their offices Monday next.
29 Sept 1977 HMIC Inspection report: [Police] Offices in the Town Hall are spacious and commodious.
1879 Slater’s Police Station Town Hall Lloyd Street Albert Square : Charles Malcolm Wood [Chief Constable]
Mar 20th 1885 Detective’s Office to move to the basement to permit more space & separate the D.I’s office and general reshuffle to afford a suitable Supt’s office.
23rd Nov 1893 Resolution for the WC to arrange for the continued services of a constable on the Town Hall gateway on Lloyd St. The officer was initially removed by the Superintendent for other duties but reinstated by the Chief Constable on the condition that the Town Hall General Committee pay for the services of the constable. The General Council passed this back to the WC for their consideration and they resolved no charge would be levied.
16th April 1896 1896 quinquennial report: Rent of offices at the Town Hall £1,014.1.6. Total WC Rent and rates £2550.10.0
19th May 1898 City Surveyor to be instructed to obtain an estimate of the cost of fixing of glass fanlights instead of perforated iron ones at the various police stations. [believed this is to the cell doors such as Fairfield St PS] Tender £126
27th Dec 1898 Pedal cycles used by constables to convey books to and from the Town Hall and Division Stations [Albert St A Div, Willert Street B Div; Fairfield St C Div; Cavendish St D Div.] Weekly allowance to those officers to maintain them of 2/6 was inadequate.
1st Jan 1899 D. Supt Caminada resigns after 31years service.
26th Jan 1899 Pension of D. Supt Caminada : £195 pa not £210 as 2/3rds of average pay over 3 years not of last annual pay of £315. Upgraded to £210 on appeal - 2nd March 1899.
1899 Caminada’s report details that the Albert Street and Newton Street could be closed if the Town Hall was used as a central lock-up.
28th Sept 1899 The Chief Fire Officer reports that the Fire Brigade telephone switch board at Jackson’s Row Fire station [due to close for the new London Road Fire and Police Station] now has 45 lines of police stations running to it. During the day most calls are between these police stations and during a fire these are not answered by the Fire Brigade officer on the switch board who is dealing with calls to the Fire stations. The CFO recommend to remove the police telephone lines to the Town Hall.
WC recommends (and resolves) that there is no suitable room at the Town hall and it would need three constables to man and an annual charge of £300 to the National Telephone Co. However the N.T.Co will supply a 24hour monitoring service at the their central office for £333p.a.
29th March 1900 LUSC: The substitution of a self acting w.c in lieu of those provided in the cells of the various police stations.
4th July 1900 Supply of horse ambulances currently used by the Fire brigade of Manchester at four police and fire stations: 8 horses and 6 horsemen at £1,000 p.a and £550 p.a costs to the National Telephone Co with 4,000 subscribers to assist with lines to stations.
29th Nov 1900 C.Con’s Peacock report regarding the HMIC Mr Herbert Croft’s letter regarding the mounted police: 50 officers from previously trained cavalry men within force. Cost of 50; tunics 40/- each, boots 30/-, saddles and bridles 60/-, spurs and belts 15/- and tuition of £428.2.6d.
3rd April 1901 3rd Lancashire Royal Engineers (Vols) request use of a central place for infantry drill. To organise a Town Hall Company as well as in connection with Technical Schools so it claims to be representative of all City official departments. The Lord Mayor and the Committee to promote the Corps.
9th May 1901 LUSC: to purchase all articles needed to clean the police stations for 12 months.
The C.Cons to submit a report for the use of telephonic equipment at ambulance stations, and to obtain a tender for a combined prison van (£90) and ambulance conveyance to the infirmary (£82.7.0d).
The Gas Meter Testing Station at Jackson’s Row Fire Office [Bootle St] and the Chief Fire Officer to continue as they will not be leaving for two years until the new premises [London Rd] are erected.
15th May 1901 Quinquennial Valuations: [not made part of the WC valuations as police station section owned by the General Committee as part of the Town Hall complex].
31st Oct 1901 Mounted Officers: 25 previously appointed and paid for with a view to a further 25 mounted officers. C.Cons now requested those further 25 officers at £334 and 25s each per sword.
2012 Premises remain although station closed in the 1930s. The police will reopen the counter only for City Centre police business. [M.E.News 13th march 2012]
