The Grand Junction Railway Companion to Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham/Manchester

by Arthur Freeling

The

 

Manchester Guide.

 

---

 

Manchester is situated at the confluence of the rivers Irk and Irwell, in the County of Lancaster, the Hundred of Salford, and Diocese of Chester. It is 18 miles from Warrington, 186 from London, and about 33 from Liverpool. It is the principal seat of the Cotton Manufactories, and is fast adding the Silk to its already extensive trade; with its suburbs, including Salford, it contains 226,931 inhabitants. The antiquity of Manchester is clearly proved, as (on the authority of Mr. Whitaker we state) there are accounts of its existence 500 years B. C. It was named by the Britons Mancenion; by the Romans Mancuninum and Mancestre; and on the departure of the Romans, Man-kastalh, signifying Man-Castle or City of Man; and in the wars of the Saxons the inhabitants well carned the appellation, as they did not submit for 20 years after all other parts of Lancashire were subdued, and the Isles of Anglesey and Mau, and the principality of North Wales, had succumbed to the invaders. Like its neighbour. Liverpool. Manchester was exposed to the assaults of the Civil Wars in 1462, the country about it haring been laid waste by the Earl of Derby, who, however, after a spirited assault and several days' seige, was unable to take the town, and obliged to retire. Manchester has now two Members of Parliament, and Salford (which may be considered as part of Manchester) one; the former sent a Member to Parliament (Charles Worsley, Esq.) in the time of Cromwell. We have but little of the early history of Manchester to record. In 1715, the "Young Chevalier" entered the town, and put up at what is now called the Palace Inn. Manchester was early distinguished for the prevalence of Jacobinical principles, and if the "Majesty of the people" now predominates, we may assert that the same feeling is merely diverted into another channel.

The principal markets of Manchester are held on Tuesday and Saturday (for Market-places, see page 174); they are, however, pretty well supplied every day in the week. Its fairs are on Whit Monday, Oct. 1st and 17th, for horses, cattle, &c., &c. The municipal government of the town is vested in a Borough-reeve and two Constables. The chief duties of the Borough-reeve is, to preside over public meetings, to attend to the distribution of money arising from bequests, &c. The business of the police is attended to by the constables; and there is a Stipendiary Magistrate appointed to administer criminal justice, who has a salary of £1,000 per annum. He sits every day but Sunday. We now proceed to give a hasty sketch of the town, in which, however, is included the various objects which will most interest the stranger.

The Cotton Factories can be visited by obtaining an introduction to any of their proprietors.

 

Post-Office.

The following are the intended Arrivals and Departures of the principal Mails at this Office, from the 6th July, 1837.

General Deliveries at the Office.

The first, at eight until half-past eight in the morning, includes Letters from Liverpool, Newcastle, Stafford, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Middleton, and Bolton, the greatest part of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Northumberland, Sunderland, and Durham.

The second, at time until a quarter before two in the afternoon, includes Letters from Liverpool, Bolton, Blackburn, Burnley, Bury, Colne, Hyde, Denton, Geceross, Gorton, Oldham, Stockport, Chester, all Saddleworth, Ashton-under-Line, Audenshaw, and Staleybridge, the counties of Salop and Hereford, Leominster, part of North Wales, Frodsham, Warrington, Dublin, and all Ireland.

The third, at half-past twelve at noon, until a quarter before two in the afternoon, includes Letters from London, Essex, Kent, and Sussex, Bristol, Falmouth, part of North Wales, the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Oxford, Warwick, and all the West of England, also from Walsall, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Stone, Shiffnall, Newcastle-under-Lyne, Lawton, Congleton, Disbury, Cheadle 3rd Winslow.

The fourth, at half-past four in the afternoon until nine at night, includes Letters from Derby, Ashbourn, Leek, Macclesfield, and Stockport, the counties of Bedford, Berks, Herts, Hants, Leicester, Northampton, and Suffolk; also includes Letters from York, Leeds, Tadcaster, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax, Rochdale; parts of the counties of Suffolk, Herts, and Cambridge; also all Scotland, Lancaster, Preston, Chorley; and from Disley, Buxton, Bakewell, Matlock, Belper, Sheffield; also Liverpool (⅌ Railway).

The fifth, at half-past seven until nine at night, includes Letters from Liverpool (⅌ Railway), Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Chester, Warrington, Northwich, County of Chester, Staffordshire.

There are three deliveries by the Carriers, namely, at half-past eight in the morning, twenty minutes to one in the afternoon, and fire o'clock, town deliveries, except on Sundays, then there is only a morning delivery. The deliveries of course must be delayed, if there be any irregularity in the arrival of the mails. The letter-carriers are in attendance at the Office from half past seven to eight in the morning, and four in the afternoon; but no letters can be delivered by them at the Office, except to persons who have not been found when they have been on their rounds.

The Office continues open for strangers from eight in the morning until ten at night, on Sundays the Office is closed from half-past ten till half-past twelve, and from three till five.

Rail Road.

For time of the Trains starting, &c. see page 14.

Hotels, Coaches, and Coach-Offices.

Buck and Hawthorn, St. Anne-street; Buck, Hanging-ditch; Bush Inn, Deanes-gate; Eagle Inn, Market-street; Golden Lion, Deans-gate; Hare and Hounds, Shude-hill; Lower Turk's Head, Shude-hill; Mosley Arms, Piccadilly; Ditto, Shude-hill; New Boar's Head, Hyde's-cross; Old Boar's Head, Hyde-cross; Palace Inn, Market-street; Peacock, Market-street; Royal Hotel, corner of Mosley-street (the Mails go from here); Swan Inn, Market-street; Swan, Whitley-grove; Talbot, Market-street; White Swan, Shude-hill; Commercial, Market-street.

Hackney Coach and Car Fares.

These Fares are to be taken either for Time or Distance, at the discretion of the Driver.	Carriages drawn by 2 Horses.		Carriages drawn by 1 Horse.
The following Fares include a reasonable quantity of Luggage.	s.	d.	s.	d.
Any distance not exceeding 1172 yards	1	0	1	0
Any distance exceeding two-thirds of a mile, and not exceeding one mile or 1760 yards	1	6	1	0
And for every succeeding third of a mile, or 586 yards	0	6	0	4
If for time, then for any time not exceeding a quarter of an hour	1	0	1	0
For every succeeding quarter of an hour	0	6	0	4
For every stoppage to take up more than once, and to set down more than twice, an additional	0	6	0	4
For every quarter of an hour waiting, after being called	0	6	0	4

Bankers,
with their correspondents in London.

Manchester Bankers.	Correspondents in London.
Bank of England Branch Bank.	Bank of England.
Savings' Bank, Mr. Jn. Atkinson, Agent, 1, Cross street.
Cunliffes, Brooks,& Co. Market-st.	R. Canliffe, jun. & Co.
Daintry, Ryle, & Co., Norfolk-st.	Whitmore, Wells, & Co.
B. Heywood & Co., St. Anne's-st.	Masterman & Co.
W. Jones, Lloyds, & Co., King-st.	Jones, Lloyd, & Co.
Scholes, Tetlow, & Co. Cannon-st.	Curries & Co.
Bank of Manchester, Market-st.	Denison & Co.
Manchester and Liverpool District Bank, Spring Gardens.	Smith, Payne & Co.
Northern and Central Bank, Crown-street.	Westminster Bank.
Union Bank, Crown-street.	Glyn & Co.
Commercial Bank of England, Mosley-street.	Masteraan & Co.
Manchester and Salford Bank, King-street.	Williams, Deacon, & Co.
South Lancashire Bank, Crown- street.	Barclay and Co.

The Town Hall

is a noble erection, of the Ionic order, surmounted with a handsome dome. It is well worthy of a visit.

The New Exchange.

This very handsome erection has two grand entrances; one in Market-street, the other in Exchange-street. The building is of the Doric order. The columns are fated, and are 27 feet high. The Post-office forms a part of this pile. The Exchange Room is elegant and spacious; it comprises an area of 4000 feet.

Churches.

}}

There are in Manchester 23 Churches, and 3 Chapels, connected with the Establishment; the principal one being the Old, or Collegiate Church. This is a noble specimen of decorated Gothic architecture; both internally and externally it is well worthy of notice. The Independents have 7 Chapels; the Irvingites 1; the Catholics 4; the Baptists 3; the Methodists&nbsp 24; the New Jerusalem Sect 2; the Presbyterians 1; the Scotch Church 1; Unitarians 4; Welsh Baptists, Calvinists, Independents, Methodists, 7.

The Cemetery

is situated in Rusholme-road. It covers an area of four acres; but it is not to be compared with the establishments of Liverpool.

The Chetham Library

is under the same roof as Chetham's Hospital, or Blue Coat School. It is rich in old and curious books, in works of Ecclesiastical History, Theology, and Antiquities. It has also some manuscripts. Strangers are gratuitously admitted, and may have access to the books, from half-past eight o'clock till twelve in the morning, and from one to five in the afternoon.

The Portico

contains a Library and News-room. It is situated in Mosley-street. One Subscriber can admit a stranger to read the papers, magazines, &c. for three days—two Subscribers can extend the privilege for a month.

Manchester Subscription Library

is in Exchange-buildings, Ducie-place. It contains about 20,000 volumes, and has 400 subscribers.

The Subscription Library,

in Exchange-buildings; Librarian, Mr. W. Bamford. This Library has about 350 subscribers.

The Subscription Library

for promoting general knowledge

is in Newall's Buildings, Market-strect. Contains about 6000 volumes, and has 350 subscribers.

The Royal Manchester Institution,

for the encouragement of Arts and Sciences, is situated in Mosley-street. It is a splendid erection, and in it is held an exhibition of Paintings. Manchester has also an Agricultural and a Horticultural Society, and a Natural History Society.

The Mechanics' Institution

is a noble building, situated in Cooper-street. Re-gular courses of Lectures are delivered, syllabuses of which may be there gratuitously obtained.

Charitable Institutions.

• Manchester Royal Infirmary, Dispensaries, and Lunatic Assylum; Piccadilly, Salford, and Pendleton Dispensary, 19, Bank Parade.
• House of Recovery,—Aytown-street.
• Lying-in Hospital,—Stanley-street, Salford.
• Sick Hospital,—16, Bond-street.
• Female Penitentiary—Rasliolm-road.
• Institution for curing Diseases in the Eye—35, Fanlkner-street.
• The Humane Society's Receiving Houses are four in number, viz.—Lying-in Hospital, Stanley-street; the Ardwick and Ancoats Dispensary; the Lying-in Hospital, Salford; and the Salford and Pendleton Dispensary.
• The Chorlton and Medlock Dispensary.
• The Workhouse,—Strangeways.
• The Vagrant Office,—Do.
• The Salford Workhouse,—Green-gate,
• The Pendleton Workhouse,—Ford-lanc,
• Manchester and Salford District Provident Society,—Office, 11, St. James's-square.

Besides the above, there are various sums bequeathed for purposes of charity, amounting to the annual income of upwards of $5,000.

The Repository

is situated in St. Anne's-square. It is an excellent institution, and well deserves a visit from the stranger.

The Albion Bazaar.

The principal entrances to the Bazaar are in Deans-gate and Police-street.

The Theatres.

The Royal Theatre is situated in Fountain-street. It is rented by the proprietor of the Liverpool Theatre Royal, and is visited by his Company from Christmas to Easter, and occasionally during the other months of the year.

The Queen's Theatre is in York-street. Its performances are confined to pantomimes, melodramas, &c. &c., similar to the regulations of other minor theatres.

The Assembly Rooms are situated in Mosley-street. They were erected at an expense of £7000, and consist of a Ball Room, Tea Room, Card and Billiard Rooms. The Club House is in Mosley-street, next to the Royal Institution.

The Concert Hall is situated in Lower Mosley-street; it was opened in 1831, and its interior is both capacious and elegant.

The Albion Club House is just established, and is situated in King-street. The Billiard Room is in Mosley-street.

Baths.

There are Public Baths situated at the entrance of the Infirmary Walks. The profits of these Baths are appropriated to the use of the Dispensary.

The Adelphi Swimming Baths, Reservoir Terrace, Salford, are of a very superior description.

The Medicated Vapour Baths are at No. 1, Lloyd- street.

Whitlow's Medicated Vapour Baths, at 35, George street.

The Dolphin Cold Baths, Horrocks, Red Bank.

The Botanic Gardens

are situated on the road to Altringham, about two miles from the Exchange.

The Markets

of Manchester are not so remarkable as those of Liverpool. The principal ones are, the New Market, in Brown1-street; the Fish Market, in Market- place; and the Town-Hall and Market, in Salford, all of which are exceedingly well supplied.

The New Bailey Prison

is situated in Stanley-street, Salford. It is an extensive building, arranged in the form of a cross.

We have not room further to notice the newspapers, than just to say, that they are six in number; five published on Saturday.

The Manchester Courier	High Tory.
The Chronicle	Moderate Tory.
The Guardian	Ministerial.
The Advertiser	Cobbettite.
The Times	Moderate Radical