1875 – New League Hall, Liverpool, Lancashire

Architect: Murray & Thomas

0004

From The Architect, February 20, 1875: This building, which is to be erected at the corner of St. Ann’s Place and Rose Place, Liverpool, will comprise a hall, the dimensions of which will be 74 feet Iby 86 feet, and 54 feet from floor to ceiling. Within this space two tiers of galleries are constructed on a double row of columns, with floriated capitals. The first tier is a balcony of cushioned armed chairs, covered with crimson velvet, accommodating about 700 persons, and approached from St. Ann’s Place by an ornamental stone staircase 11 feet wide. On the same level as the balcony is a spacious cloak-room, with lavatory and w.c.; also a refreshment room, retiring room, gentlemen’s lavatory, and w.c. The upper gallery will be approached by a stone staircase from Rose Place, and will seat about 1,000 persons. The body of the hall will be reached by an entrance at the corner of St. Anne’s Place and Rose Place, and will hold about 2,300 persons, making the total accommodation to be for about 4,000 persons. On the groundfloor will be a committee-room, 29 feet by 14 feet, with lavatory and w.c.; also a manager’s room. Under the platform will be constructed four retiring rooms, with lavatory and w.c, attached; also an orchestra, which is so arranged that it can, on the occasion of balk, &c., be used as a refreshment buffet. The platform is reached from the retiring rooms by two staircases. The basement, which it 12 feet in height, and the same dimensions as the hall, is divided into reading-rooms, billiard-rooms, bowling-alleys, &c., with the necessary conveniences, and is reached by a stone staircase 6 feet wide. Th« interior walls are divided into panels by pilasters supporting a coved ceiling, divided into compartments by moulded ribs, the whole to be decorated with colour. In the centre of the panels and pilasters will be placed mirrors framed with gilt beading. The building will be lighted at night by two large sun-burners, and brackets projecting from one row of columns, and in the daytime by ten large skylights and the windows round the sides. Externally the building will b« faced with red pressed bricks, with bands of Stourton yellow stone and blue and white bricks. Ths architects are Messrs. T.E. Murray and G.H. Thomas, 14 Clayton Square, Liverpool, and the entire cost of the works will be 12,0001.