The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-08 00:00:00

OPENING OP _ME FRED TRADE HALL

IN AfANCHESTEK.

The New Free Trade Hall in Manchester, which re-
places the old one where the great League meetings
were held, is to be opened this evening by a meeting of
the proprietors sand their friends, and a grand ball, alt
which upwards of 2,000 people are to be present. It le
an !exceedingly handsome stone building in the Loml-
bardo-Venetian style of Italian architecture, the . build,
ing contract for which was 25,0001., and the total cost,
including decorations and furnishing, will probably be
about 32,0001. The principal front is to Peter-street,
being about 160 feet long and 75 feet high, in two
storeys. The front of the ground storey is a piazza of
nine arches, resting on massive piers. The spandrell;
of these arches are sculptured, displaying on shields en-
circled by branches of laurel and oak the arms of Man.
cheater, Salford, and the boroughs of Liverpool, Itoch-
dale, Bury, Oldham, Bolton, Stockport, Ashton, and
Wigan. From a projecting cornice over these rises the
upper part of the building, with pedimented windows,
recessed between coupled engaged columns, having lonic
capitals, entablatures, and cornices, over which are
moulded archivolts with deep sunk recesses. In these
recesses are some finelynxecuted sculptures designed th
represent free trade, each of the four quarters of alp
globe, arts, manufactures, agriculture, and commerce.
A slab of polished Aberdeen granite, encircled by a
wreath of bold oak leaves, inserted in the spandrels be-
tween these arches, gives a relief in colour which has a
good effect. Above is a deep frieze, enriched with me-
dallions, festoons, and drops of flowers ; and a both
cornice, surmounted by a balustrade,..on which are the
words "Free Trade Hall," completes the elevation}.
Broad piers at each end enclose a front which, notwith-
standinz its massive character, presents an appearande
of considerable" richness and beauty. The building et-
tends laterally as far back as Windmill-street, and may
be divided into two sections. The interior of the front
section, as already Stated, consists of three storeys above
ground, in the first of which, behind the piazza, are a
series of waiting and other rooms; in the second a
noble assembly room (76 feet by 37k), ndrawing-roost,
care; room, and other apartments ; and in the third a
supper-room (equal in proportions to the assembly-room),
and billiard and other rooms. The other section oft
ule
building; behind this front, contains the grand ball, de-
signed for public meetings, concerts and balls. It stands
over a cellar or basement storey, 'the floor being about
10 feet above the level of the street. It'is about 134 feet
long, 78 feet wide, and 52 feet high. This is about 4 feet
longer and 6 feet wider than Exeter-hall. It is the same
length as the old Free Trade Hall, but 27 feet nar-
rower. It has a platform at one end, whilst the other
end of the room is semicircular. A gallery extends
round the sides and semicircular end of the hall, and
above this are also five balconies at the semicircular
end. The ceiling is flat, having a very deep cove round
it, and contains five circular lights each of 13 feet
diameter„ so_ that the room will _be adapted for day
as well as evening meetings. It will seat comfortably
4,000 people, and will accommodate more than 7,000
standing. There is, perhaps, no hall in the kingdom of
handsomer proportions, or better designedfor the purposes
to which it is to be devoted. The gallery is compara-
tively low, so that the audience, when seated in it acid
in the body of the hall, will seem almost identical, 'and
forms an ornamental stringcourse in the depth plynth or
Herbage. The colouring and decoration of this hall hare
been designed with much taste by Mr. George Jackson,
in whom the architect of the buildiug, Mr. Walters, has
bad an able coadjutor. Looking at the interior of this
hall, one of the most striking features that attract the
eye is the absence of pillars and every obstruction to
sight and hearing. The ceiling, notwithstanding its
great span of 78 feet in width, and greater length, is
upheld without any support from within, and has an
exceedingly light and graceful appearance, though really
composed of very heavy materials in iron and plateglass.
The gas-lights for evening meetings are by Mr. Brad.
for 3, of Manchester, on a plan similar to that of the
[louse of Lords, but with improvements, securing good
ventilation. The staircases and corridors, giving ingress
and egress to the hall and various parts of the building,
are wide and commodious, and these are so well con•
trived that it is calculated that three great meetings
might be held in various parts of this new Free Trade
Hall at one time, without fear of confusion, each meet-
ing-room having its own separate committee and retir-
ing rooms for private business. The general contractor
for the building was Mr. George Harrop, of Manchester,
and Mr. Thomas, of London, has executed the allegorica
sculptures described in the principal front.