The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-06-18 00:00:00

NEW BUILDINGS IN LIVERPOOL

We have for some time past remarked (no doubt in com-
mon with other inhabitants of this town) that many new and
elegant buildings have risen to completion, or are in progress
of erection, in several parts of the town,—not only churches
and other public edifices, but commercial structures in the
busier thoroughfares, and private domeciles in every direc-
tion. Their appearance is highly gratifying, whether regarded
with reference to the greater accommodation and comfort
which they afford, or to the general improvement of the
town, by inspiring a more decided and general taste for
architectural adornment, and its concomitant advantages—
additional cleanliness and health. With these opinions we
purpose to notice, from time to time, the more prominent
structures called into existence by the talismanic wand of
public or private enterprise, as being honourable to the par-
ties themselves, and benefical to the community at large.
We are further induced to draw attention to the subject from
the impression, that even in these comparatively depressed
times, improvements are so rapidly, and, to those in the im-
mediate locality, almost imperceptibly made, that strangers,
of whom numbers visit the town at this season of the year,
trusting solely to the " guides" already published, might
otherwise omit to notice them, on their casual rambles
through the town; and we have that (we trust) blameless
pride of locality about us, that prompts us to let them know
how (as brother Jonathan would say) we are " getting a-
head."
Amongst the new churches we may enumerate St. Bartho-
lomew, in Naylor-street, St. Barnabas'' Greenland-street,
St. Clement's, Windsor, St. Saviour's, Upper Parliament-
street, St. Silas', Pembroke-place, Great George's-street
Chapel, and others, all of neat ecclesiastical structure—more
more or less fiord. We have also the Collegiate Institution,
now being erected in Shaw-street, which, when finished, will
be one of the finest specimens of the Tudor Gothic extant
in the north of England. These and others we shall here-
after notice somewhat in detail, confining ourselves for the
present to several of the new and handsome commercial
buildings near the docks.

After the widening of Lord-street and Dale-street, some
years ago, two principal thoroughfares from the upper parts
of the town to the river,—the intermediate streets, parallel
with and rectangular to them, on the east side of Castle-
street, took up the spirit of improvement. North and South
John-street, parallel with Castle-street, rose in ample width,
and classical variegated design, out of the ruins of a compa-
ratively narrow, noxious, and crooked lane. More recently,
some good commercial buildings have sprung up in Harring-
ton-street, leading out of Castle-street, and even in Elbow-
lane, which last, though, from the great value of land in that
central quarter, it cannot readily be widened, has thereby
undergone an astonishing change for the better. We in-
stance " Barned's Buildings." In Cook-street also, some
good new buildings have been erected ; but it is to he lamented
that this street was not previously widened, and carried in a
direct line through to Whitechapel. The same remark will
apply to an almost equal extent to Harrington-street.
We come, however, to the west side of Castle-street,
where the improvements are more immediate : Hedeross-
street, which once comparatively flourishing bad fallen some-
what " back in the world," is again resuming its import-
ance, and a substantial commercial building has recently
been finished on the north side. James-street, amply
widened, shows still greater advancement. On both sides at
the top there are handsome new buildings, in varied styles
of Grecian architecture—the new North and South Wales
Bank, opposite the steeple of St. George's Church, being
the principal. It is of extremely rich Grecian architecture.
in fine stone, with two fronts, one to James-street, and the
other to Fenwick-street ; but unluckily for the designer, the
ground was too circumscribed, and from its great elevation,
and rather heavy projecting cornicing, it resembles rather
the wing of a large building than an isolated structure. We
noticed it in detail last year, and still entertain the opinion
that had the other wing been at the corner of Castle-street,
with a colonnade central part between, it would have formed
one of the finest, if not the finest building in Liverpool. On
the south side James-street, a little lower down, a range of
fine buildings commences, rounding into Preeson's-row.
The street was widened from this side, and there is still
some vacant ground. Over the coach-office at the corner,
(and in Preeson's-row), there is inserted under a window of
the new building, a stone antiquely letterd as follows—
which we presume was taken out of the old house, part of
which formerly stood on the spot, close to the old Castle of
Liverpool : " E. A. I.
" God's Providence hath been my inheritance.
1660."

Lower down, on the same side, stands a handsome large
stone building in the Grecian style, not yet entirely finished.
It has shops below, the spaces between the windows (and the
central door) being board pilasters, supporting a plain frieze
and cornice. Over these, in the centre, is a colonnade of
four lonic quarter three-quarter columns, rising so as to in-
clude the other two stories. There are two wings with pilas-
ters to correspond with the columns, which project a little
beyond them. There are seven large windows in each story.
The main cornice and blocking above is very neat, and the
whole, though not florid, bears a substantial, classical and
neat appearance. The lower windows will be fitted with
patent iron shutters. The buildings on the other side, at
the top, are also new, and the whole street will shortly
form the most handsome, appropriate and shortest thorough-
fare to George's-pier, the principal site of the steam traffic
of the port.

Fenwick-street, parallel to Castle-street, on the west,
exhibits, if possible, still greater advances. From being bat
a few years ago a comparatively dirty narrow lane beset with
unseemly brick warehouses, it is rapidly becoming a fine.
though not very wide street, adorned by buildings which in
point of architectural embellishment and modern conve-
nience, surpasses the best erections in our " pet" Castle-
street itself. Opposite to the splendid western front of the
North and South Wales Bank, (before noticed,) are build-
ings, in which are the offices of the British and American
Steam Navigation Company, handsome Grecian erections
with classical embellishments. Next are " Britannia
Buildings," belonging to Mr. Jones, baker and cheese-
factor, very tastefully designed, and highly creditable to him
as a British tradesman.

Further northward, them is now in progress of erection,
a splendid commercial pile, to be called " Ewart's-build-
ings," the property of J. C. Ewart, Esquire. These will
have three fronts, the two principal being on the north to
Brunswick-street, and on the east to Fenwick-street. The
minor front, or rather the bank, is to the " Old Ropsry."

The premises occupy a very large area of ground, and in giv-
ing some short account of their style of architecture, we an-
ticipate the reality, as they have scarcely yet' reached the
height of the first story. A. great number of workmen are
however, employed, and we hope to witness the " rearing"
of them in a few months.

The nrchiteet is Mr WillinnlF, jiule,inst knyn the de-

signs, as-well as the work hitherto accomplished, we are
scarcely premature in our expectancy that the pile, en-
tirely of stone, will, when completed, add another orna-
ment to our town. The design is mixed Grecian. The
principal elevation is towards Brunswick-street, and though
entirely unadorned by columns, or even pilasters, it will be
otherwise so enriched as to present a very elegant and pleas-
ing appearance. The ground story, already nearly at
its height, is rusticated, with rusticated rock-work octagonal

quoins, at the corners. A moulded plinth runs under the
windows of superior drab-coloured Yorkshire stone. Finely
carved trusses support the sill string, and under each window
is a fluted panel. The windows have moulded jambs and
heads. In the centre will be two doors, one the entrance to

the offices on the ground floor, the other to those above.
Between these will be a fanned window, the whole orna-
mented with wreath-work above, of the same elevation.
These doors and the window will be semicircularly topped,
each having a bold key-stone, on which is carved a human
head. The upper stories are of the ionic order. There will,
in each of these, be a row of seven large windows, those of the
middle with architrave jambs, and heads forming a segment
in the mould ; those in the upper story with similar jambs,
but surmounted by pediments supported by trusses. The
cornice will be enriched with medillions, and the frieze with

floriated raised ornaments, empanelled. Over the blocking
will be placed, at considerable distances, Grecian ornaments
in the form of a leaf. The front to Fenwick-street will cor-
respond in every respect, with rows of nine windows in each
of the upper stories.
The first story will be of freestone, from Rathbone-street
quarry ; the upper stories of stone from Storeton Hill.
Beyond this building in Fenwick-street we have the Union
Bank, designed by the same architect Mr. Benson, of Man-
ehester), as the North and South Waits Bank, and an almost
equally fine structure. Further on are " India Buildings,"
and opposite them the Parish Offices ; the former, which
is in the lonic style, with three-quarter fluted columns,
rising from the rustic basement, a pleasing revival of the
Grecian. In Water-street there are also some fine build-
ings, but our limited space constrains us to conclude for the
present.

VANDINHOFF AND THS INDIAN CHIEF.—The Sioux and
loways, whom we visited at the National Hotel, were not so
fine a race of men as the Sauks and Foxes, nor so well
dressed, but they were far more communicative. Some of
them, indeed, talked with us at great length. Mr. Vanden-
hoff, the English actor, happened to be in the room at the
time ; and being struck with the appearance of scars from

burns, running up the arm of one of the chiefs, from the
wrist to the shoulder, he wished to know how it happened ;
but the interpreter being in another part of the room, and
engaged, he was unable to communicate with the Indian, ex-
cept through the language of pantomime; be accordingly
pointed to the sears, and then, by a variety of significant
signs, intimated his wish to know how they occurred ; upon
which, the chief performed these several motions : he first
held his hand horizontally before his body, as if grasp-
ing a cup or basin, while with his right he performed the
motion of lifting something from the ground, out of which he
poured liquid into the stationary vessel. He then lifted this
vessel to his mouth, and, turning back his head, and gurgling
his throat, made signs of drinking copiously. His next ac-
tion was to rise, and reel about, as though growing gradually
intoxicated, until he became unable to stand ; when he de-
scribed a large heap of something, with flames ascending and
falling : on this he began to roll about with agony, and rnb
his right arm as the part chiefly affected. Mr. Vandenboff
exclaimed, " I see it—whisky, whisky !" at which the old
man nodded assent with a smile. The fact was, as we after-
wards learnt, that the white people had made him drunk, as
they too often do, with ardent spirits, and he had fallen on a
large wood fire, and thus got dreadfully burnt.—Buckitiyham's
America.

THE Why, sir, I'll tell you what I heard a
man say one day, not long ago. I was bringing some Erris
people on this very jaunting-car from the fair of Ballina.
They were talking, as they walked up this very bill, of acci-
dents happening their cattle, and one of them tould what I
am now going, as well as I can remember, to say to your ho-
nour. "There was a neighbour of mine,' says he, coming
one evening, as we now are, from a fair in the " Arable" '—
Mal, your honour, is the name the Erris mountaineers give
the good land in our country about Ballima and Crosmolina—
and just on this very road he met a concourse of people and
cattle coming along as if returning from a fair, and as he
cast his eye on the drove of beasts, sum enough he saw,
though he could scarcely believe his eyesight, two bullocks
of his own which some time before were drowned in a bog-
hole. By dad,' says be, this is quare ; but any how here
are my cattle—l'd swear anywhere to my own brand ; I'm
in the best of good luck this night, and home I'll drive them.'
So with his stick he tould off his two bullocks from • he rest,
and giving them a good welting to force them on, he was
hastening away with his recovered property, when he hears
a man following and shouting after him, where are you
going with my bastes?' So he stopt a little, and up comes
a man he knew once very well, but who was long ago
dead and buried, and that he had good rason to know,
for he was first husband to his own wife (Paddy being
married to a widdy.) ' Och then, Paddy M'Cormick, where
are you going, you thieving son of a , with my cattle ?'
They're not yours I'd give my Bible oath, but they're my
own. Wouldn't I swear to them anywhere, and myowiei
brand on them ? And why should you, Terry
after elaning them, seeing as how you are long deadagot's that to
buried, and I am married to your widdy ?" The
you to
what call has the likes of _
you, you ignoramus, you .
d, at any rate, I
know the ins and outs of these matters ? and, Barrett,a abd
have as good a right' to your dead eattle,
in the bog hole of Poulehesare, as you
the best of the bargin,
wife. I won't say, Paddy, who beans
d with that he hits him
whohave dtioe dmhyo nuersitnlgy
but any how I'll have the cattle;'
d Paddy was sot backward,
a polthoge with his cudgel,
for up comes a faction of
you may swear ; but they
e of them Paddy knew to he long
were not Ipeeftoplolentg
atondthue.mhastelvweass,
until their
downwak
strange all out, every:n
e
and berrin'—and y
tehsekoocked out of him, and there he lay
ago dead—shouldn't-13
he went, the fellk n
toov r a it,
t,
beatingwn of fa Paddywas at
senses
you may be sure when he awoke there
until morning, and
neither man nor baste to be seen ; but all around his
headwa, a crop of fairy mushrooms growing. Oeh, then,
if even / look, says pat, ' afther dead cattle, may rnushroonis
be my bed insbead of the best of feathers:—Okray€ Sketches
in Ifrris.

Under Loi