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THE GROSVENOR PICTURE PALACE stands on the corner of Grosvenor Street
and Oxford Road.
Built in 1915, this former cinema now belongs to the Firkin chain of
pubs and has been re-developed inside on a cinematic theme.
The exterior still needs some renovation.
EWM says: Some people think this ceramic tiled picture palace from the
WW1 era is an eyesore, with its sickly green and yellow exterior. Though
not Manchester's foremost architectural gem, it nevertheless captures
the character and atmosphere of early 20th century Manchester. Its present
use as a bar at least celebrates its past.
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THIS IS WHERE OXFORD ROAD meets Grosvenor Street, off the picture to
the left, and Cavendish Street on the right.
In front of us is the Mabel Tylecote building, part of Manchester Metropolitan
University, whose name and insignia appear on the brick facade on the
right. This building dates from the late 60's/early 70's.
Further down Oxford Road on the left is the Manchester Aquatics Centre,
and in the distance, Manchester University Mathematics Building.
EWM SAYS: Compare this product of the 1960's with the 1830 building below,
influenced by the ancient world. Which building do you prefer?
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THIS IS THE FORMER CHORLTON-ON-MEDLOCK TOWN HALL, designed by Richard
Lane.
The
building, with its superb Doric Portico dates from 1830 and was used as
a town hall up till the time when Chorlton-on-Medlock was incorporated
into Manchester. Macclesfield Town Hall (right) dates from the same era,
and looks very similar though with Ionic columns.
In
1970, the original interior was removed and a new structure added to the
rear, part of Manchester Polytechnic, now Manchester Metropolitan University.
The former Stockport Infirmary (left) has also been modernised in this
way.
Where the municipal offices of Chorlton-on-Medlock town council used
to be, you'll now find a university canteen.
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THESE BLUE AND RED PLAQUES adorn the front facade of the former Chorlton-on-Medlock
town hall, Cavendish Street, now part of the campus of Manchester Metropolitan
University (formerly Manchester Polytechnic). Cavendish Street is the
continuation of Grosvenor Street.
The blue plaque bears the coat of arms of the City of Manchester, with
the words: "THE SITE OF CHORLTON-UPON-MEDLOCK TOWN HALL 1830-1970
RICHARD LANE ARCHITECT fl. 1815 - 1858 HIS DORIC PORTICO STILL REMAINS."
The red plaque also bears the City of Manchester crest, with the words:
"FIFTH PAN AFRICAN CONFERENCE WAS HELD HERE 15th - 21st OCTOBER 1945
DECISIONS TAKEN AT THIS CONFERENCE LED TO THE LIBERATION OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
A rectangular red plaque underneath has the additional words:
"PARTICIPANTS IN THAT HISTORIC EVENT INCDLUDED RAS MAKONNEN, KWAME
NKRUMAH, JOMO KENYATTA, AMY CARVEY, W.E. DU BOIS, GEORGE PADMORE"
EWM says: I hope that by transcribing the text written on these plaques,
people doing a search for the above will find these pictures and discover
the significance of this historic Manchester location.
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THE SCHOOL OF ART, CAVENDISH STREET is now part of Manchester Metropolitan
University, formerly Manchester Polytechnic.
The attractive building has a typically Victorian neo-gothic ecclesiastical
appearance and dates probably from around the 1870's or 1880's.
It is here that the famous artist Adolphe Valette used to teach art.
His dazzlingly atmospheric paintings of fog-bound Manchester provide a
precious view of the city as it looked in the first decade of the 20th
century.
Below left is the blue plaque put up by the City of Manchester local
council. It bears the words: "ADOLPHE VALETTE 1876 - 1942 FRENCH
PAINTER AND TEACHER IN THE SCHOOL OF ART 1907 - 1920".
Lower right is the street sign CAVENDISH STREET - possibly the original
one dating from the 19th century and much the worse for wear.
The junction of Oxford Road and Grosvenor Street is just off the picture
to the left.
EWM says: Why do those student bill poster people have to stick their
notices on every free bit of wall surface in and around the campus area,
including this sign?
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WE ARE STANDING ON OXFORD ROAD between the junction of Grosvenor Street
and Oxford Road, and the Mancunian Way flyover, whose shadow we can see
on the road in front of us.
Here are four views taken in zoom view a few minutes apart from each
other.
In all four pictures we can see the Dance House Theatre, formerly Regal
Twin cinema on the left, the railway bridge next to Oxford Rd station,
upper left, Whitworth West apartment building under construction, staight
ahead in the distance, the Central Library, on the right the terracotta
exterior of the Palace Hotel (Refuge Building). This part of Oxford Road
drops down where it crosses the River Medlock. The BBC building is off
the picture to the right.
In the upper left picture, some students are silhouetted as they cross
Oxford Road. In the photo upper right there are six buses visible, including
an 86A to Chorlton operated by Stagecoach. In the lower left photo there's
a Stagecoach 250 to the Trafford Centre and lower right a 44 to Gatley
operated by UK North
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THIS IS GROSVENOR ST looking east from the Cavendish St side of Oxford
Road. On the left is the Sugden Sports Centre, on the right the white
tiled facade of Oddfellows Hall, home of the UMIST English Language Teaching
Centre.
Grosvenor Street is is a one way street along its full length. Here,
a car waits at the Oxford Road traffic lights while pedestrians cross.
Buses both on their way into and out of the city centre pass from east
to west along the street.
In the distance above modern warehouse roofs on Downing Street we see
the overhead gantries of the railway viaduct leading out of Piccadilly
Station (formely London Rd). Rising up into the sky some two miles away
in Beswick are the cranes of the Commonwealth Games stadium construction
site.
So while rooted in Manchester's past, Grosvenor Street points towards
the future. What changes will occur in the next two hundred years?
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