The River on its way towards The River Irwell.

The River is on it's way to join the Irwell under the Arches. The Banks have recently been cleaned of Foliage.

The River Medlock joins the River Irwell.

The River Medlock is joining the River Irwell just by the Arches across the river. I was unable to get near to Photo the event it's blocked off. The Irwell runs on to join the Manchester Ship Canal at Pomona Docks.

The Irwell.

This Large oblong cut out was in the banks of the Irwell was designed for Barges to take away the Soil Waste from Manchester's Houses. Before the joining of the Mersey and Irwell, the Soil was dumped at Irlam several feet thick. After 1740 it was dumped out at sea. Waste was collected by Workers so much per house.If you couldn't pay There was no collection for you. After the Cholera Epidemic the Victorians built Sewers.

The River Irwell.

This is the River Irwell which flows through Manchester on it's way down to the Mersey and Liverpool. Both the River's Mersey and Irwell became Navigable up to Manchester in 1740.

The Rear Door.

This is the Imposing Rear Door to the Town Hall. The people who work in the Hall use this entrance. The General Public are not allowed in this Entrance.

The Extension to the Town Hall.

The Victorian Built Town Hall became to Small for the Town Council. So in 1934 an Extension was planned and was Built, and was in use by 1938. In the Picture we can see two bridges joining them both together.

The Clock Tower.

Alfred Waterhouse was appointed the Architect to build the New Town Hall in 1881. This Clock Tower is 286ft high. The Largest Bell is called the Great Abel which Chimes the Hours is named after Alderman Abel Heywood. Their is total 23 bells in the Carillon.

Old French

This Roundel is well known. With the Motto in Old French "Honi soit qui maly pense" Which translates to "Evil be to him who evil thinks" The story goes that Edward 3rd was Dancing with Jean of Kent, when her Garter fell down to her Ankle. The people in his court sniggered. Edward picked up the Garter put it on, and said "Honi soit qui maly pense" From this came the "Order of the Garter".Which is still in use today.

Mr John Dalton. 1766 to 1844.

In the Vestibule of the Town Hall there is a Statue of the Scientist John Dalton who developed the Atomic Theory, and formulated the Law of Partial Pressure of Gases. He was the First Person to describe Colour Blindness Accurately.

Mr J P Joule Physicist.

This Statue of the Physicist John.Prescott. Joule lived in Salford and worked out Units of Energy or Work, which are still in use today. He died in 1899 and is buried here locally in Brooklands Cemetery. The Statue is in the Vestibule of the Town Hall as you enter.

Sir John Barbirolli.

This is a triptych Statue of Sir John Barbirolli conducting the Halle Orchestra it was Sculptured by Byron Howard was installed in the Town hall in 1975.

Sir John Barbirolli.

These two Faces are part of the triptych of Sir John which was unveiled in 1975.

A Draw Bridge?

Looking around the Courtyard we can see this Bridge. It looks like a Draw Bridge? It has appeared in a number of Films. Film Makers like to film early mornings in the Summer, when the Sun Light beams straight down in too the Courtyard.

The Clock Tower.

This is view from Inside the Courtyard of the Clock Tower which is 286 ft High and the Big Bell is called Abel. It rings on the hour and weighs 12 tons. A police station was also built the courtyard, but is know longer in use.

Courtyard.

The Courtyard built in to the Town Hall are very impressive. The Town Hall took 10 years build and 18 million bricks and was then Faced with Derbyshire Sand Stone. Which Unfortunately got very dirty owing to the Soot from all the Coal Fires. So it has been cleaned. Manchester is now a smokeless zone.

The Town Hall.

Inside the Town Hall "Alfred Waterhouse" the Architect and the Designer, built courtyards which are very ornate. Many films have been shot in these spaces, for back drop scenery, including the Harry Potter Films.

Nuclear Zone

This Blue and Red Plaque is on the wall in the Statue Room of the Town Hall. Manchester Council declared Manchester a Nuclear Free Zone back in 1980. It was the First City to do this in Britain. It is Ironic, that Manchester University came up with the First Blue Print in the World on how to Split the Atom, which led to the making of the First Atom Bomb.

Stair Case.

Inside the Town Hall there are Two Magnificent Stair Cases with Stain Glass Windows and Chandeliers all Built in the in the Gothic Style, up to the Great Hall which is on the First Floor.

Banqueting Hall.

This one of the Banqueting Tables in the Hall which would have held the Meat and Vegetables to be served to the Guests at their Tables.

The Albert Memorial.

From the Second Floor of the Town Hall Prince Albert Statue stands in Albert Square. Queen Victoria refused to open the New Town Hall.

Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms of Manchester, on a Ceiling Roundel, with a Strange White Beastie on the Left with Antlers and on the Right a Rampant Lion.

Coat of Arms

This is Manchester's Coat Arms with the Motto of " Concilio Et Labore " Which
means "By Wisdom and Effort". Nicknames for Manchester are Cottonopolis, Rainy City, and Capital of the North.

The Romans

Ford Madox Brown painted 12 Murals in the Great Hall in the Town Hall. He started 1879 and completed his task shortly before his death in 1893. Each mural is 10ft 6ins by 4ft 9ins a big job for a middle aged man. This one depicts the Romans Building a Fort at Mencenion (Manchester)

Baptism

The Baptism of Edwin of Northumbria at York in AD 627 is depicted in this Mural. The Baptism was watched by his Wife Ethelberga and Family, he had been Converted to Christianity.

The Danes.

This Mural depicts the Eviction of the Danes from Manchester. No evidence has been found that the Danes ever reached Manchester. The nearest they got was York. AD 910.

Flemish Weavers

Flemish Weavers came to Manchester about 1336. They were religiously persecuted in their own country. They were invited to England by Edward the Third's orders in 1337. Queen Philippa of Hainault came to see them in 1363 and Ford Madox Brown depicts the scene.

The Trial of John Wycliffe

In 1377 John Wycliffe translated the Holy Bible in to English from Latin. He was declared a Heretic by the Church and was tried in Court. John of Gaunt his Benefactor helped to defend him. This was the first time English People were able to read the Bible. John of Gaunt in the Picture is the Man with the Sword.

Weights and Measures

In 1556 There was a Proclamation about Standardisation of Weights and Measure. Before that the people got what the Merchants would Sell Them Including rubbish in with the goods being bought. So this was an important piece of Legislation for Poor People.

Astronomer

Ford Madox Brown painted this Mural of the Astronomer watching the Transit of Venus in 1639. All the Mural's (12 of them) are 10ft 6ins by 4ft 9ins so you can see the huge task that (Brown) had. He painted these when he was well in to his Middle Age.

Chetham's

Sir Humphrey Chetham Manor House was built on high ground near the Banks of The Rivers Irwell and Irk, next to Manchester Cathedral. The house was turned in to School for poor children and then in to a Musical School again for Musically Gifted Children which it still is. The mural says this happened in 1640.

Bradshaw's

Mr John Bradshaw went to School in Stockport and became One of the Most Powerful Men in England. He was in to Government and became a High Court Judge. He was one of the Instigators of getting rid of Charles the 1st. Both him and Oliver Cromwell were in cahoots for a time. He took charge of the Duchy of Lancaster. This Mural of him Saving Manchester is not strictly True.

The Flying Shuttle

A Mr John Kay invented the Flying Shuttle in 1735. Which revolutionised weaving and speeded up the process. Ford Madox Brown got some of the Town Council's Wife's to pose for this picture. Once again he painted in his dog in the painting. The angry crowd out side the windows are protesting that the Shuttle would put the Hand Weavers out of work.