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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
These two Faces are part of the triptych of Sir John which was unveiled in 1975.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
From the Second Floor of the Town Hall Prince Albert Statue stands in Albert Square. Queen Victoria refused to open the New Town Hall.
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.
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.
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)
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.