Portico Library
Encyclopedia
The Portico Library on Mosley Street
, Manchester
is a subscription library
built in the Greek Revival style between 1802-1806. It is a Grade II* listed building as at 25 February 1952.
It was established following a meeting of Manchester business people in 1802 which resolved to found an "institute uniting the advantages of a newsroom and a library". A visit by four of those men to the Athenaeum
in Liverpool inspired them to achieve a similar institution in Manchester. Money was raised through members' subscriptions and it opened in 1806.
The library, mainly focused on 19th century literature, was designed by Thomas Harrison
, architect of The Lyceum, Liverpool
and built by one of the founders, David Bellhouse
. One of the secretaries was Peter Mark Roget who began his famous Thesaurus here.
Today, the building also accommodates an exhibition space. The ground floor is now tenanted by a public house
though it was let to a bank for many years, while the library remains upstairs with its entrance on Charlotte Street.
Mosley Street
Mosley Street is a street in Manchester, [England. It runs between its junction with Piccadilly and Market Street and St. Peter's Square. Beyond St Peter's Square it becomes Lower Mosley Street....
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
is a subscription library
Subscription library
A subscription library is a library that is financed by private funds either from membership fees or endowments...
built in the Greek Revival style between 1802-1806. It is a Grade II* listed building as at 25 February 1952.
It was established following a meeting of Manchester business people in 1802 which resolved to found an "institute uniting the advantages of a newsroom and a library". A visit by four of those men to the Athenaeum
Liverpool Athenaeum
The Athenaeum originated as a gentlemen's club in Liverpool, England. It has been in continuous use since the end of the 18th century. The club was founded to ensure the up-to-date provision of newspapers and pamphlets, and to create a library for the use of the merchants and professional...
in Liverpool inspired them to achieve a similar institution in Manchester. Money was raised through members' subscriptions and it opened in 1806.
The library, mainly focused on 19th century literature, was designed by Thomas Harrison
Thomas Harrison (architect)
Thomas Harrison was an English architect and engineer. He built a number of bridges, including Grosvenor Bridge in Chester. He also rebuilt parts of Chester and Lancaster castles...
, architect of The Lyceum, Liverpool
The Lyceum, Liverpool
The Lyceum was a gentlemen's club in Bold Street, Liverpool, England. It also housed Europe's first lending library, and in later years was pressed into service as the city’s head post office. The colonnaded front looks out onto Bold street...
and built by one of the founders, David Bellhouse
David Bellhouse
David Bellhouse was an English builder who did much to shape Victorian era Manchester, both physically and socially.Born in Leeds, Bellhouse received no formal education. An autodidact, he taught himself to read and write and the elements of arithmetic and technical drawing...
. One of the secretaries was Peter Mark Roget who began his famous Thesaurus here.
Today, the building also accommodates an exhibition space. The ground floor is now tenanted by a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
though it was let to a bank for many years, while the library remains upstairs with its entrance on Charlotte Street.
Further reading
- Hartwell, Clare, Pevsner Architectural Guides: Manchester (2002) Yale University PressYale University PressYale University Press is a book publisher founded in 1908 by George Parmly Day. It became an official department of Yale University in 1961, but remains financially and operationally autonomous....