St George's Hall

BY ROBERT BOULT ESQ ARCHITECT LIVERPOOL

THE VENTILATION

Liverpool Mercury Sept 19th 1854

It is difficult to convey to those who have not paid some attention to chemistry the varied questions that arise in dealing with an invisible atmosphere, and applying a systematic plan of ventilation to such are large building as St George's Hall and the assize courts. But even those who do not possess any technical knowledge on such subjects can very well understand that if an individual respires 20 times a minute or 1200 an hour, then 2600 people attending the ceremony and musical performances at the inauguration of St George's Hall [about 6hrs] require nearly 20 million mouthfuls of fresh air, to say nothing of other minor points.

The magnitude and importance of this question did not escape the attention of the committee, and in 1841 at the suggestion of Mr ELMES, Dr REID was consulted and explained his views in respect to buildings of this class, and the course he proposed especially for St George's Hall and the assize courts. His plans were adopted by the committee at that early period, before a stone had been laid, and he has continued ever since to direct this department.

The principal supply of air is obtained from the east side of the building, being conveyed thence by large channels to four great flues, extending, north, south, east and west, under the great hall.

There any desirable degree of temperature or moisture may be communicated to the air, and by a series of valves, the air may be made to act upon the great hall exclusively, on the law courts, on the north and south vestibules, on the concert room, or on the passages that may surround them.

From the immense amount of solid stone in different places, auxiliary coils of steam apparatus are placed in many districts, but when they have brought up the temperature to any required point there action is generally discontinued before the building is occupied, and the requisite temperature sustained by the more mild hot water apparatus.

As the basement of the great hall is the principal recipient of fresh air, so the roof is the great receptacle of vitiated air from the whole building, with very few local exceptions.

The great hall discharges its vitiated air into a central chamber over the ceiling, the sides of which are glazed with glass louvers. An opera glass directed to the various apertures in the ceiling will reveal indicators in perpetual movement that are scarcely visible to the naked eye, and explain at a glance, according to the manner in which they are set, the precise action of the ventilation at the moment of examination.

At the four angles of the attic over the great hall are four peculiar shafts, which are invisible from without, except on the top of the roof. They are each divided in several portions, one commanding the smoke flues at each angle, another the discharge from the crown court, another from the civil court etc, etc. The arrangements there have been the subject of great care, from the intensity and impetuosity of the currents and eddies that play about the angles of the roof in severe weather, and from the necessity of not permitting anything to rise above the external wall. But by constructing three series of iron louvers in each of these angles, and protecting them by a carved iron deflector, that turns back the strong currents that run between the roof and the parapet wall [or attic], all difficulties have been overcome.

By these arrangements, no unsightly chimneys, interrupt externally, the general harmony of the design. At the same time smokeless-fuel, carefully prepared so as to give a bright and cheerful fire, prevents all visible smoke or vapour, which is so offensive in a classical edifice.

Many other peculiarities are presented in the various room, where are individual flues or fireplaces, extending down to the flat fender, not above an inch high, and constructed so that one can walk as easily on it or rest anything on it as easily as the floor.

But, while all the arrangements can be put into operation by the power placed on the discharged flues and the action of the air of respiration, when the apartments are crowded, a steam engine and four fans have been provided, each fan 10ft in diameter and 5ft wide, by which a superior action is given to the whole apparatus, and means secured to moderate the influence of the air at the doors.

These appliances have been in constant operation upon the crown and civil courts during the last three years, though they could not be fully applied to the hall until the decorations were finished

In several of the minor apartments the same principles are applied which have been described in reference to the hall and courts, as in the library, the sheriff's or vice-chancellor's court, and the contiguous apartments. Resources have also been secured for the direct discharge of air from each individual apartment, though these are not provided with that systematic supply and discharge that are given in the great hall and law courts.

Such is a short outline of the principal arrangements adopted for ventilation. The details of the hall, the individual courts, and concert room, must be seen to be understood. The peculiarities of the style of architecture and the decorations rendered numerous special provisions indispensable in each. The leading fresh-air flues are of great magnitude, and a great company has walked erect in them without inconvenience, and many have visited these channels who never anticipated meeting with their friends in a flue.

The vitiated-air flues in the angles of the roof, have altogether, an area of several hundred feet, exclusive of the discharge from the great hall.

It may be here mentioned that there are 219 steps from the floor of the carriage porch, at the prisoners entrance in the basement, to the lead flat roof of the vitiated-air chamber.

THE EXTERIOR

The position occupied by this building is one of the most commanding in Liverpool. It is built upon a platform, erected on the edge of a sharp declivity towards the port, which is to the westward. As is well known the heath which formerly constituted the site of Lime Street, of Victoria Place, and of this edifice, was the vantage ground from which the town was besieged in the civil war. Could the cavaliers and roundheads note the changes which have ensued since their departure, they would doubtless be much astonished as well as much gratified.

The point from which the best view of the exterior can be obtained is the top of Elliott St [in Lime St], from which the south portico, surmounting a lofty flight of steps, and the long facade, agreeably diversified by an intermixture of circular and square columns, the whole crowned by the lofty double attic, have a noble appearance, and present a combination of light and shade which is highly agreeable.

It is from this point that the stranger should make his first acquaintance with this great national work, for such it is, though it has been erected from the resources of a provincial corporation, from the purposes to which it is applied, and the manner in which they are provided for.

The south portico is pseudo-octostylar dipteral, that is the columns are disposed eight in the front rank and four in the second. The floor of the portico is at a considerable elevation above the ground at the south of the building, which gives it dignity. The colonnade is surmounted by a pediment, the tympanum of which is filled with allegorical sculpture, designed by Mr COCKERELL which may be thus interpreted :- In the centre is Britannia enthroned, in her left hand she offers the olive branch to the four quarters of the globe, with her right hand she protects her native industry, the arts and agriculture. On here right are Ceres and Apollo in a car. Domestic happiness is represented by a labourer, who holds a plough, and his wife with her distaff, his child stands at the man's knee. The manufacturers, especially metallurgy, are indicated by labourers at the anvil, who have been fabricating arms, an anchor etc. To the left of Britannia, Mercury, representing commerce, presents Europe, Asia and America, and lastly Africa, on her bended knee, and leading a young boy, acknowledges the liberty she owes to Britannia. Peace lends her benignant presence, and commercial industry, arduously employed on bales and goods of various kinds completes the group. The background is filled with barges, a hive, vases, and emblems of various kinds. The sculpture is executed in Caen stone, and the estimated cost was 3500 pounds. On the entablature beneath the pediment is the following inscription. "Artibus, Legibus, Consiliis, Locum, Municipes, Constituerunt. Anno Domini M,DCCCXLI ["The municipality have provided this place for counsel, art, and laws."]

The facade to Lime Street is the principal front of the edifice, and though the western side presents a more commanding position, and by some persons is considered the proper aspect for the principal front, it must be remembered that the railway station is the great approach into the town, and that it would be objectionable to turn the back of the building upon the numerous strangers who would thus gain a very undesirable first impression. The facade consists of a poly-stylar-pseudo-dipteral colonnade in the centre, that is, with the depth of two columniations, but with only a single rank of 16 columns, flanked be recesses, having an advanced screen of detached antis, or square columns in antis, the spaces between the columns are built up to about one-third of their height. The colonnade is the length of the great hall, the remainder of the front consists of the screens, each terminated by narrow projections, prepared for being slightly relieved by sculpture at some future time. Over the great hall is the double attic before spoken of, which is built to conceal the roof of the hall, but when it is relieved by the addition of statues on the centre of the lower attic, the effect of the whole edifice will be greatly improved. The lower attic is continued all round the building.

At the north end, that fronting Shaw's Brow there are eight columns in antis disposed in a semicircle, the inter-calumniations being built up the entire height, to form the north vestibule. The entrances, three in number, are on the level of the street, and are formed in a screen wall advanced beyond the main wall, the intermediate space being covered in to form loggie to the steps leading up to the vestibule.

The west front, that to St Johns churchyard, consists of a screen of 12 detached antis in the centre, the spaces between which are built up to form the walls of the library and sheriffs and vice-chancellors courts. The flanks are nearly astylar [or columnless], except pilasters at the angles of projections, and quite plain, with preparation for sculpture.

The exterior taken as a whole is, Grecian Anglicised, that is, the Grecian type is to some extent adapted to the exigencies of this climate, and the requirements of the present age. In the eastern and southern fronts the treatment is more severely classical than in the northern and western, windows are almost entirely excluded, the rooms on that side chiefly used as ante-rooms, being lighted from above, the only exceptions are two, four light windows in the east portico, but these are so treated that they entirely harmonise with the prevailing sentiment. I am aware that the isolated antis, or square columns are exceptional with rigid classicalists, but there use in this instant seems justified by their position in the line of the wall. And by the contrast they represent to the fluted circular columns of the porticos. In the other parts windows are freely introduced wherever they are requisite, so that there is an agreeable variety in the composition of the whole, no two views of the building being similar. Mr HUGGINS has made some excellent remarks upon the increased effect this edifice will gain by the liberal introduction of sculpture. The spaces on the screen wall between the antis are appropriate positions for single figures, while the wall space gives scope for bassi-relievi. For many years to come Liverpool may apply portions of her surplus income to commemorate her most worthy sons, or scenes from her own or Englands history

THE CONTRACTORS FOR THE WORK

It would be unjust towards those by whom this important building has been erected, if they should be entirely unnoticed. I believe the following is a correct list of the several contractors :-

The carcase, Mr John TOMKINSON

After the carcase was completed the brickwork and joiner's work was carried out by Messers FURNISS and KILPIN, the mason's work by Messers NUTTALL and HARGREAVES

Plumbing, Mr W. EDWARDSON

Plastering Mr Thomas JONES

Painting Messers TROUTBRECK and WANNOP

Interior ironwork, Messers WEBBER and Co

Exterior ironwork, COALBROOKDALE Company

The exterior carving, Mr KELSEY Snr, deceased.

All the polished granite has been supplied by Messers MACDONALD and LESLIE of Aberdeen

All the internal ornaments have been modelled by Mr C. S. KELSEY. Mr W. H. WORDLEY, resident architect, and Mr HUGHES, for many years clerk of the works.

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