Letters Relating to the Plan

C G B Corbett

Summary

Letters relating to the plan of Old Ancoats Hall. See 1918.110/1 for Map/Plan. Both Letters are on headed paper. They are pasted, one above the other, on a board for display, with a hand-lettered title below, 'PLAN of OLD ANCOATS HALL 1778 / LETTERS RELATING TO THE PLAN' First letter: Printed to the left: ‘E. CORBETT, ARBITRATOR, & C. / ----------- / J. & C. G. B. CORBETT, / SANITARY ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, / SURVEYORS, ESTATE AGENTS, / AND VALUERS. / ---------- / TELEPHONE NO. 537.’ Printed to the right, in copperplate script: ‘ ‘9 Albert Square, Manchester,’ Date filled, in ink, in a line with the ‘18’ ready printed: ‘5th March 1888’ Written in brown ink, possibly used to be black: ‘Dear Sir As you seemed to take much interest in the former state of Ancoats Hall, I thought you would like to have the enclosed tracing showing the premises & surroundings as they were 100 years ago. At that time the Old Hall seems to have been on the site of the present building, and to be very similar in general outline of plan. I believe it was a timbered house of the old english style, as may be seen from some of the views shown in the Exhibition last year [p2] Hoping to avail myself of many future opportunities to see more of the interesting and valuable works collected by your Comtee. I am Yours truly Chris G B Corbett’ The Curator Art Museum Ancoats Hall P.S. We shall be glad to shew the Map to you or any of your friends if you care to call here at any time. CGBC Second letter: Printed to the left: ‘E. CORBETT, ARBITRATOR, & C. / ----------- / J. & C. G. B. CORBETT, / SANITARY ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, / SURVEYORS, ESTATE AGENTS, / AND VALUERS. / ---------- / TELEPHONE NO. 537.’ Printed to the right, in copperplate script: ‘ ‘9 Albert Square, Manchester,’ Date filled, in ink, in a line with the ‘18’ ready printed: ‘7th March 1888’ Written in brown ink, possibly used to be black: ‘Mr J Brooke Dear Sir Ancoats Hall I find on referring to Johnsons Map of Manchester 1819 that the buildings were then almost entirely the same as those shewn on “Green” But in the revised edition of Johnson’s Map published in 1838 the Hall is shewn more like what it is now. This appears to confirm the information supplied to you that the Hall was rebuilt about 1820 to 1827. I think the probability is that Mr Kenneday is mistaken in [p2] supposing that the Old Hall and the “Black & White” building opposite the present Hall were the same. My father (aet. 75) remembers a black & white inn adjoining the bridge over the Medlock when he was a boy about 60 to 65 years ago, and probably there was more than one house of that style in the neighbourhood at that time. The views of the Old Ancoats Hall all fit to a building on the site of the present Hall, and the evidence of “Greens” map confirms them.