Basic Site Details Name: | Glasgow Public Halls | City or county: | Glasgow | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | A Listed | Grid ref: | | Notes: | See also separate entry for the original Mitchell Library, adjoining.
Cost: £80,000. Sculptors: John and William Mossman. Bought by the Corporation of the City of Glasgow, 1889. Cost of work c.1910 (additions, alterations and remodelling, and organ case): £23,000. Organ case of Austrian oak, 75 feet long by 40 feet high, and one of the largest in Europe. Burnt 2 November 1962 and site absorbed into Mitchell Library. | Alternative NamesThe following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | Name | Current name? | Notes | | Mitchell Library and Theatre | Yes | | | Mitchell Theatre and Library | Yes | | | St Andrew's Halls | | | | St Andrews Halls | | |
Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Hall | | |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | Berkeley Street | Yes | | | Granville Street | Yes | | | Kent Road | Yes | | | North Street | Yes | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1873 | | | Original Cunningham design - before job taken over by Campbell Douglas | | 22 May 1875 | | Foundation stone | | | 13 November 1877 | | Opened | | | After 1901 | Before 1910 | | Additions; alterations and remodelling of Grand Hall; new Austrian oak organ case | | 2 November 1962 | | | Gutted by fire | | October 1969 * | | Scheme accepted | Approval given for extension scheme | | June 1972 | 1980 | Build/construction | Reconstructed. Mitchell library extended and halls restored. | | 3 November 1982 * | | Opened | Extension formally opened by HRH Princess Alice. Mitchell now largest public reference library in Europe. |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Campbell Douglas | | A | 1872 | 1877 | Cunningham of Liverpool took the design to sketch-plan stage; the degree to which his scheme influenced the final design is not known, but Campbell Douglas was his 'associate' from the beginning | | Campbell Douglas & Sellars | | A | 1872 | 1877 | Cunningham of Liverpool took the design to sketch-plan stage; the degree to which his scheme influenced the final design is not known, but Campbell Douglas was his 'associate' from the beginning | | James Sellars | | A | 1872 | 1877 | Cunningham of Liverpool took the design to sketch-plan stage; the degree to which his scheme influenced the final design is not known, but Campbell Douglas was his 'associate' from the beginning | | John Cunningham | | C | 1873 | | Original design - before job taken over by Campbell Douglas | | William Leiper | | | 1898 | | Redecoration | | Alexander Beith McDonald | | B | c. 1910 | | Organ case | | Glasgow Office of Public Works Architectural Department (later Glasgow Corporation City Engineer's Department) | | B | c. 1910 | | Additions; alterations and remodelling of Grand Hall; new Austrian oak organ case | | John Alfred Taylor Houston | | B | c. 1910 | | Additions; alterations and remodelling of Grand Hall; new Austrian oak organ case | | (Sir) Frank Mears & Partners | | H | 1966 | 1980 | Reconstructed. Mitchell library extended and halls restored. Appointed in 1966 to prepare plans for extension, working with librarians. | | Horace Arthur Rendel Govan | | H | 1966 | 1980 | Reconstructed. Mitchell library extended and halls restored. Partner in charge. | | Robert James Naismith | | H | 1966 | 1980 | Reconstructed. Mitchell library extended and halls restored. Only minor role - Rendel Govan in charge. | | Hugh William Jack Crawford | | H | 1969 | 1980 | Reconstructed. Mitchell library extended and halls restored |
ClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Glasgow Public Halls Company | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Allison, William A G | 1978 | The Mitchell Library, Glasgow: The Old and the New | | Glasgow District Libraries | | | Glasgow District Libraries | 1982 | The Mitchell Library | | | | | Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts | 1875 | | | | 617 ('the late John Cunningham' - posthumous exhibit) and Campbell Douglas & Sellars) | | Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A | 1996 | A History of Scottish Architecture | | | p583 | | McKenzie, Ray | 2002 | Public sculpture of Glasgow (Public sculpture of Great Britain series) | | Liverpool University Press | | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | | | RIBA | 1975 | RIBA Directory of practices | | | | | Williamson, Riches, Higgs | 1990 | Glasgow (The Buildings of Scotland) | | | p279 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Architects Journal | 3 January 1912 | | | Organ case | | British Architect | 2 January 1880 | | | | | Builder | 22 May 1875 | XXXIII | | | | Builder | 1 December 1877 | XXXV | | | | Builders Journal | 12 January 1898 | | | Leiper work | | Building News | 8 December 1876 | | | | | RIBA Journal | 1910 | v17 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Courtesy of Margery Dobson | Information via 'Contact Us' on website | | Sent May 2012 | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 33036 | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | John Alfred Taylor Houston: L v2 no155 (microfilm reel 29) & F no1794 (microfilm reel 14) |
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