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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Yorkshire (West Riding) => Topic started by: Beavances on Sunday 20 August 17 19:46 BST (UK)
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Is anyone able to tell me if buildings referred to in 1859 as the 'Exchange Buildings' would be the same place as I have seen on the internet today housing a rather splendid looking bookshop?
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I know the bookshop you mean (I used to work just round the corner from it): it was formerly the Wool Exchange.
Unfortunately it wasn't built until 1864-67, so not the buildings you refer to.
Bradford Central Library has a very helpful Local History library housed within it: the staff there may be able to help you.
Cati
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Thank you - that does answer my question.
The reason for asking is I have a diary entry (1859) which reads ' ..attended a lecture at the Exchange Buildings'
It was just the thought of him sitting in that building made me want to visit!
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Oh, it's a lovely building: I used to spend far, far too much of my salary in there!
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Not sure when it was built but there was also 'The Exchange' railway station, it says in the link below it was named The 'Exchange' in 1867'. It has since been demolished but it used to be on Drake Street. Not far from the 'Wool Exchange'.
As cati says, the Wool Exchange wasn't built until 1867 but there used to be a Piece Hall in the same area and I am wondering if people used to call that, or nearby buildings,'the exchange' as well. The name 'Exchange' must have been being used for some other building in '1859'?
I think the Piece Hall was demolished in 1858? but a 'Piece Hall Yard' is still there
This is the old Exchange Station
http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/Bradford.htm
(http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/bradford_exchange/bradford_exchange_old4.jpg)
This is a very old sketch of the Bradford Piece Hall (left), probably in about 1800 or even earlier?
(http://www.an-englishmanshome.co.uk/bradford%20piece%20hall%20mid.jpg)
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Ibbetson's Directory of the Borough of Bradford
(1845)
'Exchange Buildings are pleasantly situated in the street which is called by their name. This structure is in the Grecian style. The foundation stone was laid February 3rd, 1826, and the building was finished in 1828, at an expense upwards of £7,000 [....]There is a valuable library, containing upwards of 6,000 volumes, in connection with this institution.'
Some more info in the link
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=XaRhAAAAcAAJ&pg=PR10&lpg=PR10&dq=exchange%20buildings%20bradford&source=bl&ots=08qt9HmvRU&sig=wZSf49Peks8IlEvFbfMfYQ76CHs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjp8tLU2ubVAhWEI8AKHUQlBV44ChDoAQgqMAk#v=onepage&q=exchange%20buildings%20bradford&f=false
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Thankyou for the information. I have just found this ( part of a town trail leaflet on the internet) and it does seem to match up with the same description found by sallyyorks.
Turn left along Kirkgate and make a short detour left up Piccadilly. The Exchange Rooms (21), on the left and to the rear of the Bradford Banking Company building, were built in 1828 in Greek revival style, to provide public newsrooms, billiard rooms and a ballroom. They were later used as a wool exchange and then as Bradford’s Post Office from 1867-87.
So I am now wondering if this building is still there?
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Looks 'Grecian'
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.7951862,-1.7529869,3a,75y,241.27h,112.67t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sVjuqe_ONHbjjTVq9Mp9wbA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DVjuqe_ONHbjjTVq9Mp9wbA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearch.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D392%26h%3D106%26yaw%3D268.20865%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Another view, in the middle
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.7957346,-1.7512932,127a,35y,241.27h,45t/data=!3m1!1e3
The address for the above on google maps is number 1, Piccadilly
Also
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/rgphotography/33660099
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Thankyou again sallyyorks!
I agree that is the building - it matches the description and the details of the location. I had a good old 'walk' around Bradford!
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Although you have now resolved the original question.......
Having walked up and down Piccadilly numerous times your post caught my interest. No 1 is at the bottom of the street, which is very steep, on the right hand side looking downhill. It is now probably one of the few areas of the city which has original Victorian buildings pertaining to the Wool Trade. Although many warehouses and merchants were based over in Little Germany near the then parish church, others were located near the centre. As I recall Piccadilly, on the left hand side housed a number of the big names of wool merchants and the legal profession. Hammond Suddards comes to mind. Now all has gone. Running parallel to Piccadilly is Darley Street (to the west). This was one of the main shopping areas and housed the entrance to the old Kirkgate Market, demolished for the then Arndale Centre. Further up Piccadilly was the back door to Woolworths and also the back door to Marks and Spencers, which allowed you to go through the store into Darley Street. Piccadilly was always a quiet backwater as I recall which housed some of the engines of commerce for the then mighty wool industry behind closed doors.
Hope this is of interest. C
http://www.bradfordtimeline.co.uk/g1833a.jpg
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Thankyou Cir - the extra background information you have added to my original enquiry has helped create am image of the area. I am not familiar with Bradford at all so all local knowledge is really appreciated.