building recognition - Manchester, UK Flohr family

[tcw25]

Long shot here, but I wonder if it may be possible to identify the location of this photo of my Flohr/Ellis gt-gt-grandparents and gt-grandaunts, taken around 1905.  Almost certainly in Greater Manchester, UK, where they lived, but confirmed not to be the family's home (in Alderley Edge) or business (on Oxford St), both of which still stand.

[arthurk]

That's quite an impressive building. My first thought is that it's either recently built or a bit too clean to be in an industrial city like Manchester. Is there a mount or anything on the reverse giving details of the photographer, which might help in pinning down a location?

Please could you also give us a bit more on the identities? The two men standing look to be about the same age, so are there two households represented here? I'm thinking that if one of them had a house in Alderley Edge, where did the other live?

Another possibility might be a hotel somewhere, but if they were a wealthy family, that could mean almost anywhere in Europe.

[tcw25]

Unfortunately there is nothing written on the back of the photo.  John H. Flohr, the husband of the older woman and father of the two younger women, who is standing closest to the entrance into the building, was originally from Hamburg, so it's possible this was taken there, but that was also an industrial city and I'm not aware of him ever having gone back.  That said, I understand he travelled at least once each to Zurich and Weisbaden with some family members.   

The two men in the foreground must have been either friends, employees or relatives of John Flohr. The two daughters only married once each, and to the same man (successively); he was closer to them in age.   

[arthurk]

Thanks - I'd wondered if the two more formally dressed men might be brothers, based mainly on what they're wearing; I haven't tried to compare facial features. Or does the bowler hat mark the nearer one out as a senior employee (accountant etc)? What was their line of business?

There are a couple of features about the building which struck me as a bit unusual in this country, though by no means impossible. First, the pillars and balustrade seem to be in a highly polished marble or granite; that might be a sign of wealth, but in even the grandest English houses they're often in the same stone and colour as their surrounds. Second, the roof and cast iron decoration above the bay window seem to me to have a slightly continental vibe.

Even if I'm right about these features, though, I'm not very optimistic of finding where it is.

[Ray T]

Apart from the seated man in the flat cap, the whole thing seems to have an air of “hotel staff” about it. Certainly not anywhere I’m familiar with in Manchester although marble columns and ashlar facades are not uncommon.

[tcw25]

Thank you both for your observations.  I realize I'm unlikely to identify the building, and nothing turns on it other than more insight into the most interesting branch of my family, but the remarkable work of geolocators, notably in connection with the Ukraine war, leaves me with some hope.

To answer @arthurk, the line of business was cotton. 

[california dreamin]

I wish you good luck with this but you do realise Mr Hitler paid a visit to Manchester in 1940 and again in 1941. There was also a lot of regeneration in and around Manchester in the 1960's.

Best wishes

CD

[trish18]

The family seemed to enjoy being in North Wales. I believe the photograph was taken on the steps of the St George’s Hotel, St.George’s Place, Llandudno. It hasn’t changed much!

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01swn/

https://stgeorgeswales.co.uk/history

https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/16658/images

Regards

Trish

[Jool]

Great find Trish, it looks spot on to me.  You still have your magic touch when it comes to finding the locations of old buildings