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General Specification of Works to be done at / the Premises in King Street Manchester agreeably / to the Drawings subjoined and numbered from / 1 to 12
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Reference number
SM (56) 56/3
Purpose
General Specification of Works to be done at / the Premises in King Street Manchester agreeably / to the Drawings subjoined and numbered from / 1 to 12
Aspect
56 Specification
Signed and dated
- Lincolns Inn Fields / 10 April 1830 and J. S. (John Soane) / 26 May 1830
Hand
George Bailey (1792-1860, pupil then assistant 1806-37, curator 1837-60)
Watermark
C Ansell 1825
Notes
The 'Specification of Works', a document giving detailed instructions for the clerk of works and contractors of what work is to be done, is 32 pages long and is divided into several parts. The first part (pages 1-5) gives instructions on the preparatory and initial work to be carried out. This includes the removal of the lobby and wall linings, partitions and sash frames, the demolition of the old warehouses and outhouses, the laying of new foundations at the rear of the premises, and the construction of a new servants' water closet, dust hole, knife room, coach house and stables.
Thereafter the 'Specification' is divided into the following sections containing instructions for different parts of the premises:
p. 6) 'New entrance doorway to the bank'
p. 7) 'New buildings'
p. 10) 'Window linings &c'
p. 10) 'Door linings'
p. 10) 'Doors'
p. 10) 'Skirting'
p. 11) 'Hall'
p. 11) 'Lobby to servants hall'
p. 12) 'Kitchen &c'
p. 12) 'Scullery'
p. 12) 'Pantry &c'
p. 13) 'Knife house, servants water closet &c'
p. 13) 'Lobby adjoining scullery'
p. 14) 'Servants bed chambers'
p. 15) 'Stable'
p. 16) 'Loft'
p. 16) 'Coach house &c'
p. 16) 'Back entrance doorway'
p. 17) 'Clerks water closet, sink &c'
p. 18) 'Porters room'
p. 19) 'Agents water closet'
p. 20) 'Passage'
p. 20) 'Agents private room'
p. 21) 'Bank'
p. 22) 'Lobby at entrance to bank'
p. 29) 'One pair back bed chamber'
p. 29) 'Water closet'
p. 30) 'Two pair floor'
References to relevant drawings (catalogued below, drawings 57-84) are made throughout, for example, 'two inch deal four pannel doors, moulded both sides (as shewn in drawing no. 10)' (p. 10) and 'sash frame, sashes, shutters, linings and iron guards, see drawing no. 12'.
Several more general instructions are given, for example 'the whole of the ceilings of the several new rooms, passages, lobbies, water closets and staircase, and likewise the strings of stairs, excepting only the ceilings of the coach house, stable, hay loft and coal house, to be of lath & plaster, floated & set and whited' (p. 26).
Further instructions are laid out on pages 31 and 32: 'the contractor must likewise provide and fix proper & sufficient hoards to enclose the back of the premises during the progress of the works and reinstate such of the paving in Chancery Lane as may be disturbed by the alteration of the building. No old materials to be used in any part of the work excepting those particularly directed in this specification. The contractor to state the time by which he will engage that the whole of the works shall be completed.'
The 'Specification' is initialled and dated '10 April 1830' (the date on which it was sent along with 12 drawings to John Reid, the agent of the Manchester branch bank from 1828), and 'J.S. 26 May 1830' (the date on which Thomas Heath was instructed to go and superintend the work at Manchester).
Thereafter the 'Specification' is divided into the following sections containing instructions for different parts of the premises:
p. 6) 'New entrance doorway to the bank'
p. 7) 'New buildings'
p. 10) 'Window linings &c'
p. 10) 'Door linings'
p. 10) 'Doors'
p. 10) 'Skirting'
p. 11) 'Hall'
p. 11) 'Lobby to servants hall'
p. 12) 'Kitchen &c'
p. 12) 'Scullery'
p. 12) 'Pantry &c'
p. 13) 'Knife house, servants water closet &c'
p. 13) 'Lobby adjoining scullery'
p. 14) 'Servants bed chambers'
p. 15) 'Stable'
p. 16) 'Loft'
p. 16) 'Coach house &c'
p. 16) 'Back entrance doorway'
p. 17) 'Clerks water closet, sink &c'
p. 18) 'Porters room'
p. 19) 'Agents water closet'
p. 20) 'Passage'
p. 20) 'Agents private room'
p. 21) 'Bank'
p. 22) 'Lobby at entrance to bank'
p. 29) 'One pair back bed chamber'
p. 29) 'Water closet'
p. 30) 'Two pair floor'
References to relevant drawings (catalogued below, drawings 57-84) are made throughout, for example, 'two inch deal four pannel doors, moulded both sides (as shewn in drawing no. 10)' (p. 10) and 'sash frame, sashes, shutters, linings and iron guards, see drawing no. 12'.
Several more general instructions are given, for example 'the whole of the ceilings of the several new rooms, passages, lobbies, water closets and staircase, and likewise the strings of stairs, excepting only the ceilings of the coach house, stable, hay loft and coal house, to be of lath & plaster, floated & set and whited' (p. 26).
Further instructions are laid out on pages 31 and 32: 'the contractor must likewise provide and fix proper & sufficient hoards to enclose the back of the premises during the progress of the works and reinstate such of the paving in Chancery Lane as may be disturbed by the alteration of the building. No old materials to be used in any part of the work excepting those particularly directed in this specification. The contractor to state the time by which he will engage that the whole of the works shall be completed.'
The 'Specification' is initialled and dated '10 April 1830' (the date on which it was sent along with 12 drawings to John Reid, the agent of the Manchester branch bank from 1828), and 'J.S. 26 May 1830' (the date on which Thomas Heath was instructed to go and superintend the work at Manchester).
Level
Drawing
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