[143865] Rochdale Town Hall : Mayor's Parlour - Restoring the Glory

Town Hall, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, 1866-71.

By William Henry Crossland (1835-1908).

Grade l listed.

Mayor's Parlour.

 

Restoring the Glory.

Chemical conservation.

The conservators removed surface dirt and dust, with water based aqueous cleaning methods. This included using chemicals mixed with water. They used Ammonium Hydroxide, Tri-ammonium Citrate and Surfactants. They created specific solutions to use on different areas and gently removed years of grime.

 

Mayor's Parlour.

In the past, coming into the Mayor's Parlour was a privilege not open to many. Entering the parlour brings you into a very different part of the building where civic business was to be carried out. It's not exactly your usual office space. The Mayor's Parlour is where Rochdale mayors have worked, received guests and entertained. This highlights what the role of mayor involved - it was a combination of business and hospitality.

 

The decor is different too. It's much more Victorian front room than council office and was very fashionable at the time. The original mayor's desk and chair are still here. They were designed especially and made by Rochdale cabinet maker William Snowden.

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Rochdale Town Hall is widely recognised as being one of the finest municipal buildings in the country. Architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner described the building as possessing a "rare picturesque beauty".

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