Richard Grainger - The Creation of Grainger Town

The Creation of Grainger Town

Up until 1834, Grainger had been limited to building individual blocks of buildings, but had become a rich man, owning property worth £200,000. However, in 1831 George Anderson died. Anderson was the owner of Anderson Place, a house and grounds in the north end of the town, inside the town walls and on his death the land became available for development. Grainger’s first step was to buy the Anderson Place from the executors of the estate for £50,000, as well as other additional property for £45,000, but he could not afford to finance the development himself. In 1834 Grainger presented a comprehensive development plan to the town council. Dobson had already submitted a similar plan to the council previously and been rejected, so Grainger needed someone with influence to encourage the council to accept the new plan. He was advised to move his legal account to the solicitor’s firm run by John Clayton, the town clerk. Clayton became Grainger’s advocate and adviser, and the council adopted his scheme within two months. There were objections to the scheme on the grounds that it would involve the demolition of the Theatre Royal in Mosley Street and the Flesh Market, which was less than thirty years old. Grainger countered these objections by offering to build a new Theatre Royal and a new meat and vegetable market.

The plan, covering a 12-acre (49,000 m2) site, was for a commercial and shopping area based on three main thoroughfares, Grey Street, Grainger Street and Clayton Street, leading to the lower part of town. Cross connection between these streets was provided by Hood Street, Shakespeare Street, Market Street and Nelson Street. The triangle formed by Grey Street, Grainger Street and Market Street contained the Central Exchange, originally intended as a corn market but rejected by the council. The new meat market was placed between Grainger Street and Clayton Street with the new vegetable market on the north west side of Clayton Street.

Work began in 1834, with the filling in of the Lort Burn north of Dean Street in order to build Upper Dean Street (later named Grey Street). By late 1835, the new meat market, containing 180 butchers’ shops, was finished, as well as the vegetable market on the other side of Clayton Street. The meat market was later named the ‘Grainger Market’. The rest of the scheme was completed in 1839. It comprised nine streets, 10 inns, 12 public houses, 325 shops, with homes attached, and 40 private houses. The jewel of the scheme was Grey Street, which curves to the left as it sweeps downhill towards Dean Street. Part of the way down, the sweep is interrupted by the projecting portico of the Theatre Royal, built to replace the old Theatre Royal in Mosley Street and designed by John and Benjamin Green. At the top of Grey Street, Grainger placed the column of Grey’s Monument as a focus for the whole scheme. Grainger had plans for a new Guildhall and Courts at the top of Grey Street, above the Theatre Royal, but these were rejected and he built a large bank there instead.

The whole scheme cost £646,000. The buildings were constructed of high quality materials and faced with stone. They were provided with water-closets and sewers, and Grainger had the streets lit with gas and the road surfaces macadamised.

John Dobson is given much of the credit for the detailed design, but other architects also made significant contributions, especially Thomas Oliver and John and Benjamin Green. In addition, much important work was done by two architects in Grainger’s office, John Wardle and George Walker.