IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Oxford Street, MANCHESTER, M1 6PP

As the A34 reaches Manchester City Centre it changes from Oxford Road to Oxford Street. Ahead is Manchester Library at St Peter's Square. On the right is the St James' Buildings, a Grade II listed building built by Clegg, Fryer & Penman for the Calico Printers' Association in 1912. Built in the so-called "baroque" style it is a nine storey building containing 1000 rooms.It is clad in Portland stone, with 27 bays opening directly onto Oxford Street. It has an equally huge central gable entrance with rising classical orders, broken pediment and topped by an octagonal lantern. The nine storey office building features an impressive marble reception area with a sweeping staircase. The Rochdale Canal runs underneath it. At one point it was a theatre and music hall. The ninth floor was made up entirely of executive toilets. At the ground level there are now many small shops, including a photographic studio, a grocery, a couple of sandwich bars, and a florist boutique.

With the Palace Theatre on the right.

Oblique view of this Portland stone monster. And I mean that in a nice way. Grand Edwardian Baroque crowned by a central tower. Built in 1912-13 to the designs of Clegg, Fryer & Penman. Grade II listed. It was built for the Calico Printers' Association. Calico printing having waned somewhat, it has been converted into multiple-occupancy modern offices.

Grade II listed. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-454853-st-james-buildings-

Lock#88 is almost surrounded by buildings at the back of Oxford Street. Lock#88 is one of the "Rochdale Nine". When the rest of the Rochdale Canal was closed to navigation in 1952, these nine locks which link the Ashton and Bridgewater Canals, through the centre of Manchester, were the only part of the canal to remain open, forming part of the "Cheshire Ring".

Lock 88, hemmed in by buildings, drops the canal under Oxford Street in the heart of Manchester.

At this time the short stretch of the Rochdale Canal from Castlefields to Ducie Street, linking the Bridgewater and Ashton Canals, was the only navigable stretch, and slipped almost ignored through the city centre. By the early 1990s city centre regeneration had begun to open up some areas and to restore tired warehouse areas, and the canal area was less seedy than it had been ten years before, but the process was still in its early stages.

Lock#88 is almost surrounded by buildings at the back of Oxford Street. Lock#88 is one of the "Rochdale Nine". When the rest of the Rochdale Canal was closed to navigation in 1952, these nine locks which link the Ashton and Bridgewater Canals, through the centre of Manchester, were the only part of the canal to remain open, forming part of the "Cheshire Ring".

The buildings over the canal front onto Oxford Street.

Lock#88 is almost surrounded by buildings at the back of Oxford Street. The lock, which was built for the Rochdale Canal Company in 1804, lowers the canal allowing boats to pass under Oxford Street in the city centre. It is Grade II-listed (Historic England List Entry Number: 1270857 https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1270857 ). Lock#88 is one of the "Rochdale Nine". When the rest of the Rochdale Canal was closed to navigation in 1952, these nine locks which link the Ashton and Bridgewater Canals, through the centre of Manchester, were the only part of the canal to remain open, forming part of the "Cheshire Ring".