In 1799, two business leaders from Manchester, Michael Ward and Robert Robinson, visited Liverpool to explore an exciting new venture - the Athenaeum. The building stood in the centre of Liverpool, offering its members the opportunity to read the day's newspapers, borrow the latest books, and spaces for conversation and debate. Robinson and Ward returned home concerned Manchester was being left behind and convinced that a similar library should be built for the city.
For the next six years, the pair met with Manchester's booming business community, thinkers, educators, politicians, inventors, doctors, lawyers, and scientists to build a grouping of 400 investors to make the idea a reality. These investors became known as members of the Library, with many of them also registered with the newly formed Manchester Chamber of Commerce. (One of the exciting aspects of our new cultural partnership with the Chamber will be overlap of our membership archives). Together these members established the Portico Library and Newsroom in 1806 on the corner of Mosley and Charlotte Street, deemed at the time the grandest position in the city. Spanning three floors with four grand ionic columns at its entrance and a bejewelled saucer dome, the building held at its peak over 75,000 books, including first editions of Dickens, Darwin, Gaskell and the Brontë sisters. All of which we still hold in the Library.
Today, you'd be forgiven for missing the Portico if you were walking down Mosley Street. Visitors have to access the Library through a side door rather than through the original columns - a product of the Library leasing its ground floor and basement to the Bank of Athens in 1920 (now the Bank pub). Portico visitors must also climb 32 steps to reach the reception, but once inside they are captivated by the 19th century surroundings, public exhibitions and events, cafe, and member facilities. The Library is open free to the public six days a week, Monday through Saturday, and despite our poor access we welcomed over 27,000 visitors in 2024. Many came from across the globe looking to learn more about Manchester's 19th century past through our public activities or enjoy a drink in the city's oldest lunch spot.
In 2017, the Portico became a registered charity and since this point has sought to remedy the fundamental issues putting one of Manchester's longest-running institutions at serious risk. We must improve our access so that everyone can enjoy the Library; meet the growing demands of our users; better protect the books and building; and ensure the Portico has an environmentally sustainable future. To do this, we have sought the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and in 2024 they awarded the Portico £453,964 to help design and test our vision to be the most accessible, sustainable, and dynamic historic library in the UK.
Called Portico Reunited, this project represents a once in a generation opportunity to secure the Library's long-term future. Over the next few months, I will be writing further articles to give updates on how the Reunited project is progressing, sharing our discoveries, and reaching out for support. Similar to two-hundred years ago, we will be once again looking to Manchester's Chamber of Commerce to help build a transformed Portico.
If you would like to learn more about Reunited, please visit our website or perhaps attend one of our Reunited events.