The Towers (Manchester) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Towers |
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The decision to build the Manchester Ship Canal was made here.
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| Town or city | Manchester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 53°24′29″N 2°13′34″W / 53.4081°N 2.2261°W |
| Construction started | 1868 |
| Completed | 1872 |
| Cost | £50,000 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Thomas Worthington |
The Towers is a historic building in Didsbury, Manchester, England. It was built as a grand home and later became a famous research center. This center helped develop new ways to make cotton products.
The building was also known as the Shirley Institute and then the BTTG. The Shirley Institute started in 1920. It cost £10,000 to set up. It was created for the British Cotton Industry Research Association. The Towers is a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical building. It is about 6 miles (10 km) south of central Manchester.
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The Towers: A Historic Home
The Towers was built between 1868 and 1872. It cost around £50,000 to build. Thomas Worthington designed the house. He was a well-known architect. The house was built for John Edward Taylor. He was the editor and owner of a famous newspaper, Manchester Guardian.
The building has a special look. It is made of red brick and red terra cotta. An expert named Pevsner described it as "grossly picturesque." This means it had a very unique and striking appearance.
Birthplace of the Manchester Ship Canal
The Towers was once the home of a very important engineer. His name was Daniel Adamson. He had a big idea to connect Manchester to the sea. He wanted to make the Irwell and Mersey rivers deep enough for large ships. This idea led to the creation of the Manchester Ship Canal.
In 1882, Daniel Adamson held a meeting at The Towers. He invited many important people. These included business leaders, politicians, and engineers. They discussed how to build the canal. Two engineers, Hamilton Fulton and Edward Leader Williams, presented their plans. Williams' plan was chosen.
It took a lot of effort to get the canal built. There was strong opposition from Liverpool and railway companies. But finally, a special law was passed in 1885. This law allowed the Manchester Ship Canal project to go ahead.
The Shirley Institute: Cotton Research
In 1920, The Towers became the home of the Shirley Institute. This institute was part of the British Cotton Industry Research Association. It became a leading center for new ideas in cotton production. Scientists and engineers worked there to improve cotton fabrics. They also found better ways to make cotton products.
A man named William Greenwood helped buy the building. He was a Member of Parliament for Stockport. He gave a lot of money towards the £10,000 cost. He asked that the building be named after his daughter, Shirley.
The Towers Today: A Business Park
In the early 2000s, the land around The Towers was redeveloped. A new business park was built there. Today, The Towers is still an important part of this business park. It continues to be a landmark in Didsbury.
