Description

5J349ONW DALE STREET

392/48/10109 Nos.31 to 33, Trident House

GV II

Range of offices with ground floor shops, formerly political club. 1879, with late C20 remodelling. By
Edmund Kirby, architect, of Liverpool for the Reform Club of the liberal Party. Smooth red brick, [aid to Flemish Bond, with ashlar sandstone and polished granite dressings. Wide gable chimney stacks and Welsh state roof coverings.
PLAN: Parallel ranges to street frontage and to rear, with linking range at right angles to frontage.
FRONT (south) ELEVATION: Symmetrical frontage of 2 storeys with attics, 7 bays, with advanced entrance bay to centre. This is defined by an open flat-roofed porch with Tuscan columns and corbelled capitals supporting a balustrade balcony. Principal doorway with double 8-panet doors below a 3-pane oversight. First floor doorway set within polished granite pilasters flanked by tall sash windows. Complex frieze incorporating bulbous carved capitals to Pilasters. Above, tripartite window set behind low balustrade, and with deep bracketed cornice between second floor and attic levels. Flanking the entrance bay at ground floor level are late C20 shop fronts with deep planted fascias which obscure original detailing. At first floor level, tall sash windows beneath shallow segmental gauged brick arches are set behind a continuous balcony carried on coupled stone corbels. These rise from a wide ashlar band with Creek key decoration. Ornate metal railings form balcony frontage. Wide dog toothed brick storey band below second floor sash windows, and attic windows set beneath moulded eaves cornice. SIDE (west) ELEVATION: Frontage detail is returned onto first bay of 9-bay side elevation. Moulded ashlar string courses define storeys. 4 doorways, 2 with granite surrounds. Above, 2 storeyed recesses beneath shallow segmental arches house inset windows, mainly glazing bar sashes.
INTERIOR: The late C20 remodelling has retained many original elements, including elaborate cantilevered principal staircase with serpentine moulded handrail and ornate cast iron balusters rising from curved side brackets. Entrance screen to stair hall, panelled flanking walls to staircase, and moulded semi-circular heads to openings beneath ground floor flight of staircase.
Tall sash windows with moulded architraves to half landings, the penultimate landing with stained glass heraldic panels. Doorways to landings with moulded surrounds and semi-circular arched heads. Entrance to former first floor reception room with reeded marble surround with Greek key decoration and inset columns of polished granite. Some rooms retain carved panelling and fixed furniture designed by Kirby and made by Gillow and Co.
HISTORY: The Liverpool Reform Club was formed in June, 1878 at the Royal Hotel. The building was opened in 1879 by Lord Hartington. Political clubs were first seen in London with the fashion for imposing, purpose built premises set established by Nash's United Services Club, and Decimus Burton's Athenaeum in the 1820's. The Reform Club in London was a liberal institution, named in celebration of the Reform Act of 1832.
The Liverpool Reform Club, designed by a prominent Liverpool architect, reflects the commercial and political vigour of the city at the height of its influence and prosperity, and is an important element of Liverpool's most important Cl9 street frontages.

Listing NGR: SJ3432790581

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26423084

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
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  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
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  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
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  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)