OK, I admit it, I’m a big fan of Alfred Waterhouse buildings

I think the first of his buildings to really catch my eye was Liverpool University’s Victoria Building atop Brownlow Hill. The brick/stone & terracotta work on the outside is quite beautiful and the tiles inside are to die for.

 

Victoria Building Clock Tower, Liverpool

 

 

 

Inside the Victoria Building

This started me looking out for Alfred's buildings and two obvious ones, in Liverpool city centre, are the North Western Hotel adjacent to Lime Street Station and the Prudential Building in Dale Street. 

North Western Hotel, Liverpool

 

If you look you’ll see a number of Prudential buildings across the country where Waterhouse, or indeed his son, were the architect. The one in Nottingham springs to mind as it also has a statue of Brian Clough very close to it. 

Prudential Building Nottingham with Brian Clough Statue

Another is in Newcastle, where part of it is now Portofino Italian Restaurant. Well, I had to have a meal there on a recent visit to the North East. Great Italian food surrounded by Waterhouse tiled walls, what more could I ask for. 

Insdide Portofino Newcastle

 

The Portofino web site says ‘Set in a magnificent Victorian Grade II listed building, a fittingly opulent setting’ and ‘The building is grade II listed and was built in 1891. It was one of 27 branches of Prudential Assurance Company, all of which were designed by prolific 19th century architect Alfred Waterhouse. Alfred Waterhouse also designed the Natural History Museum in London and many other government, educational and commercial buildings, across the UK. The interior is lined with fainece tiles, which were produced by old firm "Burmantoffs Pottery" from Leeds.’

Prudential Building Newcastle

 

Born (1830) and raised in Aigburth, Liverpool Waterhouse set up his first architectural practice in Manchester and then, as his fame spread, in London where, of course, his quite wonderful Natural History Museum may well be his crowning or, at least, his most well known glory.

 

Natural History Museum, London

Whilst he did not design the cathedral-type Rochdale Town Hall, when the clock tower burnt down he designed the replacement tower. This is an utterly magnificent building even though Alfred only had a later hand in it. What’s more it’s recently been carefully restored and is on my bucket list to visit, even though I’ve been in it a number of times prior to it being restored; indeed I took my Cycling Proficiency Test there in the mid 1960’s.

The Clock Tower of Rochdale Town Hall

 

Waterhouse and his son designed a great many buildings all over the country and we’ve all probably laid eyes on quite a few of them possibly without realising it.  

Wigan is another town where his works can be found and here’s an interesting YouTube video where Sean Jinks gives a talk, in Wigan, about their Waterhouse buildings and some of them in Liverpool, Manchester and London. It's a long video but if you're interested in architecture it will, I'm sure, be of interest:-

Sean Jinks talks Waterhouse -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp6V93fwJ6Q&t=5005s

I was prompted to write this blog posting following my reading a recent article in Liverpool’s rather excellent on-line newspaper ‘The Post’ and because of my recent visit to Portofino Newcastle. 

Here’s a link to 'The Post' website – It’s a subscription news outlet I might add but with some articles being accessible without subscription. If you live on/are interested in Merseyside subscribing to it is, in my humble opinion, very worthwhile indeed - https://www.livpost.co.uk/