Portico Library

The Portico Library on Mosley Street, Manchester is a subscription library built in the Greek Revival style between 1802-1806. It is a Grade II* listed building as at 25 February 1952. It was established following a meeting of Manchester business people in 1802 which resolved to found an "institute uniting the advantages of a newsroom and a library". A visit by four of those men to the Athenaeum in Liverpool inspired them to achieve a similar institution in Manchester. Money was raised through members' subscriptions and it opened in 1806. The library, mainly focused on 19th century literature, was designed by Thomas Harrison, architect of The Lyceum, Liverpool and built by one of the founders, David Bellhouse. One of the secretaries was...