The Good, the Standard and the Ugly: Manchester’s Third Niche

Category: Good

You’re not comparing us with London, are you?
Oh don’t be so childish. It is the capital city you know. Anyway, as Anthony Gormley begins his clever project for living sculpture in Trafalgar Square on the empty Fourth Plinth – a different individual on the plinth doing what they want everyday - I want to talk about the empty Third Niche.

The what?
The Third Niche in the Great Hall of Manchester Town Hall. Next to the organ on the end wall of perhaps the city’s grandest room is an empty niche. The other two niches in the Great Hall are filled with work as are several corbels (stone brackets) with busts of Royals placed upon them. Sculpture was always part of the scheme architect Alfred Waterhouse had in mind when designing the Town Hall. The whole place was supposed to be an embodiment of the various disciplines of the arts and crafts: architecture, fine art, plastic arts, decorative arts and so forth.

What other statues are in the Great Hall?
They are Liberal Prime Minister William Gladstone, finished 1879, and radical campaigner Charles Villiers, finished 1877. Both are by an artist called William Thead. The busts are of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and Edward, Prince of Wales and Alexandra, Princess of Wales.

Who was Villiers?
As I said he was a radical progressive, much admired in Manchester for his work fighting for Free Trade and for his stance on social issues. The interesting thing is that both statues are of men who weren’t Mancunians but who represented the values of the city: Gladstone was a Scouser and Villiers from Wolvehampton. No petty-minded parochialness there eh? They were also very political statues, both men were still alive and both men were free thinking libertarians. These statues are saying Manchester is radical and liberal in mood: a progressive city.

Who should have gone into the Third Niche?
Nobody knows. I can’t find even any suggestions. It seems to have been forgotten about.

So who should we put in there?
A statue of Councillor Pat Karney? Ha. Sir Richard Leese, Sir Howard Bernstein perhaps. Or their best chum Graham Stringer? What about a woman: surely this could be the perfect place for Emmeline Pankhurst or Lydia Becker, the Votes for Women people? Or what about Wilson? Tony Wilson in a niche. I remember him mc-ing one awards ceremony in the Great Hall and using expletives so frequently that I felt the walls must have learnt them. I hoped they’d repeat them back whenever some pompous ass started missing the point about Manchester.

Interesting idea, I’m sure the readers have others. Anything else you’d like to include?
Yes some quotes. What about John Ruskin, the renowned nineteenth century critic, writer?

Ok, off you go.
He described the Great Hall as ‘The most truly magnificent Gothic apartment in Europe.’ He didn’t mention the niche though. Nor did he mention that unfortunate thing with Effie Millais. Look it up. It’s a hairy story. How about a quote from John Bright, the Free Trader as well?

Go on what did John Bright say here?
In 1877 he said: “[We are] standing in a district more wonderful in some respects than can be traced out on a map in any other Kingdom of the world. The population is extraordinary in its number, extraordinary for its interests and industries, for the amount of its wealth, for the amount of its wages, and for the power which it exercises on other nations.’’ Confident chap. Actually he goes on to say that one day all the factories and warehouses may be gone, so the city better not be complacent. Clearly he had a bit of second sight our John. He never mentioned the niche either.

And what did you say at the 2005 Food and Drink Festival Gala Dinner when giving out the Restaurant of the Year Award in the Great Hall?
I said: “And the winnsh is oops, hic, slobe restaurent, winner, bell wone, hurrah.” I was legless on the free champagne which had been handed round at the reception and made a fool of myself.

But did you mention the niche?
No, but I spotted it out of the corner of my eye, and sluggishly wondered why it was empty and whether it would be possible to climb up there and turn to stone – and thus avoid the puzzled looks and annoyed chatter of the guests.