Lost and Found

Lost and Found records the transformation of a city library while tracing an earlier story of disappearance and reconstruction. Chorlton Library was designed by Manchester City Architect Henry Price and funded by Andrew Carnegie a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist.

The history od the library is  woven into the  fateful maiden voyage of the Titanic 02.10, 15 April 1912: Last transmission from the Titanic. As the ill-fated ship met its untimely end, so too did the original designs for Chorlton Library, which were lost with the sinking of the Titanic. John Henry Price, the first 'City Architect' of Manchester, had sent his designs to New York for approval, marking a moment of profound loss for the city's newly created ‘City Architect's Department’ of 1902.

Despite this tragedy, Price went back to the drawing board and painstakingly recreated the designs for the Library once more. Price’s legacy endures in the red brick edifices that grace the streets of Manchester. Born in 1867, John Henry Price would later shape the very essence of Manchester's architectural landscape. As the 'City Architect' his contributions remain forever intertwined with the fabric of Manchester's urban tapestry. .

As the restorative process unfolds, the library's surfaces and intricate details have been subjected to meticulous scrutiny. These photographs serve as testament to the unsung work undertaken behind the scenes - a symphony of skillful restoration that breathes life into every surface. Within the patina of time that graces every surface lies an unspoken story - a tactile history that speaks of the many hands and hearts dedicated to reviving this iconic space.

As a book awaiting rediscovery, each element of this library carries within it the promise of new beginnings and a reverence for the indelible memories that bind us to the past. Each room, an empty stage awaiting its players, whispers echoes of the past, whilst simultaneously embracing the potentiality of a 21st-century future.