Edward Salomons

Edward Salomons was a notable Victorian architect. He was born in London in 1828. His father, German born Henry Moses Salomons moved his cotton business to Manchester in 1837 and lived in then fashionable Plymouth Grove.  Edward was educated by tutors and at his father's office. He was employed at different architects offices in the City and in 1850 enrolled at the Manchester School of Design becoming a RIBA member the following year.  In 1852 he started his own practice at 63 King Street where he was based for many years, sometimes working in partnership. Although he went on to build many commercial buildings, he was unsuccessful in competitions; he came second with his design for the Free Trade Hall.

Perhaps the best known of his buildings is the Reform Club on King Street.

1857 was the date of the Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition and Salomons was involved in the design of the exhibition hall, a temporary structure similar to the Crystal Palace. This exhibition of 16,000 works, perhaps the largest the World has ever seen was in Trafford Park and attracted 1.3 million visitors.

 Salomons was responsible for designing a number of synagogues. The Spanish and Portuguese synagogue on Cheetham Hill Road is now the Manchester Jewish Museum. This excellent museum within the preserved interior includes many exhibits and photographs from Manchester's Jewish community.

Salomons was also an accomplished artist and his works appear from time to time at auction. He was prominent in the cultural and artisitic life of the City and was a founder member of the Manchester Society of Architects..

Most of Salomons designs were for commercial buildings although later in his career, he worked on some domestic projects. One of these, Glencroft, in Furness Vale was built for the Thackeray family who were related to William Makepeace Thackeray. The house is little changed today although now screened by trees. He also designed his own house, The Gables in Victoria Park, now incorporated into a university residential sceme.

Edward Salomons died in 1906 and was cremated at Manchester Crematorium, a building which he himself had designed.