Mulhouse Building, Royal Victoria Hospital Grounds, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, BT12 6DP

Mulhouse Building, Royal Victoria Hospital Grounds, Belfast

The Mulhouse Building is a substantial former linen warehouse of 1880, built in the High Victorian style for Robert Lindsay & Co and designed by architect J. A. Lindsay. It is a three-storey building with an attic, 31 openings wide, constructed in brick throughout. It now forms part of the Royal Victoria Hospital complex, situated at the eastern end of the site, with tarmacked car parks to the north and south, Roden Street to the east, and hospital buildings to the west. The rear weaving factory that originally stood behind the building has since been demolished, making its original industrial context less immediately legible than it once was.

Significance and Character

The building is impressive in terms of its scale, massing, and ornamentation, and was clearly intended to project an image of commercial confidence and civic ambition, even though much of the decorative detailing is executed in stucco rather than stone. Despite subsequent internal subdivision, the original spatial layout can still be broadly understood, particularly in the administrative offices on the first floor. The regularity of the floor transoms and supporting cast-iron columns between the window bays is of structural interest. Buildings of this type were not uncommon in the late 19th and early 20th century, but many have since been lost to redevelopment, making this a comparatively rare surviving example. It is also of local social and historical interest as a major former place of employment in the area, retaining much of its original fabric.

Roof

The roof is pitched and covered in natural slate, with several small skylights to the south pitch. The verges are flagged, with decorative metal finials and moulded kneelers. Rainwater gutters are of ogee-profile cast iron. The front eaves are deep and overhanging, supported on elongated horizontal moulded brackets. The rear eaves are supported on a corbelled, serrated brick eaves course.

North Elevation (Principal Façade)

The building is aligned east–west, with its principal elevation facing north. There are vee-jointed stucco quoins at each end of this façade, and wraparound moulded cill courses run the full length of the building at first- and second-floor levels, each with a thin stucco string course beneath. A further string course runs across at arch-spring level on each of the upper floors, and also beneath the eaves brackets. The gable kneelers on this elevation are surmounted by urn finials.

The openings are symmetrically arranged around a centrally placed entrance portico. The entrance features a six-panel raised-and-fielded painted timber door, flanked by glazed side lights and an overlight. The door case is flanked on each side by three in-stepping, partly attached plain columns with Corinthian capitals. The outermost columns support two corbelled brackets on which rests a substantial balcony. This balcony has a deep moulded architrave, a panelled frieze, and a moulded cornice, all in stucco. There is no direct access to the balcony from first-floor level except through a window, so it functions architecturally as an entablature rather than a usable balcony. The frieze has two decorative recessed panels to the front and single blank side panels. Within the rectangular space formed by the door head and the entablature brackets, there is a raised-and-fielded plain circular panel set in a semicircular stucco moulding. The underside of the entablature also carries a circular stucco panel.

On each side of the entrance is a window opening with a moulded semicircular head and a vermiculated keystone, both in stucco. These openings now contain replacement uPVC windows but retain their original stone cills. At first-floor level there are three similarly detailed but larger openings, containing 2/2 timber sliding sash windows. The keystones to these heads are carved as figureheads, and there are mounded circular panels in the spandrels between them (contrary to the 1880 newspaper account, which described lions' heads). At second-floor level there are three pairs of 2/2 timber sliding sash windows, each pair set within a common segmental stucco moulded head, again with figurehead stucco keystones, and divided by a column. The entrance and associated windows described above are demarcated on each side by a shallow brick pilaster. The remaining ground- and first-floor windows across the façade match those flanking the entrance. The second-floor windows are similar but are not paired.

East Gable

This gable is three openings wide but, unlike the main façade, has no stucco embellishment. At ground-floor level it is abutted on the left and centre by a later single-storey flat-roofed building, and on the right by a metal fire escape staircase. At first-floor level there are three round-headed openings: a two-leaf door with overlight to the centre, and a 2/2 timber sash window on each side. The second floor has three 2/2 sash windows in segmental heads. There is also a round-headed opening at the gable apex, now sheeted over.

South Elevation (Rear)

The rear elevation is plain and is abutted at each end by shallow flat-roofed brick toilet blocks with flat concrete-headed windows to their cheeks, indicating 20th-century additions. At the centre is a pyramidal brick lift tower, also probably a relatively modern addition. The entire ground floor is abutted by a single-storey annex with a pitched profiled-metal roof, pebble-dashed reveals, and square-headed window and door openings — likely a modern addition rather than a refurbishment of an earlier building. Most of the ground-floor openings have been infilled or converted into doorways to access this annex. All openings on the upper floors contain 2/2 timber sliding sash windows with stone cills; those at first-floor level have semicircular heads, and those at second-floor level have segmental heads, all with chamfered edges. The right-hand end of this elevation is abutted by a long two-storey return with a pitched roof (in the process of being reclad at the time of survey), pebble-dashed walls, and assorted openings. This may well be an original building, as it appears in the 1900 Valuation record, but it is now too altered both internally and externally to be of special heritage interest. It currently houses the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry.

West Gable

This gable is similarly plain. At ground-floor level there is a wide segmental-headed doorway — the original goods entrance — now infilled and plastered over. To its right is a small fire escape door under a flat concrete head, a much later insertion. At first-floor level there is a doorway on the left and a 2/2 sash window to the middle and right, all with semicircular heads. The doorway is connected by a metal footbridge to the west. There are three 2/2 sash windows at second-floor level, set in segmental-headed openings. In the apex is a semicircular-headed loading door with a projecting cantilevered jib — the only means of bringing goods in at the upper floors. The present jib is undoubtedly a modern replacement of the original arrangement. All window openings have stone cills.

Interior

Although the interior has been subdivided, much of its lavish original detailing survives, notably on the staircases, in the cast-iron columns running between all floors, and in the wall and ceiling panelling to the first floor.

History and Historical Context

The Mulhouse Works was opened by Robert Lindsay & Co in 1881 for the weaving, bleaching, printing, and warehousing of linen goods. The building under review contained offices and stores. The Belfast News Letter of 17th May 1881 gave a detailed description of the new factory around the time of its completion:

"The growth of the trade of the firm of Messrs Robert Lindsay & Co Limited, having exhausted the accommodation available at the premises occupied by the firm in Victoria Street, addition to these, or removal to others, become necessary. The manufacturing operations were carried on in the extensive factory in Mulhouse Street, near Grosvenor Street; and here a large space was available for building purposes. On this a new warehouse has been erected, suitable to the requirements of the firm, creditable to the enterprise of the directors, and ornamental to the locality. Concentration has been obtained as well as convenience. Though the noble façade may fairly be said to blush unseen, owing to the distance for the central portions…. it is very handsome, massive and pleasing. The new buildings consist of a suite of warerooms, offices and stores, occupying the front position, and a smaller part running at right angles, which will be used as printing, preparing and finishing rooms. The frontage is about 300ft in length and the height from foundation to coping is about 50ft. The main building is three storeys in height. The windows on the lower storeys have semicircular tops and the keystones are ornamented with heads, emblematic of England, Ireland and Scotland, the nationality being indicated by wreaths of roses, shamrocks and thistles. The windows on the next floor have segmental tops and lions' heads are placed on the keystones. Courses of cement divide the storeys. Stone corbels support the ornamental cornice of the coping, and handsome urns are placed at each corner of the building. The spouting has a neat spiked border, of a design similar to that of the ridge tiles. The principal entrance is from a neat portico and the door is placed in an arched recess and over it there is a stone balcony. The windows opening on the balcony are larger than the others in the same row, and instead of symbolic heads, those of Shakespeare and Wellington, with Regina between them, are carved. The pediment displays the name of the firm and of the works in large gilt letters, and is surmounted by a fine group of statuary. The group contains three figures. The central statue represents Industry, who bears an hour glass in one hand, and with the forefinger of the other pointing to a beehive. Art is represented by a figure with a palette and, on a pile of linen, Commerce is seated holding a distaff. The ground floor is divided by the staircase heading from the principal entrance into two almost equal divisions. That on the right will be used as a cloak room for the workers and for storage. The portion on the left will be occupied by the laundry. A suite of offices, with sample and sale rooms, will occupy the second floor [if the ground floor is regarded as the first floor]. The walls on this floor are sheeted with pitch pine, and the ceiling is of the same wood in diagonal panels. The traverse beams are richly moulded, and are supported by graceful metal columns with floriated capitals. The next floor [i.e. second floor] forms one splendid apartment, magnificently lighted and ventilated, and stretching 300ft without a break. In it the various operations incidental to the finishing of the goods will be carried on. The attic – though such a word scarcely describes the airy, cheery apartment with abundance of light and a good elevation – will be utilized for storage and as a dining room. For the latter purpose, a range of gas cooking stoves and other appliances of a suitable character are provided. A fine hoist, with landings on each floor, communicates with the goods entrance at the end of the building. The extent of the building will be appreciated when it is mentioned that there is a floorage of almost 40,000 sq.ft. The whole of the new erection has been built by the firm under the supervision of Mr Thompson, managing director. Everything is of the best material, and the work has been executed in a manner which professional builders and architects might not be ashamed to own. Immediately behind the warehouse is the factory. This comprises a weaving factory in which about 400 power looms are employed, bleach works, and print works. There are thus combined in one building all the processes necessary to the preparation of the goods for the various markets of the world. The raw material passes through all its stages, and thus under one management it does not require to leave the premises until, in the form of finished goods, it is packed for shipment for use in all parts of 'Greater Britain', there to delight with its excellence, delicacy and tasteful design the elite of the Dominion, the fashion of Saratoga, the belles of the Antipodes, and the dusky beauties of our Eastern empire."

It should be noted that this description differs in some respects from the building as it now exists — for example in the window head profiles and keystone decoration — and may have been based on the architect's drawings rather than a personal inspection by the reporter.

The building may have been conceived as early as 1876, as a Northern Ireland Environment Agency First Survey record card notes a drawing of that date held at Belfast City Hall, with the architect recorded as J. A. Lindsay. The Victoria Street premises referred to in the newspaper article were at 63 Victoria Street, noted as the firm's location in the 1877 Belfast street directory, where they are described as "muslin, cambric and cambric handkerchief manufacturers." The new factory just off Grosvenor Road is referenced in the 1880 street directory, indicating it was under construction at that time.

The 1881 Valuation Revision Book records the premises as "Robert Lindsay & Co, Mulhouse Works and yard, rateable valuation £700." The high valuation reflects both the fact that the works were newly open and the very large floor area of the site. By 1882 the valuation had risen to £750, indicating further buildings had been added. The factory appears on the 1883–84 Ordnance Survey map, captioned as "Mulhouse Works," showing not only the building under review but also an extensive block of buildings to the south, including a chimney indicating the use of a steam engine for motive power. This southern block is thought to have comprised a single-storey building with north-facing roof lights housing the weaving sheds, bleaching works, and print works described above.

The 1884 street directory records the factory as now being operated by Lindsay, Thompson and Co Ltd, described as "manufacturers, bleachers, printers, dyers and finishers." The 1891 publication on the industries of Belfast records Lindsay, Thompson & Co as flax spinners, manufacturers, bleachers, dyers, and printers, noting the firm had been founded in the 1830s by Robert Lindsay JP and incorporated under its then-current name in 1880 — an incorporation that coincided with the opening of the Mulhouse Works. By 1891, Mr Lindsay had died and Robert Thompson had become chairman and managing director. Flax spinning was also carried on at the Prospect Mill on the Crumlin Road; the resulting yarn was woven into brown linen cloth, which was then bleached, dyed, and printed at the Mulhouse Works. Linen cambric handkerchiefs appear to have been the firm's main product, for both the home market and export. According to the 1891 article, upwards of 2,000 people were employed by the firm at its two premises, with several thousand additional sewers and weavers working from home. Mr Lindsay was apparently a pioneer in the modern development of handkerchief manufacture in Ireland.

Robert Thompson (1839–1918) was, among other things, chairman of the Belfast Harbour Board, and the Thompson Dry Dock is named in recognition of his services to that body. He is buried in Belfast City Cemetery.

The 1900 Valuation notebook contains a sketch plan of the entire site, with materials and dimensions for each component. The main building is described as 3½ storeys high and 282ft long by 33ft deep by 43ft high, with a small brick stack 32ft high at each end, probably for toilets. The rear sheds were single-storey, of brick, with partly glazed slate roofs, measuring 247ft (east–west) by 163ft by 14ft and containing 350 power looms and two calendars. Aligned north–south on the east side of the weaving sheds was a two-storey brick building measuring 160ft by 28ft by 23ft. Along the south wall of the sheds were two further buildings, probably for the boiler and engines. Six engines are recorded (rated at 26hp, 6hp, 5hp, 4hp, and 3hp), along with four Lancashire boilers and a 31ft chimney at the south-east corner of the site. The workforce numbered 550 at that time. The site's valuation rose from £750 to £810 in 1906, indicating minor additions in the early 1900s. The 1901 Ordnance Survey map captions the site as "Mulhouse Works, Weaving & Finishing."

According to the street directories, Lindsay, Thompson & Co continued operations at the Mulhouse Works until 1934. The following year the premises were in the ownership of the Blackstaff Spinning & Weaving Co and being used as a warehouse. The 1935 Valuation book describes the site as "offices, warehouse and weaving factory (disused)." Linen manufacturing had evidently ceased, and only the principal building was by then in active use, presumably for goods produced elsewhere by Blackstaff. Ordnance Survey maps of 1920, 1931, and 1937 show no major changes to the factory's footprint since the 1901 edition.

The Leeds-based textile manufacturers Fairbairn, Lawson, Combe, Barbour Ltd also had a presence at the Mulhouse Works, producing munitions for the war effort from 1941 in the rear sheds. They vacated the sheds in 1946, and these are described as "dilapidated" in the 1951 Valuation. Sometime during the Second World War, the three statues of Industry, Art, and Commerce noted in the 1880 newspaper article — locally known as the "Mulhouse virgins" — were removed and never reinstated. The Blackstaff Spinning & Weaving Co continued to be listed in the street directories until the premises were vacated in 1968. The site was subsequently used as an army base during the Troubles in the 1970s. The rear weaving sheds have since been demolished, and the main building has been refurbished for use by the Medical Faculty of Queen's University. The medical library, on the ground floor, was opened on 9th May 2002.