we 
NEW MUSEUMS EXTENSION BUILDINGS. (is) 
of concrete, and the roof chiefly of steel, so as to reduce the chance of fire to 
aminimum. In case of which, however, an emergency staircase will provide 
exit for visitors in the Museum. 
On the 25th of June, 1896, Mr. Mountford’s designs were accepted by the 
General Committee, and on the 2nd of July they were approved of by the 
Council, which in due course authorised the Committee to have tenders called 
for from the best known contractors in Liverpool for the erection of the 
building. 
On the 30th of September, Messrs. Henshaw’s estimate was accepted by 
the Committee, and finally approved of by the City Council on the 7th of 
October, 1897. 
The work of excavating the rock, of which the slope extending west of the 
present Museums, is composed, was commenced on the Ist of November, 
1897 ; and since then till the end of June, 1898, nearly 30,000 cubic yards of 
sandstone had been removed, and much actual building work accomplished. 
On the lst of July last the foundation stone was formally, and very 
appropriately, laid by Alderman Sir William Bower Forwood, who has, for 
many years, been Chairman of the Standing Committee in charge of the 
Libraries, Museums, and Art Gallery, and to whose energy and powerful 
advocacy, not only the approaching realisation of this much-needed extension 
of the two Departments of Technical Instruction and the Museums, are, in a 
very special manner, due, but also the large increase and development of the two 
other Departments under his Chairmanship, the Libraries and the Art Gallery. 
The proceedings, presided over by the Lord Mayor of the City, Alderman 
John Houlding, were graced by the presence of the Lady Mayoress and a 
large number of ladies. The Aldermen and City Councillors; the chief 
officers of the Corporation ; the architect, Mr. Mountford ; the Principal and 
Professors of University College, and many others interested in Scientific and 
Technical Education were also present. Mr. Maxwell Hyslop Maxwell, Jr., 
the Chairman of the Buildings Extension Sub-Committee, after giving an 
account of the circumstances which led up to the inception of the work, and 
of the extent and construction of the buildings, requested Sir William 
Forwood to lay the Foundation Stone, which he performed with the custom- 
ary ceremonial. This stone, a block of Aberdeen granite, weighing 3} tons, 
has a polished face, which will, in the completed buildings, appear as a tablet 
on one of the inner walls of the entrance hall of the Technical Schools, in 
commemoration of the important proceedings of the day. It bears the 
following inscription :— 
City or LIVERPOOL 
TECHNICAL ScHOOL AND MvsEUM. 
PRE Od ah aie ee diet 
Tus FounDATION STONE WAS LAID ON THE 
Ist Day oF JULY, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 
OnE THovusanp Ericur HunpRED AND NINETY-EIGHT, 
BY 
ALDERMAN Sir WILLIAM Forwoop, 
CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARY, MUSEUM, AND ARTS 
COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. 
A ae 
Tue Ricut Hon. ALDERMAN JOHN HOULDING, 
LoRD Mayor. 
Maxwetut Hystop Maxwetu, Junr., Esq., 
CHAIRMAN OF THE BUILDING SUB-COMMITTEE. 
Witriam Epwarp Wi.ink, Esq., M.A., 
CHAIRMAN OF THE TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION COMMITTEE. 
Morris Paterson JONES, Esq., 
CHAIRMAN OF THE MUSEUM AND MAYER COLLECTION SUB-COMMITTEE. 
Epwarp Witi1Am Moontrorp, Esq., F.R.1.B.A., 
ARCHITECT OF THE BUILDING. 
Harcourt E. Crare, Town Clerk. 


