Salon van de burgemeester in het Stadhuis van Manchester 1877

This is a photograph by J. McLeod of the Mayor's Parlour in Manchester Town Hall, presented within the pages of a book. The image speaks volumes about the civic pride of late 19th-century Manchester. Here, in this carefully composed photograph, we see not just a room, but a declaration of municipal authority and wealth. The high ceilings, gothic windows, and meticulously arranged furniture all contribute to an atmosphere of officialdom. Manchester was, at this time, a city undergoing massive industrial expansion, it became a symbol of Victorian progress. Institutions such as the town hall became stages on which the city displayed its achievements. The photograph, reproduced in book form, turns the room into an instrument for promoting the city's image to its citizens and the wider world. To fully understand this image, we must consider the economic and social context of its creation. Research into Manchester's civic history will provide further insights into the values and ambitions represented here.