ST. MICHAEL'S ARCADE, 1910. The late Frank Simpson took this rare photograph just as the finishing touches were being put to the facade of this building, which aroused a peat deal of antagonism in those days . The property was owned by the 2nd Duke of Westminster and it was redesigned by the local architect W. T. Lockwood who faced it in white Doulton ware. Frank Simpson went on to fly: 'This, being foreign to local architecture, caused considerable correspondence in a local paper. This proved to be a great factor towards the Duke of Westminster's decision on Friday, March 10th, 1911 to pull it down and replace it with a half timbered front. (On) March 20th, the builders re-erected the scaffolding and the demolition of the white front immediately began.' What power a rich autocrat had, and with what speed he acted. Despite the alterations, the building still sticks out like a sore thumb and is out of scale with the rest of the street. The white tiles were not removed at street level and the lettering of the sign 'Turkish Baths' is still visible.

Victorian & Edwardian Chester By John Tomlinson A Deesider publication