South King Street is a narrow, quiet street that runs from Cross Street to Deansgate.  In the 19th Century it was known as Back King Street.  The Cross Street end of the street is marked by Heathcote's Eagle Star House on one side and Steam Packet House on the other.  Behind Eagle Star House, and separated from it by a lane called Four Yards, is a small 19th Century building that is home to 51 and 53 South King Street.

51 South King Street (above) is called Diocesan Chambers and above the entrance is an ecclesiastical crest with a bishop's mitre at the top.  Number 53 (below) has an elegant art nouveau nameplate and canopy announcing that it is "Kingsgate".

In 1909 Diocesan Chambers was home to a number of church organizations including:  the Diocesan Church Building & Endowment Society, the Diocesan Education Society, the office of the Architect and Diocesan Surveyor for the Manchester Archdeaconry, the Registry Office for Marriage Licenses, and the Diocesan Home Mission Society.

 I discovered a document on the Internet about a church investigation into the Vicar of the Parish Church of All Saints, Rhodes.  In the document a lady called Clare Wheatley was required, "to appear personally before the said Commissioners in the Diocesan Registry number 51 South King Street in the City of Manchester on Friday the twenty-first day of February 1890 at the hour of ten o'clock in the forenoon and so on from day to day as occasion may require and there to take the oath of a witness and to give evidence touching and concerning the charges aforesaid ....".  So it would appear that Diocesan Chambers was very much involved in the administration of ecclesiastical law.


It appears that South King Street has had long connections with the law since a number of legal chambers were housed in buildings along the street.  Internet directories list Kingsgate, number 53 South King Street, as home to Kingsgate Chambers accommodating a set of barristers.  This may be out of date  though because a more current reference seems to indicate that Kingsgate Chambers is now located on Princess Street.  However, it seems that Kingsgate is still home to Towns Needham, a firm of solicitors.