Durnford Street School Middleton

Whilst Durnford Street and Elm Street Schools, in Middleton, are credited to Edgar Wood, it seems that his associate, James Henry Sellers, may have taken the major role in their design and construction. However, both buildings display clear signs of Wood's involvement. (see also competition entry for Barnsley High School for Girls - Wood and Sellers)

Opened in 1908, the Durnford Street School was built to accommodate one thousand children. Even today it is a remarkable structure with definite Frank Lloyd Wright tendencies. However, when it opened at the turn of the twentieth century, it must have been regarded as quite revolutionary and completely different from any other school built in the area. Located at the corner of Durnford and Rectory Streets, close to the town centre, and not far from Wood's Long Street Church, the building is T shaped. The one storey building in the foreground was the infant's block. The cross member of the T is a two storey building which accommodated junior and senior students. Play-sheds were built around the perimeter of the recreation areas to provide shelter from rain and wind. The Infant's block runs from the main building to the boundary wall and fence that runs along Rectory Street. In doing so, it splits this Rectory Street playground into two distinct areas. This also allowed for separate entrances for Boys and Girls. As you can see in the picture below, the words "SENIOR BOYS" are carved in the Portland Stone above the doorway. Behind the main block the ground level is significantly higher and a second upper playground existed here. This brick building is ornamented by portland stone panels around doors and windows and in symmetrical facing panels. There are also portland stone diamonds set into the brick work. The Durnford Street Infants School occupied the single storey building at right angles to the main block. In 2000 it was the only part of the school still in use, functioning as an adult education centre. The buildings were constructed with flat concrete roofs sealed with asphalt. The facing bricks deteriorated very badly perhaps because of a problem in their firing, as you can see below. Even on such a utilitarian structure as a school, though, Wood added artistic touches like the drain pipes and the wrought iron fence.

Reference           Academy Architecture Vol 33 1908i page 27