School-Church, Tonge-cum-Alkrington, Middleton

 SCHOOL CHURCH AT TONGE-CUM-ALKRINGTON, MANCHESTER - This school, which is near completion, from designs and under the superintendence of Mr. John Ladds, of London, architect, is situated near to the Middleton Junction, in a thickly populated district; even since the building was started three immense mills have been commenced near the spot. The school provides accommodation for about 170 children, having four rows of desks on one side of schoolroom and a class-room. It will be at once seen that the room, 27 ft. in width, is much wider than required by the Education Department, but this is with the view of using the building as a place of worship, and since it was started a small apse has been added. The funds have been raised by subscription, aided by grants from the National School Building Society and the Manchester Diocesan Society. The walls of the building are hollow, tied together with iron cramps, faced on the inside with patent white bricks, and the outside with seconds local bricks; these should have been red bricks, but the committee could not provide the extra cost. The roofs are slated and finished with Messrs. Cooper's patent red ridge tiles, crosses, and earthenware ventilators. The timbers of principals and purlins are of pitch pine, stained and varnished, and the ceiling lathed and plastered to the underside of rafters. The windows of school are glazed with crystal fluted glass, and those of apse are cathedral glass in ornamental patterns. Messrs. Parkington and Collinge are the principal contractors; Messrs. Grundy, of Middleton, for stone- work; Mr. Levens, of Middleton, for carpenter's and joiner's work; Mr. Dean for plumber's and glazier's work; and Messrs. Richardson and Slade, of London, provide the gas pendants. [Building News.17 December 1875 page 670]

Reference           Building News.17 December 1875 page 670

Note: John Ladds was born at Ellington Huntingdonsgire. His brother-in-law, James Potter, had been vicar of Ellington 1852-1873; he was Vicar of Tonge 1873-1876, and Vicar of Ringley until his death. This family connection may have led to John Ladds being awarded the commission for the school-church.