St Mary’s Church Schools Henry Street Rawtenstall

New schools to accommodate 1000 day scholars and 1200 Sunday school scholars, in connection with St Mary’s Parish Church, Rawtenstall

TO BUILDERS AND OTHERS - Persons desirous of tendering for the whole, or any portion of the several WORKS required in the erection of NEW SCHOOLS to accommodate 1,000 day scholars and 1.200 Sunday scholars, in connection with St Mary's Parish Church, Rawtenstall, are requested to forward early applications to  the undersigned stating the branches of work proposed to be tendered for. Quantities, and all other particulars will be afterwards supplied. Sealed tenders to be delivered to the Rev. James Norris. vicar, Rawtenstall. The Building Committee will not necessarily accept the lowest or any other tender. LAWRENCE BOOTH, architect, 88 King Street, Manchester. [Manchester Guardian 23 September 1882 page 7]

Plans have been prepared by Mr Lawrence Booth of Manchester for the erection of new church schools at Rawtenstall. The building, which will be in the domestic style of architecture, will accommodate 1,000 day scholars and 1,200 Sunday school scholars. Provision is also made for the holding of parochial meetings, including an assembly room to seat 2,000 people. The work will proceed forthwith with all convenient dispatch. [Manchester Courier 29 September 1882 page 6]

NEW CHURCH SCHOOLS AT RAWTENSTALL – An effort was made a few months ago by a section of the ratepayers in Rawtenstall to establish a school board for the district, and representations were made to the Education Department urging the necessity for improved and extended school accommodation and control. One of the most serious allegations had regard to the bad sanitary conditions of the schools in connection with St. Mary's Parish Church. Those defects had been previously recognised by those more immediately interested, and the committee had instructed Mr. Booth, of Manchester, who had recently restored and enlarged their church, and who is an architect well acquainted with good sanitary construction, to advise them as to suggested improvements in their existing buildings and the enlargement which the Increasing requirements of the parish had rendered necessary. Plans were prepared and approved, tenders for work were on the point of being accepted when progress was arrested by notice of meeting to be held by the promoters of a school board. The vote of public meeting left the promotes in a minority, but, nevertheless, Mr. Oakley, the senior school inspector for the district, was instructed by the Education Department to report on the allegations, pro. and con. That gentleman visited the locus in quo, and, after hearing all parties, reported to his authority, the result being that the proposal for a school board was not sanctioned. The present school, which have provided and are still providing for a very considerable proportion of the educational requirements of the distract, were erected many years ago, and have since been enlarged. The committee have decided to erect an entirely new school on a scale which will do more than provide for the bare necessities of the present day. A suitable site has been secured in Henry Street, near the church, and it is intended to provide spacious play-grounds. Mr. and Mrs Law-Schofield are practically the generous donors of a contributory 2,000 square yards of land. In designing the new buildings, the architect was instructed to provide for Sunday school as well as day school purposes, accommodation for the furtherance of parochial work, and a large room for public assemblies. This latter will seat an audience of 2,000 comfortably. It will be 120 feet in length, 52 feet in width, with a gallery along the north end and east side. The infants' schoolroom is 60 feet by 30 feet, and arranged as a separate building, though capable of being used on special occasions in common with the in the other. It has a class-room or babies' 26 feet by 21 feet 6 inches. All the before-mentioned rooms are on the ground floor level and in addition to sash windows on the east side have top lights with louvres at the sides fur There are spacious lavatories and cloak rooms and separate entrances connection with the several departments, and the staircases to the gallery, etc. are of fireproof construction, being of solid stone. Advantage has been taken of the peculiar conformation of the site, which falls rapidly from west to east, to provide a basement storey under a portion of the building. This contains a parish room, 36 feet by 18 feet and 15 feet in height, large kitchen, serving pantry, coal cellar, store room, and other extensive accommodation not yet specifically appropriated. All the walls will be built of local stone, and the constructive timber will be pitch pine, wrought and varnished. The style of architecture is domestic in character, simply treated with especial regard to utility rather than ornamentation. Nominally the schools are for the accommodation of 1,000 scholars and 1,200 Sunday scholars.  … The architect is Mr Lawrence Booth, of 88, King, street, Manchester, and the work of construction is to be commenced and carried out with all convenient despatch. [Manchester Courier 29 September 1882 page 6]

NEW CHURCH SCHOOLS AT RAWTENSTALL – An effort was made a few months ago by a section of the ratepayers in Rawtenstall to establish a school board for the district, and representations were made to the Education Department urging the necessity for improved and extended school accommodation and control. One of the most serious allegations had regard to the bad sanitary conditions of the schools in connection with St. Mary's Parish Church. Those defects had been previously recognised by those more immediately interested, and the committee had instructed Mr. Booth, of this city, who had recently restored and enlarged their church, to advise them as to suggested improvements in their existing buildings and the enlargement which the Increasing requirements of the parish had rendered necessary. Plans were prepared and approved, tenders for work were on the point of being accepted when progress was arrested by notice of meeting to be held by the promoters of a School Board. The vote of public meeting left the promotes in a minority, but Mr. Oakley, the senior school inspector for district, was nevertheless instructed by the Education Department to report on the allegations. Mr Oakley visited the locus in quo, and, after hearing all parties, reported to the Education Department, the result being that the proposal for a School Board was not sanctioned. The present school, which have provided and are still providing for a very considerable proportion of the educational requirements of the district, were erected many years ago, and have since been enlarged.

They are not, however, to be compared with school building of the modern type, and, though reluctant at leaving what is really a memorial of their own work and that of many of their immediate predecessors, the committee have decided to erect an entirely new schools on a scale which will do more than provide for the bare necessities of the present day. A suitable site has been secured in Henry Street, near the church, and it is intended to provide spacious play-grounds. Mr. and Mrs Law-Schofield are practically the generous donors of a contributory 2,000 square yards of land. In designing the new buildings, the architect was instructed to provide for Sunday school as well as day school purposes, accommodation for the furtherance of parochial work, and a large room for public assemblies. This latter will seat an audience of 2,000 comfortably. It will be 120 feet in length, and 52 feet in width, and has a gallery along the north end and east side. Seven class-rooms in connection with the boys, and girls', schoolroom are arranged under the gallery as to be capable of being made larger or smaller by sliding partitions. The schoolrooms will possess all the requisite conditions of health and comfort. Nominally the schools are for the accommodation of 1,000 scholars and 1,200 Sunday scholars. The Rev James Norris, the vicar of the parish, has been assiduous in the promotion of the scheme, and his efforts have been seconded by all classes. The Bishop of Manchester was one of the earliest subscribers. The architect is Mr Lawrence Booth, of 88, King, Street, Manchester. [Manchester Guardian 29 September 1882 page 3]

Reference    British Architect 6 October 1882 Page x - contracts
Reference    Manchester Guardian Saturday 23 September 1882 Page 9 – contracts
Reference    Manchester Guardian 29 September 1882 page 3
Reference    Manchester Courier Friday 29 September 1882 page 6 col 3
Reference    Manchester Courier Friday 29 September 1882 page 6 col 3-4