Ardwick Board School. Ross Place, Hyde Road (School No 13)

NEW BOARD SCHOOLS IN MANCHESTER - The memorial stones of two new schools, which are being erected at the instance of the Manchester School Board, the one in Smedley Road, Cheetham, and the other in Ross Place, Hyde Road, Ardwick, were laid on Wednesday by members of the Board.

The Ross Place School will provide accommodation for 1,000 children. The schools will consist of four departments, viz: On the ground floor, infants' department, with a main room 47 feet 6inches by 32 feet, and one large classroom for junior infants, and junior boys' and girls' department, with a main room 58 feet 6inches by 32 feet, and two classrooms, each 20 feet by 17 feet; on the first floor, the boys' school, the main schoolroom being 58 feet 6 inches by 32 feet, and the two classrooms, each 20 feet by 17 feet, and the girls' school, the main room of which will be 63 feet by 32 feet, with two classrooms, each about 18 feet by 19 feet All the departments will have their separate entrances, cloakrooms, and offices, and the schools on the first floor will be approached by easy and well-lighted staircases. There are spacious playgrounds at the rear of the buildings, a portion being covered over. The schools are in the Gothic style of architecture, the front being faced with selected grey common bricks, which will be relieved by masses of red stock brick and stone dressings. The work is being carried out from the designs of Mr Henry Lord, architect, of this city, by Messrs. Robert Neill and Sons, for the contract sum of £87,384. [Manchester Weekly Times 1 October 1881 page 7]

Reference    Manchester Weekly Times 1 October 1881 page 7
Reference    Manchester City News 1 October 1881 Page 5 - memorial stone
Reference    British Architect 7 October 1881 Page 501 - memorial stone
Reference    Building News 7 October 1881 page 475 - memorial stone