Beever Street Schools, Oldham

BEEVER STREET SCHOOLS, OLDHAM. - These schools, which were opened on Saturday by the Rev. Canon Whittaker, occupy a prominent site on a spur of Oldham Edge. and can be seen from various parts of the town. The architecture adopted is early English. which was suggested by the boldness of the site. The walls are faced with pressed bricks and the dressings are of stone All the school and class rooms are on the ground floor, and have accommodation for 700 scholars, divided into three departments, namely — senior mixed, junior mixed, and infants. There are outside porches, or sheds, for respectively the boys, girls, and infants, besides interior porches or vestibules, with double doors to all the principal rooms to prevent draughts. Each department has also its cloakroom and lavatory, and there are rooms over the porches for the masters and mistresses. The main buildings occupy a space measuring 150 feet by 100 feet Ventilation is provided by Tobin's tubes and other appliances. and there is a complete system of warming by hot water. The schools are fitted up with the best appliances necessary for the nature of the education to be given. All the internal walls between the school rooms are pierced with windows, so that, the teachers can have complete oversight. Near one corner of the plot is the caretaker's house. The contractors for mason's work were Messrs John Grundy and Sons of Middleton; for retaining walls, foundations, drainage etc., Messrs Spence Brothers, of Oldham; bricklayer's work, carpenter and joiner's work. and slating, Messrs John Dyson Sons of Waterhead Mill; plastering, Mr David Rothwell, of Oldham; plumbing. glazing, and painting, Messrs Scott Brothers, of Oldham; heating apparatus, Mr J G Wagstaffe of Dukinfield; ventilating apparatus, Mr. Bleasby, Oldham; ornamental ironwork, railings. and gates, Mr John Smith, of Openshaw.  Mr Bleasby and Mr. James Hanson acted as clerks of the works. The architects are Messrs. Stott and Sons of Manchester and Oldham [Manchester Courier 16 June 1885 page 6]

Opened           6 June 1885

Reference        Manchester Courier 16 June 1885 page 6
Reference        Roger Holden: Stott and Sons Index of Buildings No W1883N01