Cheetham Board School Smedley Road/Albert Street Cheetham

Manchester. - The memorial‑stones of two schools now being erected by the Manchester School‑board were laid last week. The first ceremony took place in Smedley‑road, Cheetham, where a school is being built to accommodate 900 children. The buildings are to be in a simple Gothic style. The works are being carried out by Mr J L Ward, of Manchester (the contract price being ,7,000), from the designs of Messrs. Potts, Pickup, and Dixon, architects, Manchester and Oldham. [Building News 7 October 1881 p475]

The memorial‑stones of two schools now being erected by the Manchester School‑board were laid yesterday. The first ceremony took place in Smedley Road, Cheetham, where a school is being built … to accommodate 900 children.  The buildings, which are to be in a simple Gothic style, will comprise on the ground floor separate school-room for infants, junior boys and girls, and on the upper floor rooms for senior boys and girls; these rooms being divided by a sliding partition, to be thrown open as required. Leading from these are to be nine classrooms in addition to a babies’ room. Each of the school-rooms will have an entrance direct from the street, and to each will be attached cloakrooms, lavatories and water closets, the latter being well detached from the school-rooms. Playgrounds will be provided at the rear of the buildings for each of the departments, each playground having a covered shed. Accommodation will also be provided for a caretaker’s house. The works are being carried out by Mr J L Ward, of Manchester (the contract price being £7,000), from the designs of Messrs Potts, Pickup, and Dixon, architects, Manchester and Oldham. [Manchester Guardian 29 September 1881 page 6]

The memorial stone was laid by Rev John Henn, rector of St John’s. The site contained 1,376 square yards. The four departments in the school would be arranged – infants, 257; juniors 180; boys 237; girls 237. The building, with furniture etc, was estimated to cost £8,330, and the site £1,670 making a total of £10,000.

NEW, BOARD SCHOOLS IN MANCHESTER -  The memorial stones of two new schools, which are being erectod 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 building in Smedley Road will be in a simple Gothic style, suitable for scholastic purposes, and will accommodate 900 Scholars. It will comprise on the ground floor separate rooms for infants and junior boys and girls, and on the upper floor schools for senior boys and girls, the rooms being divided by a sliding partition, to be thrown open as required. Leading from these will be nine class rooms, in addition to a babies' room. Each of the schoolrooms will have an entrance direct from the street, attached being cloakrooms, lavatories, &c. Playgrounds have been provided at the rear of the buildings for the several departments, each having a covered shed and offices connected with it. Provision has been made for a caretaker's apartments. The works are being carried out by Mr J. L. Ward, of Manchester, for the sum of £7,000, from the designs and under the superintendence of Messrs Potts, Pickup, and Dixon architects, Manchester and Oldham. [Manchester Weekly Times 1 October 1881 page 7]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 29 September 1881 page 6
Reference    Manchester City News 1 October 1881 page 5
Reference    Manchester Weekly Times 1 October 1881 page 7
Reference    British Architect 7 October 1881 page 501
Reference    Building News 7 October 1881 page 475