Cottage Homes & Schools Styal Cheshire

In the early 1890s, the Chorlton Board decided that children and babies should be accommodated at separate premises away from the workhouse. In 1894, the Board of Guardians established a sub-committee to pursue the establishment of a cottage homes colony. A site near to Quarry Bank Mill was identified and a loan of £50,000 was obtained from Liverpool Corporation to fund the project. The foundation stone for the homes was laid on 31st August, 1896, by Arthur Balfour, MP for East Manchester. The architect was J B Broadbent of Manchester. Additional probationary homes were added in 1905. A Church of England chapel was erected near the site entrance. Only Protestant children were accepted at Styal - Roman Catholic children were placed elsewhere. In 1928, the site was extended to the north and additional cottages built to accommodate 200 children from the Swinton Industrial Schools which was being closed down. A new recreation hall and gymnasium were added in 1930. The homes closed on 20th July, 1956. In December that year, refugees from Hungary were accommodated on the site, staying until 30th September, 1959. On 23rd May, 1960, the Prison Commission took over the site and on 24th October, 1962, it re-opened as Styal Prison, a semi-secure prison for women. The houses and hospital at the north of the site have now been demolished.

The colony opened on 4th October, 1898 and was the subject of an illustration and report in Building News:

COTTAGE HOMES, STYAL, CHESHIRE. - The group of buildings herewith illustrated has been erected for the Chorlton Union. It comprises a lodge at entrance, which is used as a quarantine station, homes to accommodate 20 children in each. Kindergarten school, workshops, bake-house, swimming bath, etc. (in the rear of the site), a hospital built for 10 beds, with accommodation for nursing staff, superintendent's house, and boardroom. The large school, of which a view is shown in the corner of our plate, is situated about half a mile from the homes, and will eventually be attended by the village children. The works were commenced in the spring of 1896, and opened at the beginning of October last, the amount of the contract being rather over £50,000. The homes at present provide accommodation for 310 children, but the offices and school are built for an ultimate population of from 500 to 600. Mr James B. Broadbent, ARIBA, of Manchester, is the architect. [Building News 10 March 1899 Page 339 and illustration]