Council Schools (910 places) Argyle Street, Hindley

HINDLEY - Council schools in Argyle Street have just been opened. They have been built to accommodate 910 children in three departments, all on the ground floor. The senior and junior classrooms are arranged on each side of the corridors 8 feet in width, and communicate with the central hall. 51 feet 6 inches by 20 feet, which will be common to both. The infants' classrooms are grouped around a central hall measuring 38 feet by 28 feet. The central halls are lighted by continuous dormers in roof and semicircular windows in gables, whilst above the level of dado in sides of classrooms are glazed screens. The stockrooms are situated in the mezzanines at each end of the large central hall, and covered play-sheds and conveniences are arranged within easy access of school entrances. At the Lower Bridgewater Street end of the plot it is proposed to erect at a later period cookery, manual, and laundry classrooms, which will complete the scheme. In the interests of economy, the design throughout has been kept as simple as possible. The whole of the facing bricks are the Withnell Company's plastic bricks, and the stone dressings are from the Upholland Quarries. The roofs are slated with New Quarry Velhenhelli Welsh slate, the flats between classrooms and in other portions being covered by Vulcanite. White glazed brick dados to a height of 4 feet are used to all classrooms, central hall, cloakrooms, and entrance halls throughout. The whole of the floors are of pitch-pine wood blocks, on a 6 inch concrete bed. The walls have been coated with Duresco. The heating is on the low‑pressure hot water system, from sectional boiler in the basement. Mr D A Ablett, of Wigan, was the contractor. Mr I W Clarkson has acted as clerk of works, and Mr Herbert Wade, of Blackpool, has been the architect. The cost of the buildings, not including furnishing, is £8,850 - under £10 per head.

Reference           Building News 22 February 1907 page 270