Devonport High School for Girls, Albert Road, Devonport

DEVONPORT - The foundation stone of the buildings for the accommodation of the pupils connected with the Devonport High School for Girls, was laid on the 11th inst. At present only a portion of the complete design is to be erected. Eventually the entire building will accommodate 250 pupils, the number to be now provided for being 150. There will be three floors—the basement, containing a large playroom 50 by 17 feet, and a day-room 25 by 19 feet; classrooms and other provision for the Kindergarten department; rooms for the care-taker,  heating chamber, and all conveniences ; the ground floor, comprising cloak-room, head-mistress’s room, secretary’s office, and three large class-rooms ; the upper floor, containing a room for the assistant mistresses, and four large classrooms. All the rooms are lofty, those in the basement being lift., and the others 13 feet clear height. The general arrangement is a central corridor, east and west, flanked by rooms on north and south, and communicating with other rooms in a wing at each end. Externally, the structure will present a symmetrical front to Albert-road; the central range, with three dormer gabled windows, being flanked by projecting wings which are carried up as gables of Elizabethan or Tudor design. The south elevation will present a somewhat dwarfed appearance until the intended future additional story is erected, and will also suffer architecturally from the absence of the future block of building at either end. All the external facings will be of Portland cement, which has been adopted on account of the great difficulty experienced in otherwise erecting a building impervious to moisture. The architect is Mr. H. J. Paull FRIBA, of London and Manchester. The contractor is Mr. Berry, of George-lane, Plymouth. The clerk of works is Mr. Siddall [Building News 28 December 1877 Page 684]

DEVONPORT - The foundation-stone of the new buildings for the Devonport High School for Girls has been laid by Sir John St. Aubyn. The site is in Albert-road, Stoke, and adjoins St. Michael’s Church eastwards. There is a considerable fall in the surface of the land both southwards and westwards, and the street level is a few feet above that of the site. The lower story of the new building, though entirely above ground on the south side, will therefore appear as a basement in the front. At present only a portion of the complete design is to be erected. Eventually the entire building will accommodate 250 pupils, the number to be now provided for being 150. There will be three floors: the basement, containing a large playroom, 50 feet by 17 feet, and a dayroom, 25 feet by 19 feet; class-rooms and other accommodation, for the Kindergarten department, rooms for the caretaker, heating chamber, and all conveniences; the ground floor, comprising cloakroom, head mistress’s room, secretary’s office, and three large class-rooms; and the upper floor, containing a room for the assistant mistresses, and four large class-rooms. Externally, the structure will present a symmetrical front to Albert-road; the central range, with three dormer gabled windows, being flanked by projecting wings which are carried up as gables of Elizabethan or Tudor design. All the external facings will be of Portland cement, which has been adopted on account of the great difficulty experienced in otherwise erecting a building impervious to moisture. The architect is Mr. H. J. Paull, of London and Manchester. The contractor is Mr, Berry, of Plymouth. The clerk of works is Mr. Siddall. [Builder12 January 1878 page 47]

Reference    British Architect 28 December 1877 Page 316
Reference    Building News 28 December 1877 Page 684
Reference    Builder12 January 1878 page 47