Dundee Independent Sunday School, Brown Street, Ramsbottom

DUNDEE INDEPENDENT SUNDAY SCHOOL - On Sunday the opening services in connection with the above were held. This school has been in course of erection for some months past. The corner stone was laid on Saturday, 6 December 1884 by Mr. Alderman Neap.

The whole of the outside walls are faced with parpoints from the Sharneyford Quarries, Bacup, and the clean worked dressings are from Holcombe quarries, the two classes of stone giving a neat and effective contrast. The side elevations to Dundee Lane and Holt Street and the front and back elevations are finished off with a neat string and corbel course surmounted with a heavy moulded cornice with moulded chimneys on the top of each pediment. The principal entrance is from Brown Street and is a lofty vestibule with fireproof flooring and moulded ceiling, with double folding doors. On the right hand, after passing through the vestibule is the young men's classroom, 15 feet 6 inches by 14 feet, with fixed seating on three sides. There is a neat register grate one corner, and in the opposite corner will be a hoist communicating with the cellar and heating vault below, when required for tea party purposes. Next to this is a fine infant room, 40 feet by 15 feet 6 inches, with raised gallery at one end, so arranged that it can be divided into three classrooms. with separate entrances from the large room, or, if required, it can be used in conjunction with the large schoolroom, by throwing open the doors and large windows that divide it from the large room. The infant room has a substantial wainscoting 3 feet 9 inches high round the walls. At the west end of the building are another three classrooms, 13 feet by 12 feet, with fixed seating round each; two of these rooms have register grates fixed. At this end of the building there is another entrance vestibule which is intended as a separate entrance for girls, so that the infants can enter and leave their room without passing through the large schoolroom. Above this vestibule and the adjoining classroom is another classroom, 24 feet by 12 feet, well-lighted with a large window in the west gable. The large schoolroom, 64 feet by 31 feet, is well lighted by five large windows on the south and two on the east side; it has also wainscoting 3 feet 9 inches high around the walls. Seven cupboards are formed in this wainscoting, one under each window for schoolbooks, etc. The ceiling is formed in five large, moulded panels, with neat centre piece in each, which serve as ventilators to carry off the vitiated air from the "sun lights." The whole of the premises are heated with a high-pressure hot water apparatus fixed in a fire-proof vault under the main entrance; adjoining this is a large cellar with separate entrance from the outside. The closets, etc., for the boys and girls are entirely separated and are faced to correspond with the mam building. The various works have been executed in a very satisfactory manner from designs by and under the supervision of Mr. John Garnett, architect, Ramsbottom, by the following local tradesmen: Masons work, Messrs. Timms and Barlow; joiner's work, Mr. D. Shilton; slating, Mr. S. Holt; plastering and painting, Mr. Joseph Morris; plumber's work. Mr Bennett Isherwocd; heating apparatus, Mr. A. Greenhalgh of Edenfield.  The whole of the seating and desks are pitch pine, stained and varnished. and have been provided by Mr. J. H Haworth, of Ramsbottom, and Messrs. Biazar and Son, of Padiham; and the remainder of the school furniture by Mr. John Heywood, of Manchester. [Bury Times - Saturday 27 June 1885 page 7]

Reference    Bury Times - Saturday 27 June 1885 page 7
Reference    OS map revised 1908 – building marked as Sunday School
Reference    OS map revised 1927 – building marked as Congregational Church and Sunday School