Girls’ School in connection with St Thomas's Church, Ardwick

In 1870 a new school for 400 boys and 300 infants had been opened, the girls remaining in the old school building. However, with the passing of the Education Act it became necessary to provide new accommodation for the girls. By 1873 the infants school was also full to capacity and an additional infants' classroom was built

A new girls' school in connection with St Thomas's Church, Ardwick, was opened yesterday in the presence of a large assembly by the Bishop of Manchester .. An excellent site between the new schools and the church offered itself. Upon this site have been erected a very commodious school -room for 300 girls, a class-room for 80 infants and a pleasant covered playroom, which can be converted into an additional schoolroom in a few days, should it be required for this purpose. The total cost of the site and buildings will be about ,4,000. ......... At one end of the large room there is a lavatory and cloakroom, and this, with the classroom which is situated at the other end of the large room are heated by warm air generated from two "Manchester School Grates." The heating apparatus is a very simple contrivance and the contents heated will be over 60,000 cubic feet. Messrs Sillito and Shoreland, manufacturing ironmongers, Stretford-road and Welcomb-street, Manchester, are the patentees of the grates. The builder of the schools is Mr Robert Ellis of Hulme from the designs of Messrs Royle and Bennett, Princess-street. [Manchester Courier Tuesday 13 May 1873 Page 7]

ARDWICK  - A new girls' school in connexion with St. Thomas's Church, Ardwick, has been opened, in the presence of a large assembly, by the Bishop of Manchester. In the year 1870 large now school buildings were opened in the parish to accommodate 400 boys and 300 infants. The cost of the buildings and the site was £4,200. In consequence of the passing of the Education Act it became necessary to provide additional accommodation for the girls, who had hitherto been taught in the old school buildings. The new infants' school also being quite filled with scholars, an additional class-room was found desirable. A site between the new schools and the church offered itself. Upon this site have been erected a commodious school room for 300 girls, a class-room for 80 infants, and a covered play-room, which can be converted into an additional school room in a few days, should it be required. The total cost of the site and buildings will be about 4,000!. Of this sum about 3001. will be required for the purchase of the chief-rent. Towards this sum about 2,100!. have been raised. At one end of the large room there is a lavatory and cloak-room, and this and the class-room, which is situated at the other end of the large room, are heated by warm air generated from two " Manchester School Grates." Tho heating apparatus is a simple contrivance, patented by Messrs. Shillito and Shorland, of Manchester. The builder of the school is Mr. Robert Ellis, of Hulme, from the designs of Messrs Royle & Bennett. [Builder 24 May 1873 page 414].

Reference    Manchester Courier Tuesday 13 May 1873 Page 7 Col 2
Reference    Manchester Courier (Supplement) Saturday 17 May 1873 Page 1
Reference    Builder 24 May 1873 page 414