Manchester School Board Competition (Second Premium)

This Board has at length selected the designs sent in by Messrs. Royle and Bennett, of Manchester, for execution, and awarded three premiums of £30, £20, and £10 to Messrs. Horton, Bridgeford and Walker, Mr. Henry Lord, and Mr. William Dawes, respectively. The designs number altogether about 54 sets, and show very varied modes of treatment in many respects.

The most marked feature in Mr. Lord's design is its simplicity; it is all contained in two floors, the infants being placed on the ground level in one large room, to which are added classrooms for babies and advanced infants. The first-floor plan is generally similar to this, the block being divided by a partition wall in the middle of its length to form boys' and girls' separate schools. A north light is obtained for all the schools from Chester-street, but as they are designed, according to the conditions, on the wide principle, this may be found to provide somewhat inadequately for the backs of the rooms. The doors to the classrooms are not well placed in the plan, as will be found when the position of galleries has to be considered. Recreation will be afforded by the alternate use of the one playground, which is in part covered. The views show an agreeable exterior. [Building News 6 March 1874 page 250-251]

Reference           Building News 6 March 1874 page 250-251