Municipal School, Cavendish Road, West Didsbury

Comprising two central halls, teachers' rooms, ten classrooms, cloakrooms and lavatories, providing accommodation for 500 children. The school was designed to allow an extension for a further 300 scholars. In addition, a detached cookery and manual instruction department was built to serve the needs of schools without such provision in Withington and Didsbury. Estimated cost £10,000.

A NEW WITHINGTON SCHOOL - The foundation‑stone of a new public elementary school which is to be built in Cavendish‑road, Withington, was laid yesterday by Miss Margaret Ashton, a member of the Withington Council and chairman of the Withington Education Committee. The new school would be an amalgamation school. It had been planned and started by the Withington Committee and it would be equipped and opened by the City of Manchester. The new school is intended to accommodate in the first instance 500 children, but the plans have been so arranged that an extension which will find room for another 300 can easily be made. The building will be substantial, and though the exterior architecture is to be plain, with a facing of red Ruabon brick dressed with buff terra-cotta, the appearance should be by no means unpleasing. The ground‑plan of the school is in the form of the letter H. There are to be a central hall capable of holding 800 children, with two teachers' retiring‑rooms, and six classrooms on each of the two floors. The school will have a properly equipped science‑room. There is also to be a detached cookery and manual‑ instruction school, which it is hoped will serve the needs of the non-provided schools of Withington and Didsbury. The site, an acre and a quarter in area, faces an open space used as a recreation‑ground. The architect is Mr. Ernest Woodhouse, of Manchester. The cost of the building in its first form will work out at about ,17 10s. per child. When it has been enlarged to accommodate 800 children the cost per head will be reduced to ,14 - 10s. [Manchester Guardian 5 November 1904, page 6]

WITHINGTON. - The foundation‑stone of a new public elementary school which is to be built in Cavendish‑road, Withington, was laid on Friday. The school is intended to accommodate in the first instance 500 children, but the plans have been so arranged for an extension to find room for another 300. The exterior architecture is to be plain, with a facing of red Ruabon brick dressed with buff terra-cotta. The ground‑plan of the school is in the form of the letter H. There are to be a central hall capable of holding 800 children, two teachers' retiring‑rooms, and six classrooms on each of the two floors. The school will have a science‑room, and also a detached cookery and manual‑ instruction annexe. The site, of an acre and a quarter in area, faces an open space used as a recreation‑ground. The architect is Mr. Ernest Woodhouse, of Manchester. The cost of the building in its first form will work out at about ,17 10s. per child. When it has been enlarged to accommodate 800 children the cost per head will be reduced to £14 10s.  [Building News 11 November 1904 page 684]

CAVENDISH ROAD SCHOOL, MANCHESTER. This school is now being erected by the Manchester Education Authority and will ultimately accommodate 800 children. It consists of two stories, of which the upper will be allotted to senior children with an extended curriculum, and the lower to junior scholars and infants. The 836 premises will occupy an acre and a quarter of land, situated immediately opposite the Recreation Ground. Detached from the main building there are to be a well-equipped manual instruction room and cookery kitchens, available for the voluntary schools in the district. When the building is extended to the full capacity for which provision is made, the total cost will be about £14 10s. per head. The rooms are lofty and well ventilated, and special provision is made for teaching elementary science in the day-school, which will also be available for the evening technical classes. The elevations throughout are faced with red Ruabon facings and buff terra-cotta dressings. The general contractors are Messrs C. H. Normanton and Son, of Manchester. Mr Paul Ogden, FRIBA, the assessor, awarded the first premium to Ernest Woodhouse, of Mosley-street, Manchester, whose designs are now being carried out as shown in the illustration. [Building News 3 March 1905 page 313]

Reference     Manchester City News 21 July 1906. Page 7
Reference    Building News 29 July 1904 Page 168
Reference    Building News 11 November 1904 page 684
Reference    British Architect 11 November 1904 Page 362 - with note
Reference    Manchester Evening News Saturday 29 October 1904 page 2 Column 7.  Details of competition and laying of foundation stone
Reference    Manchester Guardian 5 November 1904, page 6 – foundation stone
Reference    Manchester Evening News 29 October 1904 2/7 - Not Checked
Reference    Building News 3 March 1905 page 313 with illustration