Municipal Secondary School for Boys, Leaf Square, Salford

SECONDARY SCHOOL: NEW PREMISES OPENED AT LEAF SQUARE - The Secondary School for boys is built on a pleasant site in Leaf-square and has been erected to the design of Mr Henry Lord FRIBA. The school was formed in September 1904, the first headmaster being Mr H B Knowles MA who left the borough to take up an important post at a school in Ashford. Mr Knowles was succeeded on his retirement eight months ago by Mr Herbert Winfield BSc London who will be head of the new school when it opens after the summer holidays. The accommodation in the Royal Technical Institute, where the school was first formed, was being so severely taxed that it was found necessary to provide a new school.

THE BUILDING DESCRIBED - The site of the new school is one acre. The School is recognised by the Board of Education as affording accommodation for 300 boys, but there are actually 330 places in twelve classrooms. The following accommodation is also provided - Assembly Hall, three laboratories (two chemical and one physical), art room, manual instruction room, gymnasium, library, dining room and kitchen, and head and assistant masters’ roomsThe building is approached by two entrances in Leaf-square. A corridor runs the whole length of the building on the ground floor and there are eight classrooms on the ground floor. In the centre of the corridor is a large assembly hall which is of an elevated and pleasant appearance and capable of holding 500 people, in addition to a gallery running round two sides of the hall from which are approached four well-appointed classrooms. The assembly hall is lined to five feet high with a wooden framing stained green, and the upper part of the wall is coloured by a light green. The whole has a very clean and pleasing effect. Adjoining the hall on the ground floor is a large room provided for the assistant masters, with a cloak room attached. At the opposite end of the building is a large boys’ common room and library and on the right, inside the entrance, is the master’s room, with the secretary’s room adjoining and a store room. Large convenient and well-aired cloak rooms are provided at each end of the building. These are of a most up-to-date and sanitary character, the material used being enamelled bricks of a greenish colour. At the north end of the building is a very fine gymnasium, well-lighted and ventilated, the lower portion of the walls being faced with enamelled bricks and the upper walls plastered, and adjoining this room for the students is a changing room with shower bath at one end. The gymnasium is not yet fitted up with the customary appliances and was used for the reception of the visitors at the opening of the buildings.

On the first floor are the science rooms, and these have been provided on the Leaf-square side of the building, so as to provide the necessary steadiness and as much light as possible. There are two chemical laboratories for preparation and the balance room and a large physical room. All of them are well fitted with the usual chemical apparatus. The sanitary arrangements have been well cared for as, for instance, in the science rooms earthenware channels are laid underneath the floor by which are conveyed the refuse from the chemical tanks straight through to the outside of the building. This is a great improvement on many similar buildings in the country. The preparation room is well arranged and there are two sets in the science department, one for juniors and the other for .... classes. The science rooms are tiled from floor to ceiling. In the physical room is another improvement, and a novel feature, in the provision of a lantern .... at the corner of the room

At the south end of the building on the first floor is a very convenient dining room. There is also a kitchen and pantry. … The whole of the buildings are heated by a low pressure hot water system with radiators under the windows, fresh air being brought from the outside. …. There is a good-sized playground at the rear of the buildings. … All the sanitary conveniences are of a good character - (this section of microfilm illegible). The anticipated cost of the buildings including architect’s and quantity surveyor’s fees etc is £15,500 and the furniture £1,500, making together £17,000. Including the site, the whole scheme will cost about £20,000.

The Contractors - Mr Alfred Hodginson, 62, Greenhill-street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, a firm of high repute, was the principal contractor, and the other contractors were Messrs Fearnley & Sons, Pendleton, carpenters’ and joiners’ work; Messrs Broomhead and Son, Regent-road, Salford, plastering painting and decorating work; Mr Frank Ellis, Pendleton, stone work; Messrs Samuel Oakley and Sons, Burlington-street, Manchester, plumbing; Messrs Conway and Co., Bridge-street, Manchester, tiling; Messrs Halliwell and Co., Thomas-street, Manchester, electrical lighting; Messrs T Bradford and Co, Crescent Iron Works, Salford, furnishing; Messrs John Heywood Ltd, Deansgate Manchester . [Salford Chronicle 18 July 1914]