New Wing: Penrhos College for Girls, Upper Promenade, Colwyn Bay

PENRHOS COLLEGE EXTENSION. SUCCESSFUL CEREMONY AT COLWYN BAY. NEW WING OPENED BY THE LORD MAYOR OP MANCHESTER. INTERESTING ADDRESS BY THE MAYOR OF BIRKENHEAD. FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE IMPROVEMENTS. ARCHITECTS & CONTRACTORS ENTERTAINED. Since its inception in 1880, the College, now so well known as the Penrhos College, Colwyn Bay, has enjoyed a remarkably successful career. Gilbertville, the roomy residence on the Promenade at present utilised as a private hotel, was the original home of the institution, this awarding accommodation for about 45 boarders. About Christmas, 1894, Miss Hovey B.A., the present lady principal, took over the supervision of the school, and thenceforward the college made great progress. After having been in office for about twelve months, Miss Hovey prevailed upon the directors to purchase the Penrhos buildings from the old Hydropathic Company, and, thanks particularly to the enterprise and forethought of the late Mr Beckett, then chairman of the directors, the collegians were soon in possession of their present splendid home overlooking the Bay. Penrhos was fitted up to accommodate in comfort some sixty students, but before a further twelve months had elapsed structural extensions became necessary to cope with the ever-increasing demands of pupils. In 1896, a well-equipped sanatorium was added to the building, and in 1898 the school House was substantially enlarged and a gymnasium erected. Two years later a new dining hall with three floors of additional bedrooms were provided for, and since 1901, quite a series of extensive improvements have been carried out. Not the least of these have been two or three extensions to the college grounds, which have ensured for the students capital playing fields and an uninterrupted view of the sea. 

NEW WING DESCRIBED. Latterly yet another extension of the college buildings became imperative, and a complete new wing has been attached to the old buildings, providing a classroom, library, music room and bedroom accommodation, thus completing one of the finest institutions of its kind in the provinces. Externally the general lines of the old building have been carried through in the addition. The library bay window and gable over it, with the octagon tower at the north west corner, all form noteworthy features and terminate the gymnasium block. Internally, the building has been splendidly designed. On the ground floor the entrance doors open into a well-lighted hall, paved with marble terrazzo, from which a wide easy stair leads to the various floors. The mistresses' room on this floor is large and airy, and is within easy reach of all departments. The present music studies have been continued, and are carefully arranged to be as sound proof as possible. Each little chamber has been fitted with double doors, the external one being covered with pegamoid, and provided with a small shutter for observing the pupil without opening the door. The library is a fine lofty room, the walls panelled with oak almost the full height. The aim has been to give this room a dignified and quiet treatment, in consonance with its purpose. The glazed entrance doors and porch, the window seats and bookcases are additional features of interest.

On the first floor, three large classrooms have been formed, all exceptionally well- lighted from the left side of the pupil in each case, and fitted with sliding black-boards. Two of the rooms can be converted into one large classroom by means of a sliding screen. Small studies for the senior girls are provided on this floor, and also on the mezzanine floor between this and the ground floor. These studies are very much in demand. The additional bedroom accommodation has been provided for on the second floor, and bathrooms have been placed on this floor in the tower. These are finished on modern lines, and the marble terrazzo floors and light screens kept well off the floors, all contribute to the essential cleanliness. On the top floor further bedrooms have been arranged. An observatory has been placed on the top of the octagon tower. The dome rests on bevelled wheels, and revolves with great ease on a machined track. A sliding shutter covers the observation aperture. This dome has been fitted up by Sir Howard Grubb, of Dublin, and the college directors only await the gift of a suitable instrument. when they will have a very efficient astronomical department. For the time being the students enjoy the use of a valuable telescope, lent by Mr Walter Whitehead. The whole of the heating installation of the old and new buildings has been entirely over-hauled, and two new boilers have been installed in the basement, each of which is sufficiently powerful to work the whole system in the event of a break-down of either. The ventilation of the new buildings is by "natural" means. The air is being admitted through Boyle's inlet brackets and extracted at the ceiling level or through the fanlights, shafts conveying the vitiated air to the large central ventilator over the library buildings. A new feature in school buildings is the system of electric bells which has been installed. The bells are placed in suitable positions throughout the college, including one large outside bell on the large ventilator over the new wing. All of these ring simultaneously from a clock with electrical connections placed in the mistresses' room, on the ground floor. This is set to the required times when the whole system works without attention.

Generally, the whole of the new building has been designed to give the desired accommodation on the most economical lines without sacrificing any essential requirements and ensure effective and easy administration. The general contractors for the new buildings were Messrs Oswald Jones and Hughes, Colwyn Bay, who have carried out the scheme to the designs, and under the supervision of the architects, Messrs J. M. Porter and Elcock, The Estate Office, Colwyn Bay.

The Formal opening of the new wing took place on Saturday afternoon. The ceremony being performed in the handsome new Library. The Lord Mayor of Manchester (Mr J. Harrap) formally unlocked the door of the new building, in the presence of a large and influential gathering.  Mr C. E. Elcock (Messrs J. M. Porter and Elcock, the architects) formally presented the Lord Mayor with a gold key, on behalf of the architects, "as a small memento of the opening ceremony which your Lordship has so graciously performed"

Reference           Welsh Coast Pioneer 13 June 1907 page 8