Sacred Trinity Schools Blackfriars Road Salford

The foundation stone of the new schools which have been projected for some time, was laid on Saturday afternoon by Sir H W Gore‑Booth, Bart. (who is resident in Sligo), cousin of the present rector and patron of the living. The site is a plot of ground in Blackfriars‑street, next to the club baths. The present schools were built about twenty‑five years ago and are situated in Bury‑street, close to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. The site on which they are situated is, however, required by the railway company for the extension of their line, and next year the schools must be pulled down. The new site is in a conspicuous position and can be well seen from the Lancashire and Yorkshire and the London North Western Railway lines going out of Manchester towards the west. It is bounded on the north‑east by Blackfriars‑street and on the south by John‑street, so the boys can enter from John Street and the girls and infants from Blackfriars‑street. The boys and girls likewise have separate playgrounds, part open and part covered, separate staircases and separate lavatories and closets. They will also enter their school rooms and classrooms ‑ common to both sexes ‑ by different doors. The ground floor level is kept up above the street sufficiently to get a well‑lighted basement, in which will be situated two covered playgrounds, which are both easily accessible from the outside playgrounds and from the ground floor. In the basement also is a large kitchen, in which cookery classes can be held. There is also a heating chamber, a coal cellar and a storeroom. A hoist with coiling shutters in front of its four openings, is provided from the basement to the second floor for coals, tea urns and other things. The main entrance for the public on festive occasions is from Blackfriars‑street

On the ground floor is the infants’ school, with the babies room adjoining. On the first floor there is a mixed school and separated from it by coiling shutters are two classrooms so arranged that the whole may be thrown open when required, forming a room 56 feet long by 32 feet broad. There are also boys and girls lavatories and cloakrooms and a master's lavatory. The arrangement on the second floor is similar to that on the first floor. The walls internally have brown glazed brick dados and above the dados, light buff‑coloured brick facing. The windows which are large and numerous are so arranged that all above the lower storey can be easily cleaned from the inside, a necessary precaution in our smoky atmosphere. The internal doors and other such internal woodwork will be pitch pine. The school is ventilated by means of a large shaft carried up above the roofs and the heating is by means of hot water pipes and radiators which are so arranged as to heat the cold air admitted through the gratings as soon as it comes into the room, so that the children and teachers may have a supply of fresh warm air without opening the windows.

Outside the walls generally are faced with picked common bricks with red brick and terra cotta dressings. The roof will be slated. The sub‑contractor for the heating and ventilating are Messrs. G. N. Haden and Son; Messrs. Clarke and Bennett supply the hoist and coiling shutters. The General Contractor is Mr James Hamilton and the building is being carried out from the plans and under the direction of Mr J Medland Taylor, the architect.  (The report continues with full details of the church service prior to the stone being laid, the ceremony and subsequent speeches)

Reference           The Salford Chronicle Saturday 19 December 1891. Page 5

Reference           The Builder 12 December 1891 Page 446