St Andrew’s Day and Sunday Schools, Barton Lane, Eccles

FOUNDATION OF NEW SCHOOLS AT ECCLES, MASONIC CEREMONY - especial Provincial Grand Lodge of the Freemasons of the Western division of Lancashire was held at Eccles on Saturday for the purpose of laying the foundation stone of St. Andrew's New Schools, in Barton-lane.  The plans of the building were presented by the architect, Bro. H. Lord, P.M. 325, who was requested to push on with the work of erection rapidly as might be.

 The new building will be plain and substantial in design. On the ground floor is the infants' department, which will comprise a schoolroom 43 feet and two large classrooms, also a cloakroom, and a room for the head teacher. There is also this floor room 54 feet by 26 feet, to be used for mission and general parochial purposes. The first floor is taken wholly as a mixed school for boys and girls. It comprises a large room 54 feet by 43 feet, and five large classrooms, one of them being specially furnished for teaching cookery. The large room is readily divided, so that two departments, each having its own classrooms, can be formed. A portion of the building on ground floor has been set aside for use as a young men's institute, a provision necessary to every parish, if its scholars, in their passage from youth to manhood, are to meet for recreative intercourse, free from harmful and deteriorating influences. This has its separate entrance from Oxford-street, opposite to the Recreation Ground, and is entirely shut off from the schoolrooms. The whole building will be warmed with hot water, and every room in addition is provided with an open fireplace. Special provision is made at all the windows for the constant admission of fresh air, with upward movement, so as to avoid unpleasant draughts. There will be two large playgrounds, separated from each other by the whole length of the building, containing covered sheds for shelter in inclement weather. The accommodation thus provided for is743school places, but the plans are so arranged that at very little cost, by adapting the mission room for day school purposes, and by a slight structural alteration for which provision has been made, additional accommodation can secured for 212 children. The contract for the whole the works has been let to Messrs. W. Brown and Son for the sum of £5,793, and the work is being carried out from the designs and under the superintendence of the architect, Mr Henry Lord, of Manchester. [Manchester Courier 26 September 1892 page 2]

Opened 9 October 1893.

Reference    Manchester Guardian 15 August 1892 page 5
Reference    British Architect 19 August 1892 Page 144 - identical report
Reference    Official opening St Andrews Church records
Reference    Manchester Courier 26 September 1892 page 2