The Manchester Commercial Schools Stretford New Road Hulme

The MANCHESTER COMMERCIAL SCHOOLS are now nearly finished, and are to be opened in January next. They have been built under the auspices of the Church Education Society, from the designs of Messrs Holden, Architects, on a plot of ground in the Stretford New Road. The building is three storeys high, and in the Tudor style of architecture. The front is of stone, and the first story has two entrance doorways, with three windows between them, the centre one a triplet, and the others double windows, with Sat or four centred arches ; the second story has an oriel window with enriched panelling above and below, and two smaller windows with hood mouldings on each side of it; the upper storey has a large window in the centre, with a depressed four centred arch, and rich tracery in the head, and two smaller windows with hood mouldings on each side. The ground floor contains the assistant master's offices, porter's residence, etc, and also a covered play-ground, about 42 feet by 30 feet, communicating with a spacious play yard. The second floor it set apart as four class rooms, a large hall, and a book and model room. The whole of the upper floor will be occupied as the general school room, 55 feet by 42 feet, and as the roof is open to the rafters the room is an airy one. In these schools a good church and commercial education will be afforded to the youth of the middle classes upon reasonable terms. [The Civil Engineer and Architects Journal. January, 1846]

OPENING OF THE MANCHESTER COMMERCIAL SCHOOL, STRETFORD NEW ROAD – This school, which stands on the south side of the Stretford New Road, opposite Milton Terrace, was opened for the purpose of tuition on Monday last. The school is a handsome stone edifice in the Tudor style from designs by Messrs Isaac and James P Holden, architects, of this town, and it has been erected under their superintendence by Mr Russell, of Salford. The first storey, or ground floor contains the assistant master’s office, a residence for the porter and other offices; there are two principal entrances, and one to the secretary’s office at the east end. A portion of this storey at the back is laid out as a covered playground; its dimensions are 42 feet by 30 feet; and the cloisters communicate with a large open playground at the back. The flor has been laid with cement, composed of wax; and under the covered part are the preparations for awnings, and other gymnastic implements. The first floor, to which ascent is had by a stone staircase, has a hall, fitted round with cases; the upper part for specimens in natural history and geology; the lower for the caps, etc., of the pupils. There are five rooms in this storey, varying in dimensions from 24 feet by 19 feet to 17 feet by 13 feet; viz. the master’s private class-room; the gallery room, in which the pupils will be assembled for lectures. At the end next to the street, is a gallery of four stages, in each of which is a desk and form for the pupils to make notes upon during lectures. Next to this room is a model room, and immediately behind this is the room for the drawing class; and the fifth room is the language class-room. All these rooms are lighted with gas, and fitted with ingenious contrivances conductive to order and arrangement. The whole of the second floor or upper storey is occupied by the general school room, 56 feet by 42 feet, on the east side of which is the writing gallery; the centre of the school-room is filled with lesson desks, one half facing the headmaster, the other the second master. The school is adequate for the accommodation of about 400 children, but the committee do not contemplate receiving more than 300. The scholars are to wear a uniform school cap. [Manchester Guardian 28 January 1846 page 4]

Opened        Monday 26 January 1846

Reference    Manchester Guardian 19 April 1845 page 3  - contracts
Reference    Manchester Guardian 26 April 1845 page 7
Reference    Manchester Guardian 21 June 1845 – foundation stone
Reference    Manchester Guardian 27 April 1845 page 7, - contracts
Reference    The Civil Engineer and Architects Journal. January, 1846
Reference    Manchester Guardian 24 January 1846 page 1 – course of education
Reference    Manchester Guardian 28 January 1846 page 4 - opening