Varna Street Board School Openshaw (School No 31)
The designs of Messrs Potts Son and Pickup of Manchester for the new Board School in Varna Street were accepted by the Board. {Manchester Guardian 16 July 1895 page 10]
A NEW BOARD SCHOOL AT OPENSHAW – The memorial stone of the new Board School, which is being erected in Varna Street, Openshaw, was laid on Saturday morning. Formerly the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company carried on a school, which was open to the children of working people in that district, but two years ago the Company transferred the school to the Manchester School Board on certain conditions, and gave notice that at the expiration of two years the premises would be required for offices and works. Under these circumstances the Board found it necessary to build a new school. The site selected was a plot of ground about two acres in extent, in the neighbourhood of Varna Street. The school of which the architects are Messrs Potts, Son and Pickup, consists of two distinct blocks of buildings. In the larger block is accommodation for 900 boys and 600 girls, room for 500 infants being found in the smaller block. As the total number of scholars that can be accommodated is 2,000 it is the largest school that has been erected by the Board. The new buildings, without being extravagant in cost or design, will, it is hoped, form a thoroughly equipped school. One special advantage of the site that has been chosen is that there is ample room for the provision of extensive playgrounds. The total cost is about £23,000. [Manchester Guardian 18 May 1896 Page 10]
These schools, built by the Manchester School Board to replace the school in Cornwall Street transferred in 1894 by the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company were opened on the 22nd inst. The schools afford accommodation for 2,000 children - 900 boys, 600 girls and 500 infants. They are on the Central Hall plan and in the main building provision is made for cookery and laundry work to the girls and drawing and manual instruction to the boys. The architects were Messrs Potts Son and Pickup and the builders Messrs Southern and Sons, Salford. [Builder 30 October 1897 p 355]
Memorial stone laid 14 May 1896; opened 22 October 1897.
Reference Manchester Guardian 16 July 1895 page 10 –approval of plans
Reference Manchester Guardian 18 May 1896 Page 10 – memorial stone
Reference Builder 30 October 1897 p 355 - opening
Reference Samantha F Barnes page 95-99