Widnes Free Public Library and Technical School

We understand that Messrs. Woodhouse & Willoughby, of Manchester, have been awarded the first premium in the Widnes Free Public Library and Technical School competition, the second premium going to Messrs. Briggs & Wolstenholme, of Blackburn, and the third to Mr. C. O. Ellison, F.R.I.B.A., of Liverpool. Mr. Hartley, of Liverpool, was the assessor. [British Architect 14 October 1892 page 274]

TECHNICAL SCHOOL AND FREE LIBRARY, WIDNES - The foundation-stone of the new Technical School and Free Library for Widnes, which is being erected on a site adjoining Victoria square, was laid recently by Mr. T. Sutton Timmis, J.P. The building is being erected by Mr. T. Dilworth, contractor, Wavertree, from the designs and under the superintendence of Messrs. Woodhouse & Willoughby, architects, Manchester. The various rooms of the Public Library will be grouped round the lending library. The news-room will be a one-story building, with open limbered roof, and the boys' room is placed next to the librarian's. The building will have two main entrances, each facing Victoria-road, one for the Public Library, the other for the Technical Schools, the latter having a keeper's house and committee-room adjacent. A separate side entrance and exit will also appear on the west elevation for the readiness of access and despatch to the frequenters of the lending library. The chemical laboratory will stand on the back of the site, and farthest away from Victoria-road. The laboratory will be entered through double doors, will have open and timbered roof, and will be filled with five working tables (double) to accommodate forty students. In conjunction with the laboratory are provided a balance-room, store and reagent room, and bottle-room, together with the lecture-room for demonstrations, etc., fitted with raised gallery, demonstrator’s table, etc. With regard to the material used, all exposed internal joinery will be executed in selected pitch-pine, stained and varnished. All corridors, passages, and reading-rooms to be paved with pitch-pine blocks, while the entrance-hall will be laid with ceramic mosaic. The elevations throughout are designed to be faced with Ruabon bricks, with all dressings in red terra-cotta, from Henry Dennis, Ruabon. The estimated cost of the structure is about 10,000/. . [Builder 21 July 1894 page 45]

TECHNICAL SCHOOL AND LIBRARY, WIDNES - The site chosen for this building is a most favourable one, being level, well drained, and abutting on to the main road, and having elevations to three good streets. The design was selected in open competition, on the advice of Mr. Henry Hartley, FRIBA, of Liverpool, the assessor called in by the Committee.

The building is divided into two sections, a public free library in the one, and a science, art, and technical school in the other. The following accommodation is provided: The public library is central, having perfect supervision of the adjacent rooms, also in itself having ample storage room for books and papers; due provision is made for future extensions, and ready access to every room. The news-room has been given a prominent position, and will be a one-storey building with open timbered roof, thus obtaining ample light and air space without detracting from the appearance of the facade to Victoria-road, which is the principal street in Widnes.  The boys’ room, being planned next to the librarian's room, is under his personal supervision, as well as under that of the assistant in the lending department. The lending library is lighted by both top and side-lights. A book-store will be arranged in gallery form, with a storeroom for old periodicals and newspapers. In the technical and art schools every teaching-room throughout is lighted from left hand side and back; the different classes are grouped into departments, the chemical department and handicraft class-room isolated from the rest of the school.

The building will have two main entrances from the ground floor, with vestibules to each, both facing Victoria-road, one for the public library, the other for the technical schools; the latter has a keeper’s house and committee-room adjacent. A separate side entrance and exit will also appear on the west elevation for readiness of access and despatch to the frequenters of the lending library. The chemical laboratory will stand on the back of the site, and furthest away from Victoria-road. The laboratory will be entered through double doors, will have open timbered roofs, and will be spacious and lofty. It will be fitted with five workable tables (double) to accommodate forty students. The fittings generally will be of pitch-pine, with teak tops to the tables. In conjunction with the laboratory are provided a balance-room, store and re-agent room, and bottle-rooms, together with the lecture room for demonstrations, etc., fitted with raised gallery, demonstrators’ table, etc.  The whole of the warming and ventilating will be carried out by the Sturtevant Engineering Company, London, whose system was finally adopted by the committee alter an exhaustive examination of many other mechanical systems at present in use. By this arrangement the whole of the building, or any portion as desired, can always be flooded with pure warm air in the winter, and pure cold air in the summer; the same system of ventilating and heating will apply to corridors, staircases, and entrances; the system is arranged to completely change the whole of the air in the building three or more times within the hour, and maintain an even temperature throughout - 60 to 65 degrees. With regard to the material used, all exposed internal joinery will be executed in pitch-pine, stained and varnished; corridors, passages, and reading-rooms of pitch-pine blocks; while the entrance hall will be paved with ceramic mosaic of simple design. The elevations are designed to be faced with machine-made Ruabon bricks, with all the dressings in red terra-cotta, which are being supplied by Mr. Henry Dennis, Ruabon; the enriched parts and ornament generally being specially modelled from cartoons approved by the architects.  The erection of the whole of the work has been entrusted to the hands of Mr. Isaac D**worth, contractor, of Wavertree, Liverpool, from the designs and under the supervision of Messrs Woodhouse & Willoughby, of Manchester. It is estimated that the structure will take about eighteen months to erect, at the total cost about £12,000, including equipment. [Builder 27 October 1894 page 294]

Reference    British Architect 14 October 1892 page 274
Reference    Manchester Guardian 11 March 1893 (Contracts)
Reference    Builder 21 July 1894 page 45
Reference    Builder 27 October 1894 page 294