Hyde Library and Technical School

Hyde Library was originally Hyde Technical School and Free Library. It opened in 1897 replacing the former Mechanics Institute.

This Architects drawing was found in an old book at St George's Church.

PROPOSED NEW TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

"It is proposed to build, at a no-distant date, new TECHNICAL SCHOOLS near to the Public Baths in Union Street. The probable cost, including furnishing, will be £12,000. Towards this expenditure, subscriptions have been promised to the extent of £3,500, a grant has been offered by the County Council, while a further grant has been made by the Science and Art Department in London. The deficit, £5,000, is being raised by a Loan on Corporation Security, to be repaid out of a rate at one pebby in the pound. Plans of an elaborate building have been prepared. Above we give an illustration of the exterior of the Schools, from which it will be inferred that, to Hyde at any rate, the edifice will be a thing of beauty.

The need of these Schools has arisen through the impetus given to Technical Instruction by the Technical Institution Acts of 1889-91. At present there is an insufficiency of accommodation for the several classes held, while there is a demand for other classes that cannot be met. Classes, for example, meet in the Mechanics' Institute, the British Schools, and the Town Hall, in rooms by no means adapted for the purpose. When the new Schools are completed this defect will be remidied, and additional instruction given in Cookery, Laundry, Manual Instruction, &c."

Although the library as built was not quite as grand as the architect's drawing it wasn't far short.

The old public baths building has been long gone and now with library services been removed to the Town Hall the building is under threat from a council now based in Ashton which has a wide "programme to reduce the number and costs of Council-owned buildings. Tameside Council's priority is to save services over buildings in its challenge to meet £142m Government funding cuts to its budget." They have already done it in Denton, now they want to do it in Hyde.

Update: Hyde Library closed on Monday 12th January 2015. The library service in the Town Hall opens in February,

See also Hyde Daily Photo.

A brief history of Hyde Grammar School

The original Hyde Grammar School was founded in 1877 on the corner of Henry Street and Edna Street.

It is now a sheet-metal factory.

A new building on Clarendon Road costing £12,000 was opened as the "New County School" on September 17th 1912 by Sir George Dixon, chairman of the County Council. Large extensions to the building were made and opened in 1929 and at that time the name was changed to "Hyde Grammar School".

It closed its doors to 11 year olds in 1979. When the last intake had progressed to the Sixth Form, it became Hyde Sixth Form College. It later merged with Ashton Sixth Form college to form Tameside College after which it was known as Hyde Clarendon Sixth Form College.

Photographs of the current building can be found on Hyde Daily Photo and Hyde DP Xtra.

Videos on YouTube that feature Hyde Grammar School include:
Hyde Grammar School Football Team 1946 by George Wain.
Hyde Grammer School Sports Day 1946 by George Wain.
Hyde Grammar School, Nunc Amici, The School Song by Sefton Wallet.
Hyde Grammar School: Boys of '57 Reunion by Sefton Wallet.
Hyde Grammar School: More boys from '57 by Sefton Wallet.
Hyde Grammar School Photo July 1959 by Sefton Wallet.
Hyde Grammar School: The Staff of 1959 by Sefton Wallet.

Current plans for Tameside College are to transfer all services to a new centre in Ashton under Lyne and then sell the site to a developer for demolition. An e-petition has been launched - Save Hyde Clarendon College from demolition.

Queen Adelaide's Donation

"The Highland Shepherdess" is one of nine pieces of needlework worked by Queen Adelaide herself and donated to a bazaar held in 1835 to raise funds for a school in Hyde. It was purchased by a member of the Tinker family and passed down through the family into the possession of Margaret (Peggy) Tinker. She has generously passed this artefact into the custody of St George's Church.

The church hope to have it restored in due course.

Queen Adelaide was born in 1792. She married William, Duke of Clarence in 1818. He reigned as King William IV from 1830 until 1837. Queen Adelaide died in 1849.

An enriched photograph of the tapestry can be found on Hyde Daily Photo.

Details from the frame can be found on Hyde DP Xtra.

For more "Q" posts this week visit ABC Wednesday.

Mechanics Intitute

Hyde Mechanics Institute was founded in 1850. It was built on the former site of Hyde Lane Independent Chapel, which was purchased by Mr. Benjamin Goodfellow (the founder of an engineering works on Mottram Road), and converted into a Mechanics' Institute and then generously handed over to trustees. Classes for teaching elementary subjects were held regularly every winter. There was also a reading room and a small library attached, lectures were given at intervals by noted men.

The old building was succeeded in 1861 by the building shown above. Part of the expense of the new building was met by a public subscription and a series of Penny Readings helped to wipe off the debt of £1,200 with which the building opened. The Mechanics' Institute played an important part in the development of old Hyde, particularly in the education of general knowledge among the working classes. In 1894 it was transferred to Hyde Corporation, and became the precursor of the Technical School and Library.

More information can be found on Hyde Cheshire.

The present building was opened in 1897, see Hyde Daily Photo.

Mottram Old School

This photograph, © Frank Bennett, first appeared on the Images of England site and is republished here with permission.

Date Photographed: 21st August 2000.

The official description is

SJ 99 NE LONGDENDALE WAR HILL 4/89 The Old School 27.11.75 G.V. II School. 1858 on datestone. Rock-faced stone with ashlar dressings and graduated stone slate roof. T-shaped with one storey plus basement. Jacobean style. Projecting plinth, stone quoins and coped gables. Windows in each face are of 2, 4 and 6 lights with chamfered stone mullions, hoodmoulds and in the 2 principal windows transoms. The door has a chamfered surround and tudor-arched head. The door to the basement is re-used and in considerably older. Ridge chimney stack. A cusped panel in the gable reads "Scholam Grammatican, A.S. MDCXX Benivolentian Roberti Garsett Armig et Ricardi Willbraham Equit Fundatam. Metustate et Incuria Dilapsam Instaurarit Reposuit Restituit Geogius Woodhead Armig A.S. MDCCCLVIII". Included for group value.

See my own photograph on Hyde Daily Photo.

Hyde Grammar School Photo July 1959

Seftonwallet has just added a new video to his YouTube collection. It is an eight-minute scan over the school photo from 1959.

Hyde Grammar School Football Team 1946

Hyde Grammar School Football Team 1946, filmed by George Wain.

Look out for future Manchester United and England star Warren Bradley, future PE master Fred Whyatt, and headmaster Dr Couzens.

Hyde Grammar School: More boys from '57

A follow up to Boys of 57 Reunion.

Hyde GS: Boys of '57 Reunion

After 50 years, a few of the 1957 intake of boys from that year, get together for a reunion to celebrate a past and superior age. Amazingly, these old buggers can remember the words to the School Song.

Hyde Grammer School Sports Day 1946

Hyde Grammar School Sports Day 1946 filmed by George Wain.

Nunc Amici

Hyde Grammar School, Nunc Amici, The School Song

Hyde Grammar School The Staff of 1959

Hyde Grammar School The Staff of 1959 - does anybody recognise anyone?