'You will soon reach two of the finest buildings in Saltaire - the School on the left and the Institute on the right' Sir Titus Salt chose to place the two Factory Schools - one for boys and one for girls - in pride of place in the middle of the village. The Factory Act 1844 had required that children (8-13) should not be employed for more than 6½ hours per day and must receive 3 hours of education per day. Education was initially provided in the Saltaire Dining Hall. The Schools opened in 1868 and provided places for 700 children in very well-equipped facilities which had central heating, gas lighting and playgrounds at the back. With gardens at the front, and the four stone lions on guard, the Schools and the Victoria Hall opposite provide a very attractive arrangement at the heart of the village. The school building still provides education, now being part of Shipley College.
In the 1870s primary education became the responsibility of local School Boards. Titus Salt Junior was the first Chairman of the Shipley School Board and a new elementary school was built on land at the edge of the village on Albert Road. In 1876, these existing schools in the village centre became a High School for older students.
[No 10 on the street plan]
Kids of those times were clearly deprived of a childhood, with 6 1/2 hours of enforced factory work and 3 hours of schooling per day...and Sir Titus's proteges were the lucky ones, having access to such a well-designed school! By comparison, how very much things are taken for granted today!
ReplyDeleteHow lucky to be allowed to study in such beautyful places!I remember the time when boys and girls were in separate schools. I began to be with boys only when I entered the college (in France, around 11/12 years old)!and it was a great discovery...:)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful building Jenny.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information.
Costas
Quite a grand building
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this post, always fun to learn about these places. Enjoyed your photo too. I love the old buildings.
ReplyDeleteLife is so different for children today, though there are some things which are worse now, I think.
ReplyDelete… and I used to complain about an hour delivering papers before going to school!
ReplyDeleteVery stately looking place. Can't imagine how it used to be for children before the child labor laws. ~Lili
ReplyDeleteBeautiful buildings! What are they used for now?
ReplyDeleteAnother nice photo and informative lesson about your trek along the heritage trail. I wasn't expecting a lion.
ReplyDeleteNice read, thanks for shared.
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful! No doubt it's one of my favourite shots in the b&w series.
ReplyDeleteLovely composition and perfect in B&W.
ReplyDeleteStill a school, That is great.
ReplyDelete