Friday, 13 May 2011

Blackpool and the Fylde College

On the 7th of February 2012, the college had an official visit by H.R.H. Edward The Earl of Wessex. I can not recall an official visit by royalty before although it seems that other members of the royal family have visited the college as students.

Edward, the Duke of Wessex about to meet the principal Pauline Waterhouse O.B.E.
There are other photographs in the Datastore here

Hidden away at the top of the stairs in the main building are two plaques dating back to the beginnings of the college. At the time the college was known as "Blackpool Technical College"  Who knows how many staff and students have walked past these two plaques and not even noticed them let alone even read them. Of course I can include myself in this, as I have even attended twice!
There are some more photos of the college now after the rebuild and modernisation in the Datastore too.
This is the information on the plaques.

BLACKPOOL TECHNICAL COLLEGE
DEDICATION 22ND NOV 1937
BY THE REV C.W. MACREADY.B.A. AND REV J.J.L.CLAYTON
MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATION COMMITEE 1936-37
ALD W.S. ASHTON J.P.  MAYOR
COUNR. W.R.DUCKWORTH J.P. M.P. CHAIRMAN
COUNR.D.J.BAILEY. J.P.  VICE-CHAIRMAN

ALD. J. COLLINS J.P.  ALD.T.P.FLETCHER. J.P.  ALD.T.G.LUMB J.P.  ALD. J. POTTER. J.P.  COUNR.W.DUGDALE  COUNR. F.W.HALTON   COUNR. J.HILL.  COUNR. E.HOLT. J.P.  COUNR. F.I.NICKSON  COUNR. MABEL A.QUALE  COUNR J.ANDERSON JUNR.  COUNR. J.B.SINGLETON COUNR. E SMITH COUNR. J.SMITH
COUNR. H.A.THICKETT. J.P.  COUNR.C.WILKINSON  MISS M.E.GARNER  MRS. F.W.HALTON. J.P.  MRS. L.J.HILLMAN  MRS.L.NEWSOME  MRS. L.STANSFIELD  REV.F.A.FARLEY M.A. B.D.  REV C.W.MACREADY. B.A.  REV. FATHER OLDHAM.S.J.  SIR CUTHBERT GRUNDY J.P.  DOCTOR J.HARRIS  MR. A.P.ANDERSON BSc.  MR S. DAWSON  MR. G FOX J.P.  MR. G, HUMAN

J.C. ROBINSON F.R.I.B.A  ARCHITECT
F.E. HARRISON. M.C. M.A.  DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

The second plaque referring to the opening on the same day faces the dedication plaque. Many of the names are the same.
This is the information:

BLACKPOOL TECHNICAL COLLEGE
OFFICIAL OPENING 22ND NOV: 1937
BY THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE
EARL OF CRAWFORD AND BALCARRES
K.T. P.C. LL.D. D.C.L. LITT.D. F.R.I.B.A. F.S.A. F.R.S.

GOVERNORS OF THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE 1936-37
COUNR. F, I, NICKSON  CHAIRMAN
MR. GEORGE FOX, J,P,  VICE-CHAIRMAN
COUNR. J.B. SINGLETON CHAIRMAN SITES AND BUILDINGS SUB-COMMITEE

GOVERNORS REPRESENTING BLACKPOOL EDUCATION COMMITEE
ALD. W.S.ASHTON J.P. ALD. T.P.FLETCHER J.P.  COUNR.D.J.BAILEY.J.P. COUNR. W.R. DUCKWORTH J.P. M.P. COUNR. F.W. HALTON  COUNR. J.HILL COUNR. MABEL A.QUALE  COUNR. H.A. THICKETT J.P.  MISS M.E. GARNER MRS L.J.HILLMAN  MR G.HUMAN

GOVERNORS REPRESENTING LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
ALD. C.F.CRITCHLEY J.P. ALD.G.M.ROBERTSON J.P. MRS.H.BADDERLEY J.P. MISS J HODGSON

Wm. JONES F.COLL. H. A.M.C. PRINCIPAL

H. BANKS. M.I.M.  & CY.E.

BOROUGH ENGINEER AND SURVEYOR

The college was built in 1936 to 1937 by Potts, Son and Hennings, They also built the town hall as well as Raikes Parade, which was another part of the college. These architects were very busy in the north of England. Edward Potts was well known for designing Mills.

Buried away in a corridor out of the way there are 4 framed pieces. 2 are photos  and 2 are old timetables. Seems a pity to let them either disappear into a skip. or into somebodies study.

The Foundation Stone laying


Outwardly little has changed
Even the telephone box is the same, more cars too,
but almost the same.

Some of the subjects are no longer taught!

I think the prices of courses are pretty much the same too!


This is an image of the St Anne's Campus. It did seem to be used for mainly night schools and practice by the "Big Band" The college sold it under a previous administration. Much of the college buildings were sold and then flattened for building. This is one of the few that actually remain.



This photograph shows the front of the old Blackpool Grammar School. It is now part of Blackpool and the Fylde college. Called South Building it is now largely devoted to mature students as well as Higher Education. Extensively remodeled over the years at least twice when I was there. Many of the Further Education courses have gone to Bispham campus.The South Building entrance is literally 60 yards from the rear of the main building. Built in 1912, the Grammar School predated the college by 25 years.

There is a selection of  photographs from this area of the campus here as well as Fleetwood.
 Many people may not be aware that the college also has training facilities in the port of Fleetwood itself. There are also pictures added to the data store of the inflatable as well as the radar station. The website of the college is here also

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