The spellbound attention that a recent illustrated talk Alistair Herd gave on the history of the building that evolved from Egremont Infant School to the present library building proves the affection that Egremont people feel for their old buildings. We have invited Alistair to provide readers with the following background.
Further to a letter in a previous issue regarding the proposed demolition of the present library building in the Academy construction programme, I feel a little of its history may be appropriate at this time.
The building built of Bank End sandstone by local builder James Moffat of East Rd at cost in the region of £6000 was designed as an Infant school to replace the infant department at Bookwell as well as the small school, which was then below the Police Station, this school had closed in the early 1880s but an increase in the infant population had caused it to be re-opened, and overcrowding here and at Bookwell was to be overcome by the building of the new school.
Building work commenced in 1902, and by July of 1904 the final payment had been made to the contractor, and apart from some external work the building was almost ready for occupation. New desks and equipment were ordered to supplement items from the other two schools and in November additional teaching staff were appointed. A further contract was placed for the building of a caretaker's house, along with landscaping the drive and entrance to the school, also the formation of a playground, and by 1905 the school was functioning, with Miss. Annie Hebson as headmistress.
It continued as an Infant School until 1921 when it became The Central Girls School eventually under the headship of Miss. Eva Troughton, (1925 to 1953) well remembered by old pupils in Egremont today. It remained a girls school until 1955 when it became co-educational under the headship of Mr Ball to be the forerunner until 1964 of Wyndham Comprehensive, then becoming the Charles Edmonds Library.
There is at present a strong feeling about the proposed demolition. I wonder if the planners were aware of this, and whether they would have listened. Surely they and their architects would welcome a challenge to their skills and could have found a way to incorporate the library building in their project.