Keighley Boy's Grammar School
Keighley Boy's Grammar School: Early History
In 1825 a society was formed in Keighley the object of which was "Mutual Instruction in Mechanics, Experimental Philosophy and Mathematics". This society flourished as the Keighley Institute and met in the Free Grammar School in Cook Lane. In 1832 a new building was planned on Skipton Road which was erected and eventually opened in 1834.
In 1836 a significant development in public education took place which was characterised by the formation of classes in which arithmetic, algebra, geometry, drawing and history were taught. In 1844 regular art classes were begun and, in succeeding years, more emphasis was laid on all aspects of design. It was typical of the enlightened outlook of the Committee of the Institute that in 1850 thay should play an active part in petitioning both Houses of Parliament for shorter hours of work for factory operatives. The scope of the instruction offered continued to expand and in 1854 evening classes were systematically organised for the first time.
In 1864 the committee, wishing to improve the facilities for art and science, began to consider seriously the question of building a new institution. By this time the School of Art had achieved a national reputation and in the School of Art examinations of 1864 obtained outstanding successes, especially in mechanical drawing. These successes, together with the growth of evening classes, provided the necessary impetus to launch the new building project and in 1866 the committee resolved to erect a new building which would "include a Hall, Elementary Classrooms, School of Art, Library, Newsroom, Clubroom and Dwelling".
However, it was not until 1870 that the new Mechanic's Institute was declared open by the Duke of Devonshire. (This was the buliding that eventually housed KBGS until the transfer to the site at Oakbank).The land, building and furniture cost £15,000, a large part of which was raised by public subscription. In 1871 a Trade School was opened which became so rapidly established that by 1873 it had enrolled 200 pupils.
It is significant that it was about this time that Mr Swire Smith, who later became famous as a pioneer of technical education, had become a leading member of the Committee. In 1872 he and his colleagues visited France, Germany and Switzerland to study technical education. As a result of their labours, Keighley, in the 1870s, became a pioneer in technical education and the Mechanics' Institute served as a pattern for the whole of the country in this field of education.
The urgent warnings of the Keighley enthusiasts, and others, of the ruinous consequences which must ineviatably follow the neglect of technical education led the then Prime Minister, Mr Gladstone, to apoint a Royal Commission on Technical Instruction in 1880. Mr Swire Smith was invited to represent the woollen industry as a member of this commission of six. They visited every important manufacturing centre in Europe , inspected many technical schools and published an exhaustive report in 1884.
Following two years of subsequent government inaction Mr Swire Smith played a leading part in the establishment of an influential committee for the promotion of technical education in this country. In 1889 the Technical Instruction Act was placed on the Statute Book. Many new technical schools were built and were placed under the administration of local authorities.
For his services on the Royal Commission, a knighthood was conferred upon Mr Swire Smith in 1898. When the building was partially re-built following the 1960s fire, the main hall in the new North Street wing was named the Sir Swire Smith Hall and it remains a major community meeting place to this day.
In the meantime at Keighley an extension, primarily for textile manufacturing, was opened in 1887. The cost of £12,000 was raised by public subscription. In recognition of Keighley's vigour in techncal education, Mr Andrew Carnegie gave £10,000 to found a public library in the town - the first Carnegie Library in England.
In 1904 the Committee of the Mechanics' Institute resolved to convey the Institute to the Municipality and the trust deeds were finally handed over at the opening of the Carnegie Library in 1904. The opening ceremony was carried out by Sir Swire Smith.
Herewith are the texts of the public appeal documents distributed by the Committee for the New Mechanics' Institution and School of Art.
The success of this venture resulted in the creation of the buildings that eventually housed Keighley Boys Grammar School
The first dates from 1867
KEIGHLEY NEW MECHANICS' INSTITUTION AND SCHOOL OF ART
COMMITTEE
Isaac Holden Esq MP - Chairman
Mr JNO Brigg - Vice Chairman
Mr John Clough - Vice Chairman
Mr E A Marriner - Treasurer
Mr Ewd Lacey - Secretary
Mr B S Brigg
Mr Wm Butterfield
Mr Robt Clough
Mr Thos Clapham
Mr John Craven
Mr Thomas Craven
Mr Wm Darling
Mr C D Hardcastle
Mr R H Hodgson
Mr Wm Laycock - Woodville
Mr Wm Laycock - Spencer Street
Mr James Lund
Mr Wm Naylor
Mr Israel Rishworth
Mr Swire Smith
Mr Wm Town
Mr S P Unwin
Mr J J Waterworth
Bankers: Messrs Alcocks and Co Keighley
The Committee appointed for carrying out the erection of a new building for the Institution and School of Art beg to draw the attention of the inhabitants of Keighley to the following statement of the position of the undertaking.
An eligible site has been obtained at the corner of Cavendish Street, adjoining the Skipton Road, and the Commiittee suggests that a building be erected thereon, containing the following rooms:
MECHANICS' INSTITUTION
A Public Hall to hold 1200 people, with Ante-Room, News Room, Library, Conversation Room, Penny Savings' Bank Room, Committee Room, Six Class Rooms, and Dwelling house for the Curator
SCHOOL OF ART
Exhibtion and Picture Gallery, Rooms for Ladies' Class and Painting, Mechancal and Elementary Drawing, Modelling and Casting, Master's Room and Cloak Room.
The accommodation here afforded for a School of Art is such as to ensure the highest grant (£500) that Government allows towards the erection of buildings of this kind, the Committee believing that an efficient School of Art will be productive of much good to the town, intellectually and commercially.
To carry out the above scheme a sum of £9000 will be required, and towards that amount the Subscriptions contained in the list on the other side have been promised.
The Committee intend forthwith to make an appeal to the inhabitants of Keighley for their support to the above scheme and they trust that their anticipation of a liberal response will not be disappointed, seeing that it now rests with the public whether or not a building shall be erected worthy of the Institution and the Town.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Messrs J & J Craven and C0 £500 0 0
" Jno Brigg & Co £250 0 0
" Alcocks and Co £250 0 0
" Clough, Grove Mill £150 0 0
" B & W Marriner £150 0 0
Frederick Butterfield Esq £150 0 0
James Lund Esq £100 0 0
Miss Butterfield £50 0 0
S B Clapham Esq £50 0 0
Messrs Clapham Bros £50 0 0
Prince Smith Esq £50 0 0
Wm Laycock Esq £25 0 0
Messrs J Town and Sons £25 0 0
" Sumerscales & Sons £25 0 0
Mr Jos Robertshaw £10 0 0
Mr J W Laycock £10 0 0
Messrs J & S Smith £10 0 0
The second pamphlet is dated Feb 12th 1868
The Committee of the KEIGHLEY NEW MECHANICS' INSTITUTION and SCHOOL OF ART, desire to place before the Inhabitants of the Town and the Public generally, an exact statement of the present position of the undertaking.
The sum required to pay for the land is £850 and the Architects estimate the cost of the Building according to the plans already approved and passed by the Committee at £8750. The total amount required, therefore, including contingencies, may be stated at £10,000
This sum is of course very largely in excess of the original estimate and intention of the promoters of the scheme: but as the Committee have prosecuted their enquiries and progressed in their work, and in consideration of the present and early future needs of the Town, they have come unanimously to the conclusion that the only wise or reasonable course is to erect at once such a building as shall provide full and perfect accommodation:
(1)for the MECHANICS' INTITUTION, (2)for the SCHOOL OF ART, (3) for a large and well appointed PUBLIC CONCERT ROOM, (4) for SCIENCE CLASSES, (5) for the PENNY SAVINGS BANK AND (6)for large Rooms suitable in addition to their use as CLASS ROOMS, for SOIREES and other social Entertainments.
The Committee believe - and that belief is fully shared by the Architects - that the plans as now settled, are, as to their internal arrangements, as perfect as it is possible to make tham; and it is hoped also, although this maust always to a certain extent be a matter of opinion, that the external Architecture has been so composed, that the Building in that respect, (notwithsanding that the cost of ornamentation has been kept as low as it is possible to keep it) may in all years to come, be a source of honour and pride and even education to the Town. The greatest possible amount of careful thought and enquiry has been given to the work, and according to the best information they can obtain, the Committee consider that they are justified in saying, that to the extent of its simensions, the Building will be equal to that of any Institution of the same kind in the Kingdom, and they feel unanimouslyand most strongly that if a New Institution is to be built at all, it should be built on plans not less extensive than those which they have thus, with so much care, prepared.
The Committee therefore issue this special appeal for greatly increased pecuniary help, relying as they believe not groundlessly on the liberality and publc spirit of their townsmen.
Towards the total sum of £10,000 the following amounts have been raised, viz:
Promised and expected Subscriptions £3000
Government Grant in Aid of the School of Art, being the maximum ever given, £500
Value of Old Mechanics' Institution Building and site, according to Messrs Smith & Gotthard's estimate £1200
Total £5000
leaving a sum of £5000 still to be raised.
The Committee propses to deal with this deficit as follows:
1. By increased donations. They hope that many persons, on seeing the unexpected needs of the Institution, will give tham more money than they have already promised to give.
2.By a system of Annual Subscriptions extending to a period of ten years, by which the interest of the debt may be paid, and a sinking fund guaranteed, which from year to year shall regularly, and it is hoped, rapidly assist in extinguishing it. Several gentlement are prepared to give their names for considerable sums annually, under this scheme, and it affords an excellent opportunity to every friend of the Institution at small inconvenience to himself, to give it very great help.
In addition to these two plans, there are other ways of raising money in contemplation, which may not be more exactly specified here, but which will doubtless be successful, The Committee,however, believe that with so many willing hearts, anxious to remove this debt, and interested in doing so, its gradual extinction will not extend over more than a comparatively short period of time.
This is a simple statement of the whole case: it rests entirely with the Inhabitants of Keighley to determine whether the scheme shall be carried through on the only scale by which the full measure of its usefullness and honour can be attained, or whether to the lasting injury and reproach of the Town, it shall be so reduced, that many of the means of education which are every day becomming more and more a necessity to a manufacturing community, shall be rendered practically almost impossible of establishmentb here.
Signed
John Brigg - Vice President
John Clough - Vice President
Edward D A Marriner - Treasurer
Keighley Feb 12th 1868
Thanks to MIKE BOOTHROYD
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