Blackpool Grammar School for Boys


The Raikes Parade Boy's School in the 1930's

This Photograph of the Boys Grammar School Building on Raikes Parade will hopefully stir happy memories. Unlike the Collegiate Girls Grammar School this building has escaped demolition. It was part occupied by a bank for a time and is now home to the Salvation Army. I have been advised from one of my most reliable sources that the present owner,whilst allowing the body of the building to reamain, has gutted its interior.

This photograph has been supplied by John Bamber

The Old Grammar School at Raikes Parade was originally the Blackpool Municipal Secondary School, its Foundation Stone being laid on the very day that Blackpool became a County Borough,1st October 1904. The School was sited on land at the entrance to Raikes Hall Estate which was sold following its financial failure.
The first Headmaster of the school with staff of 13, was Mr J Turral B.A. and 94 boys and 147 girls attended.

text from BLACKPOOL IN OLD PICTURE POSTCARDS ISBN 90 288 2482 0

 When the school opened it was very novel for those days in taking in both boys and girls. The Headmaster Joe Turral, who had fought so hard to bring it to be, had responsibility for the boys, while a "second mistress" below him had that for the girls. Boys and girls were strictly separated inside class, and even more firmly segregated outside, the former being confined to the lower playground and the latter to the upper, with inter-connecting gate firmly locked. So it continued until 1925, when mounting pressure in the town to give it is bright children a good education led to the second school being built. After some discussion it was decided that the simplest thing would be to split the school not by age groups but by sex, the Raikes Parade building remaining the province of "The Boys Secondary School" ( I am not sure that this was ever its official title - Turrall took advantage of the split to make such radical further changes as to switch its main winter sport from football to rugby) and the new school on Beech Avenue likewise becoming the "Girls Secondary School". Turral resisted all attempt to rename either school, and the alteration to the names "Blackpool Grammar School" [sic- so it is on my school photographs] and "Collegiate Girls School" [the name everyone in my day knew it by, if this was not the official one] came only with his retirement in 1933
- Thanks for these comments to - Tom Whiteside 1943 starter
If you have any memories of the building you wish to share please forward them to the e-mail address below.

I would be most interested to hear any amusing tales of school boy journeys on the Marton Tram route. Such as:-

Stan does not recall any problems with school children avoiding fares or misbehaving. The children used to buy books of ten scholars tickets from their school. These were two half tickets separated by a perforation. Both halves of the ticket would bear a unique number. The conductor would tear the ticket in half and deposit the discarded halves in the used ticket box. Some boys used to root for the corresponding halves but to no avail for the ticket was only valid if presented whole.
Text from Stan 'The Tram' Croasdale by Martin Wilson ISBN 0 9509405 8 5
. Blackpool Gazette and News Tuesday, 4 October 1904

The New Secondary School

Description of the Building [to be].

< evidently based on Potts' 1904 approved design >

The new Secondary and Technical School, which, including land, is estimated to cost £23,000, is thus described. The main elevation of the building is to Raikes View. Though unpretentious in style, it has a very pleasing appearance. The chief feature is the clock-turreted tower, surmounted by a cupola at the south-west corner of the building.

The main entrance is from Raikes View, but there is also another entrance from Raikes-road < east Church Street>. Passing through the porch and lobby at the principal entrance, students will find themselves in a large entrance hall. From this a spacious corridor, 9ft. 9ins. in width, traverses the full length of the ground floor and gives access right and left to the various rooms, whilst from the north-east and south-east corners additional class-rooms may be entered. An assembly hall 89ft. 3ins.by 29ft. 9ins. occupies the whole of the space on the east side of the corridor. Two large class-rooms, measuring 30ft. by 24ft. 9ins. and 39ft. 3ins. by 25 ft., together with caretaker's room and cloak rooms, occupy the full breadth of the building. Adjoining the entrance hall is the Secretary's office and Principal's room.

From the entrance hall a wide staircase leads to the first floor, where the corridor arrangements are similar to those on the ground floor. At the northerly end facing Raikes-road are three excellent rooms 35ft. by 25ft., 40ft. by 25ft., and 30ft. by 20ft., for the use of art students. A chemical laboratory, 49ft. by 30ft., a chemistry lecture room, 30ft. by 29ft. 3ins. (in which is to be placed a stepped gallery), with a preparation room, occupy the whole of the space east of the main corridor, and a physics laboratory 40ft. by 30 ft., with a store and balance rooms, is placed at the southerly end facing Leamington-road. The basement has been devoted to the building trades and woodwork, plumbers and painters workshops. The rooms are lofty and well proportioned, and especial care has been devoted to the requirements of the science and art students.

The architects are Messrs. Potts, Son and Hennings, F.R.I.B.A., of Blackpool, Manchester, and Bolton, and the contractors are Messrs. J. Parkinson and Sons, Ltd., Blackpool.

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