Ellen Wilkinson High School
Encyclopedia
Ellen Wilkinson High School was housed, until it closed in 2000, in a Grade II* listed building in the Ardwick
district of Manchester
, designed in 1879–80 by the prolific Manchester architect Thomas Worthington
. Formerly known as Nicholls Hospital, the building was funded by Benjamin Nicholls as a memorial to his son, John Ashton Nicholls. Nicholls commissioned Worthington to prepare designs in 1867, with instructions that building was only to commence after his own death. It was Worthington's last significant commission in the city. The original usage was as an orphanage
; the Ashton family gave over £100,000 to its construction and endowment.
The style is flamboyant Flemish Gothic in red brick with sandstone dressings and steeply-pitched slate roofs. The main range is double-pile with eleven bays and a massive central tower, which shows clear similarities to that of Worthington's City Police Courts
at Minshull Street. The tower was originally embellished by Worthington's trade-mark animal carving but the majority were removed in the 20th century.
From 1952 to 1967 the building was used as the Nicholls Secondary Boys School. The school later amalgamated with Ardwick High School. Initially the school was known as Nicholls Ardwick High School but was later re-named in honour of Ellen Wilkinson
, socialist, feminist and first female Minister for Education, who was born in Ardwick. The school achieved renown because of its heavy emphasis on the arts thereby anticipating 'specialist school' status by some decades. In 2000 the building changed use again when Ellen Wilkinson High School was merged into Cedar Mount High School
, the old hospital becoming Nicholls Campus of Manchester City College.
Ardwick
Ardwick is a district of the City of Manchester, in North West England, about one mile east of Manchester City Centre.By the mid-19th century Ardwick had grown from being a village into a pleasant and wealthy suburb of Manchester, but by the end of that century it had become heavily industrialised...
district of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, designed in 1879–80 by the prolific Manchester architect Thomas Worthington
Thomas Worthington (architect)
Thomas Worthington was a 19th-century English architect, particularly associated with public buildings in and around Manchester.-Early life:...
. Formerly known as Nicholls Hospital, the building was funded by Benjamin Nicholls as a memorial to his son, John Ashton Nicholls. Nicholls commissioned Worthington to prepare designs in 1867, with instructions that building was only to commence after his own death. It was Worthington's last significant commission in the city. The original usage was as an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
; the Ashton family gave over £100,000 to its construction and endowment.
The style is flamboyant Flemish Gothic in red brick with sandstone dressings and steeply-pitched slate roofs. The main range is double-pile with eleven bays and a massive central tower, which shows clear similarities to that of Worthington's City Police Courts
City Police Courts, Manchester
The City Police Courts, now commonly called Minshull Street Crown Court, is a complex of court buildings on Minshull Street in Manchester, designed in 1867–73 by the architect Thomas Worthington. The court is a Grade II* listed building as of 3 October 1974...
at Minshull Street. The tower was originally embellished by Worthington's trade-mark animal carving but the majority were removed in the 20th century.
From 1952 to 1967 the building was used as the Nicholls Secondary Boys School. The school later amalgamated with Ardwick High School. Initially the school was known as Nicholls Ardwick High School but was later re-named in honour of Ellen Wilkinson
Ellen Wilkinson
Ellen Cicely Wilkinson was the Labour Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough and later for Jarrow on Tyneside. She was one of the first women in Britain to be elected as a Member of Parliament .- History :...
, socialist, feminist and first female Minister for Education, who was born in Ardwick. The school achieved renown because of its heavy emphasis on the arts thereby anticipating 'specialist school' status by some decades. In 2000 the building changed use again when Ellen Wilkinson High School was merged into Cedar Mount High School
Cedar Mount High School
Cedar Mount High School is a secondary school in Gorton, Manchester, England. The school caters for boys and girls aged 11-16 years and is located in the East of the city of Manchester....
, the old hospital becoming Nicholls Campus of Manchester City College.