P h o t o B l o g

Tuesday 24 February 2009

Albion Sunday School


As Sunday Schools go, Albion Sunday School in Ashton was pretty big! When it was opened in 1862, it was the largest in England!

It was opened to serve the needs of the families of the independent church movement in Ashton, which had started in 1780, meeting in various rooms and then a small chapel in Penny Meadow. This was replaced with the larger Albion Chapel in 1834. The Albion School was built alongside this chapel, but in 1895 the chapel was too small again and closed when the magnificent Albion Congregationalist Church was opened opposite the junction of Stamford Street and Mossley Road. [More history.]

The Sunday School boasted a large assembly room that could seat 1000 people. It also had an infants' room, eleven classrooms and a lecture room. From 1869 until 1926 the building was a day school, and for all but the last 7 years had the same headteacher - one Abraham Park!

In recent years the building has been used as a retail carpet warehouse and an office furniture showroom.

See Google Aerial View of this location.
See LiveSearch Birds Eye View of this location.

7 comments:

  1. Once again you have found the best angle to photograph this building. If any building is iconic of Ashton under lyne this has to be it!
    Wonderful work!~

    ReplyDelete
  2. Something these photos do is to allow us to stop and stare - something one wouldn't do in normal circumstances.

    It's certainly a good looking building (and no traffic) and looks in good condition, unlike the old baths.

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  3. The old baths.
    In my opinion after much thought and deliberation the time has come for it's removal.
    It's all very good to wax philosophically about landmarks, history and so on but at what cost?
    What on earth can you do with such a hugh empty building? I would much prefer a continuation of the Petersfield theme rather than leaving that huge building around.

    Contrary to how this sounds, I'm all for keeping historic landmarks, in so far as they can be used usefully in some way but heating alone would be cost prohibative don't you think.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think the baths should have been redesigned with a well aimed weapon of mass destruction years ago - apart, that is, from the chimney, which I think is a landmark worth keeping.

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  5. I recall Sunday Schools being part of a Churh but this must have been so impressive to have a building dedicated to them.

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  6. I loved this buiding, Stuarts CB circa 1979,it was the place to be,on the top floor !

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  7. Got my first rig from there in 81, little goldmine that place was.

    ReplyDelete

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