Tuesday 1 December 2009

The Harrison Gymnasium on Hollin Street

This is the Harrison Gymnasium, opened in 1909. The top photo shows the whole building, the second, just the main entrance. The third photo is the arched window above the doorway, viewed from inside the building. It depicts the Harrison coat of arms, along with their motto 'Not Rashly Nor With Fear' 
The final photo, shows a sample of the lovely, period tiling on the Gymnasium staircase and landing, very Art Nouveau. There was similar tiling on the staircases and corridors of the next door Institute too.
EXTERNAL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF COTTONTOWN & THE COMMUNITY HISTORY DEPT. OF BLACKBURN LIBRARY. INTERNAL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

3 comments:

  1. Hi,

    Have you any more internal photos or close ups of the tiling? Do you think there might be any in the rubble left on site or doyou think they were all plundered and taken away?!

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  2. Hi Lorcan

    I have a few more internal photos, but the better ones are already on here and I don't really want to put any more on, as it will clutter the posting too much.

    I still have your e-mail address, so I'll send you a couple as an attachment, when I get some time to dig them out.

    I doubt there will be any remnants left among the rubble on the site, but it's got to be worth a look. I think (hope) the contractors will have salvaged the better examples.

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