WAPPING ROAD FIRST SCHOOL
- Bradford, England
- June 2020
HISTORY
Wapping Road First School is a Victorian-era Grade II listed building which opened in Bradford in 1877 as a 'board school' under William Edward Forster's Education Act of 1970.
The school’s distinguished 123-year history saw it play a leading role in the development of state education. More than a century ago, the school created national and international headlines with the help of education campaigners Margaret and Rachel McMillan and their push to improve the standard of learning and treatment of children in the education system. Their influence helped bring the country’s first school swimming pool to Wapping Road School and to nearby Green Lane School, which was added in 1899 and helped the building recieve Grade II listed status.
Since closing in 2000 due to a lack of funds, the former school has been the victim of vandalism and a number of fires which left most of the building in ruins and open to the elements.
Bradford-based property developers Sphinx Commercial Ltd bought the school from Bradford Council in 2006 with the goal of transforming it into approximately twenty residential homes. They were granted planning permission in 2009, but further fire damage to the building ran up the expenses and the development never got off the ground, and it is understood that the permission has now lapsed. The site is now owned by Bradford based Life Church, who recently had plans to demolish the historic building and build a new educational facility refused.
EXPLORE
I've had this pinned for so long, it's surprising to me I've only just managed to tick it off. There's not a massive amount left to see, and sadly this former school is probably one of the most overgrown and dilapidated buildings I've ever explored. It felt like walking around a massive garden centre! It was so loud aswel with the amount of birds that have taken over the school, cherping their heads off!
The people and council members of Bradford should really be ashamed they've let a historic Grade II school fall into such disrepair. It's extremely dangerous inside, missing floors present huge drops to the lower levels of the building, which is then absolutely littered with enough dirty needles to fill a swimming pool (which actually, they have).
I've included pictures of the toilets and urinal (they're not the best pics but the area was extremely difficult to get to and I haven't seen this section documented before).
Thanks for looking.
- Bradford, England
- June 2020
HISTORY
Wapping Road First School is a Victorian-era Grade II listed building which opened in Bradford in 1877 as a 'board school' under William Edward Forster's Education Act of 1970.
The school’s distinguished 123-year history saw it play a leading role in the development of state education. More than a century ago, the school created national and international headlines with the help of education campaigners Margaret and Rachel McMillan and their push to improve the standard of learning and treatment of children in the education system. Their influence helped bring the country’s first school swimming pool to Wapping Road School and to nearby Green Lane School, which was added in 1899 and helped the building recieve Grade II listed status.
Since closing in 2000 due to a lack of funds, the former school has been the victim of vandalism and a number of fires which left most of the building in ruins and open to the elements.
Bradford-based property developers Sphinx Commercial Ltd bought the school from Bradford Council in 2006 with the goal of transforming it into approximately twenty residential homes. They were granted planning permission in 2009, but further fire damage to the building ran up the expenses and the development never got off the ground, and it is understood that the permission has now lapsed. The site is now owned by Bradford based Life Church, who recently had plans to demolish the historic building and build a new educational facility refused.
EXPLORE
I've had this pinned for so long, it's surprising to me I've only just managed to tick it off. There's not a massive amount left to see, and sadly this former school is probably one of the most overgrown and dilapidated buildings I've ever explored. It felt like walking around a massive garden centre! It was so loud aswel with the amount of birds that have taken over the school, cherping their heads off!
The people and council members of Bradford should really be ashamed they've let a historic Grade II school fall into such disrepair. It's extremely dangerous inside, missing floors present huge drops to the lower levels of the building, which is then absolutely littered with enough dirty needles to fill a swimming pool (which actually, they have).
I've included pictures of the toilets and urinal (they're not the best pics but the area was extremely difficult to get to and I haven't seen this section documented before).
Thanks for looking.
