Sandwell College, West Midlands, May 2013

nickynackynoo · May 7, 2013

OK, I know this place has been done to death, but ever since it appeared I've always fancied a mooch round. Was done solo, after a recent arson attack and various thefts, it seems that demolition is on the cards, so off I toddled.

History pinched as is custom;

Evening classes in Science and Art were established in 1846 by the Chance Family at the school attached to their Spon Lane Glassworks. An instiyutr formed in 1852 that flourished for over 20 years. John Henderson of the London Works formed a library and reading room in the Cape Hill district and was patron of an institute which met there in the mid 1850s, while a few years later Joseph Chamberlain was fostering adult education at Nettlefold and Chamberlains Smethwick works.

St Matthews church had some 140 pupils in evening school in 1870 and Holy Trinity Church organised further night classes around the same date. Smethwick Institute, formed in 1887 met at the higher grade school in Crocketts Lane. For a few years after its foundation, its activities included evening classes, and later closed in th 1920s. Another institute was meeting at Bearwood in the 1880s. The School board constituted itself a local committee of the Science and Art Dept. in 1885 and organised evening classes in Scinece and Art at the higher grade school in Crocketts Lans. In 1892 a technical instruction committee was set up consisting of members of the local board and the school board. It took over the school management, forming them into a municipal technical school. The school board members withdrew from the committe in 1898 and from 1899 the whole committe was appointed by the town council.

The school continued to meet in the higher grade school until 1910 when a technical school building was opened in Crocketts Lane. By 1913 there was an attendance of nearly 4000. From 1914 to 1917 the buildings also housed a secondary technical school, and pupils from it continued to use classrooms and labs until 1956. Evening classes were still the most important part of the institutions work in the 1920s, although after 1918, the first day release students were enrolled, with five firms sending workers.

The school became Smethwich Municipal College in 1927 and was renamed Chance Technical College in 1945. A block of engineering and building workshops was opened in 1950. Between 1952 and 1966, major extensions were built on an adjoining site in Crocketts Lane; they enabled the college to accommodate some 3500 students by 1966, two thirds who attended courses during the day. In 1968 the college was merged with Oldbury College of Further Education to form Warley Collge of Technology with the buildings in Crocketts Lane housing the main Admin and six of its eight departments.

The original building, extensively renovated, is of brick with grey terracotta dressings and was desinged by F.J. Gill. The 1950s extension, designed by W.W.Atkinson and Partners, consist of 5 main blocks faced with Portland stone and coloured brick.

Have some pics;