| Description | In the late 19th century, the area around Staniforth Street was one of most deprived in the city, and indeed many of its buildings were under consideration for removal under the Corporation's Improvement Scheme. In 1882, there was an appeal for Adult School classes to be started in the area. Following a meeting on December 24th 1882 at which William White, William Cook, Walter Pratt, John McCormick, F. Beard, G. E. Powell, Edward Smith, G. Ingram, C. Joyner, W. Duckett, John Henry Lloyd and others were present, it was decided to start a school the following January.
The class was to be known as C Division of Class I, Severn Street First Day School. Class I was the original First Day School which had been established in 1848 at Severn Street, led by William White. The School was divided into divisions: A Division catered for the more advanced scholars; B Division catered for elementary scholars. C Division was led by Walter Pratt, John McCormick and Richard Sanders who were teachers from Class I Severn Street. Classes took place in a disused school room which had previously been connected to Bishop Ryder's Church. By the end of the first year, there were 70 or 80 scholars in attendance, and this increased in subsequent years.
When Staniforth Street School came under the control of Birmingham School Board, the Adult School created Staniforth Committee to consider whether its classes should continue to be held there in view of the high charges imposed by the School Board for the use of the school rooms. It was agreed by the Committee and the Teachers' Meeting that permanent premises should be obtained in order to continue Adult School mission work at Staniforth Street, and a campaign was initiated to gather financial support, form Staniforth Hall Trust and make arrangements for a new building to be constructed. Meanwhile, C Division moved to Dartmouth Street Board School on a temporary basis.
The first Staniforth Hall Trustees from 1888 were: John Henry Barclay, Walter Barrow, Barrow Cadbury, George Tangye, John William Wilson, J. E. Baker, W.A. Albright, W. Littleboy, Walter Pratt, Mrs George Cadbury, Mrs George Barrow, Sarah Cadbury, John Henry Lloyd, Thomas Gibbins, Joseph Sturge and Harold W. Southall. John Henry Lloyd was Secretary of the Trust for 55 years.
Donations to the building fund were received from Emma J. Gibbins and family, Richard Cadbury, George Cadbury, Arthur Albright, W. A. Albright, W. B. Gibbins, John E. Wilson, J. H. Lloyd, John W. Wilson, George Barrow, R. C. Barrow, W. Littleboy, John Grubb, George Smithson, William White, H. J. Sturge, Joseph Sturge, and the Staniforth Street Adult School scholars.
The Trust purchased a plot of land in Staniforth Street. Known as Staniforth Hall, the building was designed by William Jenkins, architect and opened in 1890. By 1894, there was an Early Morning Men's Class, a Men's Bible Class, a reading and writing class, a Children's Sunday School and a Sunday Evening Meeting for worship for men and women. In addition, a class which had been started for young men by William Darby in May 1890 as a branch of Severn Street Junior Division soon had three sections A-C taught by Darby, Harrison Barrow and Arnold S. Rowntree. There was also a sick club, a savings club and a library. A mothers' meeting was held on Monday afternoons and every week night there was a social club offering bagatelle, draughts, dominoes and other activities. Band of Hope (temperance) meetings for young people were held each Thursday evening and a Temperance meeting was held each Saturday evening. In the summer there was a cricket club and in the winter there was football club.
By the 1940s, the character of the neighbourhood around Staniforth Hall had changed. It was no longer a mainly residential area, and most properties were used for business purposes. As a result, the population of the area had decreased and the Adult School struggled to find members for its classes. Similar work to that undertaken at Staniforth Hall was taking place at nearby locations. As the Trust had little income except for that coming from 2 houses it rented out and occasional room lettings, and the site was deemed unsuitable for use by Birmingham City Council's Education Authority, the building was sold and the Trust folded in September 1948. The proceeds from the sale of the site were distributed to other Adult Schools including Gooch Street, Farm Street, Windsor Street, Little Bromwich Hall, Burlington Hall, Hospital Street, and the Midland Adult School Union.
The records in this series were all originally stored in a metal box with the name Staniforth Hall embossed on it. They had been arranged in envelopes, numbered A1 to D and briefly described on a separate piece of card and on the envelopes. The records have been repackaged since coming to the Library of Birmingham but the original envelopes have been retained and are kept with the records they originally contained. |