EAST MARSH INVOLVE WILL RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON THE OLD GRIMSBY TECHNICAL SCHOOL AT ITS MEETING THIS TUESDAY

Tomorrow night (Tuesday, 25 August), is the next meeting of East Marsh Involve; the meeting will take place at the Grimsby Neighbourhood Centre at the corner of Weelsby Street and Wellington Street, and will start at 6pm – all residents will be welcome to attend.

One of the issues that I will be reporting back on is the large derelict building which is situated on Eleanor Street; the old Grimsby Technical School and latterly the Art College.

I have since found out a little more about the building; it was originally granted a grade II listing by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in 1995. Originally the young people of East Marsh Involve raised concerns about the poor condition of the building which has been empty since the mid 1990s, but it is rapidly deteriorating.

The school was designed by HC Scaping, and it was built by Hewins and Goodhand a well known local builder in 1894. Below the central bay window is a marble foundation plaque for the First Higher Grade School, dated 29 October 1894. To the left is a finely-inscribed C20 slate plaque by Philip Pape of Barton on Humber, a former Art College teacher, recording burials of former members. Above the window there is a 1894 marble plaque in carved ashlar surround naming the building as the Wintringham Higher Grade School, recording the School Board Members, architect and builders. At some point later it obviously became known as the Grimsby Technical School and then the Art College – unfortunately it is left abandon.

Last Friday, Compass FM asked me if I would take part in an interview about the building, which I gladly obliged.

I was able to tell them: “That in many respects if this building had been in a prime
location, it would never have been left to rot and decay – it is shame that someone has been allowed to get away with this, but that is history. If the old school had been in London; it would have been turned into flats before now, and they would be fully occupied.

“However, we are we are with this building, but the good thing is that we are moving on. Some months back young people and children; unbeknown to ourselves were getting into the old school, and placing themselves in danger. But we have now made this building safe – we have made sure that no one can gain access and it is patrolled regularly.

“We now hope sooner rather than later; that the old school will change ownership and this will help with the regeneration of this area. Many individuals have been working on this complex issue of building and land ownership and it is now coming to a conclusion – I would naturally like to thank them all.”