Mechanics Institute

Horwich Mechanics Institute

Mr. John Audley Frederick Aspinall who was chief mechanical engineer at the Horwich Locomotive Works and a former pupil of John Ramsbottom wrote to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Board on the 22nd November 1886 requesting the urgent introduction of an apprentice scheme, the monies from which would fund a mechanics institute. The L.Y.R.B accepted the request and the companies architect Mr. Henery Shelmadine and Co designed the original building which opened December 15th 1888 with two wings being added later.

Accommodation and lessons in engineering sciences would be taught to up to 90 students a week and the fees would be doubled if the students failed to attend at least 21 classes in each subject. The Institute was a great success and two large wings had to be added to the building in 1893. The wing on the left side of the building was named the Samuel Fielden wing his widow provided part of the funding including a gymnasium which opened in 1895 and chemical and mechanical labourites located at the Fox street side of the building.

In 1929 after becoming affiliated with the Workers Education Committee a Junior Technical School opened within the institute for 25 boys of 13 years of age and over, this was the first of its kind in Lancashire. This would change in 1937 when the Horwich Higher Education Committee took over educational matters. In 1958 the Institute was officially handed over to the British Rail Staff Association. The Institute was then used as a social centre for its members complete with concert room and bar. In 1961 teachings of technical subjects moved to the new Horwich Technical Collage which had been built on Victoria road.

In October 1969 a new social club was constructed for the British Rail Staff Association which is still in use today on the junction of Ramsbottom road and Chorley new road. There was now very little use for the Institute and it closed altogether in 1974. After two years failing to sell Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council bought the building to demolish it after it had fallen into disrepair and had become a target for vandals. Fire started from the basement destroyed the Institute on the 6th October 1976 just one month before it was scheduled to be demolished.

Mechanics Institute

Site of Mechanics Institute

Latitude: 53.59349

Longitude: -2.54322