Lea Road School, Gainsborough, Lincs, October 2016

This was never going to be anything more than an external job for obvious reasons. However I didn’t think I’d get enough decent external shots to make it worthy of a report. But I did so here it is. Plus it’s never been covered here before so an externals only is better than nothing.

Gainsborough’s Lea Road Infant's School was built and opened on 3rd May 1906 replacing the Bridge Road and Hickman Street Schools. Initially (the first three decades of its life) it was an infants’ (up to age 7) school. In August 1930 it re-organised to accommodate Infants, Junior Girls and Senior Girls. The Gainsborough Lea Road School became Gainsborough Lea Road County Primary School and Gainsborough Lea Road Secondary Modern School for girls around 1945 it had its own indoor pool which was built circa 1966 in the end ground floor classroom. Not too sure when this old picture below was taken but not too much has changed:

Gainsborough Lea by HughieDW, on Flickr

It was closured in 1993 and was converted into a business centre (the Waterfront Enterprise Centre), until around 2010. Since then it has been left empty and slowly fallen into disrepair and has suffered numerous incidents of vandalism.

Front View from Lea Road:

img7949 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img7950 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Pretty much sealed up….

img7948 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…to a window:

img7951 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img7947 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img7970 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img7953 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img7955 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Initially a school for infants:

img7954 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Then later junior girls:

img7952 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The roof has really started to go:

img7956 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Side on view looking North:

img7958 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img7960 by HughieDW, on Flickr

It’s all about the cupola:

img7964bw by HughieDW, on Flickr

Round the back is a boy’s entrance:

img7962 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Sealed tight here too:

img7968 by HughieDW, on Flickr

But hang on. A potential way in for the foolhardy:

img7965 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Desirable(!) property next door:

img7957 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Such gorgeous buildings but so difficult to re-purpose.

I agree, a beautiful purpose built school but virtually useless for anything else. Lovely photography you captured it well. Thanks

Impressive facade but as Ben said what do you do with the building? Quality images Hugh.

The council are hell bent on making sure nobody goes in to set fire to that one. Sometimes a hindrance for the explorer but another way to look at it, if its sealed up then it will not be vandalised.

Hugh Jorgan said:

The council are hell bent on making sure nobody goes in to set fire to that one. Sometimes a hindrance for the explorer but another way to look at it, if its sealed up then it will not be vandalised.

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Think they are also trying to cover their backs given the asbestos risk with this place too.

Basically you need a means of preserving the original frontage - and in the case of this structure a few more feet back into the building to preserve the cupola, and then demolish the rest so that modern, usable rooms/covered space can be constructed. The old, original street 'scene' would still be there for all to see - but then I much prefer the old brick or stone work to your modern concrete horrors!

Dirus_Strictus said:

Basically you need a means of preserving the original frontage - and in the case of this structure a few more feet back into the building to preserve the cupola, and then demolish the rest so that modern, usable rooms/covered space can be constructed. The old, original street 'scene' would still be there for all to see - but then I much prefer the old brick or stone work to your modern concrete horrors!

Click to expand...

Who doesn't? Sadly that kind of proposal would be deemed "commercially un-viable" by property developers so it rarely happens.