Birkdale Deaf School - July 2012

[SimonT]

First report so I thought I would do an update on this site as it's round the corner!

Originally built in 1904 as a boys boarding school it was taken over in 1948 by The Liverpool School for the Deaf. The name was later changed to the Birkdale School for Hearing Impaired Children. It was eventually closed in 2003 and has been empty since. One end of the main building was partially demolished after the inevitable fire in 2010. The most recent redevelopment project was rejected by the local council in 2011.

All the internal photos are in the more modern section as access to the main building was not possible.....

Thanks for looking.

 

[wherever i may roam]

Good to see this,nice work...

 

[kehumff]

Nice report and pics, thanks for sharing

 

[georgie]

nice one im sure this is the one i tried a while back but got fucked off

 

[krela]

Is that an air raid shelter I spy there? Nice shots.

 

[_Nyx_]

Very nice first report & photos

 

[flyboys90]

Nice report & photos,thanks for sharing.

 

[SimonT]

Is that an air raid shelter I spy there?

Not sure - I'd assumed it was an old style outside toilet from when it was a boys school but 6' high nettles stopped further investigation!

 

[chris]

Is that an air raid shelter I spy there? Nice shots.

Yes - looks like one with that blast wall

 

[bigtip]

nice

Some great shots there looks a right old mess looks like a good splore thanks for sharing.

 

[steve2109]

Great first report, lots of stuff left in there, i like it !

 

[Wakey Lad]

Like it - Like it a lot, looks a decent mooch this, thanks for sharing

 

[G7OEA]

I used to work at the school from 1995 to 1998. I used to repair the hearing aids on site. I am gutted to see what has happened to the place. It was an amazing place to work. The photos are mainly of the secondary school section. There was a tunnel linking the gym to the main school most likely now under the rubble. The Paris scene led you into the oldest part of the secondary block where Bob Percy the AV technician had his workshop. All the art work was done by the pupils and evening projects as it was a boarding school.
You are right it is a air raid shelter because during the war it was taken over for the war effort the boys school that was on the site was relocated to Cheshire near Jodrell Bank. They were offered to site back after the war but chose to stay. The site was then purchased but the Liverpool deaf society and turned into a school.
From your first photo you are looking at the main building, this houses the dormitories on the first and second floors. At the demolished end there was the home ec / cookery room o the ground floor. Above it on the first floor was the performing arts dance studio. Chris Wright was the dance teacher and did a great job with the kids.
Still on the ground floor of the main building the two windows you can see fully between the bushes was the speech therapy room. The two speech therapists did an amazing job in helping the children communicate in an aural world. The bay window to the left was the staff room and there was a photocopy/ library for the staff. The next window along I the next pay (obscured by the bush) was the main office then you had the principal’s office and finally the pupils dining hall.
In the photo showing the children crossing sign you can see the roof of the junior school. This was located down a small set of steps. The photo of the rubble you can just see the door to get into the main building and this is where the tunnel form the gym came out. Just to the right of that and out of shot was the Audiology workshop. This was my office and had the audiology clinic attached.
I think I may pay a visit this weekend and have a look around. I may be able to find a way into the main building.

 

[krela]

It's always great to hear from people who are linked with buildings when they were in use. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mars Lander]

Pulled up a few times outside here , wondering what the score is with it, in the past the police were quite keen here, not sure now, your piks have made me wanna take a proper look now

 

[Ace247]

What an awesome looking building, nice pictures, hope G7OEA can find a way in..

 

[SimonT]

There was a tunnel linking the gym to the main school most likely now under the rubble.

Thanks for your very interesting post.
The tunnel is still there and we went through and got out of the other side but had to make a hasty exit from the site shortly after!