Russell Scott Memorial Schools

Prestwich St, Denton
The schools were built in a free Gothic style to a design by the architect Peter Pons (1827/28-1890) whose practice was on John Dalton St, Manchester. The contractors were Messrs Holmes and Webster of Ashton-under-Lyne. The foundation stone was laid on 3 Sep 1881 by Miss Isabella Scott, sister of the Revd Lawrence Scott, and it was opened on the 22 Jul 1882 by Richard Peacock JP (MP, 1885/89) of Gorton Hall. The cost of the building was funded by Isabella Civil Scott, née Prestwich (widow of Russell Scott), the Revd Lawrence Scott and certain of his friends. The first headmaster of the junior school was William 'Bangy' Willis and the second was Sidney Pitt. The first headmistress of the infant school was Miss I Nicol.

William Willis & Sidney Pitt
William Willis.
Sidney Pitt.

The Russell Scott Memorial Schools log book minutes that William Willis started teaching in Wilton Street Unitarian Chapel on the 16 Jan 1882 because the new schools were still being built. He was born at Liverpool in 1860 and he married Anne Maria Lightfoot at Bakewell in 1888. Previously he was an assistant headmaster at Hope School, Liverpool.

Known teachers at the time William Willis was the headmaster are: Mr 'Greeny' Greenhalgh (assistant headteacher), Mrs Fidler, Miss Humphries, Miss Mary Mathieson, Miss Wharton and Miss Winterburn.

He resigned on the 31 May 1924 after serving as headmaster for 42 years from the 1 Jan 1882 until the 31 May 1924.

Sidney Pitt (aka Sydney Pitt) was born at Mottram in Longdendale on the 4 May 1893 and he married Alice Turner at St Lawrence’s Church, Denton, on the 2 Apr 1923.

Left & top right, May 1978, bottom right, 1985.

The schools survived construction of the M67 motorway between 1978 and 1981 but latterly they were deemed to be too close to it. Consequently, the schools closed in 1981 and were demolished in 1986. A replacement Russell Scott primary school was built on Clare St, off Ashton Rd.

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