The post-war 'baby-boom' resulted in a much higher number of teenage children in the 1950s. Liverpool Corporation embarked on a massive school building programme, which our two school sites were part of.
West Derby High School was opened in September 1957 by the first Head Teacher was Mr A.L Casson. The school was designed by Liverpool Architects Harold E Davies and Sons to house 540 boys. Harold E Davies died in 1952, so it is unlikely that he was involved with the plans, his son Harold Hinchcliffe probably designed the building which took about two years to complete.
Bankfield Secondary Modern School was opened in September 1959. It was designed by Rimmer Brothers Limited to house 400 boys.
Originally West Derby was designed to be used in collaboration with nearby Holly Lodge girls school, and in 1984 there were unsuccessful plans to merge the two schools into one.
Mr H.S Magnay (Liverpool Director of Education)
shows invited guests features of the new school
West Derby High School - 1957
Bankfield Secondary Modern School- 1959
SCHOOL ARCHITECTS Harold E Davies and Sons
Harold E Davies
Harold Hinchcliffe Davies
The first ever 'official' mention of our school,
Council Meeting Minutes from 1954.
Click image to see more of the original architects plans, including where part of the old quarry was found.
Can you figure out where this is now?
