Built in remembrance of his daughter who died tragically young, The Florence Institute opened in 1890 and was the first purpose built boys' club in the country.  'The Florrie' continued as a boys' club until the 1980's, and the Institute's alumni include Gerry Marsden (Gerry & The Pacemakers) and the boxer John Conteh.  After funding dried up the building became derelict and subject to vandalism, and in 1999 a fire caused the roof to collapse. 

A local pressure group started campaigning for this local landmark to be rescued, and after several years of fundraising and successfully applying for grants, this has now started.  The building has been cleared and made safe, ready for construction work to begin.

 

Although severely fire damaged, much of the interior woodwork still exists.  Some of this woodwork remains in-situ, whilst other elements, such as the wooden roof trusses, had been removed from their original location and stored elsewhere. Crick Smith were able to locate and identify these elements, and take enough samples to establish the building's original paint scheme , which had been protected from the fire by later paint layers.

 

 

 

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