Jaypl
The Leeds Mercury Monday, September 1, 1873
A number of ladies and gentlemen assembled on Saturday (30th August) at the new Girl’s Orphanage, Cliff House, Headingley, on the occasion of the opening of the new premises.
For some years there has been an orphanage at Headingley. It was inhabited by about 20 girls, but the building, not being erected for such a purpose was small and insufficient for the comfort of the children.
The house is a two storied one, and is partially cellared. Built of red brickwith stone dressings and dark blue Staffordshire brick arranged in bands diaper and arch voussoirs with moulded bricks freely used for jambs of windows doors and arches the external appearance of the building is highly pleasing. On the ground floor are schoolroom, dining room, scullery, kitchen store room, invatory, matron’s room etc; in the basement pantry and coal place. On the chamber floor are 3 unusually high lofty and well ventilated dormitories for the children, bedroom for the matron, nursery linen room, lavatory bath room etc,. The dormitories and staircase are ceiled half way up the roof, the former plastered the latter with the rafters exposed and plastered in between. The passages and lobbies are laid with red tile quarries. Bed tiles are also used the floor the kitchen and scullery; and another simple but highly effective improvement well worthy of more general adoption Is in Mr. Thorp’s having adopted the plan of varnishing the whole of the internal woodwork without staining it. The staircase is lighted by three long lancet windows, glazed with cathedral-tinted rolled plate-glass in geometric patters supplied by Powell brothers of Park place Leeds. The gas fittings are of plain mediaeval character. The plot of land admits of ample space for a playground behind the house.
There was frontage left for the erection of a boys orphanage, which was estimated to cost £1,500 with £200 for furnishings.
There were (on the opening date) 26 girls as inmates, most of whom went into domestic service.
The institution was founded by a Mrs. Williamson of the Headingley Parsonage, then of Bath, and also a Mr. W. H. Conyers, of Leeds.
Hope this helps
Tom
