Alexander's School

Alexander's School, at 94 Duke Street, Glasgow, was designed by John Burnet and built in 1858 at a cost of £6000[1] for James Alexander, the proprietor of the cotton mill next door - itself an innovative 1849 fire-proof construction - to educate local children. It was known as "Alexander's Endowed School".

Former Alexanders Public School

It is built in an impressive Italianate style, with the heads of Homer, Aristotle, Shakespeare, Michelangelo and Milton carved high on the front wall by John Crawford.[2] The site is close to where the University of Glasgow stood in the 19th century, and was opposite Duke Street Women's Prison.

Following the Education (Scotland) Act 1872, it became a state school known as the Ladywell School - the district has a well long associated with Our Lady - and in the 1960s became an Annexe to St Mungo's Academy. This was removed in 1977 to Crownpoint Road and the building housed a special needs school.

The building was protected as a category B listed building in 1970, and this was upgraded to category A in 1998.[3]

In 1996 it was taken over by the East End Partnership, a local agency dedicated to urban regeneration. This commissioned extensive renovation in 2000 to form The Ladywell Business Centre, housing small businesses.[1]

References
  1. "Basic Site Details:Alexander's School". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  2. "John Crawford (1830-61)". Glasgow - City of Sculpture. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  3. Historic Environment Scotland. "94 Duke Street St Mungo's RC School Annexe including Gatepiers (formerly Alexander's School)  (Category A Listed Building) (LB33827)". Retrieved 20 March 2019.

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