Florence Institute
Encyclopedia
The Florence Institute for Boys known colloqually as 'The Florrie' is a local landmark and a Grade II listed building on Mill Street in Dingle
, South Liverpool
, England
.
and former Mayor
of Liverpool. His daughter Florence died while in Paris
at the age of 22 and he built this boys' club as a memorial and tribute to her at his sole expense.
The building itself was a fine example of late Victorian architecture
with delicate use of terracotta, and originally it had splendid interiors, from the great hall
to the top lit gym to the library.
The Florence Institute was officially opened as a boys club in 1890, four years after the opening of a similar establishment, the Gordon Working Lads Institute in Kirkdale
on the other side of the city. However it was the first building in Britain to be specifically constructed as a boys' youth club
.
As a magistrate
Bernard Hall knew all too well the product of poverty
and lack of recreation for youth in the area, and as stated by the plaque on the building, he created what he hoped would be 'an acceptable place of recreation and instruction for the poor and working boys of this district of the City'.
For a hundred years the 'Florrie' served the working and unemployed youth of the tough dock-side area. Weekend camps were held at Heswall
on the Wirral Peninsula
, reached by 6d ferry and bus return ticket. Summer camps were held in the Lake District
away from the smoke, grime and pestilence of the inner city. A variety of sports and outdoor pursuits were provided for the community, including football, boxing
and baseball
to name a few. Gymnastics
also was a part of the activities available for the local community. On the weekends dances
were provided.
Towards the end of the 1980s, at the depths of the economic slump for Liverpool the funding dried up for the Institute and in 1987 it was sold and its management, The Florence Institute Incorporated Company, was dissolved in 1988 with the intention that the charitable work should be continued by another body. Unfortunately this never happened and through the Bona Vacantia
principle title to the building eventually fell to the Duchy of Lancaster
, which is the private property portfolio of the British monarch.
The building fell into disrepair and suffered from vandalism
and the natural elements. This was compounded when in 1999 there was a major fire which destroyed the roof.
In 2004 the plight of the Florrie was featured as a part of the 'Stop the Rot
' campaign run by the largest circulation newspaper in Liverpool, the Liverpool Echo
, this raised the profile of the derelict state of the building widely.
The Florence Institute Trust Ltd is a community-led trust set up at the end of 2004 and chaired by the Bishop of Liverpool
, Rev. James Jones
. The trust applied for and received charitable status
and also completed a community consultation on the future of the Florrie and successfully applied for a preliminary grant
to create a regeneration plan and produce bids for more substantial funding for the repair and restoration of the building.
In September 2006 campaigners applied for the Grade II listed status of the building to be upgraded to Grade II* which would signify that the building is of exceptional historical interest. Also that month the Heritage Lottery Fund
agreed to a £3.9 million pound grant to help regenerate the institute. The plan is for the building to house a 300-seater auditorium
, gym, cafe, creche
, social enterprises, library and heritage resource centre, and for the observatory
to be restored.
On a visit to Liverpool at the end of April 2007, Prince Charles who has been a noted proponent of urban regeneration was amazed to discover that the institute belonged to his mother, the Queen when he enquired as to its ownership. The Prince's Regeneration Trust is now going to be in contact with the Florrie campaigners and the Prince promised to help however he could.
In January 2010 the Liverpool Echo
reported that the Heritage Lottery Fund
had confirmed funding of 3.7 million pounds towards the projected restoration costs of 6.6 million pounds.
An application to the Northwest Regional Development Agency
for £1.7m from the European Regional Development Fund
is set to be decided in three weeks (February 2010), and if the money is agreed work could start on site in April.
Colin Taylor, of the Florence Institute Trust stated “We’re currently shortlisting for contractors who have experience of the restoration of heritage and community buildings and who want to work with the trust to ensure the local community are involved in the construction phase of the project. We estimate it will take 15 months.”
Dingle
Dingle is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula, it sits on the Atlantic coast, about 49 kilometres southwest of Tralee and 71 kilometres northwest of Killarney....
, South Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
Probably designed by H W Keef, it was built in 1889 by Sir Bernard Hall, a West Indies merchant, AldermanAlderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
and former Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Liverpool. His daughter Florence died while in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
at the age of 22 and he built this boys' club as a memorial and tribute to her at his sole expense.
The building itself was a fine example of late Victorian architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
with delicate use of terracotta, and originally it had splendid interiors, from the great hall
Great hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
to the top lit gym to the library.
The Florence Institute was officially opened as a boys club in 1890, four years after the opening of a similar establishment, the Gordon Working Lads Institute in Kirkdale
Kirkdale, Liverpool
Kirkdale is a district of Liverpool, Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council ward that covers both Kirkdale and Vauxhall. At the 2001 Census the population was recorded as 15,653.-Description:...
on the other side of the city. However it was the first building in Britain to be specifically constructed as a boys' youth club
Youth club
A youth club or youth social club is a place where young people can meet and enjoy activities such as football, soccer, basketball, table tennis, or video games, and other religious, sports activities are frequently sponsored by a community center....
.
As a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
Bernard Hall knew all too well the product of poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and lack of recreation for youth in the area, and as stated by the plaque on the building, he created what he hoped would be 'an acceptable place of recreation and instruction for the poor and working boys of this district of the City'.
For a hundred years the 'Florrie' served the working and unemployed youth of the tough dock-side area. Weekend camps were held at Heswall
Heswall
Heswall is a town in Wirral, in the county of Merseyside, England. Administratively, it is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. At the time of the 2001 Census, the total population of the ward was 16,012 , which included the nearby villages of Barnston and Gayton...
on the Wirral Peninsula
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
, reached by 6d ferry and bus return ticket. Summer camps were held in the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
away from the smoke, grime and pestilence of the inner city. A variety of sports and outdoor pursuits were provided for the community, including football, boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
to name a few. Gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
also was a part of the activities available for the local community. On the weekends dances
Ball (dance)
A ball is a formal dance. The word 'ball' is derived from the Latin word "ballare", meaning 'to dance'; the term also derived into "bailar", which is the Spanish and Portuguese word for dance . In Catalan it is the same word, 'ball', for the dance event.Attendees wear evening attire, which is...
were provided.
Towards the end of the 1980s, at the depths of the economic slump for Liverpool the funding dried up for the Institute and in 1987 it was sold and its management, The Florence Institute Incorporated Company, was dissolved in 1988 with the intention that the charitable work should be continued by another body. Unfortunately this never happened and through the Bona Vacantia
Bona vacantia
Bona vacantia is a legal concept associated with property that has no owner. It exists in various jurisdictions, with consequently varying application, but with origins mostly in English law.-Canada:...
principle title to the building eventually fell to the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
, which is the private property portfolio of the British monarch.
The building fell into disrepair and suffered from vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
and the natural elements. This was compounded when in 1999 there was a major fire which destroyed the roof.
Campaigning and Regeneration
As time went on the local community formed a pressure group, 'The Friends of the Florrie' to work with all the agencies and stakeholders to restore the splendour of the Florrie and provide a multi-ethnic community centre for all ages and abilities.In 2004 the plight of the Florrie was featured as a part of the 'Stop the Rot
Stop the Rot
Stop the Rot is a campaign launched in October 2000 by the Liverpool Echo newspaper with the aim of rescuing and preserving the rich architectural heritage of Liverpool and the greater Merseyside area...
' campaign run by the largest circulation newspaper in Liverpool, the Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
The Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...
, this raised the profile of the derelict state of the building widely.
The Florence Institute Trust Ltd is a community-led trust set up at the end of 2004 and chaired by the Bishop of Liverpool
Bishop of Liverpool
The Bishop of Liverpool is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Liverpool in the Province of York.The diocese stretches from Southport in the north, to Widnes in the south, and from the River Mersey to Wigan in the east. Its see is in the City of Liverpool at the Cathedral Church of...
, Rev. James Jones
James Stuart Jones
James Stuart Jones is a British Anglican bishop. He is currently the Bishop of Liverpool.The son of Major Stuart Jones and Helen Jones, he was educated in the Duke of York's Royal Military School, Dover and Exeter University, where received a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology in 1970...
. The trust applied for and received charitable status
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
and also completed a community consultation on the future of the Florrie and successfully applied for a preliminary grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
to create a regeneration plan and produce bids for more substantial funding for the repair and restoration of the building.
In September 2006 campaigners applied for the Grade II listed status of the building to be upgraded to Grade II* which would signify that the building is of exceptional historical interest. Also that month the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
agreed to a £3.9 million pound grant to help regenerate the institute. The plan is for the building to house a 300-seater auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
, gym, cafe, creche
Day care
Child care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
, social enterprises, library and heritage resource centre, and for the observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
to be restored.
On a visit to Liverpool at the end of April 2007, Prince Charles who has been a noted proponent of urban regeneration was amazed to discover that the institute belonged to his mother, the Queen when he enquired as to its ownership. The Prince's Regeneration Trust is now going to be in contact with the Florrie campaigners and the Prince promised to help however he could.
In January 2010 the Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
The Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...
reported that the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
had confirmed funding of 3.7 million pounds towards the projected restoration costs of 6.6 million pounds.
An application to the Northwest Regional Development Agency
Northwest Regional Development Agency
The Northwest Regional Development Agency is the regional development agency for the North West England region and is a non-departmental public body.....
for £1.7m from the European Regional Development Fund
European Regional Development Fund
The European Regional Development Fund is a fund allocated by the European Union.-History:During the 1960s, the European Commission occasionally tried to establish a regional fund. Only Italy ever supported this, however, and nothing came of it. Britain made it an issue for their accession in...
is set to be decided in three weeks (February 2010), and if the money is agreed work could start on site in April.
Colin Taylor, of the Florence Institute Trust stated “We’re currently shortlisting for contractors who have experience of the restoration of heritage and community buildings and who want to work with the trust to ensure the local community are involved in the construction phase of the project. We estimate it will take 15 months.”