No 84 -  North Staffordshire Polytechnic
originally the North Staffordshire College of Technology
now part of the Staffordshire University

 Staffordshire University

photo: Ian Pearsall

"This neo-classical facade in College Road, Stoke, is the main entrance to the North Staffordshire Polytechnic, previously known as the North Staffordshire College of Technology.

The history of the college can be traced back to 1869, when the first organised science classes in the Potteries were held at the Wedgwood Institute, Burslem. In the 1870s several of the other towns introduced courses in higher education, but it was not until the last decades of the century that serious consideration was given to establishing a school on a central site. In the 1890s a movement was instigated to build a North Staffordshire College which could provide adequate education in a properly staffed and thoroughly equipped school, worthy of the industry in the area.

From 1900 to 1906 there existed a private association called the Council for the Extension of Higher Education, whose job it was to promote such a college. In 1905, the County Council agreed to find £12,000 towards the cost if matching funds were forthcoming from private sources. Shortly before his death in December, 1901, Mr. A. S. Bolton, of Oakamoor, Chairman of the Council for the Extension of Higher Education, purchased a site of two acres close to Stoke Station for purposes of higher education. 

His two sons declared that the site would be given to the City as soon as there was any prospect of a suitable building being erected. In November, 1910, following Federation, the Education Committee of the new Stoke-on-Trent County Borough was established and received from the Bolton brothers a formal offer of the site, which was accepted. It was agreed that Stoke-on-Trent should pay two-thirds and the county one-third of the cost of the new school, and that the annual maintenance costs should be divided according to the relative number of students from each authority.

The plans for the building were by John Hutchings and S. B. Ashworth, architects of the two respective education committees, and the work carried out by Thomas Godwin, of Hanley. The cost was in excess of £30,000. The building was known as the Central School of Science and Technology, and contained large chemistry and physics laboratories, a large pottery laboratory, an analysis room, a grinding room, classrooms and lecture rooms, and other accommodation, while also providing for mining classes."

Neville Malkin 25th August 1976 

• On the left side four miners are depicted with the tools of their trade, a railway cart, pickaxes and a Davy lamp. 

• On the right side four potters, three men and a woman are depicted with a potters wheel, kiln and finished vases. 

• In the central panel a seated female figure in Classical dress holds a book open on her lap possibly representing Learning, a child stands at her side. On her left and right sides stand two female figures, beside them are chemistry apparatus and a set of scales respectively.