Basic Site Details | Name: | Female Industrial School | | Town, district or village: | Stornoway | | Island: | Lewis | | City or county: | Ross and Cromarty | | Country: | Scotland | | Parish: | | | Status: | | | Grid ref: | | | Notes: | Erected by Mary Jane Percival, wife of Sir James Matheson, owner of the island and who was instrumental in the building of Lews Castle.
N.B. In a painting which hangs in the Masonic Lodge in Stornoway recording the laying of the foundation stone of Lews Castle, three architects appear: Charles Wilson, Charles Howitt and Alexander Mackenzie. It is possible that Howitt and /or Mackenzie may have had a hand in the design of the school. | Alternative Names| The following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | | Name | Current name? | Notes |  | 74 Keith Street, Former Industrial Female School | | New statutory address 2015 | | Lady Matheson's Seminary | | | | Seminary House and Hall | | |
Building Type Classification| The building is classified under the following categories: | | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | School | | |
Street Addresses| The following street addresses are associated with this building: | | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | 74, Keith Street | | |
Events| The following date-based events are associated with this building: | | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1848 | | Build/construction | | | 16 January 1849 | | Opened | |
PeopleDesign and Construction| The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Charles Howitt | | A | 1847 | | May have been responsible for the design as he appears to have been architect to the Lews estate. (He is frequently mentioned in the diary of the Chamberlain, John Munro Mackenzie). | | Charles Wilson | | B | 1847 | | Some design details in the school are similar to the design of some Normal Schools in particular Dundas Vale School with which Wilson had been in contact ten years before as assistant to David Hamilton who designed it. However it is perhaps more likely that Howitt was responsible. |
ReferencesBibliographic References| The following books contain references to this building: | | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Miers, Mary | 2008 | The Western Seaboard | | The Rutland Press | | | Wright, Andrew P K | 2008 | Industrial Female School, Stornoway: addendum report to Conservation Statement | | | pp12-15 |
Archive References| The following archives hold material relating to this building: | | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Andrew P K Wright | Information via website | | Sent November 2008 |
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