Blackburn Ragged School was built by locals to educate and feed the poor

Founded in 1881 by James Dixon and John Walkden to educate and provide meals and clothing for needy children, the Blackburn Ragged School later became a community centre and was demolished in 2009 with its foundation stones and war roll call preserved.

The Blackburn Ragged School opened in 1881 after two young local men, James Dixon and John Walkden, raised concern about the town's poor children. They rented a small building at the corner of Lune Street and Leyland Street and recruited teenage helpers to establish the school. The institution's trust deeds, drawn up in 1891, set out aims to provide moral and religious instruction and to distribute free meals, clothing and coal to children and others in need. The school continued to serve the community through wartime and economic hardship and later functioned as a community centre for older residents before the building was taken down. Key details: - Founded in 1881 by James Dixon and John Walkden. - Initial premises were rented at Lune Street and Leyland Street and local teenagers helped build the school. - The 1891 trust deeds described both religious instruction and practical relief such as meals, clothing and coal for the poor. - The school served the community through war and depression and later became a centre for elderly people. - The building was demolished in 2009 to make way for housing development. - Foundation stones and the war roll call were preserved and are now part of the care home on the site. Summary: The Blackburn Ragged School combined education with practical relief for needy families and remained part of community life for much of the 20th century. Its building was demolished in 2009, and the foundation stones and war roll call were retained and incorporated into the care home now on the site.