John Passmore Edwards

Newton Abbot Free Library & Technical School

History

	When Passmore Edwards met H T Parker, a member of the Newton Abbot Council at a masonic meeting in London mentioned that he had funded the building of the Parranporth Convalescent Home and expressed a wish to provide a hospital for Newton Abbot in memory of his mother who had been born their, in a house in Wolborough Street. Newton Abbot already had its hospital but Passmore Edwards was easily persuaded to provide a Free Library. Then arose the proposal to build a Technical School in conjunction with the library and for this to be a celebration of the Coronation of King Edward VII.
Sylvanus Trevail was instructed to draw up the plans but when he presented these to the Council their elaborate and costly nature took them by surprise and pessimistic views were expressed about the feasibility of the project. However, the plans were presented to the Devon County Council and an application lodged for a grant towards the costs. The County Council agreed to provide half of the costs of the School, up to a maximum of £2700, the Town Council's contribution to include the site.
The site chosen had been originally purchased for road improvements but with the help of the Right Hon C Seale-Hayne MP the Local Government Board were persuaded to release the land for this new use. Tenders were let and contracts awarded to Mr H Goss of Torquay for the construction of the Library (£2,290) and Schools (£3,543).
Public subscriptions were canvassed towards the building fund and within a few weeks £1,200 was promised, including £200 from Mr Seale-Hayne. Passmore Edwards contribution for the Free Library was £2,500.
Work progressed very slowly and it eventually became apparent that Mr Goss would be unable to complete the contracts and negotiations were entered into with Mr F A A Stacey, who had been amongst the original tenderers, and who agreed to take over the contracts at no extra cost.
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July 13, 2007