Young Men's Evening Institute - 1903, Towcester, Northamptonshire
Posted by: 
greysman
N 52° 07.954 W 000° 59.456
30U E 637509 N 5777686
One of a number of green plaques placed around Towcester for its Millennium Project. This one marks The Studio on the corner of Brackley Road and Park Street.
Waymark Code: WM9XQD
Location: East Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/12/2010
Views: 4
In 1903 some private houses on the corner of Brackley Road and Park Street were demolished and a handsome stone building, with brick dressings and a slate roof, was built as a Young Men's Evening Institute by Miss Charlotte and Miss Ada Phipps, members of the local brewery family.
The so-named Studio was built for the benefit of the young men of Towcester, with classes held in Bible Reading, Play Acting, Lino Cutting, Wood Carving, Sports etc. Many young men took part in the Studio activities, which boasted at least one football team. There was a stone tablet outside the building with the inscription:
CAP. AP. NOT UNTO US. 1903
In 1910 some members asked Miss Charlotte Phipps to form a brass band and by October of that year the Towcester Studio Band was formed, which continues to thrive to this day. The Studio closed in 1919 and during the 1939-45 War the instruments were loaned to RAF Silverstone for use by the Station Band. The Towcester Studio Band celebrates its Centenary Year in 2010.
In 1932 the building was sold to the Manchester Union of Oddfellows, who put up the datestone:
MU ODDFELLOWS HALL 1932
It subsequently became the local Labour Exchange, and in 2002 the building was used for a mobile telephone business. In 2010 it is used by “Working Bodies Performance and Remedial Centre”.
Abridged from the article by Keith McLean, February 2002 and 2010.
For more details of the plaques see: millennium plaques