Langford Infants School in 1904
Bedfordshire County Council became Local Education Authority for the county in 1903, following the Education Act 1902. In 1904 the CountySurveyor reported on the condition of all the council and voluntary schools in the county under LEA control, excluding those on Bedford and Luton Boroughs which had their own executive arrangements. The surveyor's report [ref: E/SA2/1/1] took the form below.
This is a new brick, stone and tile building, well lighted, airy and lofty.
Main Room - 27ft x 23ft 6in x 13ft 8in to 18ft 6in
This room is in good order, with wood block floor.
Lighting is by eight windows, five sashes of which are made to open. Ventilation is by ceiling openings only; these are insufficient when windows are closed. Five Tobin Tubes and one Exhaust Ventilator should be provided.
Heating is by an open fire.
Class Room - 23ft 6in x 15ft x 13ft 8in to 18ft 6in
This is well lighted by seven windows, five portions of which, also small ceiling flap, open for ventilation.
Three Tobin Tubes and an Exhaust Ventilator should be provided for ventilation.
Heating is by an open fire. The chimney breast is defective, and the fireplace smokes badly. The flue should be examined to see if there is any obstruction, and a remedy provided.
Otherwise this room is in good order.
Cloak Room - 26ft x 8ft x 8ft 6in to 9ft
The roof is a flat, concreted between steel joists.
This lobby needs colouring and whitening.
No lavatory is provided here.
Offices
These are very well constructed, provided with "Duckett's" Automatic Flushing apparatus, pump, tank, and full equipment for water-carried sewage and urine. Given good drainage, this is excellend. They were very cleanly on my visit.
School Coal Store is provided.
Mistress's House
This is a new building, having four rooms on the ground floor, also Larder, and roomy Hall and Staircase. It is a good healthy home.
The rooms are as follows:
Parlour - 12fft 6in x 11ft x 10ft
Sitting Room - 13ft 6in x 13ft x 10ft
Kitchen - 11ft 6in x 12ft
Scullery - 11ft x 8ft 2in, open rafter roof
Three bedrooms and passages over, also a small room over Stairway and Hall.
These rooms are a fair size and height.
A hard water pump is provided in the Scullery.
House Closet
This is approached through the Scullery, which is a defect. It should be approached from the outside, and the inside door bricked up.
A Coal House adjoins this.
A sanitary dust bin should be provided in place of ash pit. Internal completion of this house viz: repairs and whitening of ceilings, colour and papering of walls, etc, should be done next year.
Water Supply
This is by pump at end of Latrines, also pump in house. The well is liable to pollution by overflow from dumb well or cesspit, which is said to be emptied twice a year. It is only six feet from house well.
Here again the sanitary provision for closets and urinals is unsuitable, as for water-carried sewage a dumb well is too limited. In the abscence of proper public drains, dry earth is by far the most effective and efficient. This elaborate flushing by water here will always be a trouble to the persons responsible.
The outside painting etc is in fairly good condition.