Hemsworth College
The new college opened in 1965 on Station Road. The National Coal Board paid for the building and passed the running over to the West Riding County Council. Students from the Technical Institute were transferred to the college, and shortly after courses other than Mining were introduced.
1968 Specialist unit for Nursery Nurses courses, Home Management etc
1971 Specialist unit fpr Business Studies
Extension, and another 4 units were added later, principally,
1980 New welding and automobile worksops, administration area, and housing of Library on the ground floor. Most areas were ramped.
The Double unit was used for Art and Craft classes.
1981 Horticultural Unit transferred from Wakefield. Floristry started.
1982 Agricultural classes started (controlled from Askham Bryan College)
After the formation of Wakefield District College in 1982 all mining courses were transferred to Whitwood Centre, and most of the engineering to Wakefield Centre.
In 1982 there were 28 teaching areas (including workshops) and approximately 20 classes attending College each day.
The breakdown of student enrolments per sector was -
Electrical Engineering 81
Social Services and Hospital Studies 232
Transport and Fabrication Tec 87
Office Studies and Management 145
Science (Horticulture/Agriculture 197
The above included part-time and full-time student, who may have been associated with Manpower Services Commission, Horticulture, Agriculture, Nursey Nurses and kindred subjects, Link courses from Schools (including Special Schools) and Foundation Courses.
There were som Adult Education classes during the day, and about 40 in the evening.
The Centre had 2 annexes - 1 at Brackenhill, Ackworth, and another at Minsthorpe. Minsthorpe housed the language laboratory.
There were 600 unemployed school leavers in 1983.
Pricipals were G. W. Moses (acting) Headmaster, West End School 1935-1949. J. E. Harvey 1949-1974. A. A. Swindlehurst 1974-1979.
R. E.Lunn (acting) 1979. K. W. Ruddiman 1979 - 2002.
© N. Jackson 1984
The College was demolished in 2002, and a housing estate is now on the site.
Wakefield District College
