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The Florence Institute for Boys known colloquially as 'The Florrie' is a local landmark and a Grade II〔 listed building on Mill Street in Dingle, South Liverpool, England (). ==History== Probably designed by H W Keef, it was built in 1889 by Sir Bernard Hall, a West Indies merchant, Alderman and former Mayor of Liverpool. His daughter Florence died while in Paris at the age of 22 and he built this boys' club〔 as a memorial and tribute to her at his sole expense. The building itself was a fine example of late Victorian architecture with delicate use of terracotta, and originally it had splendid interiors, from the great hall to the top lit gym to the library. The Florence Institute was officially opened as a boys club in 1890, four years after the opening of a similar establishment, the Gordon Working Lads Institute in Kirkdale on the other side of the city. However it was the first building in Britain to be specifically constructed as a boys' youth club. As a magistrate Bernard Hall knew all too well the product of poverty and lack of recreation for youth in the area, and as stated by the plaque on the building, he created what he hoped would be 'an acceptable place of recreation and instruction for the poor and working boys of this district of the City'. For a hundred years the 'Florrie' served the working and unemployed youth of the tough dock-side area. Weekend camps were held at Heswall on the Wirral Peninsula, reached by 6d ferry and bus return ticket. Summer camps were held in the Lake District away from the smoke, grime and pestilence of the inner city. A variety of sports and outdoor pursuits were provided for the community, including football, boxing and baseball to name a few. Gymnastics also was a part of the activities available for the local community. On the weekends dances were provided. Towards the end of the 1980s, at the depths of the economic slump for Liverpool the funding dried up for the Institute and in 1987 it was sold and its management, The Florence Institute Incorporated Company, was dissolved in 1988 with the intention that the charitable work should be continued by another body. Unfortunately this never happened and through the Bona Vacantia principle title to the building eventually fell to the Duchy of Lancaster, which is the private property portfolio of the British monarch. The building fell into disrepair and suffered from vandalism and the natural elements. This was compounded when in 1999 there was a major fire which destroyed the roof. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Florence Institute」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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