Boys Club

The Boys Club, originally known as the Handbridge Men's Institute, is a working men's institute built in 1895 by T.M. Lockwood for the first Duke of Westminster. It is constructed of red sandstone ashlar and stone-dressed red brick, topped with grey slate roofs. The building has two storeys and an attic, situated at the sharp corner of Overleigh Road and Eaton Road. The north, west, and east faces are ornate with shaped gables, while the south face, which faces the yard, is simpler. The north front, which faces Handbridge centre, features a projecting full-height porch on the left and a canted stair-bay on the right. The design includes Ionic and vernacular detailing, extensive carving, stone mullioned and transomed windows, leaded glazing, ashlar banding, and round-arched lights, which are characteristic of Lockwood's style. Inside, there is a substantial dogleg stair, some original doors, and beamed ceilings that are quite heavily detailed.