Denton, Lancashire
It was reported in the Manchester Guardian on the 19 Sep 1911 that Denton was to have a new-build elementary school that could accommodate 778 pupils. Variously known as Duke Street Council School, Duke Street Primary School and Denton Central Primary School, it was originally comprised of infant and junior schools. It closed on the 31 Aug 2005 and re-opened as Tameside’s Young People’s Centre.

The architect was Henry Littler Jr (1865-1933) who was the County Architect for Lancashire County Council. He also designed the police station on Stockport Rd. At first he was in practice with his father trading as Henry Littler and Son of Cross St, Manchester, but little is known about this practice. Henry Littler Jr was born at Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, and by 1911 he was resident at St Anne's on the Sea.

Denton Auxiliary Hospital, Duke St
During the Great War (1914-18) the school was used by the Red Cross as an Auxiliary Hospital. Three members of the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) known to have served there are: Annie Oldham of Denton, Hilda Simpkins of Gorton and May Croft of Aintree. A known patient is 10861 Serjeant Thomas Jones of the 2nd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment. He died of pneumonia on the 31 Jan 1919, aged 23 years. At the time, he was on two-month’s leave, after being repatriated as a prisoner of war. He is buried in Denton Cemetery in Grave No. D.480 and in the same grave are 5455 Rifleman John Thomas Graves of the 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade and 32208 Private James Francis Kelly of the 3rd Battalion, Manchester Regiment.

Auxiliary Hospitals were managed by a matron, nurses and nursing assistants of the British Red Cross and Order of St John of Jerusalem with a commandant in charge supported by local surgeons, doctors and cooks, etc.