DETAILS have come to light about a photograph by Joseph Hardman of a building featured as the Picture from the Past on this page.

The Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry at Kendal was keen to know more about the building.

Diana Matthews got in touch to say the building was what she knows as The Old College, Windermere.

"It was built for the Rev Addison (who was also responsible for St Mary’s Church) by my three times great-grandfather Abraham Pattinson.

"He opened St. Mary’s College in September 1853, welcoming 30 students, who paid fees according to their social standing. The sons of clergymen paid 30 guineas a year for education, board and lodging, whereas the sons of the laity paid 50 guineas a year and were taught in a separate class. For some extraordinary reason, the fees included seven pounds of jam, which would be dispensed twice a week except if the boy was ill, when it was withheld.

"Designed as a public school, tuition included the classics, mathematics, divinity, music, drawing, modern languages and a subject called fortification, perhaps relating to the Crimean War, which was at its height. All the young gentlemen were required to wear old-style college dress.

"Addison’s aspirations were high with patrons from the nobility, as well as two bishops, a chancellor and two rural deans.

"There was a strict rule on cleanliness. The boys were required to attend an inspection before setting off for church on Sunday mornings. Four staff undertook the parade with one inspecting the fronts and backs of their ears, another the fronts and backs of their hands, another issued white cuffs and the Headmaster finished the ritual by dispensing pennies for the collection.

"In 1855 the college was bought by Benjamin Irving and George Hale Puckle of Nine Oaks. They became joint headmasters and renamed the establishment.

"There were exciting cycle races with pennyfarthings and the large three wheelers racing from Windermere Station to Bowness Bay. During the severe frost of 1895 the boys were taught to skate on the lake.

"Author Arthur Ransome was sent to the Old College, where he was not happy.

"The tower shown in the background is the grand Victorian house known as The Abbey. The coach house still stands. One of The Abbey’s more well-known inhabitants was William Inman, the founder of the Inman Shipping Line, which was founded in 1850 and served the New York mail steamers."

Further information came from Windermere town councillor Mike Stafford, who was born in Old College Cottage, in the grounds of the building. He believes the school was called 'Birthwaite' at some stage and its pupils included actors Gregory Peck and James Mason.

He believes it became the Old College Girls' School in the early 1950s. This closed in the late '60s or early '70s when part of the building became the Phoenix Centre, which now includes the Windermere Youth Centre.

Parts of the building on the left hand side of the picture were taken down in the '50s or '60s and there are now houses in that area.