PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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The Drake Institute, otherwise known as the Church of England Soldiers' and Sailors' Institute, was located at the bottom of Devonport Hill, just above the Stonehouse Bridge. Although the originator of the idea was a Colonel Purches when he was in command of the Royal Engineers in the district, no progress was made until it was taken up by the Reverend A Malim, a retired Army Chaplain. Early in 1901 he organised a bazaar and raised £119 10s that afternoon. He solicited donations and raised thirteen subscriptions amounting to £15 3s and then engaged the architect, Mr Kitsell, to draw up plans for the building. At the start of the building work the funds stood at £1,040. Mr Blake, the contractor, began work on the site on May 14th 1903. HRH Princess Henry of Battenberg laid the memorial stone on Saturday July 25th 1903. The Drake Institute was officially opened on Monday January 25th 1904 by Lieutenant-General Sir William Butler KCB in the presence of the Mayor and Mayoress of Devonport, Mr & Mrs H Hurrrell, and the Naval Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir E H Seymour GCB, OM. Mr H Scott was the manager in the 1920s. The Drake Institute was destroyed during the Second World War and the site is now occupied by the block of Council flats facing King's Road.
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