Elmslie Girls' School, Blackpool

Elmslie Girls’ School was a private girls’ school in Blackpool, Lancashire, operating from 1918 to 2000. It began modestly with just 11 pupils, founded by sisters Elizabeth, Polly, and Peggie Brodie in a house known as The Elms-formerly the family residence of William and Sarah Powell. Designed by architect T. P. Worthington and built in 1896, The Elms is now a Grade II listed building, recognized by English Heritage for its architectural significance.

The school moved into The Elms in 1922 and adopted the name Elmslie Girls’ School. Initially a small institution, it grew significantly over the decades. By 1945, it had 353 pupils and operated as a day school. From 1948, it was managed by the Diocese of Blackburn's Board of Finance and became an associated Woodard School in 1987. The school ultimately closed its doors in 2000.

The Elms is a striking two-story red brick house with a sandstone façade and an L-shaped plan. Its architectural features include gabled and turreted bays, pinnacles, crenelated caps, a porch with marble columns, and many preserved interior details. Over its history as a school, the site saw several expansions: a gym and assembly hall (1938), the Fisher block classrooms (1952), a chapel (1959), and a sixth form and music center (1988).