Oldham Lyceum

A building that I regularly pass, but seldom look up at.

The foundation stone for the new Lyceum building was laid by the Lyceum President, Mr James Platt on 25 June 1855, and just over a year later, on 22 September 1856, the new Lyceum on Union Street was opened.

It's original purpose was 'having for its object the moral and intellectual improvement of the inhabitants' of Oldham.

As the Lyceum moved into the twentieth century, the services on offer reflected the rapid pace of technological change. A telegraphic service was installed in the newsroom, and by 1902 was receiving six cotton reports a day and a weekly report from New York. In 1911, the Photographic Society installed a dark room. and ten years later, the Oldham Lyceum Wireless Society was formed.

In 1916 the Lyceum hosted an ambulance class run by the Oldham Volunteer Corps. During the Second World War, the basement room was strengthened for use as an air raid shelter.

The Oldham Lyceum is now used as a centre for music tuition, and is owned be Oldham Council.