St Joseph's Primary School with Rosemary Clay Classic

When a fire destroyed the roof of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Willesden, it was vital to find roof tiles that matched the original Edwardian tiles.
Rosemary Clay Classic
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The Project

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Willesden was damaged by a fire. Due to the history behind the building, it was vital to find roof tiles that matched the original Edwardian tiles.

BMI Redland Rosemary Clay Classic was selected as it provided the required aesthetics to preserve the Edwardian appearance.

  • Project name: St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School

  • Contractor: Associated Installations

  • Sub contractor: W O’Dwyer

Testimonials

The Contractor

"It was important to select the tiling and lead works contractor based on performance”

William O’Dwyer of W O’Dwyer.

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The Detail

“The many period details required tradespeople with considerable experience and skill.”

William O’Dwyer of W O’Dwyer.



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The Challenge

The Challenge

One of the biggest challenges in re-tiling the roof was logistics. The whole roof was covered in a protective scaffolding, which slid open to allow materials to be craned in at certain times of the day. Most of the 76,000 tiles and many kilograms of lead came to the roof in small batches, brought in by means of a goods hoist.

"The roof at St Joseph’s is a complex one, with several turrets, numerous dormer windows and a decorative, lead-clad dome at its centre. An additional challenge was the irregularity of the old roof which had to be re-created. “It was noticed from record drawings that the building was not constructed entirely squarely and that the existing roof pitches varied in different locations. The roof had to be set out to relate to the existing gables which had to be retained.”

Architect Bob Ecclestone of Wilby & Burnett.

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The Solution

The Solution

BMI Redland Rosemary Clay Classic provided the required aesthetics to preserve the Edwardian appearance and quality of a hand-crafted clay roof with the reliability of modern machine-made techniques.

Rosemary Clay Classic tiles have endured on Britain’s rooftops since 1837. The finest Etruria Marl clay is extracted from Staffordshire pits, and crafted in a dedicated facility in the heart of the country. The natural strength of this clay makes the tiles a dependable, impermeable solution to withstand the harshest extremes of the UK’s weather 

Insulation was added to help meet modern energy efficiency Part L Standards and the new roof frame had to be steel rather than timber to meet modern structural design codes.

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The Impact

The Impact

Awarded ‘Heritage project of the Year’ at the 2019 Pitched Roofing Awards, the project was a success, with the new roof being fitted and school returning to normal. The children and teachers returned to the school in September 2018.

This dramatic chapter in the school’s history has not held it back, it was listed as the second-best state primary school in the country in the Sunday Times School Guide 2019.

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Rosemary Clay Classic System

Rosemary Clay Classic System

The Rosemary name is synonymous with quality clay plain tile. For over 175 years Rosemary has been adding character to British roofs. A system designed for mono or duo pitched roofs, using Rosemary Clay Classic tiles that is ideal for any new or refurbishment situation. The Rosemary Clay Classic tile provides a practical, durable and cost effective roofing solution for years to come.

Key Features and benefits

  • Produced from the finest clays

  • Smooth and sanded finishes

  • Peace of mind with complete system from one trusted supplier

  • Colours include weathered, brindled and single colours

  • Heritage look with attributes and strengths of a brand new tile

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