We have learned, sadly, of the damage caused to the West China Union University in Chengdu by the recent earthquake. The campus and buildings were designed by Frederick Rowntree, son of a Jarrow grocer. He was successful when the design was put to tender in the 1900s. British Friends had worked with Canadian and US missions to found the university. Now it seems that all the buildings have been damaged in the earthquake and some have taken structural hits. Our Friend in China, Patrick Wood, told us the story.

'The two buildings mostly affected are the administration building, which housed the Meeting room used by the Quakers before 1949, and Building Four, which will be fondly remembered by all British Quaker teachers, supported by QPS (Quaker Peace & Service) and the Quaker China Group who worked there as it was used by the foreign language department.'
The university is now the West China Medical Centre, attached to Sichuan University. Patrick believes the university is seeking financial help from central and provincial government sources for full repairs.

Surveyors are measuring the buildings and Patrick wondered if the original blueprints could be traced to help them. Eye got on the case and tracked down Pearce, Bottomley, Rowntree in Leeds, now called Pearce, Bottomley Architects. An apologetic woman told us that since the company had been founded in 1880, they would need a warehouse if they had kept all their drawings. The drawings of course, could be anywhere, languishing in a loft, or kept as cherished mementoes in a drawer with a Rowntree connection. Does anyone have a clue?