Introduction

My main purpose in compiling this website is to record for posterity the origins and development of St Gregory’s as a Catholic high school for boys in Manchester, from when it opened in 1923 until 1977 when, following reorganisation, it amalgamated with two single-sex secondary modern schools in Higher Openshaw. It is a compilation of material, collected and collated over time, which has been deployed in a chronological sequence.

This task has been undertaken in the face of certain difficulties, not least of which is the lapse of time between 1977 and the present. Much primary source material and evidence, vital for historical accuracy, has been lost with the passage of time. Part of the school’s log book, minutes of meetings (of governors and staff), class registers, official books and documents, reports, photographs, plans and so on, have been lost, destroyed, or are now unobtainable. This has restricted my attempt to compile a full and comprehensive history of the school.

Nevertheless, in spite of these difficulties, and others, a large amount of evidence has been gathered from a variety of sources. One source was “GREGS”, a 55-page booklet, also containing fourteen photographs, which was published in 1973. Another source has been the Internet, which contained many class and team photographs posted by former pupils, although some of the images were far from perfect and better copies had to be found. The Local Studies section of Manchester Central Library has also been a source of information, as was the Salford Diocesan Archives centre, based at St Augustine’s Church, All Saints. The National Archives has been extremely helpful in providing information relating to HMI reports. Other material has been collected from former pupils and staff, many of whom have kindly allowed me to have copies of photographs and other documents. For this, I am grateful.

One of my intentions has been to attempt to create an impression of what it was like for pupils at the school in each decade of the school’s existence, beginning in the 1920s. What was the building like? Who were the teachers? What size was the schoolyard? What subjects were studied? How long were pupils there?  What was Ardwick like? In fact, throughout this work the reader will be aware of the connection between the school and its immediate environment. The school, sited at Ardwick Green, was surrounded by many well-known local features and landmarks, some of which are included on this website. They are included simply because they became part of the pupil’s experience and, as such, help to evoke memories of a bygone era. Talk to any old Gregorian and the conversation will include references and anecdotes about some of these features.

Social changes are also included. In 1923, the school building was largely hidden from public view apart from the frontage facing Ardwick Green Park. Much of the remainder was obscured by neighbouring properties, especially along the west side of Higher Ardwick. With slum clearance schemes before and after the Second World War, more space was created for redevelopment and, as a consequence, the school was able to meet the increasing demand for places by extending its buildings and playground in the late 1950s.

Another facet of the school’s history is that it occupied the premises once used by the Manchester Industrial School and, before that, was the home of John Rylands, the famous cotton manufacturer and merchant. Since this is of interest to some, it is included in this work. Many Gregorians are unaware of the Industrial School, while others have misconceptions and ill-informed views about it. For instance, some believe that it was an institution for boys only. It was, eventually. But, from 1857 to 1877 it provided for many girls as well as boys. Another misconception is that it was a kind of ‘Borstal’, ‘Approved School’ or ‘Reform School’, all institutions for young offenders that would be established in the twentieth century. It was none of these things: it was an Industrial school, established for reasons which will be explained later. Again, the notion that young people were incarcerated and “the keys thrown away”, as it were, with little or no concern for their welfare is far removed from the truth. The evidence suggests that it was an institution which was not only well regulated, but took pride in how it provided for the youngsters in its charge.

In studying the Industrial School one sees how it evolved and expanded to meet the pressure of the increasing demand for places, both daytime and residential. Details about the school were recorded annually in a report, so its activities, problems, successes, timetable, finances and so on can be studied. Also included in the reports were images of the building and schoolyard. Some of these were very accurate prints and give a clear picture of the school. The earliest print dates from 1860, three years after the school’s opening. Other superb prints include one from 1878, two from 1880, two from 1884 and two modern sketches based on composites of the 1884 pictures. The earliest photograph dates from 1890 and shows the school’s frontage facing the park. Not only are these images interesting to look at, but also, they are a reminder of what faced the first intake of Gregorians in 1923. In researching the Industrial School and in discussions with others, I decided to include it in this work even though it is not directly to do with the history of St Gregory’s. The Industrial School was for many years an important institution in Manchester and its premises formed the site of St Gregory’s. Out of interest, a brief, potted history of it is included here, together with a number of interesting images.

Again, purely out of interest, a brief history of Ardwick and Ardwick Green is given. The area, which has had a chequered history, was once a very upmarket and desirous place in which to live. Brief details are given about its early years, together with maps. One can trace the development of this once salubrious and exclusive township through the ages until, by the early twentieth century, it had become a heavily industrialised and densely populated suburb of Manchester.

An insight into life at the school is given by the inclusion of detailed recollections of former pupils who attended the school in different decades. These give interesting eyewitness accounts of their schooldays, part fact and part anecdotal, but still of historic value.

The material has been deployed chronologically and is largely “illustrated”.  Each image is accompanied with information in the form of a title, date or caption. Some of the images are of excellent quality, others less so. Much depends on the quality of the original image, whether it be a photograph or a document or how well it might have been kept or scanned. Most of the class photographs before 1960 were taken in the schoolyard in the shadow of old and drab Victorian buildings. This, together with the notorious dismal Manchester weather, may have resulted in some photographs being far from perfect. However, even an item of relatively poor quality can still be of interest. Each image has its usefulness and what is viewed in the background can often be of interest too. I especially wanted to include as many pictures as possible of the building, pupils and staff in whatever capacity. Identifying persons and verifying names has been problematic, together with ensuring correct initials and spellings. While great efforts have been made to minimise errors in this task, apologies are given where omissions and failings have occurred. Some of the evidence has been contradictory and difficult to corroborate.

Some source material – such as programmes of music and drama productions, letters and other documents – have had to be retyped so that they are easy to read and understand. Although this has resulted in the loss of the ‘historic feel’ of the original documents, it is compensated by the fact that they are now legible. Many of the original documents were poorly typed using poor typewriters and were printed off on poor quality paper. With the passage of time and wear and tear, they had become extremely difficult to read.

While some of the text fits conveniently to form its own chapters, other information is simply “chronicled” and may bear little or no relevance to the preceding item. At times there is extensive text; at others there are short pieces of information.

Virtually every full-time teacher who taught at the school is included, with photographs of many of them shown in one form or another. Also included are periodic lists of teachers, with some showing the dates when staff were first engaged at the school as well as the main subjects they taught. 

Throughout this project a number of maps have been included to support the text and other material. Whilst some of these have been produced professionally and are of excellent quality, others are simple hand-drawn ‘sketch maps’ and are not entirely accurate or to scale. Nevertheless, they are still useful in that they give a reasonably representative impression of what they are intended to show.

Similarly, a number of plans have been included. Unable to obtain any actual plans that may have survived, I set myself the task of determining the layout of the school in years gone by and then drew up plans accordingly. This process not only tested the memories of very old former pupils, but also exposed my extremely limited technical drawing skills. In spite of sometimes contradictory and incomplete evidence, especially of the pre-war era, substantial plans have been made and, although not entirely accurate or to scale, give a helpful guide to the way in which the school was laid out. I know from evidence obtained from the National Archives that money was paid from time to time for structural and other alterations, but the specific work done is not always mentioned; this makes it difficult to accurately record how the overall layout may have been altered.   Pupils who attended before 1959 will be familiar with the old school, with younger boys being familiar with the extended building thereafter. Boys who attended after 1958 will be largely unaware of the old layout.  For this reason, several sets of plans have been compiled and included. Many of the rooms were used for decades for teaching the same subjects, sometimes by the same teachers. Having said that, one room – the staff room – has been located in at least five different rooms in the course of the school’s existence.

The school was, in some ways, similar to a living organism in that it was always changing and evolving. The historical concepts of change and continuity, similarities and differences, progress and growth etc. are to be seen throughout the school’s existence. The actual name and status of the school changed from time to time. It started off as a Central school but later became a Secondary Technical, Technical and, finally, a Grammar school. One is reminded of the school’s title as displayed in large white letters above the oldest part of the building, namely, St Gregory’s Catholic Boys’ High School; this is what it was throughout the period under study.

There is a saying that “History is not the study of the past, but of the surviving traces of the past”.  I have tried to collect as many of these “surviving traces” as I could and I have tried to set them out in an orderly and easily understandable format for the enjoyment of the reader. Much evidence has been lost, especially from the school’s early years, but sufficient has survived in order to produce a meaningful history. 

This work is not so much “the” history of the school; it is not even “a” history. Rather, it is more of a chronicling of events and information. Gaps appear because of the lack of information. No apology is made for this, or for the seemingly repetitious nature of some of the subject matter which, among other things, illustrates what changed and what remained the same.

For some, schooldays may have been a time in their life they prefer to forget. For others, happy memories are evoked – memories of the classroom, gym, schoolyard, dining room, teachers, schoolmates, sports field or just travelling to and from school. Both pupils and staff, when at school, would have been absorbed with “the present”, with no interest in, or little knowledge of, the past history of the building in which they were working.

Another consideration is this: all Gregorians and staff, and parents for that matter, were creatures of their time and were affected and influenced by the world in which they lived. Comparisons between the present and the past may be interesting but so much was different.

One other pleasurable aspect of this project has been my renewing of contact with old friends, both pupils and staff, and the sense of belonging and shared experiences, albeit at different times, that we all had in the same educational institution. Each Gregorian is just as important and valued as any other and each has his own memories. It is hoped that this website may evoke some of those memories.

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