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The playground and workshops at the school, 1880
This view, looking from the direction of the Ardwick Green end, shows the boys at play, there being no girls at the school. Close examination of the print reveals a variety of activities, including some boys using gymnastic equipment such as horizontal bars, parallel bars and a vaulting horse. Other boys can be seen running, chasing, fencing and playing leapfrog. Also to be seen is a clock, which reads three-o’clock, on the wall of the far building. At the bottom left of this wall is a handcart. To the right is a gated archway which gave access to a horse and cart. Further to the right is the open-sided gym which shows boys using swings, ladders and a wooden beam. Three well-dressed adults stand in the foreground, one of whom is a woman; they may have been visitors or, perhaps, were staff that included the governor and matron. Some of the workshops were quite large. The chimney, billowing out clouds of twisting black smoke, was part of the school and suggests that that was the area of the boiler room. In fact, a person can be seen with a pole in his hands that extends through the small open door of a large cylindrical boiler-shaped object. The chimney would appear on maps well into the next century. Note also the T-shaped track way; this too appeared on later maps. The far building, known to future Gregorians as “the old bike shed and gym”, would form the background to class photographs taken up to the late 1950s.
View of principal buildings and boys at drill, 1880
This view, looking towards Ardwick Green Park, shows the boys at drill in the playground. The drill lesson was the Victorian term for physical exercise. Two adult instructors are shown putting the boys, who are in regimented-type lines, through their paces. The lesson involved a series of formal exercises such as marching on the spot, arm swinging, trunk bending, thrusting, balance, hopping, breathing, and head and feet movements.
To the command of “Attention” the boys would stand with:
• Head erect, eyes looking to the front, chin slightly drawn in.
• Shoulders back, square to the front.
• Arms straight down.
• Palms facing in, fingers straight, hands lightly touching the thighs.
• Knees straight.
• Heels together. Feet turned out at an angle of about 60 degrees.
To the command of “Stand easy” the boys would assume a relaxed posture with hands clasped behind their back and feet about 12 inches apart.
The drill was thought to help the boys follow instructions, improve coordination and health, and prepare them for work and military service.
In the foreground is a circular group of nineteen boys playing musical instruments under the watchful eye of the baton-wielding instructor. One boy is playing a drum, with the others playing wind instruments of various sorts. The Ardwick Green Industrial School brass band was evidently very good and it often performed in public, especially in processions in the Ardwick Green district and in various parks in Manchester and Salford. In July 1906, it was reported that: “…bandmaster Taylor [of the school] and his juvenile bandsmen [were] one of the most popular bands in Manchester.” In fact, at one time the school had two bands.
Note also, on the centre of the wall of the three-storey far building, what appears to be a bell. When and why this would have been rung is not known – possibly to indicate the end of a playtime or, more importantly, possibly to give warning of a fire outbreak and for the building to be quickly evacuated. At the bottom of the wall is a low fence, to the right of which are three rounded bay windows on what was the rear of the former house owned by John Rylands.
Three sets of entrance steps can be seen to the right. The wing to the left of the yard shows an open arch area; this wing would be demolished and rebuilt in a few years.
Further extensions, about 1884
The annual report for 1884 informed the committee members that: “…the contemplated and most necessary improvements at Ardwick have been carried out, and a new [east] wing has been rebuilt on an extended scale, containing a large Drill or Playroom, enlarged lavatories and Bath-Rooms, bakehouse and Flour Store, a large Dormitory, and a Room for Band Practice; all adding greatly to the health and comfort of the inmates.” The report went on to say that the Managers were able to carry out the work without incurring debt as a result of receiving substantial donations from various sources including £500 from the Justices of the County of Lancaster, £500 from the School Board of Manchester and £200 from Salford. The wing referred to is that which ran parallel with Higher Ardwick. Extensions also took place on the other side of the yard, as can be seen from the illustrations displayed.
Following these extensions, the premises remained relatively unchanged until the Salford Diocese bought it in 1922 and made some alterations before St Gregory’s was opened the following year.
Staff
In 1884, the Superintendent and matron were Mr & Mrs Thomas Jackson, the schoolmaster was Mr B. Harrison, and the assistant schoolmasters were Mr Peck and Mr Minshall.
Testing and Examinations
Although there was an emphasis on industrial training, elementary education was also provided and the evidence from annual reports shows quite clearly that those whose job was to inspect the school were more than satisfied with the educational standard and progress of the majority of the children. Tests and exams took place regularly, as did inspections, and grades and standards of achievements were carefully recorded and included in end-of-year tables of statistics.
The playground and workshops at Ardwick Green, 1884
Taken from the annual report of 1884, this view – looking from the direction of Ardwick Green Park – uses the earlier print to illustrate the extensions that have been added, especially to the west wing, left. A glimpse into the open archway of the new block, left, reveals what looks like a boiler. Another addition is the low-level out-building to the right, which were outside toilets largely unroofed apart maybe from the seated cubicles. Also to the right can be seen the end of the newly constructed three-storey block to the east wing. A new window has also been added to the right of the horse and cart archway in the north wing.
Another difference – which is inexplicable – is the inclusion by the artist of a rather high pole, at the top of which is a boy precariously perched and with another boy about halfway up.
View of principal buildings and boys at drill, 1884
Looking towards Ardwick Green Park, this print shows the new three-storey east wing, left, which was built in place of the previous two-storey block.
Another modification includes, in the far south wing, the fitting of a door leading to the yard in place of a window.
The playground was virtually enclosed. Many of the features shown in these prints remained for many years following the establishment of St Gregory’s.
View of the west wing of the Industrial School, 1884
This modern sketch, drawn by K. Barrett, is a composite of the two prints of 1884 and gives a fairly accurate impression of what the full length of the west side of the Industrial School looked like following the completion of extensions in 1884. The view is looking away from the direction of Ardwick Green Park.
View of the east wing of the Industrial School, 1884
This modern sketch, drawn by K. Barrett, is a composite of the two prints of 1884 and gives a fairly accurate impression of what the full length of the east side of the Industrial School looked like following the completion of the extensions in 1884. The view is looking towards Ardwick Green Park.
This sketch, together with the previous three, gives the modern student a clear impression of the buildings enclosing the largely rectangular yard of the Industrial School. With very little alterations, these were probably the views and sights that faced the first intake of boys at St Gregory’s in 1923.
Apart from views of the school frontage, taken from near Ardwick Green Park, there are no sketches or full photographs of the outside of the other wings of the Industrial School, probably because they were obscured by the close proximity of neighbouring properties.
The Manchester Certified Industrial School, 1890
One of the earliest photographs of the building, this shows the front of the Manchester Certified Industrial School together with the three stylish houses at the eastern end of Ardwick Green North.
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