Embedded Files
Form 3Q, 1965-66
Back row, from left: Martin Joyce, Fred Kirkham, Mike Maffei, Mike Creamer, Ged Ferguson, Richard Tarnowski, Robert Fayle, David Evans, Byrne, Stephen Bohan.
Middle row, from left: John Carroll, Dennis McLaughlin, Ian Terry, Michael Murphy, Robin Joyce, Paul Quiligotti, Paul Morrell.
Front row, from left: Paul Wright, Stephen Hempstock, M. Galligan, Joseph O’Reilly, Paul Lynch, Bernard Cullen, Peter Farrell.
Form teacher Mr John Madden took this informal photograph in the upper playground. Note the corporation flats and basketball post in the background.
Pupil timetable card, 1966
Measuring just 3 inches across by 4¾ inches in length when folded, this well-preserved timetable card was clearly designed to conveniently fit into a blazer or jacket pocket. When opened out, it revealed a detailed grid showing a forty-period week, an eight-period day for lessons and a column for homework subjects. The back of the card contained a handful of simple school rules.
School choir, mid-1960s
This performance was given in the school hall to an audience that included a number of dignitaries. The choir consisted of boys and staff. Among the teachers in the choir in the mid-1960s were Mr T.H. Duddy, Mr P. Coyle, Mr E.J. Burke, Mr J. O’Connor and Mr A. Neilson. Mr J. Farrell, head of music, can be seen conducting the choir bottom left.
School scarf, 1966
Designed in maroon and with gold stripes, this particular well-preserved scarf was purchased at Hornes (Horne Brothers), located at the top of Market Street near Piccadilly.
Front of the school along Higher Ardwick
The school hall
The hall was used for public examinations, assemblies, masses, and musical and drama productions.
Form 3T, 1966-67
Back row, from left: W. Meacher, J. Eato, J. Philbin, C. Clargo, P. Judge, C. Gleason, M. Hughes, J.A. McAlpine, R. Harnden, J. Byrne.
Middle row, crouching, from left: M. Cassidy, K. Henry, S. Carroll, Frank Scala, Kevin O’Dowd, P. Koziol, R. Johnson.
Front row, sitting, from left: D. Smith, R. Stus, W. Cheetham, I. Stemmler, P. Brennan, F. Tolan.
This photograph of Form 3T, which was probably snapped by fellow-pupil, includes several members of the successful third-year football team. Taken in the lower playground, the picture also shows part of the bicycle shelter which was open-sided and had a corrugated roof. The corporation flats, which overlooked part of the school and upper playground, can be seen in the distance.
Requiem Masses
The school’s respect in honouring the deceased was reflected in the frequency of requiem masses held in the school hall or at St Aloysius’ Church. Pupils and staff, current and past, who had passed away were prayed for, as were others, such as the victims of the Aberfan disaster in October 1966.
Educational and cultural visits
These continued under Mr McGawley’s headship. Among them were visits to the Palace Theatre, the Regal Cinema, the John Rylands Library (to see the “Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibition”), the College of Building, the Free Trade Hall for lectures (for example, on Computer Science) and for Hallé concerts, Jodrell Bank radio-telescope, University Theatre, open days at the Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, the Chester Arts Festival, the Magistrates’ Court, the County Court, Liverpool Cathedral, Calder Hall atomic establishment, John Summers Engineering Works at Chester, Goyt Valley Reservoir, London, York, ‘places of interest in Lancashire’, and the seaside.
In addition, the geography department organised field trips to places such as the Peak District.
The Air Training Corps (ATC) also organised frequent trips; there will be more on this later.
Careers meeting
A parent’s meeting was held in the school hall in November 1966, commencing at 7.15pm, for parents of 4th and 5th year boys. It was addressed by Messrs Casey and Clarke, Careers Advisory officers to the Manchester Education Committee. Parents afterwards had the opportunity of speaking to members of staff and consulting with the headmaster.
Concert
An evening Christmas concert was given in the school hall .by the school choir in combination with the Didsbury Orchestra.
Sixth-Form Dances
One of the first sixth-form dances was held in the school hall in December 1966 between 7.30 and 10.45pm and was attended by 14 members of staff.
Pre-Driving Course
A Pre-Driver Training Course of 13 two-hour lessons was begun in January 1967 for 24 selected fourth formers. It was organised by the Manchester Road Safety Committee. The first boys to be awarded Certificates of Merit for the successful completion of the course were J. Butenas, J. Finneran, M. Bloor, C. Sakalas, M. Enderby, C.M. Baker, P. Morrell, J. Dutton, S. Bohan, J. Hoban, D. Handley, D. Taylor, K. Monaghan, M. Vallely, R. Tarnowski, M. Malone, S. Tabner, J. Kubacki, J. O’Reilly, S. Lewis, A. Kowalczuk, K. Edwards, J. McCafferty and M. McGuire.
St Gregory’s Day, March 1967
With St Gregory’s day falling on Sunday, the feast day was celebrated on 10th March with a sung Mass in the nearby church of St Aloysius.
In the afternoon a party of 60 boys accompanied by three teachers attended a performance of the Oberammergau Passion Play.
New play
A party of 39 third-formers accompanied by two teachers attended the University Theatre for a performance of “The Stoppers”, a new play.
Storm damage
Classrooms and the caretaker’s apartment were damaged by stormy weather in May 1967.
Trips to the Continent, Whitsuntide 1967
Two trips were organised. The first, led by Mr J. Deegan, visited Rimini in northern Italy. The second, led by Mr B. Makin, visited Amsterdam in Holland.
Film visits
One hundred boys accompanied by five teachers were taken to watch “A Man for All Seasons”. On another occasion senior pupils saw the film “Don Giovanni”. Frequent visits were made to theatres and cinemas in the city centre.
School debating team
The school debating team, winners of the English-Speaking Union Rose Bowl in 1967, repeated their winning performance on the subject of “The Brain Drain” in the school hall in July of that year. The team consisted of M. Martin, P. McBride and O. Clinton. At the 1967 Speech Day ceremony, M. Cooke received a prize for public speaking.
ATC meeting
A meeting was held of officers of the Manchester Wing Air Training Corps and certain members of staff, including Mr T. Hainsworth, to discuss the proposal to form a squadron of air cadets in the school. They later addressed the boys of the third and fourth years.
Concert
A Christmas concert was given by the boys of the choir and of the Dramatic group with music by the Didsbury Orchestra.
Burglary
It was reported in December that the school was burgled at a time between 5.00pm Sunday and 6.00am Monday. The police were informed and, although some damage was done to locks and doors, little of value was stolen.
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