Embedded Files
In September 1963, Mr William Lawrence McGawley, 53, began his post as only the third headmaster in the forty years of St Gregory’s existence. Interestingly, Mr McGawley and the late Mr Rocca were believed to have been pupils in the same class in Mount Carmel Junior School, Blackley, many years before.
Mr McGawley studied at St Mary’s College, Strawberry Hill, Middlesex, from 1928. The college, under the auspices of University College London, began awarding degrees in 1930, with the first degree courses being offered in 1927. In 1931 he was awarded a B.A. Honours in Classics. After this, he set about the task of earning a living in order to repay his parents the cost of supporting him through his degree course. And so, he went into teaching. In those days it was only necessary for a graduate to obtain ‘work experience’ as a student teacher for a number of years in order to be granted a teacher’s certificate. In September 1938, Mr McGawley was ‘certificated’ – as the expression went – when he was granted his certificate by The Royal Society of Teachers.
Whilst he was teaching in the Thirties, Mr McGawley did a distance-learning master’s degree at St Mary’s College, again under the auspices of UCL. For this he regularly travelled down to London for tutorials and to supply his work for scrutiny. His studies bore fruit when, in 1939, he gained an M.A. in Classics (Philosophy), a feature of which was his being awarded a Mark of Distinction. He also worked towards a Ph.D. and had written his thesis, entitled The Stoic Doctrines of Man, which had been read and well received by his tutors, but the intervention of the Second World War meant that it was not submitted and he never bothered pursuing it thereafter.
During the war Mr McGawley, like others before him, served his country. He served at the Civil Defence Report and Control Centre in Manchester until 1941, when he was conscripted. He chose to go into the Navy and, after a brief period as a rating, was selected for officer training and transferred to the Officer Training College at Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The base – which was the first Naval Officers’ training establishment outside Britain – was centred at the Seaview Hotel, otherwise known by the name “H.M.S. Good Hope”. The base was used for the training of officers of the Royal Navy, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and South Africa’s Naval Forces. Mr McGawley graduated top of his class as Lieutenant R.N.V.R. and went on to serve time on H.M.S. Ranchi, H.M.S. Tana, H.M.S. Lanka and H.M.S. Hornet, before ending in MLs (Motor Launches) with commands from 1944 onwards including service on D-Day. Among his wartime decorations were stars for 1939-45, Africa, Burma, France and Germany, and the War Medal.
In the Thirties Mr McGawley taught at Our Lady of Mount Carmel R.C. Junior School in Blackley. After this, he went to Central High School in Manchester before being appointed Head of English at Yew Tree School, Northern Moor, Wythenshawe. His first headship was at St Anne’s R.C. Primary School, Crumpsall. From there, he moved to St Anselm’s R.C. Secondary School, Werneth, Oldham, where he remained head from January 1961 until his appointment to St Gregory’s.
Mr McGawley, late 1930s
This photograph of Mr McGawley was taken early in his career at Mount Carmel School.
Mr Polly
In October 1963, a party of 85 pupils accompanied by four teachers attended a film performance of “The History of Mr Polly” at the Gaumont Theatre in Manchester.
Hallé concert
In October 1963, 140 boys accompanied by four teachers attended a Hallé concert in the Free Trade Hall, arranged by the Manchester Education Committee.
Religious Inspection
In October 1963, a religious inspection of the school was carried out by four priests.
Epiphany
The school was closed all day for the Feast of the Epiphany in January 1964, but sixth-form students attended for London University GCE A-level examinations and for lessons.
Requiem
In January 1964, a Requiem Mass in the hall was attended by the whole school to mark the anniversary of Mr Rocca’s death.
Mr Ray Sumner
A meeting in February 1964 of the Manchester Branch of the Institute of Handicraft Teachers was held in the school. The address, on “The Construction of a Test of Craft Skill”, was given by Mr Ray Sumner, a member of St Gregory’s staff.
Feast of St Gregory
This was celebrated on 12th March 1964 with a solemn High Mass in the hall.
Music Festival
The School Choir and Recorder Ensemble took part in the Manchester Schools’ (South-east Area) Music Festival in April 1964.
Rimini trip, Easter 1964
A school party of 37 boys and four teachers visited Rimini, Italy; the trip was led by Mr J. Deegan.
Basketball tour, Easter 1964
A basketball team formed of boys from St Gregory’s and the De La Salle Schools, and led by Mr Gerry Quinn, made a tour of Holland, Belgium and West Germany, winning seven of the eight games played. The team played and defeated Hertfordshire County on the way home.
Feast of St Joseph the Worker
This feast day, on 1st May 1964, was celebrated with a Mass for senior forms.
Continental trip
In May 1964, a party of 21 boys and two teachers left for a short journey in Belgium and Holland.
Basketball success, 1964
In this year the school’s basketball teams won a number of trophies.
Manchester Schools’ Basketball Association Knock-Out Competitions:
Under-13s’ Cup
Under-14s’ Shield
Under-16s’ Cup
Under-18s’ Cup
The Lancashire Schools’ Basketball Cup (Under-14s).
The Leslie Lever Basketball Cup (Under-15s).
Theatre visit
In June 1964, a party of 80 boys accompanied by four teachers attended a performance of “The Merchant of Venice” at the Palace Theatre, Manchester.
Cold weather
Following a period of cold weather in early June 1964, the heating of the school was temporarily resumed after telephone communication with the Education Authority.
Schools’ crisis in Manchester
The following article, which would have implications for St Gregory’s, appeared in an issue of the Catholic Herald in June 1964.
“So acute is the shortage of grammar school places for Catholic children in the Manchester area that next September more than 150 boys and girls will be unable to be accommodated in the existing direct-grant Catholic grammar schools.
One hundred and fifteen boys and 39 girls who have passed their eleven-plus examinations are affected. At a special meeting of the Manchester Education Committee last week the situation was discussed and emergency plans to cater for the boys were approved.
One form will be admitted to St Anthony’s Secondary School, Blackley, where it will be treated as a grammar school stream until it can be transferred to the new Heaton Park Grammar-Technical School, which is expected to be ready for use by 1966.
A part of Plymouth Grove School, now vacant, will be made available as an annexe to St Gregory’s Technical High School. Eventually these pupils too will be transferred to Heaton Park.
No solutions
Mr J.K. Elliot, Manchester’s Chief Education Officer, said: ‘It is hoped that the completion of the new grammar-technical schools at Heaton Park and Wythenshawe will considerably relieve the situation for the boys.
‘No similar solutions are available for the girls since there is no immediate prospect of new Catholic grammar school provision,’ he added.
At present there are two Catholic direct-grant grammar schools for boys in Manchester – the Xaverian College and St. Bede’s, and three for girls – the Hollies, Loreto and Notre Dame. St Augustine’s, the grammar-technical school being built in Wythenshawe [at Sharston] is situated in the Shrewsbury diocese and will cater for boys. All the other schools are in the Salford diocese.”
Footnote:
The ‘Heaton Park’ school was, of course, a reference to the proposed St Peter’s at Prestwich. Note how the two new boys’ schools were described as ‘grammar-technical’. In fact, St Augustine’s opened in September 1965 as a grammar-technical school but, by 1967, ‘technical’ had been dropped from its name and the school became known as St Augustine’s Grammar School. St Peter’s, too, became a grammar school. A consequence of their establishment was that they attracted some boys who might otherwise have gone to St Gregory’s and this would have had an impact on the school in more ways than one. Never again would the school have more than a four-form entry and, although hard evidence is unavailable, effects would have been felt at O and A-levels in later years as well as on other aspects of school life such as sport, drama and music.
Staff Meeting, June 1964
Held from 3.20pm, the main topics discussed were:
Arrangements for the remainder of term.
The revised examination timetable (ULCIs)
The proposed annexe for the accommodation of unplaced Catholic grammar school boys.
Feast of SS Peter & Paul
School closed all day except that certain public examinations (GCE, ULCI) were held.
Staff departures, July 1964
Resigning from the staff were Mrs Livingstone, Mr Valleley, Mr Collins, Mr F. Burke (French), Mr Goodwin and Mr Lawlor.
School social event at Belle Vue, about 1963
Enjoying a night out at Belle Vue are a group of old boys and their girlfriends. The old boys are, from left: Tony Dexter, John Cassidy, Unidentified, Tony Burke, Dolan, Mike Conlan and Tom Flynn. The girls are, from left: Unidentified, Pat Sword and Christine Marley – future wife of Mike Conlan. The photograph was taken by a press photographer and appeared in the Manchester Evening Chronicle.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse