Embedded Files
Notification of a committee meeting of the Old Gregorian Association, 1973
Golden Jubilee, 1973
This milestone in the school’s history was marked in various ways. A small, 55-page book entitled “GREGS” was published; it was a limited edition written by Gerard Edwards and Tony Glynn and published by Eric Morten, all old boys of the school. The book was described as ‘A Golden Jubilee Souvenir’ and was “dedicated to the memory of all deceased staff and pupils” of the school.
A number of social events were organised in and around Manchester. There was a Dance at the Irish Club on a Wednesday in February, organised by Mr Geoff Mitten. Among the 350 Old Gregorians invited were many successful businessmen and sportsmen, including Tony Waddington, manager of Stoke City Football Club, Bernard Halford, shortly to become Secretary of Manchester City Football Club, and Johnny Cusick, the former British & Empire flyweight boxing champion.
Another social function was held at St John’s Social Club in Benchill, Wythenshawe, which was attended largely by staff and parents.
The main celebration took place on 10th September in the form of a Jubilee Dinner and Dance at the Grand Hotel, Aytoun Street, Manchester. This of course coincided with the date, 50 years earlier, when St Gregory’s Central School first opened its doors to the original intake of boys.
The occasion was slightly inconvenienced by the fact that the hotel had to be evacuated and searched following a phone call that claimed an IRA bomb had been planted in the building. Staff, friends and guests were asked to wait outside on Aytoun Street until the “all clear” was given, after which the social event continued.
Two toasts were made at the dinner: first, to “The School”, proposed by Leo Connel, Principal of the City of Leeds and Carnegie College, and responded to by Gerard Edwards, Nurse Tutor, Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Institute, Manchester; second, to “The Old Gregorians”, proposed by Anthony L. Smith, Deputy Headmaster, St Gregory’s Grammar School, and responded to by Eric E. Morten, Chairman of the Old Gregorian Association 1971.
The Grand Hotel, Aytoun Street, Manchester, 1973
This was the venue of the school’s Golden Jubilee Dinner and Dance, celebrated on 10th September 1973.
“GREGS”
This is the front cover of the 55-page paperback book published to celebrate the Golden Jubilee in 1973. Eric Morten, the publisher, was an old boy of the school and owned a bookshop on Warburton Street in Didsbury.
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