Embedded Files
School coach, 1972
The idea of the school acquiring a coach was not new. However, its acquisition was really attributable to the efforts of one man, Mr Dan Tranter, a teacher of metalwork who arrived at the school in January 1971. Mr Tranter, who was not related to Wilf Tranter, the footballer, quickly persuaded the head, Mr McGawley, of the merits of the school purchasing its own coach. With Mr McGawley on board with the idea, so to speak, Mr Tranter was eventually alerted to a suitable coach being offered for sale by Leyden Brothers, a garage in Blackfriars, central Manchester. In fact, one of the brothers, Fred, was a former teacher at St Gregory’s, having taught there in the Fifties. Mr John Callaghan, who was a friend of Mr Tranter and taught at another school, was also instrumental in the purchase of the coach. The coach, a single-decker 41-seater, was purchased for £300 in the spring of 1972; it had previously been used by Wimpey, the construction company, to transport workers. On its arrival at the school, the coach was parked out of sight in the corner of the lower, old yard, quite close to the caretaker’s flat in the old building. The ramp linking the top playground with the lower playground did not cause a problem for drivers.
Mr Tranter organised parties of willing pupils to help with the task of cleaning and painting the coach, the work being done in the evenings and over weekends; there were many volunteers. The vehicle was painted in the school’s colours, the top part in maroon and the lower part in gold. On completion of the restoration work, a photograph was taken from the window of an upper-storey classroom featuring the coach and hundreds of boys in the lower playground: it subsequently appeared in a local publication.
The next task involved the training of staff in driving the coach. Mr Tranter and Mr Horrocks were already experienced drivers. Other teachers successfully completed a training course of coach driving; these included Mr E.J. Burke, Mr T. Sheridan, Mr M. Wilmot and Mr B. Meehan. Mr Callaghan, mentioned above, also drove the coach.
Over the years the coach was used on many occasions, including visits to London, the Lake District, Scotland, Epping Forest, museums, field trips, soccer matches, and so on, with pupils accompanied by various staff. It undoubtedly helped in enabling staff to broaden and enhance pupils’ educational experiences. By its use, pupils were helped to increase their knowledge and awareness of the wider world – culturally, historically, geographically and socially. For many pupils the school coach remains a symbolic reminder of happy occasions.
There were occasions when the coach was used to take outside groups to venues at night and at weekends, with passengers making ‘donations’ to help defray the cost for the upkeep of the vehicle.
Trip to London
Posing in the top playground before setting off for London is a party of about 47 pupils and staff. Among the staff are Mr M. O’Brien, back centre, and Mr D. Tranter, back right, who were responsible for organising many enjoyable and interesting school trips in the 1970s. Also accompanying the pupils on this occasion was Fr Paul Mitcheson, the school chaplain, who took the photograph.
The coach, displaying the school’s colours of maroon and gold, is parked in front of the block containing the woodwork rooms.
These trips, apart from being great fun, were of much educational, cultural and historical value to the boys and provided them with many lifelong memories.
School trip to London, 1972
A party of boys comprising the 1970 and 1971 intakes are pictured in the far part of the upper playground prior to setting off to London on the school coach. Among the staff accompanying them were Mr M. O’Brien (back, left), Mr J. O’Connor (partly hidden, back left), Mr D. Tranter (right) and Fr P. Mitcheson, who probably took the photograph.
Among the places visited were St. Paul’s Cathedral; Trooping of the Guard at Buckingham Palace; going up the Fire of London Monument on Pudding Lane; HMS Belfast tour; boat cruise on the Thames; being shown round the Houses of Parliament and meeting Mr Gerald Kaufman, MP for Ardwick.
The corporation flats in the background of the photograph were built after the war and overlooked the school. Some of the local residents worked at the school as cleaners.
Mr Tranter with boys from the 1971 intake
Among those in this photograph are Michael Budd, John Timmons, Michael McCleary, Francis Carolan, Jerry Williams, Jimmy Dolan, Billy Connolly, David Dwyer, Martin Kelly, Anthony Cooke, Derek Henshall, Christopher Hewitt, Christopher Allott, David Murphy, Christopher Perry, Francis Bailey and Stephen Flannery.
Mr M. O’Brien with boys from the 1970 intake
The boys in this photograph appear to be from the 1970 intake. Among those posing for the photographer are:
Back row, from left: Mr Mike O’Brien (in sheepskin coat), Stephen Jones, Duncan Heath, Bernard Armstrong, Colm Kane, Jimmy Duffy.
Front, from left: Robert Carter (in school blazer), Andrew Faulkner, Anthony Massie, Martin Conlon, Gordon McCarthy.
Mariano Zapata is on the extreme right in an orange jacket and Mr Joe O’Connor, head of PE, is pictured back left. Mr O’Connor, who left the school in 1972 to study for the priesthood, was eventually ordained.
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