| The Beginning | The Last Moments |
St Augustine's Grammar / Technical School was established by the Diocese of Shrewsbury as a voluntary aided school maintained by the City of Manchester. Planned capacity 570 pupils.
| Date | Roll | |
| 1959 | MEC agrees to a petition that a school building site in Longley Lane, Northenden should be used for a Roman Catholic grammar school | |
| 1960 | Ministry of Education agrees to building of a Roman Catholic Grammar and Technical School in Wythenshawe. Site undecided. | - |
| 1961 | Sketch plans for St Augustine's (now named and sited) approved by MEC and Ministry. [The Grammar Technical] "will cater for the boy who wants a job on the factory floor as well as the boy who plans his future in the business world." said Canon Rigby | - |
| Foundation Stone laid |
- | |
| 1964, March | Building commences | - |
| 1965, 6th Sep (9.15) | "The school has been called a Grammar Technical" said Fr McGuiness. "This term indicates both the esteem for academic quality and intellectual integrity of the traditional grammr school and the new approaches." | 191 |
First intake: As I remember, on the first
day, it was Fr Abbott, the deputy head who organised us
into lines, alphabetically & by form, ready to enter
our new school. Spike was waiting in assembly and as
yet unnamed. |
||
| 1965, Dec | Building completed (cost £244,315) | |
| 1966 | The school was apparently built on the site of a Roman camp and in the early days several Roman coins were retrieved as the playing fields were completed | |
| ~1967 | "Technical" dropped to become St Augustine's Grammar School | |
| 1968 | 417 | |
| 1969, 15th May | Solemn Blessing and Dedication by the Bishop of Birmingham Most Rev G P Dwyer |
|
| 1969, Sep | Intake of 1969 | |
| 1971, 2nd Apr | Dedication of Organ | |
| 1972 | Television Top of the Form | |
| 1975, Mar | Headmaster bestowed a Prelate of Honour
by Pope to become Rt Rev Monsignor F J McGuiness |
|
| 1976, Jul | Intake of 1969 leaves 6th form | 644 |
| 1977, Jul | St Augustine's Grammar School closes The Final Letter New Appointments |
643 |
| 1977, Sep | St John Plessington High School (upper part) opens on Stancliffe Rd site | |
| 1979 | Msg McGuiness unwell (Mr G Matthews
acting headmaster) Home Economics introduced to curriculum |
|
| 1980, 28 Jan | Msg F J McGuiness, Headmaster died at Lourdes Hospital | |
| 1983 - 1984 | St John Plessington High School (upper part) run down as pupil numbers fall | |
| 984, Sep - 1987, Jul | Building used by St Paul's RC High School | |
| 1987, Aug . . . | Empty becoming derelict | 0 |
| 1988, Aug | Demolished | - |
Sources include
Brochure for Solemn Blessing and Dedication
Forum Reference Library
press cuttings
(Manchester Evening News, Wythenshawe Express and Wythenshawe World)
MEC Report for 1965-66
letters from Mgr McGuiness
Mark Brennan
