Geoffrey Griffiths writes to Ida Carroll. He assured her that he will think of her even though he has to concentrate at work. he's looking forward to seeing her on Tuesday, "'Happenings' permitting."

He refers to Richard Harold Naylor, a British astrologer. Naylor, he says, assures Ida that, coming her way, is "a star day for Love, the Making of Money, a Distinct Success, and Far-reaching changes."

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/3 GG
With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust
Date is unknown.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Geoffrey Griffiths enjoys the quiet night, "the night is pleasantly calm, all have gone to bed and the fire in large, an invitation to write letters."

He is eating Rowntree's sweets "which seems naughty when you aren't with me to share them." (Guilt over not sharing sweets is surely true love.)

He dreamt of walking with her, he insists that "we can't let Hitler spoil" their rare evenings together.

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/3 GG
With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust
Date is unknown.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Geoffrey Griffiths missed his bus stop and attended some sort of theatre? Not sure what that's about. If anyone can figure it out, comment below. It seems to have been part of his WW2 work. He chats about Bridge tactics that I also don't understand.

A baffling letter!

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/3 GG
With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust
Date is unknown.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Geoffrey Griffiths writes to Ida Carroll from his family's bomb shelter (under the stairs or garden perhaps?), "the second warning just as I was sitting down." The worst time for a bomb threat.
He apologises for the pencil, "the ink is lost and everything is foul." However since "there are no guns, so I will continue to write for a few moments before playing cards."

He wants to be with her "but it's 43 hours and 40 minutes away, curse it."

People have been chatting a lot in the house but it's in one ear and out the other. He makes a clever little pun, "now I think of it the sins of our old butcher-man used to provide meaty conversation." His mother is chatting politics, "at least, she says she would like to pull of Hitler's moustache."

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/3 GG
With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust
Date is unknown.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

In 1953, Ida Carroll gave a speech to the South Manchester Hallé Club about the Northern School of Music, of which she was secretary at the time. "It is perhaps unique in some ways," due to it's large growth from 9 to 560 students in 33 years, all with little financial aid. "It has to stand on its own feet and to pay its own way, and despite many anxious moments, we feel rather proud of the fact that for thirty-three years this has been done."

She describes it as the "happy atmosphere which you sense from the moment you enter the door." She remembers on her first day at the school as a student "feeling very small and insignificant."

She remembers that "we were told never to harbour a grouse." (Not the bird, I assume? Although you never know, it was the '50s.)

She says that "perhaps I can sum up any talk about the Northern School of Music by ending on a Perfect Cadence - with the dominant harmony being Happiness and the tonic, or key-note, Work."

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/9
With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Photograph of Ida Carroll speaking to a man in a very cool red velvet jacket!
(Date estimated)
From Ida Carroll's personal collection.

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/11/7/57

With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Photograph showing Ida Carroll.
(Date estimated)
From Ida Carroll's personal collection.

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/11/7/49

With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Official magazine of the Royal Northern College of Music, covering the academic year 1977-78.

Pages 6-17 have been censored to protect personal data.

Ref: NSM/21

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Official magazine of the Royal Northern College of Music, covering the academic year 1975-76.

Pages 4-17 have been censored to protect personal data.

Ref: NSM/21

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Official magazine of the Royal Northern College of Music, covering the academic year 1974-75.

Pages 4-17 have been censored to protect personal data.

Ref: NSM/21

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Official magazine of the Royal Northern College of Music, covering the academic year 1973-74.

Pages 4-15 are censored to protect personal data.

Ref: NSM/21

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Official magazine of the Northern College of Music Old Students Association, 1973

Ref: NSM/21

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Official magazine of the Northern School of Music, covering the academic year 1972-73.

Pages 36-47 have been censored to protect personal data.

Ref: NSM/21

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Trefor Davies remembers the Northern School of Music's German teacher Fraulein Muller.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Trefor Davies remembers working with Sumner Austin on the opera productions at the Northern School of Music.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Trefor Davies remembers staying in people's houses and practicing on their pianos when he was studying at the Northern School of Music. The school did not have any student accommodation of its own so relied on its network of supporters to house students who weren't local to the area.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Trefor Davies remembers Ida Carroll offering him work singing Messiah.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Trefor Davies remembers lessons with Ellis Keeler at the Northern School of Music, 1960s.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Trefor Davies remembers piano lessons with Eileen Chadwick at the Northern School of Music.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Trefor Davies describes a lesson with Marjorie Proudlove at the Northern School of Music.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Trefor Davies describes a typical day at the Northern School of Music in the 1960s.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Trefor Davies remembers the operas performed at the Northern School of Music and special guest Ursula Vaughan Williams.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Trefor Davies recalls the atmosphere at the Northern School of Music as the Royal Northern College of Music was being designed in the 1960s.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Dorothy Ardern relays a very useful tip for manipulating children's movements in teaching music.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.