Houldsworth Hall again at the Northern School of Music's annual distribution of awards. Speaking is Hilda Hester Collens (1883-1956, founder and principal of the Northern School of Music). Unfortunately we don't have much material from Collens but if you remember any of these ceremonies we'd love to hear about it.

Ref; NSM/13/44

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

We think this is one of the Northern School of Music's annual distribution of awards events. There seems to be a strict uniform of white dresses for the ladies and dark suits for the chaps. It's likely around 1950ish and was taken in Houldsworth Hall where the school conducted all of its larger gatherings.
Houldsworth Hall was at 90 Deansgate (Church House) and was a venue for all sorts of entertainment in Manchester.

Ref: NSM/13/43

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

It's the class of 1970! Looking good there everyone. These Northern School of Music students are posing for their annual school photo outside the old Burton suits store, not far from the school on Oxford Road. Did you attend the school? Do you remember the staff, building or students? We'd love to hear from you!

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

The 1967 contingent of the Northern School of Music, taken somewhere near Brancaster Road off Oxford Road just by where the Northern School of Music used to be on Sydney Street.

The Northern School of Music started in 1920 with just 9 students in a room or two above a Deansgate shop. It went a long way from humble beginnings. There are a lot of faces here. Do you recognise any of them?

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

There are a lot of people and some pretty big hair in this Northern School of Music photograph from the 1960s. Do you recognise any students faces? Any staff? The school was a music teacher training college just over the road from the park on Oxford Road.

Ref: NSM/13/39

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

Smiling Northern School of Music students having their school photo taken at All Saints Park on Oxford Road. You can just make out the tower of the Refuge building in the background.

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

A very glamorous student line up here with gorgeous dresses and sharp suits. And even a couple of nuns.

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

This is one of the annual school photographs of the Northern School of Music! Taken in All Saints Gardens with the old L.E.A. School in the background (now MMU Library), we think it's taken in the late 1950s.
In the middle on the seated row is Ida Gertrude Carroll (1905-1995, student, secretary and then principal of the Northern School of Music), then to the right of her is Beatrice Rollins, Eileen Chadwick, Irene Wilde, Geoffrey Griffiths, Margaret Hughes. To the left of Carroll is Doris Euerby and Adelaide Trainor (who taught at the school's Speech and Drama Department).

Do you remember any of these people? Do you remember the school? Ever walk past the gardens and wonder what on earth a load of people were lining up for? Because it might have been this.

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

Another grand and proud photograph of the Northern School of Music from the late 1950s (we think). Recognise any staff or students? Do you remember the school?
The pic is taken in All Saints Park just opposite where the school used to be on Oxford Road.

Ref: NSM/13/36

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

A fab photograph of one of the Northern School of Music's lessons, we think. Ida Gertrude Carroll (1905-1995, student, secretary and then principal of the Northern School of Music) instructs a string trio and clarinettist with some eager students looking on and making notes. Do you remember lessons at the Northern School of Music? What were they like?

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

So the lady standing is Ida Gertrude Carroll (1905-1995, student, secretary and then principal of the Northern School of Music). She played the double bass and piano, her father Walter Carroll being a famous Manchester music educator and children's composer of piano music. The young lady seated at the piano is a student of the Northern School of Music but we're not sure who it actually is. We *think* the photograph was taken in the 1950s but again we're not sure.

Do love that floral dress, though.

Ref: NSM/13/32

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

Once again, we are let down by people of the past not writing things down. We have no idea who this pianist is except that they were a student at the Northern School of Music. Do you know any pianists of the school around 1970? It would be great to include their name in our archive.

Ref: NSM/13/31
Credit: Manchester Evening News

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

Anonymous cellists is a tragedy. Do you know any cellists from the Northern School of Music around 1970? We'd love to put names to these faces.

Ref: NSM/13/30
Credit: Manchester Evening News

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

We're not sure who either musician is here but would absolutely love to know? Do you know of any timpanists from the Northern School of Music around 1970ish? We'd love to find out!

Ref: NSM/13/29
Credit: Manchester Evening News

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

Again, we don't actually know who this is! Do you know of any euphonium players that came from the Northern School of Music. Could this be them?

Ref: NSM/13/28
Credit: Manchester Evening News

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 very lovely suits, these 6 students belonged to the Northern School of Music. A wind quintet, piano and rather charming lamp, we don't know much else about them. Not even names or dates. Do you recognise any of the faces?

Ref: NSM/13/27

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

Sadly we don't know much about these photos! We know it is a Northern School of Music opera and that it is in the Lesser Free Trade Hall likely sometime in the late 1950s or 1960s. If you recognise the performers, please do let us know. Any little info helps!

Ref: NSM/13/26

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

One of the final public concerts of the Northern School of Music before it merged with the Royal Manchester College of Music to become the Royal Northern College of Music. This is the school's orchestra and choir performing Verdi's Requiem on the Free Trade Hall stage.
Who remembers performing or seeing concerts on this stage? Do you remember the school?

Ref: NSM/13/25

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

Another packed stage at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, this time with the Northern School of Music choir performing works from Bruckner and Walton. It is apparently also the orchestra of the school as well! Who remembers this performance?

Pic by Emil Schlesinger

Ref: NSM/13/24

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

The famous performance of the Northern School of Music choir with the Hallé Orchestra of Verdi's Otello, conducted by John Barbirolli. We have lots of memories of this performance from NSM alumni, most in awe of Barbirolli's musicianship. The performance was in the Free Trade Hall on a very packed stage!

Ref: NSM/13/23

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

The Northern School of Music cast and orchestra of Thomas' opera Mignon in 1957 at the Lesser Free Trade Hall. Staff, students and alumni contributed to these performances. As one alumni said "Once you left the school, you were never really finished with it."

Ref: NSM/13/21

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

Northern School of Music cast of L'Elisir d'Amore here looking thoroughly scandalised.
Do you remember the school? Or any of its students?

Ref: NSM/13/20

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

The Northern School of Music cast of L'Elisir d'Amore opera.
Is this a sort of secret soliloquy solo or is everyone just refusing to pay attention to the guy in the wonderful trousers?

Were you there? Did you perform? Let us know what it was like!

Ref: NSM/13/19

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

Northern School of Music cast of L'Elisir d'Amore having a gay old time with what I hope is an empty prop. Surely.

Ref: NSM/13/18

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