So many scribbles! Ida Carroll (1905-1995, student, secretary and then principal of the Northern School of Music) doodles and sketches and annotates the list of facilities for the proposed new Royal Northern College of Music. She notes that the "whole thing is too small" and that bigger teaching rooms are needed for bigger classes, specifically on topics studied then at the Northern School of Music such as movement, history etc. She wants baths and showers, a Recording Studio, and something called a "Body Room" which... yeah, I don't want to know.

Ref: NSM/14

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 Free Trade Hall! The seating plan is in the papers of the Northern School of Music as it negotiates with local authorities and the Royal Manchester College of Music, what the new RNCM would look like. Its facilities included a concert hall and this seating plan could have been some inspiration.

Do you remember attending concerts at the Free Trade Hall? What was the best seat?

Date is totally a guess.

Ref: NSM/14

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 making its voice heard when it comes to finding a location or building for the then forthcoming Royal Northern College of Music. It did not want to share premises with any other school (possibly Manchester Metropolitan's School of Art?) and it was of the opinion that negotiations were "quite seriously prejudiced" by the "dispute" between the RMCM and local authorities. Not sure what this dispute would have been but was likely to do with continued funding.

What do you think? What if the RNCM had ended up on 55 Piccadilly? Above symphony hall above a Wetherspoons. I like the idea.

Ref; NSM/14

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

Ever wondered what the Northern School of Music actually contained? Its building was on Oxford Road on the corner of Sydney Street and its room sizes and allocations are set out in this scribbled on bit of paper.

Does anyone have any idea what the Beanstalk Building was? I can only assume it's where you go to fight a giant.

Ref: NSM/14

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

Some chuffed graduates of the Northern School of Music in their caps and gowns with glorious hoods. Recognise any faces? We've no information on when this was taken so any tips would be of great help!

Ref: NSM/13

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

Oh wow! A play or opera of the Northern School of Music at the Lesser Free Trade Hall. It looks amazing! The costumes are so great. Unfortunately we're not sure what it is or when it was taken. Any guesses?

Ref: NSM/13

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's orchestra - not sure where or when. Houldsworth Hall? Lesser Free Trade Hall? The Northern School of Music's top floor? With two pianos at the ready, they clearly mean business. Possibly Ernest Read conducting? Who remembers playing in the orchestra of the school?

NSM/13

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 students in Houldsworth Hall at the annual distribution of awards. Someone sporting a charming trophy on the front row. Congratulations! The academic dress colours for the Northern School of Music hoods were gold and green, like their crest. In colour, this scene must have been pretty amazing.
We don't know when this was taken and haven't any info on who is in it so if you recognise any faces please do let us know.
Do you remember the Northern School of Music? Do you remember the graduation ceremonies and colours?

NSM/13

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

Anyone know where this could have been? Was it the Northern School of Music? Or the new student residences for the Royal Northern College of Music at Hartley Hall? And are those chairs in the background or just piles of couch cushions? The more I look, the more questions I have...

Ref: NSM/13

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

Not sure what I'm more obsessed with here, the texture of that wallpaper or the business of the dress prints. People seriously rocking some 1970s looks here.
We don't have much information on this pic but we know that the Northern School of Music principal Ida Carroll is seated on the left side of the couch. Do you recognise any other faces?

Ref: NSM/13

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 fantastic find is a folded scrapbook of 6 photographs of the Northern School of Music's final ever end of term summer ball. We have John Manduell (1928-2017, Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music), Ida Gertrude Carroll (1905-1995, student, secretary and then principal of the Northern School of Music), Irene Wilde ((Northern School of Music student then staff, pianist and singer), Geoffrey Griffiths (1906-1993, bursar of the Northern School of Music) and so many more!
Do you remember the Northern School of Music? Do you recall the staff and students? We'd love to hear from you.

Ref: NSM/13/58

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 really do love going on days out with lots of open air stairs don't they. Again, we're not actually sure when or where this was taken. If anyone has any ideas or recognises any faces then please do let us know!

Ref: NSM/13/57
Credit: Peter Johnson Photography

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 smashing day out with some gorgeous floral prints, tidy suits and stylish hair. Amongst the gathering we can spot Dorothy Pilling (1910-1998, composer, student and teacher at the Northern School of Music, teacher at the Royal Northern College of Music, co-founder of the Rhythmic School of Music in Todmorden), Geoffrey Griffiths (1906-1993, bursar of the Northern School of Music) among them. Do you recognise anyone else?
The Northern School of Music often organised day trips to places, summer picnics and all sorts. We're not sure when this one was or where it is but did you attend this day or another outing? What was it like? We'd love to know!

Ref: NSM/13/56

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 smiling bunch of Northern School of Music students are having a day out at Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd, the famous English pottery (for some reason). Supervising the clearly rowdy bunch is Dorothy Pilling (1910-1998, composer, student and teacher at the Northern School of Music, teacher at the Royal Northern College of Music, co-founder of the Rhythmic School of Music in Todmorden). We don't know the date of the outing so if you remember the trip please do let us know.

Ref: NSM/13/55

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 Northern School of Music school trip! Not sure where to. Amongst them is teacher Dorothy Pilling (1910-1998, composer, student and teacher at the Northern School of Music, teacher at the Royal Northern College of Music, co-founder of the Rhythmic School of Music in Todmorden). Lots of smiling faces.
Do remember any NSM school trips? A summer picnic? A trip to London?

Ref: NSM/13/54

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 shindig! Some sharp suits and gorgeous evening dresses by the Northern School of Music crew. The lady seated on the left is Ida Gertrude Carroll (1905-1995, student, secretary and then principal of the Northern School of Music). Not sure of the others. Anyone recognise any faces? Sometime in the 1960s we think.

Ref: NSM/13/53
Credit: Shepherd Photographic Enterprises

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 lovely pic is of the happy trio Geoffrey Griffiths (?-1993, bursar of the Northern School of Music) and his partner Ida Gertrude Carroll (1905-1995, student, secretary and then principal of the Northern School of Music), her sister Elsa Mary Carroll (1898-1993, founder of the Withington Girl Guide Company). All in their Sunday best.

Do you remember the Carrolls? Or Griff? We'd love to hear about your memories.

Ref: NSM/13/52

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 gorgeous pic is by Ian Tatlock who kindly let us use it on our exhibition. This is the Free Trade Hall, or what's left of it. Most of it was either bombed out or eventually pulled down but the front elevation still stands on Peter Street. The Northern School of Music took their opera performances here to the room called the Lesser Free Trade Hall. Who remembers seeing any NSM performances?

At a posh do we have Northern School of Music staples, Ida Gertrude Carroll (1905-1995, student, secretary and then principal of the Northern School of Music) and possibly Ernest Read. No idea who the other chap is. Anyone shed light on the archive here?

Ref: NSM/13/51

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 chappy is musical prodigy Hubert Harry. He started studying with the Hilda Collens (1883-1956, founder and principal of the Northern School of Music) aged 6 and giving the public an "astonishing performance" on piano by the time he was 9. He was taught by Hilda Collens and they kept up their correspondence all throughout his further studies in the Lucerne Conservatoire.

The picture has a little note scribbled on it which reads "To Hilda Collens - the one who taught me to appreciate the beautiful & great in music in hard felt gratitude and affection Hubert [Harry] Christmas 1953."

Ref: NSM/13/50

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

Here we have a rather noir photo of Northern School of Music supporter Ernest Read and Adrian Boult, conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Those cars are pretty gorgeous. Not sure where it is taken but perhaps the pic was given to the school?

Ref: NSM/13/49

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 here we have some characters of the Northern School of Music enjoying themselves. We have staff member Dorothy Pilling in the middle possibly chatting to Earnest Read (friend of the school) and then Leonard Latchford, former student and then staff of the school, and what might be his wife (typically, name unknown).
Do you remember any of these faces?

Ref: NSM/13/48

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 students at the school noticeboard. The corridor looks a little cramped there. Who remembers the building?
The 40th anniversary advertised in the poster here shows something called the "Forty Fund". Who remembers the celebrations?

Ref: NSM/13/47

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 students and staff at the Northern School of Music annual distribution of awards in Houldsworth Hall sometime in the early 1950s.
Do you remember the school? Recognise any faces? Did you ever visit the hall on Deansgate or the school on Oxford Road?

Ref: NSM/13/45 and NSM/13/46