Glossop Heritage Trust

Glossopdale Schools

Glossop Grammar School, Talbot Street (and later Talbot Road).



Do you have a school photo for Glossop Grammar School? Do you appear on a photograph but are not named? Can you supply any missing names for the photographs already on these pages? If so, please click here to send us an e-mail.

The notes on this page have been put together from various sources. A fuller history of the school can be found in the book "A Very Special School, Glossop Grammar School 1901-1965" by Jack Holden, former pupil and teacher (published 1994).

The Early Days.
Technical School Group In 1898, Francis, 2nd Lord Howard of Glossop announced that he was to build an Art & Technical School on land adjacent to the Victoria Hall, on completion it would be presented to the Borough of Glossop.
Technical School Group.

On September 24th 1901 the new school opened with 37 pupils. The first Headmaster was Ralph Hubert Dickinson, who had also been Headmaster of the Wesleyan Day School on High Street West; his assistant was Mr W H N James. The head of the independent Art School was Mr J J Connor, who remained at the school throughout its transmission from Technical to Secondary to Grammar, until his retirement in 1930.

The subjects taught in the first year were Art, Cotton Spinning, Cotton Weaving, and Masonry & Brickwork.

Girls Hockey Team
Girls Hockey Team with R.H.Dickinson

A growing group of pupils in 1908

The 1902 Balfour Education Act altered the direction and purpose of the school, when the control passed from the Glossop Higher Education Authority to the County Authority. It was no longer a Technical school, the looms being removed, and it became a Secondary School. The subjects now taught were English Grammar & Composition, French, Mathematics, Chemistry, Art, Domestic Subjects and Manual Instruction.

A growing group of pupils in 1908.

In 1913 when the Pikes Lane Council School, later to be known as West End, together with the earlier Hadfield Council School, later to be known as Castle School, provided a form of education, in the Borough, which permitted the specialist kind of education which would allow the Talbot Street school the title of Grammar School. The first mention of Glossop Grammar School was made in a return to the County Authority in 1916. Boys Cricket Team, 1913
Boys Cricket Team, 1913

Girls Cricket Team, 1913 Mr R H Dickinson died on 21st July 1944; he was Headmaster for 26 years until his retirement in December 1927. When his successor, Mr C H Chambers took over the role there were 264 pupils and 19 staff.
Girls Cricket Team, 1913.

C H Chambers Charles Hartland Chambers died on 4th January 1953; he was a teacher at the school from 1903 to 1937, 25 years as Senior Assistant and 9 years as Headmaster.

Cecil Lord succeeded Mr Chambers as Headmaster and served for 23 years until his retirement in 1960.

C H Chambers.

In 1959 Glossop Grammar School moved into a new building on Talbot Road and in 1964 work began on a large extension to accommodate the pupils of West End & Castle School when in 1965 Comprehensive Education was introduced to Glossop.

The new school was called Glossop School and the Headmaster was Mr John Climo, who had succeeded Mr Lord as Headmaster of the Grammar School, he remained Headmaster until 1970.

One of Mr Prellberg's tea parties, 1922
One of Mr Prellberg's tea parties, 1922. He was affectionately known as "Prelly".
Grammar School class, 4th August 1915 Early Grammar School class
Two early Grammar School class groups. The one on the left is dated 4th August 1915; third from the right is Mabel Hyde.
The right hand photo also features Mabel Hyde, in the front row, third from left. More photos and details of Mabel can be found here.

Button image Scholarship Award Letter, 1911. Button image Prospectus, 1911. Button image Roll of Honour, 1918.

Button image Return to the Schools index page

Button image Return to the home page



Page last updated: 21 November 2011.