Manchester Certified Industrial Schools

  1. Type

    Industrial school

  2. History

    Manchester Juvenile Refuge and School of Industry was established in 1846 at Nelson Street, Angel Meadow. In 1851 it moved to St. John's Parade, Byrom Street, and in 1858 to a school for boys and girls at Ardwick Green. In 1853 its name changed to Manchester Ragged and Industrial Schools, in 1859 to the Manchester Ragged and Certified Industrial School, and in 1874 to the Manchester Certified Industrial Schools. 
    In 1871 the Barnes Home Branch for boys was opened at Heaton Mersey. A new school for girls was opened at Sale in 1877 and from then until till its closure in 1922, Ardwick Green was for boys only. A new boys' home was opened at 59 Ardwick Green in 1900.

    Following the 1933 Children and Young Persons Act the schools became approved schools under the Home office and from 1935 were known as the Manchester Home Office Schools.

    The Barnes Home closed in December 1955 leaving the Northenden Road School for Girls, Sale (so named from 1924). In April 1973 it became a controlled community home under Social Services. The home closed on 31 May 1980.

  3. What's available

    We hold some admission registers:

    • Manchester Certified Industrial School, Ardwick Green: 1866 to 1912 on microfilm (MF3016-3018, also on findmypast), 1912 to 1921 (ref GB127.M369/2/2/7, restricted access). There is also a discharge register 1896 to 1906 on microfilm (MF 3018, also on findmypast)
    • Barnes Home, Heaton Mersey: 1867 to 1908 on microfilm (MF 3015-3016, also on findmypast), 1908 to 1928 (ref GB127.M369/3/8/6-7, restricted access).
    • Manchester Certified Industrial Schools, Branch for Girls, Sale: 1883 to 1904 on microfilm (MF 3018, also on findmypast), 1905 to 1963 (ref GB127.M369/4/18/3-6, restricted access). 

    We also have general records including minutes, annual reports, and records of the schools at Ardwick Green, Barnes Home, Heaton Mersey, and Northenden Road Girls School (ref GB127.M369)

    The records of the Manchester and Salford Reformatory which was opened in 1856 are held at Lancashire Record Office (ref: DDX 1791). An article by Sandra Jolly about the origins of this institution has been published in Manchester Regional History Review (Volume 15, 2001)

  4. How to access

    Records on microfilm (marked MF) are available on the ground floor at Central Library, no appointment needed.

    Materials marked with GB are available in the search room at Central Library, please make an appointment.

    Free access to findmypast is available at any of our libraries.

    To request access to restricted resources, email: archiveslocalstudies@manchester.gov.uk.

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