These were held at the historic Manchester Free
Trade Hall
The programs consisted of
A recital of music, mostly choral
Address of welcome by chairman of School Governors
Report by Headmaster
Distribution of Prizes and address by Principal Speaker
Vote of Thanks by Head Boy
Closing Address by Deputy Headmaster
Hymn (The audience were cordially invited to join in all verses)
Prizes were generally books. In the lower four years, these were awarded for General Proficiency (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and for each subject. Thereafter prizes were based on GCSE results ('O' and 'A' levels)
.
1st Speechday
11th July 1967 Principal Speaker: Rt Rev Eric Grasar, Lord bishop of Shrewsbury Vote of Thanks: Gearoid Cartwright |
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GOD SAVE THE QUEEN (adapted from Sir Michael Costa's arrangement)
Anthem: With a Voice of Singing
adapted from Isiah 48,20 and Psalm 66, 1-2
Martin Shaw
Come let us all a-maying go
Duet from Semerle
Handel arr J Michael Diack
O Lovely Peace
Duet from Jaudas Macabaeus
Handel arr J Michael Diack
Little Jack Horner
A new setting of an old rhyme - with apologies to Handel
J Michael Diack
The Recorder Consort
Symphony | Handel arr Walter Bergman |
Pipes are sweet on a summer's day | Handel arr Walter Bergman |
Menuet from "Bernice" | Handel arr Walter Bergman |
Boree | John Banister |
Beguine | Brian Bonsor |
Second
Speechday 9th July 1968 Principal Speaker: Cllr Kathleen Ollerenshaw (Chairman City of Manchester Education Committee) Vote of Thanks: Andrew Hartnett |
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GOD SAVE THE QUEEN (adapted from Sir Michael Costa's arrangement)
Non Nobis, Domine
Words: Rudyard kipling
Music Roger Quilter
Linden Lea
Ralph Vaughan Williams arr Alec Rowley
I am a Brisk and Sprightly Lad
arr Richard Graves
How Lovely are the Messengers
from 'St Paul'
Mendelssohn
Consort Pieces by Vincent Knight (recorder consort)
Sellinger's Round | Byrd |
My love's arbutus | Trad Scottish Air |
Royal wedding | 18th century dance |
Minuet from Suite for Recorder Quartet
By Domenico Scarlatti
arr Arnold Goldsbough
Tango (recorder consort)
Brian Bonsor
Old Mother Hubbard
Set in the manner of Handel by Victor Hely-Hutchinson
arr J Michael Diack
Motet: Ave Maria
Oreste Ravanello
Third
Speechday 8th July 1969 Principal Speaker: Mr Dudley A. Fiske(Chief Education Officer) Vote of Thanks: Adam Zaslona |
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NATIONAL ANTHEM
Song of Liberty
Music: Edward Elgar (Pomp and Circumstance No 4) Arr.
Alec Rowley
Words: A.P. Herbert
To Spring
Music J S Bach Arr.
Words: Phillip Gordon
Evening Prayer
E Humperdinck ("Hansel & Gretel")
Ascendit Deus
Carlo Carturan
Ps 47,5
Fiesta (recorder consort)
Brian Bonsor
Air from Suite No 3 in D
Music: J S Bach Arr. Bennett Williams
Fourth
Speechday 14th July 1970 Principal Speaker: Rt Rev Thomas Holland (Lord Bishop of Salford) Vote of Thanks: John Taylor |
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Let All the World in Every Corner
Sing
Words from The Temple by George Herbert
Music by F G Bishop
Sing a Song of Sixpence
A new stting by J Michael Diack
Heather Rose
Words by Louis Lawater
Music by Franz Schubert arr Hubert Wynn
Silent Worship
Words by Arthur Somerville
Music from Tolmeo by G F Handel arr Maurice Jacobson
Country Gardens
Words by Doris Rowley
Music by Cecil Sharpe arr Henry Geehl
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Words by Robert Bridges
Music by J S Bach
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben
Arr and edited by W Gillies Whittaker
Fifth
Speechday 13th July 1971 Principal Speaker: Rt Rev Eric Grasar (Lord Bishop of Shrewsbury) Vote of Thanks: Stephen McCann |
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Go forth with God
Words by Barclay Baron
Music by Martin Shaw
Manin Veen
Trad Manx arr R Vaughan Williams
Sound the trumpet
from the Ode for Queen Mary's birthday by H Purcell
Calm and tranquil lie the sheepfolds
Secular Cantata No 208
J S Bach
Gaudeamus Igitur
Mediaeval Students' song arr Alan Gibbs
Sixth
Speechday 19th July 1972 Principal Speaker: Rt Rev John Brewer (Aux Bishop of Shrewsbury) Vote of Thanks: Christopher Blaydon |
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Sing a song of joy, praise our God
with mirth
Words by Thomas Campion
Music by Philip Tomblings
Dashing away with a smoothing iron
Trad arr E T Morris
Beyond the Spanish Main
18th century
arr Richard Graves
I am a brisk and sprightly lad
Words: Alfred Noyes
Music: C Armstrong-Gibbs
Linden Lea
Words W Barnes
Music R Vaughan Williams arr Arthur Somerville
Non nobis, Domine
Words: Rudyard kipling
Music Roger Quilter
Seventh
Speechday 19th November 1973 Principal Speaker: Rev Dom Patrick Barry OSB, Headmaster Ampleforth College Vote of Thanks: Thomas Walsh |
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Sing we merrily
Words from Psalm 81
Music: Sydney Campbell
Bobby Shaftoe
Trad arr Alec Rowley
Little Jack Horner
Trad arr J Michael Diack
Green Broom
Trad arr John Simpson
Where lies the land?
Words Arthur Hugh Clough
Music: George Dyson
Bethlehem Down
Words: Bruce Blunt
Music: Peter Warlock
Zadok the Priest
G F Handel
Eighth
Speechday 23rd October 1974 Principal Speaker: Rt Rev Msg Canon Percival Edward Rees (Vicar General Shrewsbury Diocese) Vote of Thanks: John Whatnall |
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This was the year of O level results for the entry of 1969.
Go forth with God
Words: William Barclay
Music: Martin Shaw
Manin Veen
Trad Manx arr R Vaughan Williams
The Ships of Rio
Words:Walter de la Mare
Music: Benjamin Britten
Heather Rose
Words: Louis Lavater
Music F Schubert arr Hubert Wynn
The Tree of Life
Words Robin Flower
Music Havelock Nelson
Air and Rondo from Abdelazur (Orchestra)
Henry Purcell
And the Glory of the Lord (Orchestra and
Choir)
G F Handel
Midi © Dan Viens
Ninth
Speechday 14th October 1975 Principal Speaker: AT Grove Esq Fellow and Senior Tutor of Downing College, Cambridge Vote of Thanks: Christopher Start |
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With a voice of singing
Words: Isaiah, 48, 20
Music: Martin Shaw
Sing a song of Sixpence
Setting by Michael Diack
Little Jack Horner
Setting by Michael Diack
A Tall Story
Words: Anon
Music: Arthur Benjamin
How lovely are thy dwellings fair
Chorus: From The German Requiem
Music: Johannes Brahms
Midi © Dan Viens
March from A Little Suite
(Orchestra)
by Trevor Duncan
Hallelujah
Chorus
G F Handel
Tenth
Speechday 12th October 1976 Principal Speaker: Rt Rev Msg Eric Riley Vote of Thanks: Paul Grainger |
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This was the year of A level results for the entry of 1969.
Many of us were already away at college by this time.
The heavens are telling the glory of
God
Chorus from The Creation
Music: J. Haydn
The Lord is my shepherd
Words from Psalm 23
Music: F. Schubert
March from Carmen (Orchestra)
by G. Bizet
Non nobis, domine
Words: R. Kipling
Music: R. Quilter
Zadok the Priest
G F Handel
St. John Plessington Speechday 7th October 1977 Principal Speaker: Rt Rev Eric Grasar (Lord Bishop of Shrewsbury) Vote of Thanks: Steven Johnston |
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The Vote of Thanks that I had to read out in 1970 at the Free Trade Hall was typed out phonetically in 'Oxbridge vernacular' so that words like 'past' became 'parst' etc..I don't know if this was the practice in other years, but I remember feeling quite a fool. [John Taylor 1970]
The job of writing and delivering the Vote of Thanks was decided by flipping a coin! I won, or lost, depending on your viewpoint, and delivered the said speech at the Free Trade. I wrote the speech along with Ged Doyle. The Mons, shall we say, guided the content but most of it was our own work.I dont think it was typed out just my handwriting.[Steven Johnston 1977]
Recollections: