St Mary's College, Blackburn

St Mary's College

St Mary's College on Shear Brow (B6233), Blackburn, Lancashire, England was established by the Marist Fathers in 1925. It was a modern college for students aged between 16 and 18. Most students took what is known in the UK as Advanced-Levels (A-Levels) or, if in the first year; Advanced, Subsidiary Levels (AS-Levels).

The college closed on 1 August 2022.

History

Grammar school

The college was founded as a Catholic Boys Grammar School by the Marist Fathers in 1925 and the former football ground of Blackburn Olympic F.C. was subsequently acquired by the Fathers as a site on which to build the school. It became St Mary's College RC Grammar School.

Sixth form college

The Finley-Stokes Centre was opened in March 2005. The opening ceremony was performed by the Right Rev. Bishop Thomas Burns, a former teacher at the school. The building was named in honour of former principal Michael Finley, who retired in 2008, and former deputy principal Peter Stokes, who died in 2004.^[1]

A new science block was completed in August 2007, which was named 'The Graystone Science Centre'. The building was named after a former headmaster of the grammar school, Father Graystone. Following this the new performing arts complex was completed and was officially opened in February 2008, the centre has been named the 'O'Neill Academy of Performing Arts' in honour of former college principal, Rev. Kevin O'Neill. The new Arts Centre has theatrical devices, including retractable seating in a multi-purpose room used for rehearsal and performances, as well as lighting and sound technology. The building also includes several rehearsal and workshop spaces, a dance studio, as well as hosting a music room outfitted with computer software, and a recording studio.^[2]

On 12 May Alastair Campbell opened St. Mary’s new, dedicated Enterprise Centre. This £500,000 building was funded by the No Limits Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) and supported by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Regenerate Pennine Lancashire. During the afternoon Campbell held a question and answer session with history and politics students of the College followed by a book signing session before the actual opening at 3:45 pm.

In 2017, allegations of sexual abuse perpetrated by the late Kevin O'Neill led the governing body to remove from the performing arts centre all mentions of O'Neill's name. The body declared they were intending to change the name of the centre.^[3] A case study was submitted during 2020 to IICSA,^[4] a statutory inquiry for England and Wales "The Marist Fathers Their culture and concealment of child sexual abuse, and the ‘watchdogs’ that refuse to watch, bark or bite.".^[5]

Staff

Elissa Best - Acting principal

Courses

16-19 A-level courses
Degree courses
Adult / evening courses
Enhancement courses

Alumni

Eniola Aluko, footballer
Anthony Green, actor
John Hopkins, landscape architect (Olympic Park, 2012) ^[6]
Fred Smithies, trade union leader

St Mary's College RC Grammar School

Sir Gerald Barling QC profile, nationalarchives.gov.uk; accessed 21 February 2016.
Thomas Burns (bishop)
Mike Duxbury, footballer - Manchester United and England
Brian Miller (footballer) - Burnley and England. Manager - Burnley FC
Greg Pope, Labour MP for Hyndburn
Sir John Skehel, virologist

References

^ "Lasting legacy to two key officials". Archived from the original on 16 May 2006. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
^ Official school website
^ Lancashire Telegraph
^ https://www.iicsa.org.uk/
^ "Marist Fathers-Abuse and Cover-up".
^ "John Hopkins obituary". theguardian.com. 28 January 2013.

External links

The official St Mary's College website

Video clips

The official St Mary's College YouTube page

Coordinates: 53°45′36″N 2°29′13″W / 53.760063°N 2.486933°W / 53.760063; -2.486933

[1] "Lasting legacy to two key officials". Archived from the original on 16 May 2006. Retrieved 22 November 2008.

[2] Official school website

[3] Lancashire Telegraph

[4] ttps://www.iicsa.org.uk/

[5] "Marist Fathers-Abuse and Cover-up".

[6] "John Hopkins obituary". theguardian.com. 28 January 2013.

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v t e Schools in Blackburn with Darwen
Secondary schools	Blackburn Central High School Darwen Aldridge Community Academy Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio Darwen Vale High School Our Lady and St John Catholic College Pleckgate High School Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School St Bede's Catholic High School St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School Witton Park Academy
Independent schools	Jamiatul Ilm Wal Huda Westholme School
Further education	Blackburn College St Mary's College

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v t e Diocese of Salford
Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford
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Churches Salford Cathedral - Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist St Anne's Church, Blackburn Pleasington Priory St Patrick's Church, Bolton Church of St Mary of the Assumption, Burnley St Marie's Church, Bury St Michael and St John Church, Clitheroe St Mary's Church, Manchester (Hidden Gem) Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, Manchester Manchester Oratory Gorton Monastery St Wilfrid's Church, Hulme Corpus Christi Priory Christ Church, Nelson Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St Patrick Church, Oldham St John the Baptist Church, Rochdale St Peter's Church, Stonyhurst St Ann's, Stretford All Saints' Church, Urmston
Patronal Feasts of the Diocese Saint Joseph (19 March) Our Lady of Mount Carmel (16 July)
Schools Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, Accrington St Damian's Roman Catholic Science College, Ashton-under-Lyne Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School, Bamber Bridge Our Lady and St John Catholic College, Blackburn St Mary's College, Blackburn Thornleigh Salesian College, Bolton Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, Burnley Holy Cross College, Bury St Gabriel's Roman Catholic High School, Bury Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School, Colne St Thomas More Roman Catholic College, Denton The Barlow Roman Catholic High School, Didsbury St Patrick's Roman Catholic High School, Eccles Mount St Joseph School, Farnworth Holy Family Roman Catholic and Church of England College, Heywood St Joseph's Roman Catholic High School, Horwich St Cecilia's Roman Catholic High School, Longridge Loreto College, Manchester Our Lady's Roman Catholic High School, Manchester St Bede's College, Manchester St Matthew's Roman Catholic High School, Manchester St Peter's Roman Catholic High School, Manchester Xaverian College, Manchester Blessed John Henry Newman Roman Catholic College, Oldham St Monica's High School, Prestwich All Saints' Catholic High School, Rawtenstall All Hallows Roman Catholic High School, Salford St Anne's RC Voluntary Academy, Stockport Stella Maris School, Stockport Stonyhurst College Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall St Antony's Roman Catholic School, Urmston St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School, Wardley
See also: Apostolic Vicariate of the Lancashire District Wardley Hall John Vaughan Geoffrey Burke