Sunday School and Gymnasium, Irk Street, Angel Meadow

A new Sunday school in connection with St Michael’s Church, Angel Meadow, was opened in 1911. Built on a steeply sloping site between Irk Street, Angel Meadow, it replaced an earlier Sunday School (location unknown) demolished in 1904. For a variety of reasons, the parish struggled to survive after the First World War. St Michaels Church held its final service on Whit Sunday 1930 and it is assumed that the Sunday School closed at or before this time. Correspondence in the Manchester Guardian noted that by 1932 the school was falling into a derelict condition. The property was next acquired by H Withers Ltd for industrial purposes. After a life of only sixty years, the building was demolished in 1972 save for a length of the rear wall to Gould Street, incorporated into the boundary wall of Angel Meadow

AN ANGEL MEADOW INSTITUTE - The Lord Mayor opened yesterday afternoon the new Sunday school and gymnasium of St. Michael's Educational Foundation in Angel Meadow, Manchester. The new building, which stands in Irk-street, takes the place of the old one, which was built as a Sunday school in 1841 and was pulled down in 1904. A fund of £3,500 has been exhausted in the building of the school, and a new fund will have to be started for the furniture. The Lord Mayor, on arrival, had a key given to him by the architect, Mr. Paul Ogden. and then unlocked the main door. [Manchester Guardian 12 January 1911 page 3]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 12 January 1911 page 3 – opening
Reference    Manchester Guardian 15 April 1932 page 11 – correspondence
Images       Manchester Local Images M02344; M20523