Archives
The MGS Archive contains documents, photographs, artefacts and audio-visual material relating to the 500 year history of the School. We have a complete collection of the school magazine, “Ulula”, which began publication in 1873, as well as photographs, admissions registers, text and scrap books, uniform, drama and music programmes.
In fact, our oldest item actually predates the foundation of the School – a deed from 1357 for a building once owned by the School at its previous site at Long Millgate, now in Manchester City Centre. We continue to add to the archive with material from the life of the School as it happens, and so we have material in the archive that dates from this year.
The archive also contains documents relating to the Old Mancunians' Association and the three preparatory schools which were once associated with MGS (Sale High School, South Manchester School and North Manchester School).
We have digitised various sections of the archive and they have been made available on our archives website MGS Life.
To browse the digital archive and learn more about the history of the School, please follow this link:
Below is a video entitled 'MGS Past and Present', which was recorded in 2015 to mark our 500th anniversary celebrations, and looks at life at MGS over the past five centuries.
Please contact the Archivist Rachel Kneale, or Assistant Archivist Otto Smart, with any enquiries:
The MGS Archive contains a wealth of material on the 500 year history of the School, much of which will interest researchers, including genealogists and family historians.
We are happy to take enquiries from researchers via email, post or phone, and will do our best to respond with any information we are able to supply. However, the School receives a large number of enquiries, so please bear with us as we may not always be able to answer enquiries immediately.
Please contact the Archivist, Rachel Kneale, or Assistant Archivist Otto Smart, for further details:
Researchers are welcome to visit to consult archive material in person, but should contact the Archivist in advance to arrange a suitable time.
We have digitised various sections of the archive and they have been made available on our archives website MGS Life. To browse the digital archive and learn more about the history of the School, please follow the link below:
www.mgs-life.co.uk
Similarly, if you are interested in visiting the archive to view the material described in the catalogue, then please get in touch.
Hoots from the Archive – Our regular archives blog, “Hoots from the Archive” is published every week with articles covering all sorts of topics and using the archive to tell our story. The blog is now part of our archives website, MGS Life. To go directly to “Hoots”, please follow the link below:Hoots: https://www.mgs-life.co.uk/categories/publications/hoots-from-the-archive/0/12
If you would like to view or amend your contact or biographical details, please email:
We now have a dynamic directory of Old Mancunians, where you can update your details and search for old friends at www.mgsglobalconnect.org. You can also upload pictures and view events and news of OMs and MGS.
Please note that this platform is only open to Old Mancunians.
If you are conducting family history research, please contact:
To view the most recent obituaries, please visit the "In Memoriam" section of our MGS Life Digital Archives website:
https://www.mgs-life.co.uk/categories/old-mancunians/in-memoriam/0/12