What fate for our Lady?

 I am looking at the mosaic of “Our Lady of Good Counsel” on Stockton Road.

Our Lady, 2024

It is to the left of the entrance to the former Convent school extension and now has an uncertain future.  

The main school was in Carlton House on High Lane.  

The house dates back to the 1860s and has an interesting story all of which I have written about.*

In the early 20th century it was taken over by the Sisters of the Christian Retreat , and there will be many who remember attending the school before it in turn became the Islamic High School for Girls.

But with the removal of the Islamic High School to Fielden Park the site is up for development.  There is a planning application in from Cube Homes who propose to build “22 high quality, energy efficient and sustainable new homes comprising 14 four bedroom townhouses, 6 two-bedroom apartments, and the retention and refurbishment of Carlton House, which will be converted into 2 homes”.**

Convent of the Sisters of the Christian Retreat, 1959

The details of the proposed development are available on Manchester’s Planning Portal, which reveals that the school extension on Stockton Road will be demolished in favour of two “dwelling houses” along with a much larger development occupying High Lane and running down Acres Road.***

So I wonder the fate of Our Lady.  I couldn’t see any reference to it in the planning proposals, but maybe I missed them.

The Sisters of the Christian Retreat still exist, and St John’s is just round the corner.

In the face of its possible destruction some will mutter so what, but it is a little bit of our history.  Just how much of our past is unclear.  The extension post dates 1956 and looks to be 60s/70s build, that said there will be someone who remembers it being constructed and might have press cuttings of the unveiling of the mosaic.

A tree, some fruit and Our Lady, 2024

We shall see,

Location; Stockton Road

Pictures; Our Lady, 2024 from the collection of Andrew Simpson and Convent of the Sisters of the Christian Retreat, 1959, A.E. Landers, m17917, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov

*Carlton House, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search?q=Carlton+House

**Cube Homes High Lane Consultation, https://www.cubehomeshighlaneconsultation.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR0RpY4WJSNMpEm-cSD6fIFNrQfHjnh9M1Dhccez1k9WCISxdPBYZTNpfyA

***Manchester Planning Portal, 37994/FO/2023. Erection of 12 no. 2.5 storey dwellinghouses; a pair of three storey semi-detached dwellinghouses; a three storey building comprising 6 no. apartments; the retention and change of use of the existing mansion house together with the erection of a two storey side extension to form 2 no. dwellinghouses; creation of vehicular access points, associated landscaping, car parking and boundary treatment following the demolition of the other existing buildings and structures. https://pa.manchester.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=S0IQG9BCMGC00