Harold William Urquhart another story from Tony Goulding

 I have written previously of Chorlton-cum-Hardy's schools which were situated along High Lane. 

The old National School on Chorlton Green – March 1959

This was, obviously, not an exhaustive list of all the local educational institutions. 

Disregarding the current collection of Local Authority and private schools, there were historically, others. 

There was The National School established on Chorlton Green in 1817. 

The present building, now converted to flats dates from 1878 and was the subject of a substantial piece on this Blog on 1st March 2024.

Less well-known is the short-lived grammar school of William Harold Urquhart, literally around the corner on Beech Road. 

The Methodist Chapel, Beech Road – November 1958

Opened on 1st October 1884, in what was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, in the former Methodist Chapel. 

The school is recorded, still there, in the township’s rate book of April 1890, however by the following year’s census Howard William had moved to Liverpool, where he was recorded as a schoolmaster lodging at 30, Gloucester Road, West Derby. 

His host family was Arthur Roper, a dock porter and his wife, Hannah; a 10-years-old son, Arthur and Arthur’s widowed mother-in-law, Ann Perkins.

The relatively short existence of Mr. Urquhart’s school may be explained by two factors, firstly that he had no formal qualifications and secondly, he was unable to obtain more suitable accommodation for his premises. Indeed, the closure of his Grammar School and his move to Liverpool may have been occasioned by the provisions of Elementary Education Act of 1891 which became operational on 1st September 1891. 

There is some very revealing correspondence which sheds some light on both these factors in the pages of the local press during August and September 1887. 

Some quite vitriolic letters criticising Mr. Urquhart’s “Grammar Schools” were published (1) signed anonymously by “A Parent”; these were subsequently answered eruditely and at length by Mr. Urquhart.

Harold William Urquhart was born during the March quarter of 1864 in Barton-on-Irwell, Lancashire. His parents were James Urquhart, a government gas meter inspector, and his wife Elizabeth Ann (née Cornford). 

He was one of six children with 3 brothers and 2 sisters. In the 1871 census the family were recorded at 9, Canal Bank, Barton-on-Irwell. At the following census of 1881 the family were at 13, Pembroke Avenue, Barton-on-Irwell. James Urquhart was by then a widower (2) and his unmarried sister, Ann, had joined the household to help with the 6 children. Harold William was recorded as a “pupil teacher” whilst his older sister, Lizzie, was a dressmaker and older brother Ridley James was an engineer’s apprentice. His three younger siblings were all recorded as “scholars” which as they were all over the age of compulsory education seems to indicate the family were comfortable financially.

“Mona Villas” in January 2025

Early in the 1880s the Urquharts arrived in Chorlton-cum-Hardy as the rate books from April 1883 show James Urquhart at 3, Mona Villas, Church Road. (3) 

The family remained in the township until the end of the decade, latterly at 57, Keppel Road. The 1891 census shows James Urquhart and three of his children (Ridley James, a patent agent, Nelly “a housekeeper”, and Herbert Sydney who was a clerk) living at Sedgley View, Bury New Road, Prestwich, Lancashire. The family were sufficiently well-off to be able to hire a domestic servant. 

 

Map of Chorlton-cum-Hardy from the 1930s showing Church Road

James Urquhart died on 12th April 1893. Harold William had already by then moved to Liverpool and following the death of the patriarch he was joined in that city by his brother Ridley James (4) and sister Nelly.  

The former married Louisa Cecilia Barton in St James’s Church, West Derby on 7th October 1897. In the same church during the December quarter of the following year Nelly married John Wolstenholme, an engineer, latterly of textile machinery for Brooks and Doxey Ltd. of West Gorton, Manchester. 

Nelly and John settled in Monton, Eccles, Lancashire and raised 3 daughters; their address at both the 1911 and 1921 censuses was 4A, Algernon Street, Monton.

Harold William also returned to Manchester as is shown in the 1901 census which records him lodging with John Glover, a brewer’s drayman, and family at 20, Dryden Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester. The return also reveals that Harold William was no longer pursuing his career in education but was working in an iron works as a clerk and a draughtsman. 

Harold William later returned to reside in Liverpool as when he died in September 1908 he was living at 15, Lavan Street, West Derby Road, Liverpool. He was buried on 12th September 1908; as recorded in the burials register of St. Anne’s Church, Stanley, Liverpool.

Pictures: - Methodist Mission Chapel, Beech Road, and former National School on Chorlton Green both by R.M. Stanley m 71948 and m 17712 respectively courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information, and Archives, Manchester City Council. http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass1930s Map and “Mona Villas” from the collection of Tony Goulding

Notes: -

1) This correspondence appeared variously in The Stockport Advertiser and Guardian and The Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser and possibly other publications.

2) Harold William’s mother died during the March quarter of 1873 when he was still only 9 years old.

3) This “Mona Villas” address also appears on Harold William's advertisement in the Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser on the opening of his school. It is also given as his brother Ridley James’s address in several newspapers reporting on his various patents.

As can be seen from the map above Church Road was the former name of Chequers Road

4) Ridley James became a successful consulting engineer (electrical) with offices in Clayton Square, Liverpool and Barton Arcade, Manchester.