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(Previously at) Hopwood Hall, Middleton, Manchester, England

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This page was last edited on: Thursday 27 October 2005.

KEY DATES IN THE HISTORY OF DE LA SALLE COLLEGE

The historical points outlined below and many more besides are covered more fully in Edwin Bannon's book on Brother Augustine.  See the credits page for details of how to order a copy.

1923 The Hopwood family vacate Hopwood Hall.  The Hopwood family had owned the mansion and estate since the time of King John.
15 May 1945 On the feast day of St. John de La Salle, Brother Columba puts forward the idea of a Catholic teacher training college in the north of England to the then Bishop of Salford, Dr Henry Vincent Marshall.
October 1945 Brother Columba receives written support for the idea from the Bishops of the Northern Province.  The Hopwood site soon comes to his attention.  
Low week 1946 The Catholic Hierarchy of England and Wales endorse the view of the northern Bishops.
July 1946 The De La Salle Brothers purchase Hopwood Hall and grounds for £12,500.  Other costs mean the initial outlay is £48,841. These initial costs are however dwarfed by much larger building and expansion costs.
21 October 1947 The College opens with 60 male students and seven staff.  Most of the students had previosuly served in the Forces.
9 June 1948 Solemn mass is said at the official opening of Middleton De La Salle Teacher Training College.
April 1950 Brother Columba O'Donoghue retires as Principal on the grounds of ill health after five years in charge.  Brother Augustine, 37 at the time, moves from being the Head of De La Salle Boys School in Pendleton, Salford to become the new Principal.  He remains in charge for 28 years.
15 May 1950 Pope Pius XII names St. de la Salle as the official Patron of all Teachers and Student Teachers in this the 50th anniversary of de la Salle's canonisation.
July 1949 The first group of students complete their training and leave De La Salle to start teaching.
Summer 1951 The first of several national Diocesan collections takes place to help with the spiralling loans needed to pay for the expansion of the college.
17 June 1953 The foundation stone is laid for the first hostel - Our Lady's Hall.  The Hall is completed in Autumn 1954.
11 June 1955 The foundation stone is laid for the second hostel - Cardinal Griffin Hall.  The Cardinal dies the following year aged 57.  The Hall is completed in 1957 followed by the completion of the gym.
1957 Hopwood Hall is officially scheduled as a building of historic interest.
Early 1960s Further expansion takes place: more residential accommodation and the restaurant are completed by September 1962.  Bishopcourt and the theatre open soon afterwards.  Work commences on the landmark chapel.  Renowned architect Sir Frederick Gibberd acts as consulting architect, Lowe and Rodin are the structural engineers and Taylor Woodrow are the constructors.  Brother Augustine and James N. Lowe were in Magdelene College, Cambridge togther as undergraduates.  They both admired the small round church just by Magdelene College and when Brother Augustine wanted a chapel for Hopwood Hall, he consulted his friend James Lowe about the possibility of a round chapel for Hopwood Hall.  It is that connection that brought about the round chapel for Hopwood Hall and then later of course, Liverpool Cathedral.  The chapel is used for the first time in June 1965 and mass is said by the Bishop of Salford, Dr Thomas Holland.
1970 In the past ten years the number of students rose from 332 to 851.
17 January 1971 Brother Columba O'Donoghue the founding Principal dies in Ireland at the age of 77.
1972 The 86 study-bedrooms comprising Parkside are completed in time for the Silver Jubilee.  The Jubilee is celebrated on Founders Day, 15 May 1973.  At the service Brother Augustine is presented with the papal decoration, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice.
Mid 1970s Much discussion takes place about an amalgamation with Sedgley Park College.  The outcome is that the latter closes.  De La Salle college is slightly renamed, reduced in size and primarily provides courses leading to degrees from the University of Manchester.
7-9 January 1978 Hopwood hosts the first conference of the Hierarchy of England and Wales.  Cardinal Hulme is the Chairperson.
25 May 1978 Brother Augustine reaches retirement age.  Brother Wilfrid Costello soon becomes the third and last Principal of the college.
6 August 1982 An announcement by the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science, William Waldegrave, during Margaret Thatcher's term as Prime Minister spells the beginning of the end.  He proposes that teacher training courses should end at the college. The Governors were given just six weeks to respond.  Students signed petitions.
22 November 1982 MPs discuss the closure in an adjournment debate with William Waldegrave.
1989 Courses end at De La Salle College.
1990s De La Salle College is sold to Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council.  The buildings are used once more for education.  The council starts a new tertiary level college.  Hopwood Hall College re-opens as a two campus college with the other campus at Rochdale..  
1994 The cross on the chapel is taken down and the chapel is used for exhibitions, examination hall etc.
Autumn 1997 Reunion of former staff and students takes place at Hopwood Hall.
30 November 1997 Brother Augustine collapses and dies in the early hours of the Sunday morning.  Memorial mass takes place at Salford Cathedral on Tuesday 20 January 1998.
Wednesday 26 February 2003 Brother Wilfrid Costello (Principal of De La Salle College Hopwood Hall 1978-1989) dies suddenly.  A Requiem Mass took place in the Brothers' Community Chapel St John's House, St Helens on Thursday, 6 March 2003.   Interment was at St Helens Cemetery. .
Monday 24 October 2005 Brother Leander, who was at Hopwood Hall from 1967-78, as Bursar, dies aged 85.  Since 1994 he lived in the Brothers Community at St. Helens.  He died peacfully there, a few days after having a stroke.
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