Skip to content ↓

Our History

History of the School

West Hill was, for almost one hundred years, the home of the Harrison Family who were pioneers of the Cotton Industry in Stalybridge. 

The Harrisons amassed enormous wealth and prestige over a period of some one hundred and thirty years through their ownership of the Chapel Street Cotton Mills. 

The mansion that we know as West Hill was built in 1822 for William Harrison and his future wife, Amy Cheetham, as a wedding gift from his brothers.

West Hill passed into the ownership of successive members of the Harrison family until Mary Harrison, a spinster, was the one remaining member of the Harrison family.  The house was purchased by Stalybridge Education Committee for £13,000 for “the elder boys of the borough”.

At first, the school was to be designed for both boys and girls, but the decision was made for a boys-only school. The Board of Education suggested making it into “one of the best schools in the country and not a school that would be obsolete in a few years’ time”. Consequently, instead of making 12 classrooms for 500 children, it was decided to make 10 classrooms for 400 children.

West Hill School was declared open on the 24th March 1927 in the presence of Alderman Cooke, who worked tirelessly to realise the birth of the school. 

The school was open for public inspection during Easter and on Monday 25th April 1927, the first students took up their places; 278 boys and 3 girls. 196 students came from Elementary Schools whilst 85 were transferred from Waterloo Road Central School.

  • 1927-1928
  • 1928-1947
  • 1947-1952
  • 1952-1973
  • 1973-1977
  • 1977-1986
  • 1986-1994
  • 1994-2015
  • 2015-2019
  • 2019-2023
  • 2023-present
  • Mr D. McClaren

    1927-1928

    • West Hill School was officially opened on Thursday 24th March 1927
    • The Board of Education suggested making West Hill School into "one of the best schools in the country and not a school that would be obsolete in a few years’ time"
    • The housing system of Chaucer, Milton, Scott and Spenser was introduced
    • The headmaster’s school log book was created to record significant school happenings

  • Mr G.S. Fletcher

    1928-1947

  • Mr C. Rigby

    1947-1952

  • Mr Q. Mackenzie

    1952-1973

  • Mr C.S. Falconer

    1973-1977

  • Mr K.P. Parker

    1977-1986

  • Mr L.W. Hill

    1986-1994

  • Mr R.J. Hewitt

    1994-2015

  • Mr A.F. Harrison

    2015-2019

  • Mr A. Owens

    2019-2023

  • Ms C Cronin

    2023-present