ST MARY’S College, Blackburn, is celebrating its 90th birthday this month.

The college, which includes virologist Sir John Skehel and High Court Judge Sir Gerard Barling QC, among its past pupils, was opened by the Marist Fathers on the invitation of Bishop Casarlette and the priests of Blackburn in September, 1925, to provide boys with religious training and a sound secondary education to prepare them for a professional or business career.

They bought ‘Springfield’, a large house in Shear Bank Road, for £2,250 and postcards were sent out to its first pupils advising that on the opening day they bring light shoes to wear indoors.

Indeed, even later, in the war years, one old pupil Alban Hindle recollected having to wear slippers in class.

He also recalled having to carry gas masks to lessons and longing for their first air-raid siren – especially if it came in Father Purcell’s class.

The college, however, was not particularly welcomed by their neighbours who resented the idea of having a school in one of the best residential quarters of Blackburn.

Solicitors letters were sent threatening legal proceedings and in early 1926 the agent for the estate brought an action of Law in the High Court to stop the school.

The case was tried in London and thereafter referred to arbitration.

It was not until January, 1927, that the final verdict was made public and it was a compromise. The school could continue as it was but was not allowed to exceed the number of pupils actually present, then about 70, nor to erect any new buildings on the land.

It was thus necessary to look for another site to cope with the growing demands for a larger building and eventually a piece of land was found at the top of Shear Brow, which was owned by the council and used as allotments.

It was 1930 when the ceremony of cutting the first sod, by Father Fox, took place and building work went on so quickly that when the Bishop arrived to lay the foundation stone three months later, the walls were almost up to the roof.

Other notable dates in the college’s timeline include: 1937 when its first graduate, Thomas Haighton, earned a BA in history from London; 1947, when the inaugural Thorpe Cup football competition took place, which is still being contested today; the 1970s when the doors opened to girls for the first time and 1978 when it became a sixth form college.

n To celebrate its 90th birthday, St Mary’s will be opening its doors to former students and staff.

Tickets for the evening dinner are now on sale at a price of £25 via https://stmarysblackburn90.eventbrite.co.uk and should be purchased before September 10.