This week we have been excited to welcome two young conservators from Skillington's, a company specialising in historic building repair and restoration. They have been working on ‘Threshold’, the Mitzi Cunliffe sculpture over the main front door on Grangethorpe Road. This has been in place since 1953, although many of you might have walked past without realising its significance. The sculpture was the gift of Mrs Dorothy Pilkington, former Chair of Governors, to commemorate the courageous leadership of the Head Mistress, Dr Mary Clarke, and the staff, who ensured that 'the spirit of this School triumphed over wartime disaster to plan for the future.'
Manchester High had moved from Dover Street to its new home on Grangethorpe Road in September 1940, but within a few months, the School was bombed and more or less completely destroyed by a land mine dropped on the site during the Manchester Blitz of December 1940. Fortunately, this happened during the School holidays, so no one was hurt. Alternative accommodation was found in Didsbury, and term started on the correct day in January 1941 - not a single day's teaching was lost!
We are pleased to report that ‘Threshold’ was in very good condition for its age, but parts of the Portland stone needed cleaning, and there were a few minor fissures to be filled. The work is going well and should be finished this week.
Mitzi Cunliffe was an American sculptor, best known as the designer of the BAFTA mask. Her two daughters were pupils at Manchester High. There are many of her installations elsewhere in the UK, and the School is on the ‘Mitzi Cunliffe trail’ in Manchester. Some of you may know her installation on the pumping station in Heaton Park.
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