MGS was founded by a Bishop in 1515, and in its early years had a strong relationship with the Collegiate Church (later Manchester Cathedral). This Christian foundation expressed itself in the daily prayers for the souls of the founders, which later became our annual Founders' Day thanksgiving service, as well as the Bible's central place in the curriculum during the first centuries of MGS history. The first Jewish boy to join the School was Lewis Henry Nathan, who started at MGS in 1808, and numbers increased across the nineteenth century with waves of Jewish immigration from Central and Eastern Europe, and the Iberian peninsula. As numbers grew, the first Jewish prayers were established to accommodate these pupils, and a dedicated Jewish Assembly continues in 2024, along with a Jewish Founders' Day service held at a local synagogue. A more detailed history of the Jewish community's experience at MGS can be read here
Jewish Prayers 1961
A small number of Hindu boys would follow later that century, and the Ghose brothers who joined in 1881 may well have been the first. Muslim and Sikh boys added to the diverse demographics in the twentieth century; more research is needed to ascertain exact dates. In 2024, the religious backgrounds of the boys reflects the diversity of Manchester itself. Our current Founders' Day service includes readings from the Old and New Testaments, Quran and Bhagavad Gita in the service held at Manchester Cathedral.
A reading from the Quran at Founders' Day 2022
In 1988, it was suggested by Religion & Philosophy teacher Ralph Mainard that it would be appropriate to offer dedicated assemblies for the growing number of Muslim boys at MGS, in addition to Christian and Jewish assemblies. It was also suggested that the School accommodate those boys with no religious background. In response, Geoffrey Parker established Islamic and non-religious assemblies. Later, the increasing number of Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist pupils led to the creation of a fifth option under the catch-all name of "Indian Assembly". These five options remain available to MGS boys on Fridays, and are seen as a vital way to celebrate the diversity of the school population and allow for boys to be educated in faiths different to their own.
Islamic Assembly
One way in which these changes has been reflected is in visitors to the School. Bishops have been a regular feature at Founders' Days since our records of speakers began in 1872 (though the event in some form almost certainly stretches back to the opening of the School). Archbishops are rarer, but we have had three visits from Archbishops of York, in 1915, 1973 and 2023, speaking at Speech and Founders' Day services. In 2022, Archbishop Angaelos of the Coptik Orthodox Church visited to speak at Christian Assembly.
Archbishop Angaelos
Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell at the 2023 Founders' Day service
High profile speakers from the Jewish community have been more recent, but the School has been visited by a Chief Rabbi twice. The first visit was in 1983, when Rabbi Immanual Jakobovits attended a reception at the School to mark the official opening of the Hasmonean-ORT Computer Ed unit. The second happened this month, when Sir Ephraim Mirvis addressed the annual Jewish Society Dinner. Similarly, Muslim visiting speakers are a more recent phenomenon. The Islamic Society Dinner has had visiting speakers such as Imam Abid Khan and Muslim assembly has welcomed a number of visitors including the Chaplain for Manchester University and Manchester Metropolitan Universities, Mohammed Ullah.
The Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, attended the J-Soc Dinner this month
Student societies have also reflected the increasing diversity of religious background at the School. Scripture Union had a branch within the School from as early as 1893, and possibly earlier. Its representation within School overlapped with the creation of a Christian Union in 1947 which continues to this day. The MGS Islamic Society was created in 2000.
Islamic Society outdoor prayers
Jewish boys celebrating Sukkot in the quad
Over the last few years, the religious societies have begun to host annual events - this year has seen Christian, Islamic and Jewish society dinners and next year the Indian society will have its inaugural event. All reflect the thriving religious mix at MGS.
Rachel Kneale
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