20th September 1926: School opened with 13 pupils -Fathers Cuthbert and Charles, with Mr. Rose formed the Staff. One room in the house - formerly the domestic chapel, used as classroom.
July 19th, 1928: The first pupils to pass the local Oxford Exams were Wharton and Brett.
December: First School Certificate obtained by Wharton
Dec. 5th, 1931: First Oxford Locals held in our own school, Rev. Fr. Lionel Smith M.A., presiding. 26 candidiates entered, 20 from our own school, 6 from Thompsons School, Harrow. Mr. Howard gained the Oxford Senior Cret.,
May 10th 1932: School Concert and Prize Distribution at Harrow Weald Memorial Hall.
July 16th, 1932: School Sports - fine attendance. Fr, Osmund gave out the prizes: Mayall and Clarke were the Victores Ludorum. Increased Staff: Fr. Cuthbert, Fr. Aidan, Messrs Rose, McCue, Wilson and Seward.
Sept. 19th 1932. Roll now 118 boys. Three Foundation Scholarships: Harrington, Foley and O'Leary.
May 31st. 1933: School Concert, Kodak Hall. Canon Ross presented the prizes and certificates - 3 Oxford Junior, 27 RE, 18 certificates of Merit, 10 book prizes. Frs. Osmund and Aidan present.
July 23rd, 1933: Sports Day - excellent programme and fine day. Several records in running and jumping were broken. Lord Clonmore distributed the prizes.
Sept. 19th, 1933: Mr. Wakeford joined the Staff.
July 7th, 1934: School Sports, a very successful meeting. Mgr Canon Jackman presented the prizes. Bacon, Gibb and Gortin distinguished themselves.
July 23rd, 1934: College of Preceptors: 35 entered, 27 passed. Sheffield Board Examination - 12 entered, 8 passed.
Much lies behind the bare narrative of the diary excerpts above and we shall endeavour in the following pages to fill in a little of the fuller history, though still, of necessity, rather brief. We hope later in the year to publish a much fuller account of the work of the past 50 years.
1942: Another building leap forward was taken with the erection of a reinforced concrete hall to the rear of the school. This was to serve as the Assembly Hall, Gymnasium, Concert Hall and Dining Hall. Father Xavier Howard was Headmaster.
1947: As well as the Preparatory School and the Grammar School provision had to be made for St. Josephs Secondary School - housed in the original church (this had, in turn been the home of the Boy Scouts, the Girl Guides, a rehearsal and green room for St. Josephs Players) - until the erection of St. Gregory's at Kenton.
1951: Opening of the New Classroom and Science Block by Cardinal Griffin - 4 classrooms each with its own store, 2 Labs and 2 Prep rooms, with stores and cloakroom accommodation. Father Thomas Hennessey, who had come as Headmaster in 1947 and was to remain until September 1960, not only saw to the opening of this block but all the negotiations in respect of the 1960 extensions.
1960: The 2-Form entry Grammar school extensions completed in 1961, were blessed by Bishop Cashman and the school became a Voluntary Aided Grammar School in February 1961. Before the dust had settled on the processional route for the Solemn Blessing of 1961, plans were already being aired for an extension to 3-Form entry, so great was the demand for places. This required the building of: 6 classrooms, Music Room, Biology Lab, Sixth Form Block with three lecture rooms, second library, Art Room, Pottery Room, and Technical Drawing Office. These were opened on schedule and solemnly blessed by His Eminence Cardinal Heenan in June 1964. Father Dominic Crilly, who was appointed Headmaster in September 1960, saw through this building programme.
Needless to say the area of Scholastic activity and the numbers engaged in it, have changed considerably in the 50 years of the school's growth. The documents I have before me bear this out in statistics more compelling than any I might suggest. For example:
1928: Sheffield local Examinations - 8 candidates: Denis Bevington, Denis Bunyan, George Heath, Charles Slark, John Rush, Tom Kennard Brown, Bernard Campbell, Jack Bacon. Subjects offered: Scripture, English, Maths, French, Latin, Art.
1976. Oxford GCE, London GCE, Middx., CSE. A level candidates: 66, 0 level candidiates: 216, CSE candidates: 44.

Subjects offered: English, English Literature, Latin, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Logic, History, Economics, Geography, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Woodwork, Metalwork, Design, Art, Music.

Staffing 1928: 3 priests, 3 laymen,
Staffing 1976: 35 full time Staff, 2 part time; 2 language assistants, 2 lab technicians, 1 workshop technician

The achievements of the past 50 years were not won easily and the physical extension of the school demanded great sacrifices not only from the staff - a most energetic and loyal staff indeed - but also from the community who saw their orchards, gardens and lawns disappear under masses of brick, concrete and glass -yet all were happy to be able to contribute to the spread of opportunity for the Catholic boys of North West Middlesex. A considerable financial strain was put on the Province as a whole by the decision to enlarge the school to its present size and the main financial burden will be with us for many years to come.

We must, however, raise a special salutation, in this Golden Jubilee year, to the enterprise of those early Fathers, Teachers and Pupils who established a reputation of which the present school population is proud. It is our hope that when the centenary is being celebrated the same spirit, which brought us so far, will still prevail.

Of Special memory:
Father Gabriel Enderle, founder of the Province. Fathers Cuthbert Smith, Xavier Howard, Thomas Hennessey - former Headmasters of the School. Messrs McCue, Rose, Seward, Wilson and Wakeford. The many Salvatorians who taught in the Prep school and the Grammar School over the years; the many devoted laymen and women who helped so much to set such a high standard of academic and cultural excellence.

The innumerable parents and friends who gave their time, energy and devotion for the good of the school and the pupils.

The Friends Association who, especially in the final decade of the five, have been stalwart supporters of all school activity.

The unamed and unknown who, by their prayers and hidden sacrifices, have made 50 years of service possible.

The Trustees,
The Governors,
The Headmaster and Staff,
ask all our friends to join with us in thanking God for the blessings, both known and unnoticed, who have sustained us over the past fifty years.

"Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini Tuo, da gloriam".

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