Hartley Hall: Then and Now

Bought by the RNCM in 1974, Hartley Hall in Whalley Range was the College’s first hall of residence.

Before this time the Grade II listed building was known as Hartley Victoria, a theological college for training clergy. Sold by the RNCM in 2000, it is now an Islamic school for boys and continues to accommodate university students.

From the RNCM archives, here is a side-by-side comparison of Hartley Hall through the decades.

Front gates 1995:

Front gates 2018:

Chapel 1974:

Chapel 1995:

Chapel (converted into mosque) 2018:

Assembly hall 1974:

Assembly hall 2018:

Grounds 1974:

Grounds 1995:

Grounds 2000:

Grounds 2018:

 

Were you an RNCM student who lived at Hartley Hall? Please email [email protected] to share your memories and photos.

More Blogs

Interview with Clarence Adoo

4 December 2025

Clarence Adoo is founder of inclusive ensemble RNS Moves – the sister orchestra of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, in which Clarence previously held a seat as a trumpet player. In…

Interview with Louise Wallwein

4 December 2025

Louise Wallwein MBE is a multiple award-winning poet, playwright, and performer from Manchester whose companion plays, Melting Ice (1998) and Glue (2016), have earned her international acclaim for their candid…

News In Brief

  • Congratulations to alumnus and SWBP professor, David Thornton, on receiving the Iles Medal at the National Brass Band Championships.
  • Congratulations to vocal alumnus Rafael Rojas, who won three prizes at the Neue Stimmen International Singing Competition.
  • Alumnus Graham McCusker has worked as music director, pianist, and composer on the new Sense and Sensibility film
  • Congratulations to vocal alumna Georgia Mae Ellis, who makes her Royal Opera House debut as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni this season