PUPILS past and present from Cowley can delve back into the school’s history with an exhibition at the World of Glass.

Brimming with old photos and artefacts it charts the last 300 years from a copy of the will of education pioneer Sarah Cowley in 1714 to a rolling video of a school production.

Former pupil and teacher at Cowley, Rita Allcock, helped set up the exhibition.

The 76-year-old from Moss Bank said: “We have a number of display cabinets and a lot of old photos including one from 1910 of the mayoress Mrs Beecham and the headmaster Mr Simpson.”

Three of the trophies that appear in the photo are on display at the fabulous exhibition.

Rita said: “Eric McDonald (who was headmaster from 1978 – 1988) used to actually sleep with them in a box kept under his bed.”

With photographs dating back to around 1970 there is fascinating memorabilia from each decade, ranging from a rugby shirt from the early 1900s to a school girls uniform from the 1950s.

Rita added: “We also have a roll of honour from the First World War of everyone who joined up.

“One of my favourite pieces is a scholarship letter to a Maggie Davies who lived on Claughton Street.

“The video is from around 1991 and shows teacher Dee Griffiths and pupils in a Victorian themed lesson.”

There is also a nod to the school’s international stars including Ray French and photos and souvenirs from the schools sporting teams’ trips across the world.

Many of the photos also feature in a re-print of former deputy head Ken Taylor’s book Cowley Schools: Intentions, Interpretations and Interference.

The book has been updated from its original version in 1983 and is now available from Wardleworths.