FORMER pupils of Thomasson Memorial School are invited to go back to celebrate its 110 years of educating children with hearing difficulties.

A special birthday reunion and open day is being held on October 14 so past pupils can visit the school they attended before meeting in the evening for a party in the Holiday Inn.

Ex-pupils from as far as Canada and Australia are expected to attend the reunion of 220 guests, who will also be raising money to buy modern equipment for the school.

The school in Heaton has a long and illustrious history that dates back to 1907.

It will be one of the biggest reunions held and will be at the Holiday Inn and businesses are being invited to get on board through sponsorship or through donations for a raffle.

There will be a DJ, who is fluent in BSL — British Sign Language — say organisers 'despite being deaf, with plenty of Bass, we feel the vibrations of music quite well!'.

The history of the school can be traced back to Alderman JP Thomasson was born in Bolton to a well known local family, originally hailing from Edgworth.

He was a Bolton public servant who had been a member of Parliament from 1880 to 1885 and also served on the School Board.

But his increasing hearing difficulties had, for many years, prevented him taking the active part he otherwise would love to have done in the service of its town and activities.

His public benefactions, especially in the cause of education, earned him the gratitude of his fellow citizens.

In 1887 he spent £10,000 on the Haulgh Board School, but his name was more popularly associated with the scheme of exhibitions and scholarships which he founded in 1876. It enabled children of all religious denominations to pass from any elementary school in the borough to the best secondary schools available.

These grants were not confined to the payment of the fees of those schools, but were, in many cases, supplemented by grants in aid of maintenance and expenses which enabled many to continue their education.

These scholarships and exhibitions allowed boys and girls to have careers they would otherwise have thought impossible.

Mr Thomasson had been a generous supporter of the Bolton Grammar School. He contributed £5,000 towards the purchase of the land at Gilnow which became playgrounds for the school. His gifts to education were represented by a sum of £30,000.

In 1880 he bought and presented to Bolton, Mere Hall and the surrounding estate for a public park and museum together with £5,000, later supplemented by several gifts of pictures and sculpture for the museum. It became known as Thomasson Park.

Other gifts included the Thomasson Gymnasium in Folds Road and a reading and recreation room in Charles Street.

Many social schemes received liberal support from his generosity, and the only condition he imposed was freedom to all without regard to religious sects or political persuasion.

Following his death, in 1904, and as a tribute to his work in education the Thomasson Memorial School for the Blind and Deaf was opened in 1909 .

The first entry in the school log book — from June 7, 1909 — says: “This school is opened for deaf children and 19 pupils admitted. Miss Annie Parkinson headmistress. Miss Mary Shackleton, uncertified teacher is assisting temporarily. Rev F W Gilby visited the school.”

On May 6, 1910 it was said a little boy called Robert Toothill, aged five, had been never known to speak and was thought not have any hearing. "But it was found he could hear and could be made to speak," the report says.

On December 20, 1946, the blind school ceased to function.

The open day is from 11am until 2pm and following this there will be a school reunion party at Holiday Inn, in Higher Bridge Street, starting at 7pm.

Tickets cost £25 and will be available strictly to former pupils and their partners.

For more information, e mail thomassonmemorialschool17@outlook.com