The History of Adelphi House
The History of Adelphi House
The Adelphi House, Salford is currently occupied by Salford Professional Development (SPD) and owned by The University of Salford. This grade two listed building has been around since the 1800s. During 2023 the building saw a full internal and external refurbishment to give a warm welcome back to all delegates attending courses at the start of 2024.
As SPD has opened it doors once again for face-to-face training at Adelphi House, let’s take this opportunity to delve into the history of the building and its previous occupiers.
Adelphi House was built in 1808 as a two-storey home for a man named Samuel Bury, who lived in there for 28 years and in 1836 it was sold to John Leeming. Which saw the first redesigns and additions to the building before the nuns of the Order of the Faithful Companions of Jesus moved in during 1853.
The Order of the Faithful Companions of Jesus was founded in France and later moved to London near Euston Station in England during 1830. The nuns converted the building into a school and convent, bringing in pupils from nearby houses and Adelphi Terraces. Several pupils were the daughters of doctors who practised at the Salford and Pendleton Dispensary, which was later known as the Salford Royal Hospital. The two-building co-existing to this day side by side and connect by an underground tunnel which is still there to this day.
The nature of the school changed over the years and became a training college for Catholic teachers and required an additional third storey to accommodate these changes. The school continued to operate during both World Wars, although during WW2 in 1939 the children and staff were evacuated to Accrington but made their return in 1940.
The Adelphi House School continued in various forms until 1977 when Comprehensive Education for all Catholic children in Salford was introduced. It resulted in the closure of the school as it integrated with the Sacred Heart School to form the new Cathedral High School. However, the nuns continued to live at Adelphi House.
