GMB National College is set in the heart of Greater Manchester Click on thumbnails below  to see enlarged image of this historic location.

The college is a splendid example of Victorian gothic architecture. It is a listed building with many interesting features.

The Foundation Stone was laid in 1840 and the Lancashire Independent College opened for students in 1844. It was built specially for the purpose of training non-conformist ministers, who because of their religious faith were denied access to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It was not until the 1871 Education Act that University entrance was opened to students of all denominations. As a consequence Northern College and the Congregationalists helped establish Manchester University in 1880.

The Non-Conformist Church also maintained very close links with the Labour movement. Although the closest link was between the movement and the Methodist Church, the Congregationalists could number in their ranks such men as James Kier Hardie MP, Ben Tillott of the Dock Workers and George Holyoake of the Co-op movement.

In recent times, changes in training methods meant that Ministers trained in the Community, so the College was increasingly used as a University hostel.

When the GMB took over the building, the Northern College moved to another part of Manchester to continue its work. It took five years of careful refurbishment and restoration to return the building to the authentic condition of today.