Cornelia Connelly, who founded the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, purchased land in 1870 on a remote and isolated spot some way from the town of Blackpool. The place was called 'Layton Hill' and the lonely lane in which it was situated was named St. Walburga's Road in 1901 by the Reverand Mother at the request of Blackpool Council. The Convent School had a dairy farm attached and Cornelia personally planned the lay-out of the grounds, the orchard, the large Victorian kitchen garden and the grazing land for the cattle. The oldest part of Layton Hill was built in 1870, when the convent had to move from Raikes Hall where it had been situated for 10 years. It cost £2,000 and had no foundations! In 1895 the first of several 'new buildings' were added. This included the Chapel. At first it was mainly a Boarding School but became a mixed Boarding and Day School in about 1929 when it became a Direct Grant Grammar School. During the 1970's the four existing Catholic High Schools in Blackpool were reorganised into two Schools. Neither was to be the responsibility of Religious Orders but would be Diocesan, Voluntary Aided Schools. In 1977 when "St. Mary's" and "All Saints" opened, on the four sites, there were over 2,000 pupils. However, with the drop in birth rate in Blackpool it was realised a further re-organisation would be required if a good, viable system of Catholic Secondary Education were to be present in the Deanery. In 1982 a second, more difficult and challenging re-organisation took place resulting in the 'new' St. Mary's existing on the four sites. There were over 1,800 pupils, 120 full time teachers and 4 sets of ancillary staff. It was the largest Catholic School in England. The next challenge was to work for the school to exist on one site. This finally happened in 1995 when the St. Josephs Building was completed behind the old Convent Building. This saw the completion of a journey that began over 30 years ago with the Government Paper on Comprehensive Education and of a still longer journey that began 134 years ago when Cornelia Connelly purhcased the Layton Hill site. By Sister Maureen Grimely S.H.C.J (Headmistress 1966-1984)