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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Somerset => Topic started by: Elliott3396 on Tuesday 17 July 18 20:08 BST (UK)
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I have just learnt that my great grandma used to attend a boarding school in Weston-Super-Mare in the early 20th century. I'd like to find as much information about this as I can. While I do not know the schools name I do know that it was on "South Road". A quick look on google has shown me a school that I believe is very likely to be the one she attended.
The school I have found is called "The Eastern House School". I have found a couple of images of it at the time. https://imgur.com/a/FHgQsnu (https://imgur.com/a/FHgQsnu)
(https://i.imgur.com/QeZ2BNC.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/v1yxmrs.jpg)
This is the only school I can find on that short road and since this is at the right time period I imagine there wouldn't have been another boarding school on the same road, though I can't be certain.
Does anyone know where I can get more information on this? The dream would be finding school records of my relative but more realistically I'm just looking for more information on the school itself.
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Welcome to RootsChat! ;D
From WSM FHS:
information on the history of Eastern House, Landemann Circus: It was formerly Lewisham House Boys School (1891-1932) when it became Eastern House girls school. The school closed around 1939 and the house was then used as a Red Cross Hospital during the Second World War. After the war in 1947 Joseph Lucas Ltd of Birmingham bought the house for use as a convalescent home for its employees. In 1967 the house was bought by the Regional Hospital Board and was converted to a 60 bed hospital to treat elderly and chronically sick patients. The hospital closed in 1986.
See: http://wsmfhs.org.uk/content/eastern-house for more info, and links to even more info ;D
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Welcome to RootsChat! ;D
From WSM FHS:
information on the history of Eastern House, Landemann Circus: It was formerly Lewisham House Boys School (1891-1932) when it became Eastern House girls school. The school closed around 1939 and the house was then used as a Red Cross Hospital during the Second World War. After the war in 1947 Joseph Lucas Ltd of Birmingham bought the house for use as a convalescent home for its employees. In 1967 the house was bought by the Regional Hospital Board and was converted to a 60 bed hospital to treat elderly and chronically sick patients. The hospital closed in 1986.
See: http://wsmfhs.org.uk/content/eastern-house for more info, and links to even more info ;D
Thanks for the welcome :)
Yeah I had seen that website, it's where I got the good picture from. Sadly it seems to mainly be about the school on Landemann Circus, which is where it moved to after South Road, so most of the information doesn't really relate to my relative.
That said I'm having doubts that this is even the right school as it appears that it wasn't a girls school until the 1930's and since my relative was born in 1900 I don't think she would have went there.
Any advise on finding what other schools where on that road, or maybe around that road? I was looking for a huge list but I can't find anything other than a list of modern schools which is of no use to me.
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Welcome to RootsChat Elliott....You may want to google "La Ratraite", South Road...where there were two schools which were run by the nuns, the La Ratraite Sisters from France one of which was a convent. It may not be the one that you were looking for, but worth a try.
Carol
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You may want to google "La Ratraite", South Road...where there were two schools which were run by the nuns, the La Ratraite Sisters from France one of which was a convent. It may not be the one that you were looking for, but worth a try.
Carol
Trying not to jump to conclusions but now that you mention nuns I do recall my living family member saying that the place was "full of nuns". I'll give this more of a look before I jump to too many conclusions though, thanks :)
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Any joy Elliott ?
Carol
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Any joy Elliott ?
Carol
I believe that La Retraite is the right school however I don't really have a way to be 100% certain. Knowing my relative was born in 1900 and went to this school I think her age matches up well with when the school existed, and the fact that my Grandma had mentioned the place having "lots of nuns" makes me more sure it's the right school.
I managed to find what looks to be an advert of sorts for the school, or at least the transcript of it:
Roman Catholic School for Girls - Convent of La Retraite, South Road, Weston-super-Mare
Under the patronage of His Lordship the Bishop of Clifton and the
Very Rev. Eustace Canon Barron.
The nuns of La Retraite are prepared to receive a limited number
of pupils to whom they can devote individual attention.
The school syllabus makes a special feature of languages and
literature, and while pupils can, if necessary, be prepared for
examinations, it has been drawn up mainly with a view of implanting
firm religious principles in the pupils, and of training them to become
cultured and well read women, fitted to occupy high social
positions.
Terms : — Pension, 22 guineas per term. Entrance fee, 2 guineas.
Special Subjects : —
Piano. 3 to 4 guineas ; violin, 3 guineas ; singing, 3 guineas ;
dancing, 1^ guineas ; painting, 2 guineas ; gymnastics, 1 guinea ;
riding, 3J guineas ; swimming, \ guinea ; for beginners, 1 guinea
per term. Library and games, 1 guinea per annum ; laundry and
medical attendance. Day boarders, from 3 guineas per term.
A reference is requested.
Fees payable in advance.
I also found this in the description on a History Trail for the area:
The far side of South Road was the site of several of the
grandest mansions in the district, occupied by La Retraite
Convent School for much of this century. Demolition and
rebuilding have broken up what was until recently a complete
vista of large, intact period building, and it is greatly to be
hoped that the people of Weston dc not allow more of
these magnificent houses to go the way of these or of ihe
Villa Rosa. Ahead, at the junction of Scuth Road with
Madeira Road, is a small tree-lined triangle which served
as the focus for the three rows of villas surrounding it. At
each corner is a niche which used to contain a drinking
fountain recessed into the wall.
Picture wise I have found two, one of the outside and one of the inside dining area. The dining area is dated long after my relative had left the town but it's still nice to see even if the inside had probably changed drastically in the 80~ years that had passed. Funnily enough the dining room picture is from the National Australian Museums website, never would have guessed I'd find an image of a school in Weston Super Mare on there!
(http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/polopoly_fs/1.5206454!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_630/image.jpg)(http://collectionsearch.nma.gov.au/nmacs-image-download/piction/dams_data/prodderiv3/Working+Masters/nma.img-ci20122933-712-wm-vs1_o3_1100.jpg)
Overall I am happy with what I know about the school, and while I can't be 100% certain it is the right school I have enough information for me to be happy with my assumption, at least for now :)
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Oh Good....That was the info that I found but couldn't post a link from the iPad.
Carol
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Hi There
I just looked at the 1956 street directories of Weston-Super-Mare & see that 17,19 & 21 South Road are for La Retraite Convent School For Girls which was a boarding & day school.
also 23 South Road is the senior girls house for La retraite.
I hope that this is some help to you
All the very best
Phil
ps Im sending this posting from the main library at Weston-super-Mare
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Weston Super Mare Gazette and General Advertiser, 14 May 1910
Educational
EASTERN HOUSE, SOUTH ROAD
Weston Super Mare
HIGH CLASS HOME SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
Careful Preparation for Examinations
Outside pupils can be received for Music, Singing and Languages
For Prospectus apply to Misses Cruse and Helmsly
The 1911 Census shows about 50 boarders
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Great find Phil and Hanes...what a great joint effort...we got there in the end 8)
Carol
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News about the Sisters who ran the schools:
http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/la-retraite-sisters-to-leave-weston-super-mare-after-more-than-100-years-1-5206457
and info news here :
http://www.laretraite.lambeth.sch.uk/14/history-of-la-retraite
Carol
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Hi There
I just looked at the 1956 street directories of Weston-Super-Mare & see that 17,19 & 21 South Road are for La Retraite Convent School For Girls which was a boarding & day school.
also 23 South Road is the senior girls house for La retraite.
I hope that this is some help to you
All the very best
Phil
ps Im sending this posting from the main library at Weston-super-Mare
Thank you very much for that information, I was wondering whereabouts on the road it would have been.
The building (now the Leawood Court) still looks to be pretty much intact from the image I have of La Retraite Convent from the early 1900's.
Weston Super Mare Gazette and General Advertiser, 14 May 1910
Educational
EASTERN HOUSE, SOUTH ROAD
Weston Super Mare
HIGH CLASS HOME SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
Careful Preparation for Examinations
Outside pupils can be received for Music, Singing and Languages
For Prospectus apply to Misses Cruse and Helmsly
The 1911 Census shows about 50 boarders
Well this is a problem. I was lead to believe that the Eastern House School was not a girls school until the early 30's. If it was a girls school as early as 1910 then there is every possibility that it was that school that my relative attended and not the La Retraite school.
Is there any other sources I should be looking for to help narrow this down? Other than finding my relatives name in school records (which I can't seem to find any of) I am all out of ideas sadly :(
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There was also a girls boarding school at Dunmarklyn, South Road, principal Maud Syson. The 1911 census has about 30 boarders. Later newspaper items (1912 and later) refer to 1&3 Worlebury Road.
old maps (1885 Town plan)
https://www.old-maps.co.uk/index.html#/Map/331185/162344/13/100312
Dunmarklyn - junction of Worlebury Road and South Road
Also, click on 1931 old map for "convent school"
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Hi Elliot
if you want some more info on la Retraite its worth getting in touch with Weston-Super-Mare Library as they have a file on it (not a huge one) & it contains quite a few photos of the school - Ive not looked through it all yet as I was hoping to find a list of old pupils of the school but I don't think there is one at Weston library. Im on holiday in Worcestershire at the moment & cant access that file remotely but Im one of the volunteer Family & Local History Researchers who attend Weston library every Saturday to try & help the public.
Another thought springs to mind - you could contact the Weston-Super-Mare & District Family History Society as they have a remarkable head researcher whose name is Pat Hase.
You can find this family history society by typing wsmfhs into google & that will give you an option to click on for it
All the very best
Phil
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Hi Elliot
if you want some more info on la Retraite its worth getting in touch with Weston-Super-Mare Library as they have a file on it (not a huge one) & it contains quite a few photos of the school - Ive not looked through it all yet as I was hoping to find a list of old pupils of the school but I don't think there is one at Weston library. Im on holiday in Worcestershire at the moment & cant access that file remotely but Im one of the volunteer Family & Local History Researchers who attend Weston library every Saturday to try & help the public.
Another thought springs to mind - you could contact the Weston-Super-Mare & District Family History Society as they have a remarkable head researcher whose name is Pat Hase.
You can find this family history society by typing wsmfhs into google & that will give you an option to click on for it
All the very best
Phil
Thank you very much for the advice, it is much appreciated.
How should I go about contacting the Weston Super Mare library? Would they be able to send me a copy of the file via e-mail or something? Sorry if it is a silly question, never done something like this before.
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Hi Elliot
I have a bit of a problem with advising you how to contact Weston-Super-Mare main library as Im on holiday & dont have all the details with me - but you could try typing North Somerset Libraries into google & Weston is bound to be one of the options.
As for copying the files they have can you hang on till I get back home in a couple of weeks time & I'll have a look at all they have & advise you if its worth spending the money on having it all copied - but from what I noticed when I took a cursory glance a them it seems to be a lot of pictures & newspaper cuttings but I didn't have a good look so there may be some more details in that file.
If the person you are searching for was from an old Weston family the Local Historian has compiled a lot of local family trees.
The Weston-Super-Mare & District FHS also have almost complete records of who is buried in Weston cemetery as well as the inscriptions on the stone where we were able to read them.
I hope that this is of some help to you.
All the very best
Phil
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URL: https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/services/weston-super-mare-library/
Email: weston.library@n-somerset.gov.uk
Tel: 01934 426 010
Found using a simple Google search ;D
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Hi Elliot
If you get in touch with Weston library by e mail I would mark it for the attention of Roxy (a good friends nickname) who is one of the librarians who spend a lot of time at the desk in the local studies room & is a very good researcher as she digs out as much info as she can on any subject that she researches for the library
All the very best
Phil
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Hi Elliot
Im back home & am at present in the main library at Weston where I plan to have a good look at the file they have on La Retraite & will let you know some time later a rough outline of what it contains
All the very best
Phil
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I have just got back from a holiday in Weston Super Mare and by sheer luck ended up on South Road, so I made sure to take a couple of pictures of the school.
(https://i.imgur.com/XGSOSwL.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iQUsrRL.jpg)
Comparing it to the postcard image I posted previously there hasn't really been any noticeable changes that I can see to the main building.
I also found this postcard (posted 1907) of the road. We can see the building in question on the left behind the tree, as well as the other school across the road on the corner.
(https://i.imgur.com/HrJ6LPo.jpg)
Hi Elliot
Im back home & am at present in the main library at Weston where I plan to have a good look at the file they have on La Retraite & will let you know some time later a rough outline of what it contains
All the very best
Phil
That would be brilliant, thank you very much. Sorry for the late reply.
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Hi Elliot
Last Saturday I had a good look at the file in question & here is a rough summery of its contents-
Newspaper cuttings dated 25MAY1966, 30APR1970, 1MAY1970, 8FEB1971, 9FEB1971, 12FEB1971, 12FEB1971, 18FEB1971, 20FEB1971, 20FEB1971, 26FEB1971, 12MAR1971,
12MAR1971, 4AUG1971, 6AUG1971,Then there are a lot of cuttings of the buildings closure & the proposal to turn it into flats.
Copies of photos dating back to 1924
Photo of Pupils Hockey Team Identified Jean Frederick, Elizabeth Purkis, Pat Cotter, Anne Stokes
Monica Stevenson, Neesa Ryan, Peggy Kersloke, Finola Ryan, Dodie Kerslake, Rona Kemp & Gwen Cotter. (I would thing about 1936 but thats only a guess)
There is another hockey photo partly identified about 1938
More pictures of hockey teams 2nd X1 1946-49, 1st X1 1948-49
School photo 1949-50
School photo undated
School photo undated
School photo 1971 unidentified
Several pictures of the school interior & exterior
I hope that this is of some help to you but to be honest I don't think its early enough for you & I was hoping there would be a list of pupils tucked away in this file but no such luck
All the very best
Phil
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Hi Elliot
Last Saturday I had a good look at the file in question & here is a rough summery of its contents-
Newspaper cuttings dated 25MAY1966, 30APR1970, 1MAY1970, 8FEB1971, 9FEB1971, 12FEB1971, 12FEB1971, 18FEB1971, 20FEB1971, 20FEB1971, 26FEB1971, 12MAR1971,
12MAR1971, 4AUG1971, 6AUG1971,Then there are a lot of cuttings of the buildings closure & the proposal to turn it into flats.
Copies of photos dating back to 1924
Photo of Pupils Hockey Team Identified Jean Frederick, Elizabeth Purkis, Pat Cotter, Anne Stokes
Monica Stevenson, Neesa Ryan, Peggy Kersloke, Finola Ryan, Dodie Kerslake, Rona Kemp & Gwen Cotter. (I would thing about 1936 but thats only a guess)
There is another hockey photo partly identified about 1938
More pictures of hockey teams 2nd X1 1946-49, 1st X1 1948-49
School photo 1949-50
School photo undated
School photo undated
School photo 1971 unidentified
Several pictures of the school interior & exterior
I hope that this is of some help to you but to be honest I don't think its early enough for you & I was hoping there would be a list of pupils tucked away in this file but no such luck
All the very best
Phil
Thank you very much for your time. Sadly like you said it looks like it is mainly a few decades too recent for me so I think I'll leave it here for now. Thanks again for all the help, it has been very interesting.
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Hi Elliot
I've just spoken to the local historian & he said he doesn't think you will be able to find any detailed records on La Retraite as he has been looking for some & if he cant find anything its not going to be worth looking. Sorry to be such a wet blanket.
All the very best
Phil
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My grandmother Ada Laws inherited Eastern House School in 1920 from an aunt and ran it until 1939 or 1940. She extended the school to include a housewifery school run from her home, Villa Rosa, by a Miss Dawson.
Unfortunately I don't know if any pupil's records exist.
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I have a letter written to my grandmother in May 1910 when she was just 17 years old and it is addressed to Eastern House, so it was definitely a Girl's boarding school in 1910. Would this have been the name of the Senior Girls' School in South Road or is it possible that the school in Landemann Circus?
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Here's an ad from 1910:
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That definitely clears it up. Thanks!