Author Topic: St Raphaels, Hill End Henbury  (Read 17383 times)

Offline HGUOLS

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Re: St Raphaels, Hill End Henbury
« Reply #18 on: Saturday 17 October 20 03:32 BST (UK) »
Hello everyone. I would like to add that I too was under the care of the Sisters of Sacred Heart who had a convent and mother/child home (St. Raphaels) in Henbury (Henleaz). Letters in 1954 between the Mother Superior Sister Mary and Father Leahy, administrator for the Clifton Catholic Children Rescue Society show they were addressed to the sister at St. Raphael Convent in Henbury. However, my research has found that Sacred Heart Sisters may have taken over a property now called the Severn House (see photo below from 2018) from another sister order (probably the Sisters of Good Shepard).

So as noted elsewhere in this thread, they may have had two homes for mothers and children. I think JonOfWilts post about the sisters having multiple properties is right on. Coupled with with my research the convent, the maternity home and a school were located in Henbury at the corner of Brecon Road and Cardigan Road.The complex can be found at and is located near the Sacred Heart Church and St. Agatha School. You can Google the address and take a good look from Google's Street View. Check this link:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/St+Ursula's+School/@51.4868565,-2.6156989,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m16!1m10!4m9!1m0!1m6!1m2!1s0x4871920831508809:0x873ee4cbf90b58b3!2sSt+Ursula's+School!2m2!1d-2.6135102!2d51.4868565!3e0!3m4!1s0x4871920831508809:0x873ee4cbf90b58b3!8m2!3d51.4868565!4d-2.6135102

The other property was at Severn House, Ison Hill Rd, Henbury, Bristol BS10 7XA, UK. It is now a multi-rental property. You can Google the address and take a good look from Google's Street View.

Here's a link:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/severn+house+bristol/@51.5095335,-2.6648315,12z/data=!3m1!4b1

The sister organizations would have operated independently but with permission and oversight from the Clifton Diocese and the regional government. Those are my next doors to knock for archival documents and possibly photos.