Sidcup, Bromley et al
In addition to the Convent, what are peoples'
memories of the area during their time at the school? I was reminded of
the Levers toyshop.There appears to be nothing on the Net of this iconic
shop. Existing for more than 25 years until slowly closing down in
mid-90's, it was on the intersection of Station Road opposite to Marlowe
House & Christopher House.
Next to Levers was Machin Bakers,DA15 7AW. Lever's stocked a range of
practical jokes and smoke bombs including that smoke pellet that...
Reply
A trip to Hampton Court I think in 1981. Like the
Heaver Castle trips we were not allowed inside which defeated the point
of going there. Most of us ended up in the maze taunting the teachers
outside who were infuriated that they could not identify who was
swearing. Myself and Andrew Moat had a compass which was on no help
in getting us out of it
When did the school start teaching from the BBC radio Music Workshop series?
http://www.broadcastforschools.co.uk/site/Music_Workshop
My group started with Rumpelstiltskin in Mrs Lyons class.It was by far the best of the 6 workshops. The BBC in its stupidity has destroyed all remaining copies & erased all the radio broadcasts prior to podcasting! They receive regular requests from pupils of the '70s & '80s seeking booklets.
The school hymn 'We are the pupils of St Joseph's school' was/is a melodically complex uptempo song. It could be in 10:8 time , ie 10 beats to the bar & has a middle 8 with a series of descending sextuplet (6 note) runs. The composer was Tommie Connor; the reason the melody was so good is that he cowrote big hits The Biggest Aspidistra In The World’ & ‘I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus.’ Here's the words courtesy of Murph's blog:
(Start in a major key like G or C .Very uptempo)
“We are the pupils of St Joseph’s School and to him we sing our praise,
(Key change still major, actually it's all major)
May the holy spirit of St Joseph rule within our hearts always,
(now the middle 8 so change in time signature & it becomes a tongue twister which did have the music teacher repeating it until we had it right)
With St Joseph to guide us, always walking beside us, so secure and protected we will be,
(return similar to opening melody but more forza)
So safe in the love of him who was the father of the Holy Family.
Bless us dear St Joseph,
May our hearts be good,
Teach us to help and love one another just as Jesus said we should.”
With regards to school magazines, there were 2:
the Crusader, which I've tried to find out if its still going. This was purchased from Mrs Taylor.
& Sister Antoinette would sell the monthly Missionary magazine
In addition to the blue hymnals,wish I knew its exact
name, we had English Folk-Songs for Schools ed. Sabine Baring-Gould.
The copies we had were new ones in 1978 when Mrs Lenahan replaced Mrs
Greatrex as the music teacher. They were A5 orange books with a fancy
shadow font.
We were ordered to put covers on the books. Of the songs we learned I still love The Tailor and the Mouse, which we sang with a driving rhythm on the choruses. This sounds better than the listless recordings by folk singers.
I dislike the Carrion Crow as it had a tedious nursery melody. Here is the online edition of the book:
http://imslp.org/wiki/English_Folk-Songs_for_Schools_%28Baring-Gould,_Sabine%29
By the mid 70's the nuns remaining were:
Sister Theresa (headmistress)
Sister Denise
Sister Antionette (kindergarten, maths, needlework)
Sister Emanuelle (kindergarten)
Mother Superior Marie-Claire (died in her sleep on her 95th birthday in 1979)
& of course
the 2 energetic and animated cooks, I really want to know their names. I'm guessing they came from further south in France given their French mannerisms.
One of them became sister superior on the death of Sister Theresa; despite not really speaking English.
So who were all the others and the predecessors who were recalled to France or died?
Apparently 2 other nuns joined Marie-Claire in the earliest days. Anyone remember 1904???!!!!!!
I'll be uploading on Youtube the interview I did with
a former pupil. According to him one of the cooks went to Paris to
become the cook for a priory. The other surviving nuns went to the
motherhouse in Normandy.
I've tried to establish which motherhouse it was, as there were a few which closed within a couple of years. The nuns moved in with larger orders such as the Sisters of Mercy.
Rome was very fast to reply to my inquiries, but I didn't receive a reply from the Sisters of Mercy or the Bishop's office.
It is a great shame the Order has ended.
Reply
By Stephen Armourae Added 15th Dec 2015
School Trips
What was the most interesting or boring places you visited. Who got up to what on the coaches?!?!
By Friends Reunited (née Team) 9th Oct 2008
Edited 9th Feb 2012
Windsor Castle, Syon House, Houses of Parliament, Hever Castle - not a bad selection
By Rosemary Paddington 9th Feb 2012
In 1976 we went to Chatsworth House and the Blue John
mines up in Derbyshire. I remember having to get up at the crack of
dawn to go. It was my birthday so I didn't mind.
On the way home I remember talking in the back of the bus with some kid who's family had moved to the UK recently from South Africa and being fascinated by his stories of life there.
On the way home I remember talking in the back of the bus with some kid who's family had moved to the UK recently from South Africa and being fascinated by his stories of life there.
By Nick Waddell 23rd Jul 2013
Heaver Castle twice. Both times very sunny days and
we rolled down the hill next to Heaver. But the teachers would not let
go inside the castle despite it being open. I didn't go the Alton
Towers day out. Wasn't interested.
Can't remember the others 1976-81
Can't remember the others 1976-81
By Stephen Armourae 21st Sep 2013
Aylesford Priory around 1963 and Canterbury/Minster
in 1964. Think there was also a journey to a Franciscan Priory
somewhere in Sussex.
In 1963 a group of us also went to ITV studio's in London to watch a recording of THE FIVE O'CLOCK CLUB WITH OLLIE BEAK.
In 1963 a group of us also went to ITV studio's in London to watch a recording of THE FIVE O'CLOCK CLUB WITH OLLIE BEAK.
By Barrie Wright 2nd Oct 2013
I remember a coach trip to Box Hill. This was the last time that I threw up on a coach !
By Roy Lale 20th Oct 2014
Why is it your age group had better & probably
more school trips?! Here's a question: when did school trips start at
St. Josephs?
By Stephen Armourae 22nd Mar 2015
By Stephen Armourae 27th Sep 2015
Music,Hyms,Anthem, BBC Music Workshop,School magazines
Those who attended from 1975 onwards will remember songs from the yellow covered 'Celebration Hymnal',I have a copy which I still play. This supplemented the A5 sized Prussian blue coloured hymnal.When did the school start teaching from the BBC radio Music Workshop series?
http://www.broadcastforschools.co.uk/site/Music_Workshop
My group started with Rumpelstiltskin in Mrs Lyons class.It was by far the best of the 6 workshops. The BBC in its stupidity has destroyed all remaining copies & erased all the radio broadcasts prior to podcasting! They receive regular requests from pupils of the '70s & '80s seeking booklets.
The school hymn 'We are the pupils of St Joseph's school' was/is a melodically complex uptempo song. It could be in 10:8 time , ie 10 beats to the bar & has a middle 8 with a series of descending sextuplet (6 note) runs. The composer was Tommie Connor; the reason the melody was so good is that he cowrote big hits The Biggest Aspidistra In The World’ & ‘I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus.’ Here's the words courtesy of Murph's blog:
(Start in a major key like G or C .Very uptempo)
“We are the pupils of St Joseph’s School and to him we sing our praise,
(Key change still major, actually it's all major)
May the holy spirit of St Joseph rule within our hearts always,
(now the middle 8 so change in time signature & it becomes a tongue twister which did have the music teacher repeating it until we had it right)
With St Joseph to guide us, always walking beside us, so secure and protected we will be,
(return similar to opening melody but more forza)
So safe in the love of him who was the father of the Holy Family.
Bless us dear St Joseph,
May our hearts be good,
Teach us to help and love one another just as Jesus said we should.”
With regards to school magazines, there were 2:
the Crusader, which I've tried to find out if its still going. This was purchased from Mrs Taylor.
& Sister Antoinette would sell the monthly Missionary magazine
By Stephen Armourae 3rd Aug 2015
We were ordered to put covers on the books. Of the songs we learned I still love The Tailor and the Mouse, which we sang with a driving rhythm on the choruses. This sounds better than the listless recordings by folk singers.
I dislike the Carrion Crow as it had a tedious nursery melody. Here is the online edition of the book:
http://imslp.org/wiki/English_Folk-Songs_for_Schools_%28Baring-Gould,_Sabine%29
By Stephen Armourae 20th Sep 2015
Nuns,nuns and more nuns
I know this is somewhat related to 'Teachers Memories' discussion, but I'm interested in a complete list and memories of the nuns; as distinct from the lay teachers.By the mid 70's the nuns remaining were:
Sister Theresa (headmistress)
Sister Denise
Sister Antionette (kindergarten, maths, needlework)
Sister Emanuelle (kindergarten)
Mother Superior Marie-Claire (died in her sleep on her 95th birthday in 1979)
& of course
the 2 energetic and animated cooks, I really want to know their names. I'm guessing they came from further south in France given their French mannerisms.
One of them became sister superior on the death of Sister Theresa; despite not really speaking English.
So who were all the others and the predecessors who were recalled to France or died?
Apparently 2 other nuns joined Marie-Claire in the earliest days. Anyone remember 1904???!!!!!!
By Stephen Armourae 2nd Dec 2013
What ever happened to Sister Rennie, who taught in
the Kindergarten and adjacent Girls Class during the 1960's. She also
taught Catechism to the Boys for 30 minutes each morning.
She was a good old stick and I bought from her a statue of the Blessed Virgin, which I still have, some 53 years later!
She was a good old stick and I bought from her a statue of the Blessed Virgin, which I still have, some 53 years later!
By Barrie Wright 7th Feb 2014
She was probably recalled to France in retirement.
Those nuns who didn't die in England like Sister Theresa and MArie
Claire appear to have gone to France
By Stephen Armourae 16th Feb 2014
Do you know where in France they were based? Also,
where was Sr. Theresa buried as I'd love to visit her grave. Think I
may contact St. Lawrence's Church to see what they know. Thanks for all
the info Stephen.
By Barrie Wright 18th Mar 2014
Hi Barrie, since we last chatted I've upgraded my film production kit, so will be filming more this year.
I understand that the order comes from Normandy. So the nuns would have been returned there. The only ones who could still possibly be alive would be Denise & the cooks. Sister Antoinette would be around 117 now!
I have contacted St Lawrence's!
A reply may take a while as the current parish priest & the Marist Fathers wouldn't have been present at the time.
There are a couple of priests still alive from our times there but I don't know their parishes.
Here's a copy of the email:
Hello,
I'm a former pupil of St Joseph's Convent that was in Hatherley Road.
St Lawrence's was our school's church that we attended Mass every Tuesday morning.
Myself and others would like to pay our respects to the late Sister Theresa and wondered if St Lawrence's had details or would be able to direct us to the Catholic authority who would have the information.
She died in 1981 as I recall.
Information regarding the Convent and the order the nuns came from in northern France is almost unknown to many of the former pupils.
I work as an actor-director and would like to produce a short documentary to remember the school and the wonderful time many of us had there and at St Lawrence's.
Yours
Steve Armourae
I understand that the order comes from Normandy. So the nuns would have been returned there. The only ones who could still possibly be alive would be Denise & the cooks. Sister Antoinette would be around 117 now!
I have contacted St Lawrence's!
A reply may take a while as the current parish priest & the Marist Fathers wouldn't have been present at the time.
There are a couple of priests still alive from our times there but I don't know their parishes.
Here's a copy of the email:
Hello,
I'm a former pupil of St Joseph's Convent that was in Hatherley Road.
St Lawrence's was our school's church that we attended Mass every Tuesday morning.
Myself and others would like to pay our respects to the late Sister Theresa and wondered if St Lawrence's had details or would be able to direct us to the Catholic authority who would have the information.
She died in 1981 as I recall.
Information regarding the Convent and the order the nuns came from in northern France is almost unknown to many of the former pupils.
I work as an actor-director and would like to produce a short documentary to remember the school and the wonderful time many of us had there and at St Lawrence's.
Yours
Steve Armourae
By Stephen Armourae 22nd Mar 2015
Updates: I've been in correspondence with Rome,
Normandy & a couple of religious orders. Sadly but inevitably it
appears every nun we knew has died. I am writing to obtain further
archive information and details on our nuns.
The Order is running many schools across the world but in Normandy there were so few left that they are now living with another order of nuns
The Order is running many schools across the world but in Normandy there were so few left that they are now living with another order of nuns
By Stephen Armourae 25th Mar 2015
After more research here are the founders & early nuns:
Sister Superior Marie-Claire was:
Marie Claire Villete born 1884
Some will remember arriving on a foggy Wednesday morning & we were all sent straight to assembly where sister Theresa announced she had died in her sleep at 4 am
Sister Blanche that some here remember. She arrived at a later date but in the early days of the Convent:
Blanche Torveille born 1889
Another co-founder of the Convent:
Rosalie Noel born 1883
&
Anna Benchard born 1882
Some other nuns:
Victorine Piguet, Augustine Forget, Felicite Cronillard
The nuns were also taking care of a young child named Jean Schmid for a time
Sister Superior Marie-Claire was:
Marie Claire Villete born 1884
Some will remember arriving on a foggy Wednesday morning & we were all sent straight to assembly where sister Theresa announced she had died in her sleep at 4 am
Sister Blanche that some here remember. She arrived at a later date but in the early days of the Convent:
Blanche Torveille born 1889
Another co-founder of the Convent:
Rosalie Noel born 1883
&
Anna Benchard born 1882
Some other nuns:
Victorine Piguet, Augustine Forget, Felicite Cronillard
The nuns were also taking care of a young child named Jean Schmid for a time
By Stephen Armourae 7th Apr 2015
I've tried to establish which motherhouse it was, as there were a few which closed within a couple of years. The nuns moved in with larger orders such as the Sisters of Mercy.
Rome was very fast to reply to my inquiries, but I didn't receive a reply from the Sisters of Mercy or the Bishop's office.
It is a great shame the Order has ended.
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