St. Vincents Convent
The St Vincents homes originated in Dover, where the order of the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul ran a holiday home for London children who could benefit from the fresh air. The children stayed for a month originally and a school was added to the original orphanage which had been founded in 1927. Due to a high number of respiratory complaints, the Ministry of Health advised another house should be obtained where the climate was milder.
This building which stood on the corner of St Vincents Road and Filsham Road, originally the home of a railway executive, was purchased and became St Vincents Open Air School in 1934. With the outbreak of WW2 the school was evacuated to Liphook in Hampshire and the building was requisitioned by the army. A 1954 Inspectors Report stated that “The school is very well run and the girls are evidently very happy here.”
Expansion took place during the next two decades to include a Home Economics Room, a dance and drama hall with sports and outdoor play facilities. With the advances in medical treatment, respiratory complaints started to be treated locally and the pupil numbers at St Vincents started to drop. As a result, the school started to take in girls with mental/emotional difficulties. Further expansion took place in 1976 when a Board of Governors was appointed with a science lab, gymnasium and extra classrooms. An off-site house was also purchased for additional girls to board/study.
The School Prospectus of 1989 reported
“This is a Roman Catholic School which admits girls of any religion or none. It endeavours to provide a Christian environment of care, concern and acceptance where the damage of earlier years can to some extent be healed. Our eclectic approach enables us to address girls’ needs individually and precisely, professionals responding to create the optimum climate for each to succeed.
The school aims to encourage the pupils to develop at every level, as responsible people. We lay great store in the quality of relationships at every level. We strive to work with sensitivity and respect for individuals at all times.
A firm structured discipline enables the girls to experience the security of defined boundaries and to know that the school expects conformity to what could be described as usually accepted standards of behaviour.
Personal journals noting general attitude, attainment, behaviour, personal counselling, and frequent group meetings are used to stimulate the growth of self-discipline. In addition, each girl has a personal tutor of her own choice, with whom she can have regular meetings. Teaching and care-staff work together to develop each girl’s practical, social and academic skills. We are keen to celebrate and promote positive behaviour, no matter how small, as we aim to lead each girl to value herself and others.”
Lay staff and care-staff eventually replaced the Sisters who still lived in the main house and took an active interest in the girls and joined them for celebrations etc. When the 1990s arrived, numbers were in decline due to financial cutbacks and as a result, the school closed in 1993.
The site was sold to Hastings College, which was in need of space to accommodate foreign students studying English and re-branded as Academy 6 and subsequently demolished circa 2010 with housing (Blackwell Close) now on the site.
Images
50° 51' 13.05" N, 0° 32' 15.62" E
