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St John the Baptist RC School

Memories of the 1950s

By John Leach

I started at this school in 1950 and was there until 1956. I used to live in St Georges Terrace with my mother, grandparents and her brothers and sisters. When I attended the school it used to have the Infants, Junior, and the Secondary Schools all in the same building. The school was located on the corner of Upper Bedford Street and St Georges Terrace.

My first class
The first class was class 5 and was for five year old children. Because there was not enough room in the main school building some of the classes had to be held in the convent next door to the church. The head teacher was Mr Hogan some of the teachers were nuns from the convent of the Sisters of Mercy, next door to the church, which is also called St John the Baptist.

Sometime in 1954 the secondary school moved to Woodingdean to what used to be called Warren Farm. This was called St John the Baptist Secondary Modern School, later renamed the Fitzherbert School. The old junior school later moved to its new building which is now in Whitehawk Hill Road. The old school in St Georges Terrace later became the Fitzherbert Centre.

This photo was taken in 1952: I am on the bottom row, left hand side

From the private collection of John Leach

Photo:Back row, from left to right: Sr. Anthony or Sr. Mary Mercy, Mr Hogan, 2nd boy: Tony Curreri, 4th boy: Patrick Flynn, Teacher: Mr Beech.Third row: 3: Maureen Grey, 4: Jacqui Grey 5: Patricia Ewing (Youens?) 6: Rosalind Davey, 8: Carroll, Nun: Sr Margaret Mary or Sr Gertrude. Second row: 3: Teresa Stapleton, 4: Julie Butler, Father Flanagan, 5: Heather Munn. Front row: 1: Kieran Boyle, 2: Jan Podsiadly, 3: Ian Higgins, 6: Raymond Cousins (or Kevin Collins) 7: Martin Fairey, 10: Michael Baker.

Back row, from left to right: Sr. Anthony or Sr. Mary Mercy, Mr Hogan, 2nd boy: Tony Curreri, 4th boy: Patrick Flynn, Teacher: Mr Beech.Third row: 3: Maureen Grey, 4: Jacqui Grey 5: Patricia Ewing (Youens?) 6: Rosalind Davey, 8: Carroll, Nun: Sr Margaret Mary or Sr Gertrude. Second row: 3: Teresa Stapleton, 4: Julie Butler, Father Flanagan, 5: Heather Munn. Front row: 1: Kieran Boyle, 2: Jan Podsiadly, 3: Ian Higgins, 6: Raymond Cousins (or Kevin Collins) 7: Martin Fairey, 10: Michael Baker.

From the private collection of John Leach

St John the Baptist RC school today

Photo by John Leach

This page was added on 26/10/2006.

Comments:

Regarding the photo taken the school playground in 1952, does anybody remember any of the names of the children? I have been looking at the faces and can remember some of the names I think, even though I was a few years older.

By Mick Peirson (20/01/2007)

What happy memories your pictures brought. I started school in 1944 and went on to Woodingdean. I was taught by many of these teachers. Mr. Beech was my favourite. I think it is me second row from back extreme right. Please contact.

By Jackie Soutar (nee Gladwell) (20/02/2007)

I started at St. John the Baptist in 1948, and I certainly remember the name of Jackie Gladwell even though it seems that we were years apart in the school. I was also taught by Mr. Beech in Class 3a if I remember rightly. He was a gentle, kind teacher, one of the best. The next class up was 4a where Mr. McQuaid was the taskmaster. I was in the choir in 4a and Mr. McQuaid was a devil for lobbing stuff at you, especially the blackboard rubber and chalk, he had a filthy temper if somebody sang a bit flat. I was with the first year that went to Woodingdean in 1954 where our teacher was Miss Long in Class 1a, she was also the girls' PE teacher. Jackie - I first saw your name on Friends Reunited and it rang a bell as did some other names. One of these days I will pay my update fee and have a real look into the past. Best wishes.

By Mick Peirson (27/02/2007)

I was at St John the Baptist from 1950. Teachers there were Mr Mcquaid, Mr. Marney, Mr. Goodman, Miss DeMohun, Miss Jean Groundsell. I would love to see any pictures of that era, if any around please contact.

By Maureen Croke (nee Carroll) (20/03/2007)

I attended here for a year before it moved to Woodingdean, also my sister Bridget and brother Tom (surname was Gillespie). I remember Mr Marney, Miss De Mohun and Sister Augustus. It seems a lifetime ago now. I would love to hear anyone's memories from this time.

By Mary Smith (29/03/2007)

I also attended St John the Baptist from 1950 until I left, with my family, to emigrate to the U.S. in 1954. In addition to Miss De Mohun and Sister Augustus I remember Mr. Crowley, Mr. Carolan and Mr. McNeil. My whole family attended the school. Anyone remember Allen, Pat, Betty and Thommy Waller? Wonderful memories.

By Eddie Waller (01/04/2007)

Hello Maureen Caroll. Are you the Maureen Caroll who lived up by the Sussex County Hospital? If so I do remember you from schooldays. I think you were a year older than me.

By Vera Wakefield (nee Bridger) (02/08/2007)

Hello Vera, yes I am the person you mean. I lived at Eastern Road and I do remember you as Vera Bridger. Hope you are well, and are you living locally? I live in Hove.

By Maureen Croke (06/09/2007)

Hello Maureen Caroll - I would love to hear from you. My email address is: vera.wakefield@tiscali.co.uk

By Vera Wakefield (13/09/2007)

I attended St John The Baptist School from 1959 to 1963 after which I returned with my parents to the then Malaya. My brother and I were the only "foreign" students to attend the school at that time and I must say, I still hold fond memories of my time there. If by any chance there is anyone out there who remembers the two Chinese boys, I would like to hear from you. We use to live on the seafront at Marine Parade. My email is channieuk@yahoo.co.uk

By Francis Chan (03/12/2007)

I was one of the girls from the convent next door to St John the Baptist. I started school aged 5 in 1950. I remember the alley somebody mentioned in an earlier comment as that was the route we girls came through to school from the convent. I remember Sister Gertrude was a gentle person and used to take singing in the convent. I can't remember if she did at school too! Does anybody remember me or any of the convent girls? There was a sweet shop over the road where we used to get our penny and halfpenny and even farthing sweeties. I can remember learning to play jacks sat on the steps near the gate. My email address is waller.geoffrey@gmail.com if any one wants to contact me, I live in France now. I went on to Fitzherbert when I was old enough too.

By Sandie Waller (formerly Edna Taylor) (31/01/2008)

I am in the photo having made my first holy communion. I am in the second row, first girl on the right. My name is Linda George. Would love to hear from any of you. Also regarding the school photo in 1952, I know those faces so well and think I may have been in your classes at some stage as I started school in 1952 in the Infants. Lovely to see this as I have not got either of these photos.

By Linda George (in Australia) (31/01/2008)

I went to St John the Baptist school when it was in Kemp Town. I remember the school bus that took us from Whitehawk to the school each day. Mr O'Shea was the headmaster. Lots of very happy memories.

By Mary (24/02/2008)

Sorry, I made a mistake in my previous entry; I started school in 1949, not 1944, which is the year of my birth. I'd love to hear from anyone; I now live in Australia.

By Jackie Soutar (nee Gladwell) (02/04/2008)

Hi Eddie Waller, Yes if you are who I think you are my family knew you. My sister Rosemary was a friend of Betty's. Did you live in Elm Grove? If so, please correspond. j.soutar@ecu.edu.au

By Jackie Soutar (nee Gladwell) (02/04/2008)

Hi Jackie, yes we are the Waller's of Elm Grove and my sister Betty was very good friends with your sister Rosemary. I also remember Rosemary as she used to visit us in Elm Grove. I will E-mail you and I know Betty will be happy to hear the news. We all live in the States now. All the best.

By Eddie Waller (05/04/2008)

Sorry I put the wrong date in my previous entry, I started School in 1949, which is why you remember me John. Other children I remember in the class photo are Ralph, Ashley, Patricia, Shirley, Christobel, Sylvia, Georgina, Marie and Carol. Mick, do you have a sister Geraldine? My email address is printed in another entry - would love to hear from anyone who remembers me, especially Vera.

By Jackie Soutar(nee Gladwell) (07/04/2008)

I started at St. John the Baptist in 1948. I remember Sister Gertrude and the convent garden we walked through to take needlework lessons (girls only) from her. Mr Beach (Beech?) was my favorite, although I also liked Miss Thornten who trained us for the 11+ exam. My e-mail address is getdaisy@comcast.net and I live in San Francisco. I would love to hear from any classmates. I did see one, Desmond Lynam, when he was in the US once.

By Janice Leach (nee Prossor) (23/04/2008)

I was at St John the Baptist from 1950 and remember Miss Demohune, Miss Grounsell and especially Mr Caroline, my form teacher, always going very red reprimanding Joey Allen. I remember Magaret Halpin, Rita Walters, Jean Gardiner and Angela (can't remember her surname, but she sang in the choir and had a lovely voice). Would love to see any photos of that time or contact any one in that class.

By Wendy Jackson (nee Woodham) (24/04/2008)

I also travelled on the bus from Whitehawk to St. John The Baptist. I remember Sr Anthony, Sr Gertrude, Sr Mary, Mrs Riedy, Mrs Bronson, Miss Smith and the head Mr O Shea. I have fond memories of the May procession and the crowning of Our Lady in the convent garden. Our communion photographs were also taken there among the flowers.I attended between 1969 to 1975.I live in Ireland now with my family.Regards to everyone

By Annette Golds (04/05/2008)

Eddie Waller please would you contact me again I have lost your email address.

By Jackie Soutar(nee Gladwell) (14/09/2008)

Jackie, thanks. I am now in contact with Anthony and I will get back to you soon.

By Eddie Waller (17/09/2008)