Visitation Convent Bridport
A Memory of Bridport.
Since my blog of 2007 concerning my time as a boarder at the Visitation Convent school 1942-1947, I have noted with interest that other former pupils (though not from the years I was there) have commented on their experiences of the place. Mostly, their memories are sad and bitter ones. It has made me think back again at my years there. Were such things as they have mentioned really going on, and I never knew about them? All I can say, is that I was never maltreated during the whole of those years, nor did I see or hear of any other boy being beaten or forced to eat his own vomit by the nuns, or being refused permission to go to the toilet, or being so oppressed that suicide would be contemplated. In my opinion, the nuns were dedicated to looking after us - and this they did to the best of their ability. Of the 20+ nuns at the convent when I was there, there were only perhaps three that I didn't get on with too well - not bad going. The teaching was of a high standard thanks to Sr. Anne, Sr. Edith and Sr. Magdalen. OK, Sr. Anne did tap me on the head with the end of a pencil a couple of times for getting my sums wrong - so what! What else do I remember? I remember the kindness shown to me always by Sr. Catherine, Sr. Anne Selma and Sr. Therese, and also by Sr. Helen Joseph, who used to teach in the little school in Chideock. I remember Sr. Julianne playing the harmonium in our chapel, and Sr. Georgina always working away in the wash house. Yes, the porridge could be lumpy, and I didn't like marrow or spinach, but the sisters were catering for quite a number of boys. One could hardly expect meals to be as Mum made them. And lastly, I remember our walks on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons and afterwards attending Benediction in the Chapel, with the nuns and ourselves singing the old hymns. No, for me, not a harsh existence, but one that I remember with affection.
James McGuinness. Convent number 74.
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I also remember an occasion one night after lights out in the dormitory, I must have been 8 or 9 years old. I was on the verge of dozing off when the door to the dormitory opened and Sister Agnes marched in and turned a light on. When I looked up I could see that she was carrying a leather belt. She threw the bed covers back on a boy's bed (I remember him well, but won't reveal his name here) and beat the hell out of him. It must have gone on for half a minute, after which she threw his bedclothes back over him and stormed out. I lay there petrified, as I'm sure did the rest of the boys. The boy lay there crying fo a good half an hour. We never found out what he had done wrong and the incident was never mentioned again as far as I can remember.
My memories of the convent are mostly positive but, although I remember the names of many of them, I have been unable to trace any of them through social media or the internet. I remember that none of the boys ever registered on Friends Reunited although the school did have a page on the site. Several of the day pupils were on there but none of the boarders from my time there. I managed to track down one or two through internet searches - some had very unique names which made this easier - but I haven't established any renewed friendships. I sent a friendly message to one who by that time was an officer in the Australian Army. I received a very terse reply confirming that yes, he was the person I went to school with at the convent and that he was now a major in the Australian Army, regards. I was left under no illusion that he did not wish to enter into any further correspondence, but replied that it was nice of him to reply and that I still had a photo of the school nativity play with him as the Virgin Mary and could send him a copy if he liked. I heard nothing further.