The Francis Frith Collection.
You are here: Explore your past > Chagford > Memories

Memories of Chagford

Get involved in the Frith Memories Community - savour and share Memories of your favourite places.
You can start now: Add your own Memory of Chagford or a Chagford photo.

St Bride's School in the late 1940s and early 1950s

My maiden name was Quarman. I boarded at St Bride's School in the late 1940s and early 1950s.  The headmistress was Miss Thompson, assistant Miss Watson.  We wore a green unifrom.  I ued to enjoy ballet in gym on Wednesday afternoons. I played Mustardseed in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', ha ha ha.  A few of the friends I remember were Anne Bradford, Athenie Gerome, Penelope Kennedy and Rhona Smythe. Does anyone remember the midnight swims and getting out through the chapel doors? we were naughty, lol.

Does anyone have any pics of those years? And if you remember me please get in touch.

Shared on 05 April 2009 by Patricia Arnold.

Holystreet Manor, Chagford

I am wondering if anyone remembers the school in Chagford at Holystreet Manor. I went to this school in the mid 1950s and at the time it was called St Brides, later to be re-named Holystreet Manor School with a change of Principal. I believe it closed down shortly after.
I lived in Moretonhampstead at the time (my parents were managers of the White Hart Hotel) and used to catch a bus from Moreton to Chagford then walk the couple of miles to the school. I did used to get side-tracked by Mr French of the local riding school, helping him to catch up his ponies. My school uniform used to get covered in pony hairs so had to have a quick brush down before going into school. In the afternoon I walked back up to Chagford again but there was a long wait for a bus so my parents arranged for me to sit in Mrs Rose's sweet shop in the square until the bus arrived.
Holystreet Manor School was for boarding and day pupils, I still have a school photo and the total in the whole school was only 40 pupils (about 6 teachers)! It was a wonderful experience for me as the school had acres of grounds for outdoor activities from nature studies to swimming in the very cold river. Several pupils used to ride their ponies to school, leave them in the stables for the day and ride home again in the evening.
The interior of the house was superb and made Christmastime very special. Every year I paraded down the wonderful wide staircase in the same tatty old angel outfit in front of the adoring parents!
Do these memories ring a bell with anyone else?  
Elizabeth Moon (nee Sturdy)

Shared on 19 January 2009 by David Moon.

Need to revise your search? Click here for our Search Homepage, where you can browse by Place, Postcode or Keyword.

© Copyright 1998-2009 Frith Content Inc. All rights reserved.