St Clares Convent

A Memory of Coalville.

I was born and mainly brought up at The Warren Grace Dieu (Army father!) We all went to St Clare's .Thats me (Susan Warren), my sister Elizabeth, my brother Michael, my two cousins Monica and Nicholas Westgate and my Aunt Julie Westgate. I think Pat and Mary Westgate (Mother's adopted sisters) may have gone as well. My mother was Jo Westgate. I remember Mother Palinus as the head and Mother Ann who looked after us all when we were in 'the babies'! Joy Henshaw was a friend of mine and Andrew Figures was a friend of my brothers. I remember the lovely warm kitchen where you sat and sipped warm milk if you didn't feel well and the horrible fish we had on a Friday - but the rice pudding was good!
The lovely way Fr. Peters would sit us on his knee to hear our sins, and later on, when we graduated to the confessional having unburdened ourselves annonomously he would say 'and how's your grandmother Susan? give her my best' !!! I never liked Father Keyes - he always gave longer penances!!!
We all used to troop around the market on a Friday with my grandmother. I mainly remember visiting Mr Ward the knicker and stocking man! Then we'd visit the sweet shop next to the Leicester Boot and shoe company (I think it was called that) and if we had been very good we were given 6d each to spend in Woolworths and then it was all in the car and home.

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