This Was My Home From 1961 1967 Approximately
A Memory of Copthorne.
My name is Alexandra Walsh and I was a border at this wonderful school from 4 to 10 years old. I loved this place so much that it broke my heart when I went back to visit and it was no longer there. I do not have a great memory for names but I remember a girl called Karen and another called Maria (who was older than me) and I think having seen Rachel's name in another post, that I also remember her.
Sister Assumpta was the sister in charge of us girls at the time and just before I left it was Sister Kieran, (whom I did not like). I remember I wanted Sister Assumpta to be my mother because I loved her so much. Father Rudolf was our priest and he was lovely. I remember listening to Irish songs with them both and of course the other girls and being allowed to watch The Monkeys before going to bed. I remember polishing lots of shoes and skating up and down the corridors with cloths on our feet to polish the floors.
I remember my first holy communion and my first confession. I still have some photographs. I remember a boy called Pascal and another called Anthony, who took their first communion at the same time. I think Anthony is part of the Tony & Guy Hair Salons or so I have been told. I remember mass but not too much about lessons. I remember trying to learn the piano and ballet, I did better at ballet then piano but I guess I didn't like practicing at lunchtime. So many lovely memories. Pinching gooseberries from the garden, raking grass cuttings (after the front lawn was cut) in to rooms shapes and pretending it was our house. I remember sports days, what great times.
I went back to visit a couple of times and saw Sister Attracta and Sister Bonaventure and it was like going back to visit relatives. Sister Anne (I think she was quite old) worked in the kitchen and do you remember the porridge we had for breakfast if you had run out of cereal that your parents brought. The kitchen it was down about 20 steps from the dormitory's and I was so scared in the night having to cross the corridor to the loo because it was so dark down there, I would make a mad dash both ways, in the end I was so scared I would rather wet the bed and hide the sheets under the bed hoping desperately that in the morning Sister Assumpta wouldn't find them.
I remember laying in bed on a summers evening looking at the sun shining and thinking why are we in bed so early. I remember a trip we did to Keukenhof and the memory was so beautiful, I tried to take my 13 year old daughter there to re-live it all again but unfortunately, the coach we went on was full of adults who decided they would rather stay in Amsterdam and we never did see the daffodils.
Well that's some of my memories for now. If anyone remembers me and wants to get in touch please do not be put off by my business email, I don't have a personal one at this time. :-)
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Comments & Feedback
I attended school there full time from 1960-1964.. If I remember correctly you where a bit younger than me and had jet black hair short with straight short bangs, I won't go on with my memories of you till I know it is you... All the memories you listed and the nuns are all the same memories I have and more! I was just looking at the school picture on here and see the top window on the right, it was known as the top room, where you slept if the nuns thought you were 'BAD' haha, I just showed my husband and told him how I would lay in bed up there and see the clouds and beautiful trees lining the main lawn! He said, "you probably were up there a lot". Haha
Anyway a few years ago when I found this site I did find another school mate, his name is John Hopper, he was there the same timeframe we were... I won't go on till I hear back from you.
Barbara. ( I am on Facebook under this name)
Do you remember some of the classmates, ... Irena Davis (nickname was TP) , Angela and Renata Belini, Paula O' Shea,
Orianna enrico, Suzanne peters, Juliet Garret, Elizabeth Brown,
Carol and Helen Pettit, just a few of them that were there during that time... I remember most everything from back then, we used to shine the chapel floors on our knees for a reward of a holy card or a piece of fruit, and when we were "Bad" we got sent to the TOP ROOM to sleep for the night, I remember being sent there and slept walked all the way back to our dormitory! Haha
Do you remember the incident with the crayon, it involved you?
Well, I hope you receive this message, and I hope to hear back from you so we can share memories. :)
Take care, Barbara
Yes that is exactly what the crayon incident was, can't believe it's you after all these years 😊
I have often thought of you and wondered how you got on once you got out. You seem to have many happy memories of the place; I can't say the same for myself. Sr Attracta was a sadist - I can remember her beating Loretta Gniocchi black and blue with the side of a ruler. Even Sr Assumpta, who was also a dab hand at with a cane, was freaked. (Sr Bonaventure was the only decent teacher, she took the top class.) Always the boarders who were abused, I suppose they knew they couldn't get away with it with day pupils. Amd why on earth were three and four year olds at a boarding school? I know my parents sent me there after my brother died and my mother could not cope. I was quite happy as a day pupil, and although as a boarder I was never personally abused by any of the nuns I witnessed it frequently on other children. I'm glad you have happier memories of the place than me - all I can remember besides the viscious 'carers' was the terrible bullying by older girls which the nuns seemed to sanction. Oh - and the time the tree fell on the Rev Mother (Rose?) and killed her - the priest arrived on motor bike to administer the last rites! And the following winter the next Rev Mother fell in the fishpond while breaking the ice but was rescued.
I never expected to make any contact with anyone from that period of my life as until now I have successfully blotted it out! Although you seem to have been happy, the only happiness I can remember was the day my parents finally took me away. Oh - and the day I left all forms of Catholic education and never had to enter a Catholic church ever again ....
I wish the very best to both of you and to anyone else who was incarcerated in this place; I'd be interested to hear from any of you.
The fact that you remember me makes me happy and you didn't say your memories were bad so that good to. I am trying to imagine how the end of your bed butted up to mine. I seem to remember the beds being in rows.
I do remember the bathroom with the 3 tubs (not the dirty tepid water) but I remember getting in one after the other, so I guess you are right. I don't remember throwing up but I guess I would have been very upset as I hate getting sick. Was sick all the way through my one and only pregnancy - terrible.
I think you and Barbara will be able to buzz of each other because she remembers other boarders back then to. Please can you let me know of any of the things you remember about me, if there are any, it helps with a memory like mine.
I hope you will keep in touch even though I cannot bring much to the table.