Attending St. Mary's Convent/School

Roy Daniels , You don't say what years you were at St Mary's ! . Get in touch with delvinjohnflynn72@gmail.com . we have a group of us who mostly 'fondly' remember dear old St Mary's and we would love to have your story and comments on our chat site . We have members in Australia and Canada too all who lived at St Mary's . Come aboard . God Bless from Michael monaghan .

Hi Roy and Michael
I am so glad I found this. I attended St Marys about 1957, I too have fond memories of the place. With the exception of one of the Nuns who was there at the time.
But for me St Marys was basically a catholic boarding school. Some might even say an orphanage. But when I was about four or five I ended up there. I don’t even remember actually going there. Curiously, I don’t even remember missing my mother and family. But there I was. Even started my infant schooling there. Some of you readers of this might think Aah poor fellow! However, overall my childhood there wasn’t too bad at all.
The place was run by a group of catholic nuns and a couple of catholic priests. By and large they were very kind and let us have the run of the place. We were constantly given energetic games to play. Overall, there was a lot of boisterous fun to be had. Especially when we had to attend mass on Sunday. I was in the choir and our singing position was on the balcony to the rear of the church. Looking back I feel a bit sorry for the poor folks sitting below in the pews for obvious reasons!
If you have any more memories I would be very grateful to hear them
Best Wishes
Barry Norman

My name is Michael Murphy, and I was at St Mary’s from 1954 to early 1964, when my mum took me back, and we moved to Hammersmith, London, just before my 11th birthday - four and a half years later I was a boy soldier at Rhyl, and served for 44 1/2 years, leaving in 2013.

I don’t have too many memories of my time at St Mary’s, and certainly don’t have any photos, as I ripped them all up - in a fit of temper tantrums - when we moved to London.

I went to Gravesend a few years ago, to see if the home was still there, and sadly it was demolished some years earlier.

I am desperate to find out why I was placed in St Mary’s in the first place; sadly my mum and dad have both passed on, so I can’t ask them.

If anyone out there could point me in the right direction as to who would be best to contact, I would be eternally grateful.

Regards

Michael (Mike) Murphy

Hello, my name is Trish Woodward nee Baxter. I am searching for information on my dad James William Bernard BAXTER . He was born in Newcastle but we think on the death of his mother he was sent to Gravesend. But this would have been between 1918 and 1927. Was the convent in existence then? Is there any documentation anywhere about who lived in the convent/ orphanage? Any help much appreciated x

Hi my name is Maureen Hafner. I was born in 1953
I attended At. Mary's school from 1957 then went on to the junior school in Edwin Street behind St. John's Catholic church. The names Michael Murphy and Barry Norman rings a bell. Maybe you remember me me. Let me know if you do. Email. mozrocares@hotmail.co.uk.
Maureen.