Clements Hall Childrens Home

Hi I went there with my older Brother and younger sister from 58 to 61. I do remember the green tram and the walk across the spiinneys to the bus stop to Hawkwell Holt School ( l liked the school ) but some of my deepest memories was, we always got burnt chips at the home and my sister was always chased by the geese !! Chris Jones

I was there with my two sisters in the late 50's and it was awful.
a bowl of porrige in the morning with bread and margarine. We went to school in Canewdon at first,catching a coach at the Spa.
If we missed it it was a very long walk. I went to senior school in rayleigh. The women in charge we had to call her Mimi and there was a disabled girl/women who used to sit on the steps up to her office.I can't remember any names except a guy call timothy bidmead. My name is Ken and my sisters were Elaine & Jean. We used to go to the woods at the back of Hockley station when our Nan used to visit us and she would go home to london loaded with bluebells. Anyone out there remember us?

Hi Chris Jones
Your name rings a bell with me. Although I did,nt arrive until 1960 with my older sisters Denise, Josephine and younger brother. My brother and I was placed in the big playroom. Do not remember having chips but sure remember the horrible geese.
Christine Goodey now Breedon

That girl who used to sit on the steps was Sadie Cohen,poor girl. I was there with my two sisters Maureen and Dennise around 59-61 ish.I remember the geese and Mr Wallis,Mimi,Phyliss and Betty Log as well as the tram!
I remember the cricket field pond were I fell in and cut my foot open. Was laid up for a week or two!!

Hi Terry Thanks for your memory message. I did know the lady was called Sadie she use to roll wool up into a very large ball and then start again.
There is a book out called An Improper Daughter, she was in the home from age 10 months in and Mimi adopted her. Her name is Ruth Jones and lives in New Zealand. Now aged about 90.I have the book and I purchased it from Amazon last year after being told about it. from Christine Breedon.

Hi Christine, when you opened by saying that you were at Clements Hall 1960/65, I thought, how could that be? I was there during that period and I don't remember you. But Christine Goodey, you I do remember, and your sisters Denise and Josephine, but not your brother I’m afraid. I remember Timothy Bidmead as well, he used to play cricket with us younger boys, and always used the same holes to put the stumps in so we didn’t cover the “lawn” in holes. I still think is was an amazing place to grow up in, the freedom we had was incredible, and some of the pranks we got up to don’t bear thinking about in today’s “health & safety” world.
And Hi to you too Terry, we exchanged some emails a few years back, but I seem to have lost them now.
My name is John McAllister and I was there, along with my three sisters (Mary, Kathleen and Janet), from Dec 59 to Aug 64, shortly before it closed down following Mimi’s death. I’m sure there’s a similar thread to this somewhere, because I remember commenting on the fact that I have a lifelong hatred of geese following some of the encounters we had there. I can remember cautiously opening the back door to see where they were, and trying to work out if I had enough time to run the gauntlet before they could reach me screeching and hissing, wings spread and necks down. There is an animal sanctuary near me and they have some geese there, and the same thing happened when my wife and I visited there a few years ago. Such unnecessarily aggressive creatures.
I have just finished reading An Improper Daughter, and found it fascinating. She was there from the very beginning, and her tales of the early days are fascinating. She doesn’t mention the tram, so I guess that arrived after she left. I’d love to know how they got it there. And her description of Emily was spot on from my memory of her. And she doesn’t mention Mrs Fox either, but I seem to remember that Mrs Fox was Mimi's sister, so I'm wondering if Dollo was actually Mrs Fox. She mentions the reclining mulberry tree, which was still giving fruit when I left. And let’s not forget the lizard tree, one of the last trees in the garden I conquered. It was an amazing view across the cricket field from the top.

Hi John, thanks for your comments. sorry for late reply been busy down south having a big family Xmas reunion. I remember you very well as you were placed in the playroom with Janet and I was always with her. I loved that mulberry tree I use to sit up there in the summer months. Yes the geese were horrible every Christmas it brings it back to me having goose for Christmas lunch.
I see you have read An Improper Daughter book, my sister Pam was over from N.Zealand and got talking about Ruth Jones who lives near her, my sister is going to look her up and have a chat with her.In the meantime Ruth Jones had made a radio interview show on NZ.CO.NZ the programme is Nine to Noon. It was recorded in 2009 but makes good listening if you are interested in her. Yes Dollo is Mrs Fox , Mimi,s sister.

bye for now Christine Breedon ( Goodey)

Hi all, I am John McAllister's sister Kathy! (His comments are above.) Our sisters Mary and Janet have unfortunately now passed away.
Well we sure did have lots of fun, excitement and adventure at Clements Hall didn't we - but lets not forget why we were each there eh...!
I am in the middle of writing a memoir about my time at Clements Hall - Dec 1959 to Aug 1964 - 'warts and all'. It is called 'The Clements Hall Clan' (20,000 words so far.) I am interested to hear something about your memories and experiences if you wouldn't mind - it helps jog my memories.
I have also read 'An Improper Daughter' - by Ruth Jones. It inspired me to write something myself. An amazing lady, also now dead since last May. I have been in touch with one of her daughters in New Zealand. I look forward to hearing from any of you as soon as you like...
Love and big thanks, Kathy - (Katy_murrell@hotmail.com)

Hi all, my brother and I remember being in Clements hall back in the 60, we were known as the Jackaon's, my name is Lynette my brothers are Clifford John and Robert. We also remember the vicious geese which we were all afraid of which used to chase us all across the yard, we remember the old green tram which we also played on and the big redwood tree in the garden where the tram was, we used to call it the lizard tree, we also remember the Malbury tree of which my brother Robert fell out of, I myself used to make grass skirt out of Christmas decorations for us girls, my brother was most upset because I didn't make him one, so I had to make him one, we remember playing croquettes on a Sunday afternoon in the cricket grounds. We were actually there until it closed down because Mimi died, I remember Sunday bath time, us all lining up to have our weekly bath in the old bath that was covered with an old wooden board when not in use. I remember the little girl that Mimi adopted which lived in the attic rooms, her name was Ruth she was 8 years old, was kept up in the attic rooms because she was disabled and Mimi didn't want or allow her to mix with the other children from the home because she didn't want her to suffer abuse because of her disabilities, she used to sit on the front step hoping that Mimi didn't catch her, one time that she did was when I was talking to Ruth, we both got into trouble, her for being on the front step and me for talking to her. I remember being most upset as I didn't do anything wrong.

Hi Clement,s Hall Clan !!
I have visited C,H in the last ten years and it looked very sad. Got talking to a man who was telling me the woman who lives there now or then would,nt let people pass C.H to get to the Criket field, police were called and she had to cut the very long grass down as it was,nt her land to shut people off passing.
So if any one is interested in doing a meet up, lets go for it. from Christine Breedon (Goodey ).

Hi all, I stayed in Clemente Hall from 1941 - 1949 I remember Sister Gertie and Sister Beatrice Campbell just some of the childrens names - Suzy or Susan Mandel or Mendel , Pamela and Grant.
Also the horrible geese that used to chase us. I loved playing in the tram, I can remember one day whilst sitting on those very high steps I fell off and cut my cheek just under my eye…I still have the scar to this day. My father used to visit me every 6 weeks - he would bring my brother Alan who was in a childrens home in London.. we used to go into Southend - on - Sea. Happy memories.
Bye for now Beatrice Green (Gordon)

I stayed at Clements Hall from 1940 to 1944. My name was Pamela Mandel then. Don't have any happy memories from then. The people who adopted me used to tell me I would cry not to be put in the dungeon. Anybody remember what that might have been? I wouldn't think they had dungeon.