Recollections Of St Gorran School
A Memory of Manaccan.
I attended in the late 1950's. I understood it to be mainly for children whose parents were abroad.
There were 2 teachers - one I cannot remember the name of and the other was Miss KR who always wore corduroy trousers and had an Alsation or German Shepherd dog. She often hit me with a ruler for the most minor thing. The school was made up of mostly boarders and a few day pupils, of which I was one. The majority of the school was Catholic, but I was Church of England and I was made to feel the odd one. Every so often a Monsignor would come for Religious Studies and I remember him always picking his nose. My mother had to have a short spell in hospital so I boarded for a couple of weeks - I remember I had to turn my bed mattress every day and we also had to do housekeeping chores. Some of the pupils I remember were - Christopher Baboon and his younger brother Robbie. We were all given a new writing pencil and one day mine went missing - on checking our folders I found it in Robbie's. I do not know if he did it for a joke or just
to get me into trouble with the teacher. My parents got me a book on nature studies and that went missing (I think that it was stolen but no one believed me). There was a girl called Clare who was very kind to me, also a boy called John Roberts. If I recall, he told me he was going into the Navy.
Two other girls names; Melanie Richards and Phillipa Jones - I think her mother was the school cook. There was a girl who was very good at drawing birds but I can not remember her
name. Also there was a pair of twin girls - I think they came from Singapore. As my parents were not very well off and the school fees were expensive, I left and went to a school in Helston. I have not been back to Cornwall for about 40 years. I now live in East Anglia. My maiden was Penny Lee, now married my name is Penny Poole.
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Comments & Feedback
My strange life has continued for the next 55 years and I am convinced it is all connected to that school in Cornwall. Most if not all of us were put there for a purpose. We were deliberately abused to train us to accept it in later life. Do you remember Mr Harris? I was told he was a doctor who was dying from cancer. The latter part of the statement was obviously a lie but I suspect he did have a medical background.
Let me have a few more of your recollections if they are not too painful. I would like to know more of your background and how your life has panned out if possible. I have so much to say but I will leave it at the moment.
Best Wishes
Clare
My e-mail address is cmtrains@yahoo.co.uk
Clare
When I told my parents (we lived in Myrtle Cottage at Gillan) they told the police and a plain clothes chap typed a statement from me. Don't know what happened as a result.
I remember there were chickens and bees and extensive grounds. My name is James Davies, it would be lovely to hear of anyone who was there.
I remember it as a very cruel place run by nutters !!
I came across this website and as an ex St Gorrans pupil (inmate?) I thought I should add my bit. I actually quite liked the place perhaps because it seemed bliss in comparison to my traumatic experiences at an earlier school-abroad-run by the rather inaptly named Sisters of Mercy and I was also of an age and disposition where I could handle things better. My brother and sister who also went to St Gorrans hated it. I eventually ended up getting expelled whilst on holiday at St Gorrans having already transferred to another boarding school. I suppose I was no longer intimidated by the staff and got too much for them to handle.
I would love to hear from any past pupils.
Phil
My name is David Jenkins. You might remember me as the boy with a sudden temper!
I went to that school from 1954-1961, sometimes spending Half Terms and Holidays there. the abuse was incessant, beaten every day for some thing.Often made to take my bed into the boiler room and sleep there. I was taken into the girls dorm, made to undress and bath there.
, among other abuses. I was once caught, when cleaning the chapel, opening and looking at the missal and the pictures.
I was taken down to the goat shed and beaten naked with rope.
Dorothy Charlton and Kathrine Richmond Mr Harris just used and abused us kids for profit at expensive fees and we where the slaves.
My only good thing that I can remember about that place where the goats.
Hillary Bokenham, Christian Verboom and Melisa Knibbs I remember They kinda looked out for me
I remember you... My name is Claire Ortoli. I was at st G's for three years which seemed like a lifetime from 57 to 60. I also remember the punishments as vividly as you do but for me they were not as severe. Miss R's behavior was decidedly sadistic. I am thinking of writing a book about my experience there....we are survivors!
I am john pleated went there1963 to 1967 ish
there always seems to be people from early years not my time
if your out there give look up on face book
Ian branchy Sarah Ann pointer two brothers heweitt stithins
demonic Selby walker [just remember]at the age of 8 what a name jones for helston dad was a baker and on and on
get in touch thanks
Obviusly nothing changed. The shepherd dog was there as the punishment on the back of our knees, with the kitchen wooden spoon. Milking the goats and peeling the patatoes with an old mill type machine are part of my memories. There where two indian boarders who lived all year round, brother and sister, orphans. I think he was called Morris Valadores. He took the the worst of the punishment.
simon wale
I would love to find Morag but don’t remember her second name.
My name is Tracy willshire if anyone remembers me.x
Best
Mary A.
I too have had a very strange life. Sex drugs and rock and roll. I lived all over the world but had no sense of identity in a strange way I found your message very comforting as it validated all my memories. I was so scared of Miss Richmond she beat me often, the worst time with Mark "foghorn" Christian and Meliss Knibbs were really good to me and it is strange that this come to me on the day of the lunar elipse. If you see this please get in touch as you say 55 years later,
Tripuri Dunne (formerly Marguerite Dunne)
For validating my painful memories.
I was there from Autumn 1958 to 1961 I think. I remember some awful punishments and I was always in some kind of trouble with Miss Richmond,
Please feel free to contact me my name is Tripuri but I was Marguerite ....I have only foundjust these messages...
Tripuri Dunne formerly Margerite Dunne
I loved the horses and goats and the view and the trips with Mr Harris to Falmouth harbour.
I hated cleaning the hen perches in the freezing cold before breakfast and I hated porridge so it always got cold, and I was frequently punished for not eating it.
It may have taught me endurance and I do believe they thought they were doing the right thing...but it did seem harsh at times.
I was there from 64-66. I remember Marguerite, Maurice and Maria Valadires. Excuse spelling. I , like all of us unfortunates, was horribly, sadistically and violently abused. I remember a boy named Mark who was often beaten with a horse whip or the chain end of the dog lead.
I was there for a year in 1963/4. My name is Robin Wookey and I have an older brother Michael who was there for two years.
We dreaded Miss Richmond and always had memories of her riding boots and pants carrying a whip with which she meted out punishment to those naughty boys! It always seemed that Miss Richmond to great satisfaction at punishment. My memories are vague with names but I do remember having to get up early to sweep the goat pens and the wonderful walks to the beach searching for flint and along cliff's edge.
Miss Richmonds cruelty still sticks in my mind! I can see we were not the only ones!
I'm Michael, Robin's older brother. We both attended st Gorran School. I arrived there in Manaccan in April 1961 until July 1964.
I was closest to Christian Verboon (of Dutch, African decent; his parents were also in Nigeria or Holland) who was 6 months older than me. We were familiar friends but at times competitive. Christian had a brother Robbie who was 4 years younger.
I was also friends with James Stanes, Stephen Goode, who were a year or so younger than I. I know of Michael Bennett , his younger brother David Bennett & Peter Tynan. Of the girls I seemed to remember being close or more familiar with Marguarite Dunne, Sally Anne Trelease, Veronica Seliman, Brenda Pope, Celia & Melissa Knibbs.
Katherine Wakefield Richmond was the between 47 to 50 year old principle of the "farm school" being between 47- 50 years in 1961 while Miss Dorothy Charlton, slightly younger was the offsider. Miss Richmond taught the older children. There was 50 year Ralph Harris who was a friend of Miss Richmond. He was involved in electrical & wood work, & whatever.
It was not an easy life being around 10 years of age in 1961 when I came there as a boarder. The older boys & girls (around 20) got up at 6.45am in the dark, washed & dressed as quick as we can. We were in farm jeans (special school overalls & in windsheater jacket if required. Once dressed we rushed downstairs & through the junior school room, walked another 100 metres or so further to the former large garage, now essentially a goat shed with around 20 stalls. Miss Richmond milked the goats, we, the boys cleaned out the goat stalls, brushed the courtyard & around the stalls, some girls cleaned the chicken & duck compound up the road & hill. Hillary Bokenham who was 3 years older than me being a member of the staff, took care of the two donkeys, Jessie & Tommy, & also the two jersey calves, Starlight & Venus. One goat I admired but a bit scared of was Clover with her horns! One billygoat I was more scared of was Skylark! Hillary Bokenham also took care of the two horses, called Stormy & smaller Fiona. So, after tediously cleaning the goat stalls, brushing, we had wheelbarrows of droppings & other muck to push up the hill to dump on a vegetable patch or similar. After around 30 minutes of cleaning the goat stalls, chicken & duck enclosure we all were sent to breakfast which commenced around 7.30am but only after we made our beds; fair enough! Miss Charlton had other assistants named Mrs Peters & Mrs Mullion serving out the breakfast. Usually we had eggs, bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs & baked beans, a plastic bowl of cereal & one slice of white bread with just a knife serving of marmalade. I must admit that goats milk is good for us.
Classes begin at 9am, till 11.00 to 11.15am, when we had half pint of goats milk & able to exercise on ropes & hand bars. Lunch period was from 12.30pm till lessons start again at 2pm. Some afternoons either the boys or girls took around 20 goats for a walk up the road for their feeding from hedgerows for about an hour. Anyway lessons go on till 4pm, when the boarders have tea & the day children leave for home being collected by their parents.
Once a week I might get a ride on one the horses but mostly on Fiona, the smaller horse with Hilary Bokenham on bigger Stormy! Oh! There was a German shepherd named Snorry I think.
The smaller junior boarders went to bed by 6.30pm while the older boarders stayed up till 8.30pm.
Incidences when not cleaning out the stalls properly I might have a delayed breakfast even sent down 100 metres to the large garage! On occasion even to miss breakfast or the evening meal if I couldn't do my given job to do properly. Other times even not allowed to watch TV....eg, Steptoe & Son or Lucy Ball. I might have had one leather strap or stick used on me by Miss Richmond. Maybe I was stupid not able to understand my lesson of some subject?
All in all, it was great to be more familiar with the goats, & being closer to nature & to the sea, down below some 500 metres down hill, but we children were useful for cheap labour shortly after morning rising & before breakfast. It was definitely not easy physical work.
While at St Gorrans School I travelled on a school journey to Lock Lomond in Scotland & another time to Holland. Lucky if parents were in position to help in those days!
I visited England in 1974 again when St Gorran school was already sold to a family. I know that both Miss Katherine Richmond & Dorothy Charlton continued teaching in I think on a high hillside house in east Cornwall or west Devon, not far from the coast.
My father was generous contributing some finance to the building of the swimming pool in 1962 I think. However I was asked initially to write to my father upon encouragement from Miss Richmond!
How I remember was that while I was at St Gorrans School between April 1961 till July 1964 I kept a diary even at that age including birthdays of the boys & girls! I also wrote in a booklet 4 years later.
Keep in touch
Merry Christmas!
Michael Wookey (from Sydney, Australia. We moved here from England in August 1967).
Best wishes to everyone especially with this covid-19 around stay safe.
George Blight.
I can vividly remember seeing Miss Richmond & Miss Charlton...........Miss Richmond would whip me with a riding crop as I was a Anglican and not Catholic hence I was picked on..............they would make the boys drop their pants and inspect............if there were any skid marks there was nil access to ones sweets that were locked up and only given out once a day in ration form............goats were kept in abundance each child was allocated one goat to specifically look after, I had 'The Queen of The Herd' it's name was Flakey and during my time was getting very old with a bad dose of arthritis however she had won heaps of certificates at local shows in her day.I remember also going down to the beach and Miss Richmond letting car tires down as the owners had the temerity to park across her pathway...........jeez she was a ...... haha ............I remember taking the herd of goats out walking to clear pathways as they would eat anything..............I was very naughty and always in trouble however I liked old Reg that was the handyman who lived above the stables.........he drove the Land Rover whilst Miss Richmond drove the Bedford van like a lunatic telling all and sundry that she was once a racing driver..........one time we as a group of 8 or so were taken into Helston and I jumped into the back of the Bedford van cutting my head open on the roof which needed stitches that pissed her off and me being a protestant to boot.............I still have my school reports and other memorabilia that my Mother kept 'Bless Her' I never told anyone of the abuse thinking then it was the norm............got expelled eventually for apparently seting the stables alight!
Simon West
I remember doing a lot of work on the farm. That didn't feel like hardship, I loved being outside; but I was once given a task, which was to collect some recently delivered poultry chicks and bring them somewhere to be watered. Being young and absent-minded I left them for too long and by the time I got back with the box of chicks several of them had died. I was very afraid of being punished, of course, but actually I don't think I was. But the poor little chicks...
I was afraid because of how I had seen other children being treated. My worst incident for myself was being obliged to chew through a cod liver oil capsule every morning. Does anyone else remember that? We weren't allowed to swallow it, but obliged to chew the capsule and of course the taste is strong and disgusting. When the morning came when I flatly refused, the cod liver oil was smeared on my toast, but I still wouldn't eat. The same piece of congealed toast with smeared cod liver oil was presented to me at lunch and supper that day and again at breakfast the next morning, so I was given nothing to eat for over 24 hours. Eventually my big sister helped me to force it down my throat.
What particularly horrified and frightened me was the day that one of the boys mimicked the limping walk of a girl with a mobility impairment. The whole school was summoned to watch, while this poor girl, who was much more humiliated by Miss Richmond's response than by the mimicking itself, was required to stand in full sight of us all on a piece of higher land, while the boy was required to apologise to her in front of us all. He was then required to go to pick a bamboo cane from the garden with which he was beaten, then we were told he had to put his burning body into a cold bath while Miss Richmond stood over him. It was common knowledge that misbehaving boys had to pick their own cane for the teacher, then take a cold bath, naked, in front of her. At the time, the sadistic humiliation was obvious. Knowing what I know now about child abuse, I think this practice has obvious strong sexual abuse overtones.
I lasted one more half (autumn) term and then, as with the cod liver oil, flatly refused to return to the school after the half-term break. How come the school was never prosecuted? A previous comment said the school was for vulnerable children - that makes sense, I and my sister were orphans being cared for by a guardian and she just needed us to be somewhere without looking to see if we were happy. But I do remember that several years later (1964) I was at Helston Grammar School when the (male) head teacher chose the wrong girl to sexually abuse her parents made such a fuss that he was prosecuted and convicted. So even in those mad old bad old days it wasn't that child abuse could be done with impunity.
It's been tremendous to see your comments and to feel vindicated in my bad feelings of that place. Thanks so much for sharing. There is definitely a book/film/TV series to be written about this!
My name is Anthony Snowsill.
My brother Bruce, also “boarded”, was 10 years old.
I was 6 years old then when incarcerated at St Goran’s in June 1957 until December 1957 whilst my parents “toured the continent” in a Bedford van they purchased in London.
I don’t recall the names of any other students or “teachers” whist I was at this “school”.
I came across some old postcards still in my possession that my parents sent me while I was at this boarding school & whilst they travelled the continent and put the address above onto Google so I could locate the “old school”.
This page came up and I have read it with interest.
Young as I was my recollections are of
- Feeding the chickens & ducks.
- Making & setting our own traps for catching foxes & weasels/stoats that attacked the poultry at night.
- The terrible tasting porridge & unusual food.
- Being cold some nights
- Having “fights” with other children by throwing seaweed on the beach
- Not being permitted to shower at least twice a day (as was the norm in Labasa, Fiji)
- My brother & me washing ourselves outside using an outdoor hose.
- Being told we were using too much soap.
- Being very surprised at the similarities & differences (from mine) in the behaviours of other children & teachers.
- My parents asking if we had received presents that never arrived.
- Very similar to those already described.
We had arrived in England by passenger ship – P&O Orsova - from the furthest colony in the then Empire, namely Fiji.
At the time we lived on the second largest island in the Fiji Group called Vanua Levu in the largest town called Labasa.
Labasa in the late 1950’s was an unusual mix of quaint British colonial & progressive Australian culture.
The town’s existence revolved around the Sugar Mill & the cane harvests.
The CSR (Australian) Company operated all the sugar mills in Fiji at the time and all clerical and managerial jobs were staffed by Australians.
My father worked for the Fiji Government (then Colonial) as an engineer responsible for all government roads & buildings in Labasa and some nearby outer Islands.
I would welcome contact from others.
-
Just prior to going to St. Gorran I had just been in hospital, being stabilised after diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes, so feeling pretty awful and pretty frightened, then got mumps badly almost straight away at the school. I was pretty unwell and more scared of being sent back to hospital than staying on at the school. Not a good start but may have saved me from the worst that either Miss Richmond or Miss Charlton dished out to others, by all accounts. Maybe I was considered too delicate for the usual punishments. I think I was excused the cod liver oil as well.
I remember things like having to bathe in the same bath as several other boys, the reputation of Miss Richmond especially and wanting to never be summoned into her study, the goat shed that I never went into but could smell, the horrid food. There seemed to be a constant air of threats hovering over us all and cleaning out the goat shed was one of them.
At meals, they tried, actually unsuccessfully, to force me to eat spinach that had been boiled to death. Maybe those teachers still considered revolting greens necessary for people with Type 1 (thrice boiled greens were the only, completely ineffective, treatment back 40+ years previously but may have given the teachers their only way of making my life difficult:) I have a vague memory of being punished, maybe leading to expulsion as I think I left fairly soon afterwards, for playing with a rosary as it glowed in the dark and fascinated me. I'm not Catholic, so they probably just thought I'd be punished in hell anyway. For some reason, I had to attend those services in the chapel. The only thing I liked was the smell of incense but found the priest frightening.
The good parts were little things like the cherry tree walk in bloom in spring, the primroses along the woodland path down to the beach and finding cowrie shells there, fireworks on the terrace (us indoors looking through the big windows in the schoolroom). I remember watching the very first episode of Dr Who in the hall/lobby (?) in the middle, though, so that's a good thing (haha!). We used to make Christmas cards there as well; silhouettes of the nativity scene against coloured backgrounds. But I think there was still a feeling of threat if someone made a mistake making those cards. I have a vague memory of toys going missing and a boy, who was a bit of a bully, was implicated in taking them. Maybe he was framed!
Sadly, I can't recall a single name of fellow pupils, just those two teachers. I think Lesley's suggestion of a film is a good idea, though maybe given the Peter Greenaway treatment, surreal and a bit bonkers.