Lord & Lady Rennell; Convent

A Memory of The Highgrove.

My memories, which are those of a very young girl, are of my dad's cobbler shop in High Street and his machines in the basement; of a picture theatre where mum would take one of us on Friday and dad take the other on Saturday (as there was a baby); going to the Rennells, and of the Carmmelite Convent with the huts for the nuns to sleep in, their vegetable garden, and the Polish priest Father Bekker (spelling ?) who came to say Mass for the very small Catholic population. I have a photograph of my sister Stella and I as 'brides maids' for a young novitiate taking her final vows. I also remember a hotel, tudor style I think, close by and a lady named either Margaret or Pauline who was friendly to us. Also a lady called Jean who lived next door. At the back of the shop was a closed in garden ie high walls and a built up garden, also I have a photograph. I think there was a river not too far but am unsure. The convent had, what seemed to me at the time, large wooden gates that my dad would rush to hide behind as he had difficulty getting his license due to his lack of English and the friendly police could be a bit unfriendly. Dad drove a motor bike with a side car.

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