Boarding School, Harcombe House.

A Memory of Uplyme.

In 1956 I went to Harcombe House as a boarder. Mrs Jowett was in charge of us - 52 girls. Crocket did the gardens and lived in a cottage on the lane, as did cook. Matron and the housemistress, Miss Haytor, lived in. The house cat was called Whitey - a poorly creature with scabby ears.
We walked into Lyme Regis each day to attend Lyme Regis Grammar, and back in the evenings. I'd never been so happy, especially playing in the grounds and exploring the moors which rose at the side of the house.
We had our own Guide Company, I was in Rose Patrol, were allowed to sleep under canvas on the old tennis courts when it was fine, held midnight feasts and enjoyed watching the wildlife. I can remember causing a massive stir when uncovering a nest of adders in the pile of grass cuttings from the old tennis courts. Crockett was summmonsed to 'dispatch' them and I stood, wishing that I'd not told anyone they were there. Some of had our own small patch of gardens in which we tried to grow flowers.
Our routine from Monday to Friday, as far as I can remember, was up at 7am when we heard the rising bell, breakfast at 7.30, out at 8.10 after a quick uniform check by matron and, if we didn't linger in the lanes, hopefully arrived at the grammar school in time for morning assembly. We set off for the boarding house again at 4pm, chnaged when we arrived and went down for dinner at 5.10pm. We then did our homework in the dining room, which was checked by Mrs Jowett or Miss Haytor, and were then free to relax in the common room. At 8pm we had supper in the vast kitchens, had to be in bed by 8.30pm and matron turned the lights out at 8.45pm.
Saturdays we cleaned our rooms, had lunch, collected our pocket money and walked into Lyme Regis if we wanted to. Sundays we attended church at Uplyme.
Sadly, I only remained at Harcombe House for three years, after which my parnts sent for to live with them in North Borneo.