Visitation Preparatory School Bridport

A Memory of Bridport.

1962 to 1966, the car journey from Surrey was full of tears, taken by my mother and grandfather, on arrival the tiled entry and the Nuns in full habits greeted us, I was soon ushered in to the hall with promise of a goodbye before they left, which became a wave through a window. The Nuns were generally strict but fair, the solid bamboo stick was recieved a few times probably for good reasons. The first few days were hard understanding the routines, but families were generally out of sight out of mind. What I remember most, the Sunday afternoon route marches/walks, the liver pate tea, and back to the classroom to write a letter home while Sing Something Simple was on the radio. Parcels arrived frequently, with comics biscuits etc. I remember mostly my last 18 months there, as we served at alter, and two of us were allowed out to hold candles at the local cemetery, which looking at a map today seems improbable but true. And in 1966 when England won the world cup, the school with me in goal won two Gold medals for schools five aside at Colfox school, and schools 11 aside final at Bridport's town stadium, the teams were a mix of day and border kids, Martin Riley and Christopher White were day pupils and Brian Wilkins and Paul Sallis and I were Borders. After each game our coach a very tall man in a gabadine coat would give us a Cowans toffee bar. In the last year I remember the Nuns habits were relaxed around the head with hair now under a veil. My overall memories are happy and fruitful, I passed my eleven plus there, so I must have learned something. So sad it's not there anymore, oh and the smell of flax from the rope factory.