New Court School On Landsdown Road, Cheltenham

Dear Nargis, I now live in New Court Lansdown Road Cheltenham a development of privately owned apartments for senior citizens. I know that the main building was built by a private family in 1862 & since then iy has had many changes of use including Bovis Homes a major house building company. You indicate that you attended school hear so I an writing to ask do you have any information you could supply me as I am trying to research the buildings passed history.
I trust that you get this massage & thank you for any information you are able to supply.

Regards Ken Bigg aged 88

Hi Ken
I was 9 years old when I came to New Court School. It was an old and a beautiful building and I have good memories of the back garden with trees and apple trees too. A tennis court and also where I went for my violin lessons in a small house behind the school. Sorry! I can't tell you more....Wonderful memories I have of Cheltenham! Best regards Nargis

Dear Ken

I went to New Court School from 1966 until 1969. Strangely enough I worked for a house building firm in the late 1980s there. It was odd going back after so much time. I have very happy memories of my time at New Court and boarded there for a short while before I went to the Ladies' College. The school was very eccentric. All the classes were named after naval ships - Illustrious, Courageous etc. Thete was a binnacle compass in the main hall. I remember the Regency moulding work in the main house. We had a ship's log which was read out at the end of the week. Very happy, if bizarre memories.

Kind regards
Nicky Weir

Hi Ken
I missed reading your comment of last November. I was away in Europe with my kids and then got busy with work. How are you doing in this stressful situation? Let me know. Warmest wishes
Nargis

I was at New court school from 1961 to 1965 and have often thought I would like to catch up with other old girls. It was indeed most eccentric to the point where I sometimes think I dreamt it! Would be glad to hear from anyone who was there and remembers it. I have a few photos somewhere to share. Best wishes Helen Cottington nee Starkey

Hello Ken! I hope you are well and getting along in this new way of life. It is unbelievable, eh? I always wanted to come back to Cheltenham just to walk down Landsdowne Road and reminisce but it always got pushed to the back burner!
I can't think of anything I can offer towards your research for the moment but will definitely get back to you! I have written to two girls who were at school with me in the 50's and hopefully they can assist too.....take care and stay healthy. Warm regards and Prayers! Nargis

I went to New Court School from 1959-1962. My father was in the U.S. Navy and stationed at GCHQ. I was in New Court and my brother went to St. Kenelm Prep School for Boys. The teachers I remember are Miss Dodsworth, Miss James, and Mrs. Long. Miss Peplow was the Headmistress. I would love to hear from anyone that may remember me or was there at the same time.
Kind Regards,
Gwen Adkins

Hi Gwen! I guess you arrived after I left in 1955. You have just brought back memories of our teachers - Mrs Long was our sports teacher, Miss Peplow I remember well, in fact I have a photo of her somewhere and I will post it one of these days!! Miss James rings the bell but can't place her exactly. I played the violin and I have forgotten the teacher's name too. Old age is not fun, eh? Take care!

Hi all, I was at New Court from 1962, when I was 8 years old to 1965. I started in 'Nelson' with Miss long as our form teacher, we were in the new buildings over in the red brick annexe, which must once have been the old stables and coach house. The kindergarten was in the same building and the new gym was the other side. We went up into 'Illustrious' form then over to the big school for 'Courageous', 'Renown' and 'Vanguard'. When you got to 'Courageous' someone had to ring the bells to signal each change of lesson, there was a huge ship's bell in the big hall, by the front door, polished to within and inch of its life, this had to be rung hard, then a small bell was grasped and taken down the corridor, out of the back door and down the steps and rung like fury to alert the annexe or any sports that were going on.
It was a happy school, I have loads of photos of speech days and sports. I was a day girl but, I do remember some of the boarders getting into awful trouble for raising their pyjama bottoms up the flag pole one night!
I remember the Oldfield sisters, Margaret Hunt, Shona Watt, Jill, Jane and Anne Nicholls, Jill Scot Langley, Stella Lawson and lots more, there were a lot of girls called Jane in my class.
Miss Peplow, was an interesting character, I think she was an old ex pat who may have been in India a great deal, at least I remember we got a good curry regularly for lunch.
Our assembly room and gym was to the right of the entrance, it had a door in the wall high up with a steel ladder coming down from it as a fire escape. Miss Peplow presided from behind her dark wooden, ornately carved table, every morning, she had a flat upstairs somewhere. She was well into her nineties by then but sharp as a needle, if anyone made a sound during her religious classes, she was down on them like a ton of bricks. A little but very formidable lady peering over her glasses.
There was also a Mrs Saunders who taught us french. The two large rooms at the far end of the building to the right hand side, beyond the assembly room were Renown and Vanguard, there were doors that could be folded back to make a huge room of the two.
Courageous was almost opposite the front door and looked out onto the garden, Miss Peplow's study was in between and the dining area and kitchens were all down stairs.
The gardens were lovely with mature lime trees and terraces. There was a large lawn where we played rounders and a brick walled tennis court at the far side. I remember the snow very deep in the winter of 1962/3, we made snowmen and slid about.
Speech day was every summer, we were all turned out spotlessly and taught how to sit quietly with our hands in our laps and how to clap politely at the speeches and prize giving and be lady like. We were not allowed to eat in the street if we had our uniform on. The uniform was grey with a pale pink blouse and grey felt hat bought at Daniel Neal's in town.
Happy to tell you more, as you can see I remember it well. Helen Starkey rings a bell?
Do message back
Best
Cherry Hubbard

Hi Cherry
You took me back to New Court so clearly and I remember every corner the way you describe it. You were there much later - some 8 years? I have beautiful memories of this school and I remember Ms Saunders, Ms Warren Smith, Ms Peplow of course, Ms Long - The uniform was definitely the same as what you describe and Sunday church was a pink dress. Thank you for sharing. Where do you live now? Best wishes Nargis Gercke-Bhatia

Hi, I was at New Court School in the late 50's/very early 60's. Cherry Hubbard you bought back so many memories, I was a day girl, weekly boarder & then a full time boarder, I don't remember the curry, but I do remember the Marmite toast we got given, as boarders, I remember Charlotte Hawkins putting chocolate spread in her Marmite jar, she was found out by the lady who ran the kitchen, I think her name was Mrs Wiggins, we then knew she had been dipping into our Marmite jars! I also remember we used to climb the ladder in the assembly hall & run up the main stairs, all forbidden of course. Didn't Miss Peplow have some retired Navy man come & visit her, (possibly her brother) hence the battleship names of the classrooms. It was good to be reminded about the old place, as I still live locally I do pass it now & then, it is now very up market apartments for the elderly, now in my 70's I have thought it would be fun to go & have a look at the old place making out I might want to buy an apartment!
I would love to hear from anyone who was there when I was.
Fenella Fisher (nee Burch)

Hello Fenella
Good to hear from you! Yes, Cherry's message really took me back to New Court and they were good memories for me! I must have left New Court when you arrived as I left late 1955. If you live in the area and if you are going to visit the building, I wonder if you could check on Ken Higgins who wrote on this site but has not replied since. His message was "I now live in New Court Lansdown Road Cheltenham a development of privately owned apartments for senior citizens. I know that the main building was built by a private family in 1862 & since then iy has had many changes of use including Bovis Homes a major house building company. You indicate that you attended school hear so I an writing to ask do you have any information you could supply me as I am trying to research the buildings passed history.
I trust that you get this massage & thank you for any information you are able to supply". Warm regards, Nargis Gercke maiden name
Bhatia

Dear Cherry, I enjoyed your memories of New Court. I must have just missed you. I started there Autumn 1956 with my two brothers and left in 1962 to go to CLC. Miss Peplow seemed ancient in my time, she also had poor sight. Occasionally, selected girls would be invited to have lunch with her in her private dining room and we would have to help her seek the meat in her personal dish. I also remember that very ornate dark wood desk you talked about. Every week we would have ship’s logs read out by head of class but composed by that class’s teacher (captain?) a task they did not look forward to. I remember some of the teachers you mentioned but also Mrs Campion and Miss Jones, in charge of Renown and Vanguard, respectively. Mrs Campion took us for English Literature and also singling, Miss Jones taught us English Language and Latin. I was terrified of her but also desperate to please her. She was a very effective teacher and we were well ahead with our work so occasionally instead of saying, ‘get out your Clarendon Latin Grammar’, she would read to us about a boy and his dog. I think she enjoyed the break from routine as much as us.
The girls I remember are, Jill Jillings, Jennifer Day, Margaret House, Helena Wilkinson, Pam Rowles, Susan Pritchard, Virginia Dowty, Charlotte Pym, Vicky Stace and Felicity Harris. I also remember an American girl being there for a short time called, Kirk Morris.
I had had a lot of changes before I arrived at New Court and my father had died so I found it a reassuringly safe haven for the six years I spent there.
Thanks for prompting the memories, Jennifer Robin, née Townsend.

Helen Starkey rings a bell too. As does Daniel Neals! I was there in 1962 as a boarder.

I remember Virginia Dowty; a close friend who died recently. Also a girl from Texas who was much younger than I and possibly who you remember?

I remember Ginny Dowty and met her brother a few yrs ago at Pam Hunt’s funeral in Cheltenham. Hilda Haigh and Liz Hunt friends and contemporaries. What an eccentric school. Do you remember little pink things ?

I remember Ginny Dowty and met her brother a few yrs ago at Pam Hunt’s funeral in Cheltenham. Hilda Haigh and Liz Hunt friends and contemporaries. What an eccentric school. Do you remember little pink things ?

Yes remember Ginny D

Remember Vicky and Bev Stace

Remember Vicky and Bev Stace

We must have been there at the same time - I was there 62-64

There 62-64 remember Bev and Vicky Stace, Ginny Dowty , the Oldfield twins , Liz Hunt , Pam Hjnt and Hilda Haigh. What an eccentric school - all those Admirals , buoy in the hall and little pink things !

There 62-64 remember Bev and Vicky Stace, Ginny Dowty , the Oldfield twins , Liz Hunt , Pam Hjnt and Hilda Haigh. What an eccentric school - all those Admirals , buoy in the hall and little pink things !

Just discovered this site, as an ex-pat living in the US for 40 years. I went to New Court School for one year only from Autumn 1967 - Summer 1968. I still have my report cards :)