Tilney Hall School

A Memory of Rotherwick.

I remember being sent to Tilney Hall as an 11 year old, this was arranged by my doctor and my local school.
I was told it was an `Open Air' school for children with medical problems. I remember boarding a coach to be taken there and feeling very lonely.
My memories are very mixed, I was a nervous child and found it very hard to adjust to sleeping in a dormitory with about 5 other girls, I remember two names from this dormitory - Ellen and Rosalind. Ellen became a good friend but Rosalind, who was the dormitory monitor, was a bit of a bully and made my life miserable.
I remember we wore our own clothes during the week but had a uniform for Sundays. Girls had a tartan/checked pleated skirt which at the time I thought was beautiful.
I enjoyed the lessons, although there were one or two teachers who were quite harsh as I recall. I hated meal times as I have never liked vegetables (and still don't eat them) and we were forced to eat them. I remember along with several other boys and girls being sent to stand outside the Headmaster's study because we had dropped our vegetables on the floor to get out of eating them. I think for our punishment we were not allowed to attend a Saturday outing.
I loved film night as the tuck shop was open and we could buy some sweets, a huge luxury for me. I also remember the Canadian gardens which we were allowed to use during the weekend, me and my friends including the Headmaster's daughter, Caroline, made a den under a huge fir tree.
I cannot remember how long I was at the school but I know it was not long as I did not like it much and wrote secretly to my parents saying I would run away it they did not come and pick me up. A boy had run away just a few weeks earlier, this is how I got the idea. Mum and dad got our neighbour to drive them to the school to pick me up.
If anyone reading this has memories of the same period I would love to hear from them.