St.Mary's School,Baldslow

[patrick]

Any information about the choir of the St.Mary's School,Baldslow who made a record in 1973,'Stabat Mater',conducter Doreen Carter,would be welcome..

[Felicity]

Patrick, you need to get in touch with some former pupils of the school. I don't know whether they have a site (probably not) but www.umilta.net and www.florin.ms are sites dedicated to the school and A J C Hares' former home.
You might be able to track down a link to an old girls group, get in contact and find out where you can obtain this record.

[patrick]

Felicity,I did try those sites but no luck,I think perhaps most of the pupils were from out side the town,Joanne Lumley was a pupil.The reason for my interest is that I recently bought at a local boot fair the record 'Stabat Mater' and on the front is a picture of the choir and conductor,Doreen Carter.On the back is a list of their names,this particular record belonged to Ruth Lashbrooke,one of the choir..The date of the recording is the 30th June 1973..

[Fliss]

I spent some time at Homhurst St Mary. If I can help you wiyh any info you may need please ask and I will try to help.

[Sue Roe]

i was at the school at this time and remember the record being made. try posting a message for the school in the friends reunited web site.

[Fliss]

Hi Sue.
I am fascinated by the building Holmhurst St Mary. I hope you may be able to give me some information about it.
Of course, now it has been turned into luxury housing, most of the original beauty and character have been lost. Although it does look much the same from the outside, im sure inside is a very different story, although I have heard the developers left the original panel of William Morris in Utopia, which no one ever really liked anyway, apparently!
Please write if you would be willing to share some recollections.

[patrick]

I Googled Augustus Hare and was surprised to find out quite a lot about the author,including his will ! and his comments about Holmhurst and its building,,in particular the statue of Queen Anne and her attendant ladies..I wonder if it is still there ? and would it be possible to have a wander around the site ?

[Fliss]

Hi Patrick. Yes there is quite a bit of info on the net. To get a real picture of what life was like at Hare's Holmhurst Id have to read his autobiography, which is the longest one ever written!! A daunting prospect!
The statue is still there. At this time of year you can see it from the road. Pull in as if you were going to St Anne hospital and over the gate on your right you can just see it. From there you can also see the beautiful terrace and arch way, but they, unfortunatelty are part of one of the gardens now.

[suegardner]

hello i am fascinated with this website being born and bred in hastings but now living in dorset. i went to st.marys for about three yrs as a day girl. the building itself was wonderful, loads of wood panelling, high ceilings but very cold .the grounds were very extensive. the lower grounds (towards the conquest hospital) had several annexes and i think netball courts.at the rear of the building was a varse field which we played lacrosse on (below that woodland) which felt like it was on a 45 degree angle. to the north of the school was the convent and a chapel- these were "new " buildings and near the chapel was the smallest and coldest swimming pool out with open air changing rooms. but getting back to the old building all the floors were also wooden. the bedrooms for the senior girls were like box rooms and the dormitories slept up to 4 girls. the feel of the place was not only spooky but extremely cold. i do have an old newspaper cutting with photo from 2001 as they started the conversion.

[Fliss]

Hi Sue, yes it's a super site. Residents and ex-residents have some strong feelings and opinions about the town and share them here.
Holmhurst is an extraordinary place. Shame it was allowed to be broken up into luxury housing but it was such a huge place. No one these days could afford to keep up those heating bills!!