St Margarets Boarding School for Girls ( closed approx 1963)

john_wood · Postby **john_wood** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:37 pm

I am seeking further information of this remarkable school, and its even more remarkable headmistress, Mrs Doris Batty. Life here was severe, to say the least, at least at times,the girl boarders being required to wash, and brush their teeth, in the water from their hot water bottles! The school was situated on the clifftop I believe, and closed when Miss Batty retired in approx 1963. Any further information, photos etc would be warmly appreciated.

John Wood

patrickvic · Postby **patrickvic** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 5:07 pm

It was Miss Batty,not Mrs..The school was at 314 The Ridge and Merrivale Manor,Chowns Hill Road..It later became a boys school..I am sure the building is still there..

jane_ogborne · Postby **jane_ogborne** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:55 pm

[quoted]
John Wood wrote:
I am seeking further information of this remarkable school, and its even more remarkable headmistress, Mrs Doris Batty. Life here was severe, to say the least, at least at times,the girl boarders being required to wash, and brush their teeth, in the water from their hot water bottles! The school was situated on the clifftop I believe, and closed when Miss Batty retired in approx 1963. Any further information, photos etc would be warmly appreciated.

John Wood

[/quoted]

I went to this school from 1958 -63. It was the winter of 63 that we had to use our hot water bottle water because of the freezing weather. We were also given 3 squares of bogroll per day handed out by matron. It may have been a good school at it's start but it was dreadful at it's end. I had a tour of the school about 15 years ago when empty and being converted to a nursing home. I live in Canada so don't know what the building is now. I have photos of the school.

jane_ogborne · Postby **jane_ogborne** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 4:05 pm

What is your interest in Miss Batty?. Are you a relative. Miss Batty used to testify in court in my parents divorce/custody battle. Just the once I think.

jenifer_foster · Postby **jenifer_foster** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 7:46 pm

[quoted]
John Wood wrote:
I am seeking further information of this remarkable school, and its even more remarkable headmistress, Mrs Doris Batty. Life here was severe, to say the least, at least at times,the girl boarders being required to wash, and brush their teeth, in the water from their hot water bottles! The school was situated on the clifftop I believe, and closed when Miss Batty retired in approx 1963. Any further information, photos etc would be warmly appreciated.

John Wood

[/quoted]
[quoted]
jane ogborne wrote:

I went to this school from 1958 -63. It was the winter of 63 that we had to use our hot water bottle water because of the freezing weather. We were also given 3 squares of bogroll per day handed out by matron. It may have been a good school at it's start but it was dreadful at it's end. I had a tour of the school about 15 years ago when empty and being converted to a nursing home. I live in Canada so don't know what the building is now. I have photos of the school.
[/quoted]

I was a student at St. Margarets from 1955-1959 located on The Ridge.
I wasn't very happy there because I was a full time boarder and my parents were overseas. I do remember Merryvale, a large Tudor style building behind us, students there were treated more leniently than those in the main school building. IRemember that there was an Iranian Princess that attended for about a year or two then left, I'm not sure what part of the Iranian Royal family she was, does anyone know about her? she arrived with another girl (her sister maybe?).
Does anyone have a student list from the fifties?
I remember Miss Batty. We used to call her DB for short. I remember we would all troup to the church across the road for Sunday services.
Unfortunately I don't have any photos, only memories. Is there any one out there who remembers me Jenifer Moore (at the time)?

jane_ogborne · Postby **jane_ogborne** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 4:12 pm

I started at the school in 58 at 7. I remember a girl who taught me to say goodnight in persian/farsi i think. Did not know she was a princess and can't remember her name. Anyway my version of goodnight sounded something like shebrahem.!!. I'm Jane Moseley or was and my best friend was penny marsden who had a sister named carol.

jocelyn_marriner · Postby **jocelyn_marriner** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:58 pm

I went to St. Margaret's from 1955 to 1958 I remember Jenifer Moore we were in the same dormitory when we started at the school, the girl from Iran which was then called Persia, was called Mercedes as far as I know she is living in America and is married to one of the Kellogg's family.
The school was on the Ridge in the village of Ore. I have photos of the school and pupils and am still in touch with many of the girls who were in the same form, we certainly didn't have to wash in the water in our hot water bottles, though the dormitories were very cold in the winter.
Why does John Wood want information?

patrick · Postby **patrick** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:16 pm

So far as I know the school is being demolished but you can see the site on Google Maps and Google Street View,the latter being a bit fiddly..Why hot water bottles,is this not pampering ? breeds a lot of softies ?

jenifer_foster · Postby **jenifer_foster** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:30 pm

[quoted]
Jocelyn Marriner wrote:
I went to St. Margaret's from 1955 to 1958 I remember Jenifer Moore we were in the same dormitory when we started at the school, the girl from Iran which was then called Persia, was called Mercedes as far as I know she is living in America and is married to one of the Kellogg's family.
The school was on the Ridge in the village of Ore. I have photos of the school and pupils and am still in touch with many of the girls who were in the same form, we certainly didn't have to wash in the water in our hot water bottles, though the dormitories were very cold in the winter.
Why does John Wood want information?
[/quoted]

It's great to hear from you. What about some of the other girls that were there at this time. I remember Anthea Roxburgh, do you keep in touch in touch with her? Who do you keep in touch with. Maybe we can get a reunion going!

jenifer_foster · Postby **jenifer_foster** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:34 pm

[quoted]
John Wood wrote:
I am seeking further information of this remarkable school, and its even more remarkable headmistress, Mrs Doris Batty. Life here was severe, to say the least, at least at times,the girl boarders being required to wash, and brush their teeth, in the water from their hot water bottles! The school was situated on the clifftop I believe, and closed when Miss Batty retired in approx 1963. Any further information, photos etc would be warmly appreciated.

John Wood

[/quoted]

Why do you need all this information? Are you writing a book?
There was a Persian princess thst went to St. Margarets around 1958, she didn't stay very long, one year maybe. Do you know anything about her?

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