Presbytery Sherborne Road Basingstoke
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St Josephs School
The following is taken from http://www.vinntec.co.uk/hg/XArchive/hghistory.htm
- 1940s
- 1950s
- 1960s and 70s
1940s
In the late 1940's, it was glaringly obvious that there was a need for a Catholic school in the town. The Mother General of the Irish Sisters of Charity sent Sister Teresa Carmel to Basingstoke with the authority to start a school. The school opened on January 10th 1951. On that day, Sister Carmel and Dominic waited for 15 pupils, all of them Catholics. The policy was first to accept all Catholic children, those who could pay as well as those who could not afford the fees. Eventually, the nuns also accepted non-Catholc children.
In addition, Sister Dominic and Sister Teresa Michael held daily R.E. classes for children in the state school system.
By Easter of the same year a second class was formed - incidentally - in the Presbytery, Sherborne Road. Later that year, Sister M. Marcellina and Sister Agnes Veronica formed the Community. As the number of pupils increased, Sister Carmel decided to build a new classroom between the South View Cemetery wall and the Presbytery kitchen. The cost was £353 and this could accommodate 36 children. Sister J. Paul and Sister Marie Madden taught the children in this classroom for two years.
Sister Carmel, who succeeded Sister Mary Raymond as Superior of the Community, set her sights on providing education for the children until they were fifteen, but they needed adequate accommodation. In answer to the Community's prayers, their problem of lack of space was solved when the property at Norn Hill came on the market. The house and land went up for auction and, there being no bidders, the nuns bought the property for £5,000.
1950s
A senior school was opened on 20th April 1953. This became known as "St Joseph's School" and 95 pupils were transferred from the Presbytery property. The new premises lacked a hall for major events at the school. Mr Kewell, who was a newcomer to the town, organised a voluntary building group to build the much desired hall.
Many people were very generous with their talents and the following deserve special mention, Peter Smallbone, Mr Marriot, Bob Ashford, John Hickey, Bill Oliver, Don Foran, Gerry Mooney and Michael Nolan. The Hall was completed in 1953 at the cost of approximately £1,000. The hall was officially opened by the Mayoress on 10th January 1954.
In 1955, the whole school came together, ie the children in the Presbytery part of the school joined those at Norn Hill, a roll of approximately 150.
On 10th March 1957, Mother Celestine replaced Sister Carmel and Sister Ignatius was appointed Headmistress of the school.
To celebrate the centenary of Mother Mary Aikenhead, the foundress of the order, Fr Tony Birrer said Mass in the school hall. There followed a week of celebrations with school plays, mimes etc.
1960s
In 1964, the Sisters of Charity decided to leave Basingstoke. Fr Michael Nugent bought the property from them at a cost of £18,000. They served the Parish with dedicated service for thirty-seven years. They were replaced by the Ladies of Mary. These nuns continued to run the private school at Norn Hill but obviously with the idea of State Aided Catholic Schools in the offing the need for private Catholic education diminished as St Anne's opened.
1970s
The Ladies of Mary did, however, get involved in St Anne's and St Bede's. In 1974, the Ladies of Mary decided to leave Basingstoke having given 10 years of dedicated service to education in the town.
The last to leave were Sisters Mary Bridget, Elizabeth and Celia. They were replaced by the Sisters of Providence on 8th September 1974. They came to Basingstoke from Alton. These were Sisters Madeline, Mary Patrick, Isabel and Alice. They came to Basingstoke in order to be more closely associated with the community. Sister Mary Patrick continued the long tradition of nuns being involved in Catholic education by becoming a teacher at St Bede's school.