THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE - Miss E. G. Alexander

7th October 2004

Hello Valerie,

Letter from Antigua.

......When I was in England recently I was reminded of a story concerning Findon School and the Headmistress Frances Alexander. "Fanny" of course was a brute and used to beat children unmercifully, she would actually lift you off the ground by your ears. She was particularly cruel to the poorest children and those from the local orphanage at Myrtlegrove who had no parents to protest.

It was the day before sports day and Peter Turner, John McKracken and I were standing at the top of the Vicarage Field, Fanny was at the bottom. Fanny shouted for one of us boys to bring something down to her, and in what was supposed to be a whisper, Peter I think, said something on the lines of "Oh shut up you silly old ...."

To my horror I realised that the words had carried on the wind, Fanny looked up, stuck her tongue in her bottom lip ( a terrible sign) and came striding purposely up the field. I think it was the first time in my life I realised what a coward I was as all I could think of was not Peter's imminent thrashing but the warm comfort of knowing I was not going to be the recipient !

School days the best days of your life ? - I wouldn't go back for a million pounds !

All the best to my old Findon friends,

Lawrie May

Lawrence May, Antigua, West Indies.

4th January 2005

Hello Valerie

Myrtlegrove

I hope you donot mind me asking questions but after years of wondering I am hoping you will satisfy my curiosity.

When I was 8 years of age in 1955 my father was taken ill with TB and was in hospital fot 2 years so we had no money apart from my Mums wages I was sent away to a place called Myrtlegrove and I wondered if this was the same place you talk about on your web site.

I have never forgotten this dreadful place and hated it there although it was only for a short time and was supposed to be a holiday.

All I really remember is this great big grey forboding building with small paned windows and cold porridge with water on it in tin bowls.

I still have nightmares about it but think that is to do with the fact that I never really knew where I was or where the place was.

We lived in Woking at the time but were taken there from Kingston Town Hall by coach.
Thanks for your help in anticipation

Best regards

Sandra Hopkins

5th January 2005

Myrtlegrove

What sad memories Sandra Hopkins rekindled in her letter about Myrtlegrove.

What a shock it must have been for her to be taken from home and placed in
such a remote and forbidding place as Myrtlegrove without any explanation.

As a villager I never saw any of the Myrtlegrove children except at school
where they kept themselves to themselves.

What a shame that none of the villagers, including my own family, never took any steps that would have made these childrens stay in Sussex a bit more tolerable.

I shudder to think what psychological damage was done to children
particularly the more vulnerable, by the severe and often unjustified
punishment meted out at the village school during the fifties.

I am in the Scottish Highlands at the moment, it was minus ten the other
night, time I got back to the Caribbean !

All the best to all for the new year.

Lawrie May

Lawrence May, Scottish Highlands. (Antigua, West Indies).