Recollections of Blaisdon Hall
National Newsletter
Blaisdon Hall's First Matron - L'apertura femminista*
During the 1940s and 1950s, Blaisdon Hall doubled as a Salesian School and a Seminary: more precisely, a Theologate, where men preparing for ordination to the priesthood lived and studied Philosophy and Theology. These men practiced celibacy as a requirement for acceptance into the priesthood, so the presence of women was not encouraged: married women were regarded as less likely to deflect a cleric from his vocation. When I went as a schoolboy to Blaisdon in 1952, there were just three women employees: Mrs. Jones, whose husband Ivor, worked on local road maintenance for the district Council and Mrs. Grace, a widow, who had lost her husband during World War 2. Both women worked in the kitchen. Mrs. Grace (later Maskell) was Cook and Mrs. Jones a general kitchen help. Mrs. Allen was a daily cleaner.
When boys became ill they were cared for by the Infirmarian - Father Hugh Drumm SDB RIP. He managed a six bed Ward and liaised with the Doctor who came in when called from Mitcheldean. Before coming to Blaisdon, Father Hugh ministered to a dispersed flock of catholics on the Falkland Islands for over 25 years. After evening tea, he conducted a daily clinic which coincided with his violin practice and any boy calling on him would wait until he had completed whatever piece he was playing before describing their symptoms: "Father, I've got a headache.. Father, I've got a boil.. Father, the House-Master sent me.." and so on. He was avuncular in his manner, kindly and popular with the boys. The school Confessor, he said Mass faster than all among his fellow-priests, was a comical preacher and had no disciplinary rô le. Once a year, the Doctor and a female nurse came and every boy had a medical examination.
Because of changes brought about by the Education Act 1948, Blaisdon began to be visited and assessed by the Education Board Inspectors. They approved the school on most measures, but noted the paucity of female influences and particularly recommended that the boy's health and hygiene be put in the care and supervision of a Matron. Sometime in 1957, Blaisdon Hall's first Matron arrived from Wales. For some months Mrs. Day worked alongside Father Drumm and, when her probationary period was completed, took over his responsibilities. The Matron also organized the Linen Room. This meant she saw every boy regularly as she operated the issue of fresh weekly laundry. Her duties also extended to the boy's dietary needs and assisting the school Burser - Father Cyril Fairclough SDB. She was attractive and amenable. Their duties took them back and forth in the House car to Gloucester and specific amenities. Local gossip, quite spurious, was of "an affair."
The Matron - a qualified registered Nurse - was married to Jim who traveled daily to work in Gloucester and they had two children: Roger and Billy. From her appointment onwards and for many years, Matron and her family occupied a tied cottage at the bottom of Blaisdon Hall Park. In due course, more women - unattached - came to work at Blaisdon Hall and eventually were engaged in the general management and care of the schoolboys alongside the Priests and Lay Brothers. * The opening towards women.
Group Photo circa 1957 Annual Sports Day - Harvey's Acre
This shows Father John Connolly SDB RIP, the then Prefect of Studies (Headmaster). On his extreme right Mrs. Day is standing: between them is her mother. On the priest's left is Mrs. Embling and a visiting guest. The Emblings owned a confectionary business in Gloucester and supplied the boy's Tuck shop: they became salesian benefactors. The boy standing slightly apart from the group is Billy - Mrs. Day's younger son. In the background, up a 30 rung ladder, Brother Allen can be glimpsed adjusting the Papal Flag and the bunting. It is notable that while the women are lightly dressed on a hot day, Father Connolly is wearing his heavy cassock.
Photo - Presentation of Prizes - Circa 1957 - Harvey's Acre
Father Henry Mullaney SDB (Rector) RIP. Between him and the boy receiving his prize, Billy Day is standing. Prominent in the right corner is his father Jim looking on. The long sloping field in the background is Hart's Field which leads, direction right, onto Rabbit Hill.
Photo - Informal Group - Circa 1957 - Harvey's Acre
The Rector, seen earlier, is congratulating an out-of-sight boy. The man wearing spectacles was a Westbury-on-Severn parishioner and organist. He and his musician wife introduced ballroom dancing lessons to the boys. The black boy is Billy Wright. Father Cyril Fairclough SDB RIP, is smiling and holding a ciné -camera. What history that film must have recorded: I took the photographs.
Tony Brady, January 2010
