A Personal Perspective on Broadstairs

History of St George's School FCJ

St George's School was bought by the Faithful Companions of Jesus in 1937. The building had served as boys' boarding school but was now to become a preparatory boarding school for girls who would at the appropriate age transfer to Poles Convent FCJ in Ware Hertfordshire.

War intervened and the school was closed from 1939 until 1945. In July 1944 the building sustained superficial damage when the next door property was bombed. This house, Redriff, was eventually rebuilt in 1967 (within the same property but not on the original site).

St George's pupils wore a lovely light blue uniform and several generations of young girls and (day boys) were educated in this superbly situated cliff-top school. The school was closed in 1974. Several properties now occupy the site of the school building. One of the houses is named St George's and is a rather nice commemoration of the happy school which was originally on the site.

I am very greatful to Claire Sykes fcJ who kindly provided me with all the information and photographs. The Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ) is an international congregation of Roman Catholic sisters. Why not visit their website at www.FCJsisters.org

Views of St George's School FCJ

Taken from the Grange which was a finishing school. The rectangular rose garden in the middle forground is the site of the original Redriff House which was bombed in July 1944. To the left and behind St George's is Beacon Lodge which was on the corner of Crescent Road.

Another view of the school building.

A pre-war picture (probably about 1935) showing North Foreland with of course the lighthouse, from left to right the original Redriff , St George's, St Augustine's, and Beacon Lodge. In the background at the corner of North Foreland Avenue and Crescent Road is the Knoll. The Grange is just out of the picture to the left.