Stella-Maris - Broadstairs - Star of the Sea
Although the pandemic is officially over Covid has not gone away so some events may still get cancelled or curtailed so please make sure you contact the event organisers before making any plans for 2024 especially if travelling from afar!
If you do visit please respect our Town and please leave nothing but footprints in the sand when you depart.
Many people have contacted me asking for information about schools and convalescent homes in Broadstairs which they or their relatives have stayed at in the past. I will list those here which I have any information about. Some of these homes would not be allowed to exist today with the names listed here! Many of the homes have long since closed although some of the buildings are still in existence, but now used for completely different purposes. If anyone knows anything more about these or other establishments please email me.
A number of people have also contacted me asking where they can find additional information about these homes. Well there is an excellent book available from Michael's Bookshop called The Childrens Convalescent Homes of Broadstairs by Tony Euden, it contains information on and photos of many of the homes. The homes included in the book which have at least one photo and some information are preceded by an * before their names.
I often get asked about how to find information on who stayed and when in these home. Please do not contact me for this information as I do not have it. I believe if any is available it would only be from either the Council involved in sending someone to the home, or the organisation which ran the home.
There are also a number of homes which are less well known and there is scant information on. If you have any information on these please email me or add a message to the Guestbook.
These are some that existed in the early to mid 1900's
This was a Kindergarten for girls and boys aged 4 - 7 and a Junior school for children from 7 - 12 years of age. The school was housed in Cuxton House, Bairds Hill and I was a pupil there from 1951-1959. While I was there the large house next door was purchased and used for the Juniors. This house was knocked down in the mid 1960's and a new building put in its place, which I believe is now flats. In the original building there was a tunnel that led down to Joss Bay which was once used by smugglers, and on special occasions we were invited into the cellar to see this tunnel.
The school was first opened circa 1947 by the owners, Miss Flory and Miss Arnold, and closed 15 years later in about 1962. The uniform was a bottle green skirt and grey shirt with a green tie, a grey great coat and a grey velour hat for winter. In the summer we wore a green gingham dress with a green cardigan, a green blazer with the Cuxton House School badge and a Panama hat. Later the blazer was given a yellow braid around the edges which my grandmother had to sew on. The school was mostly a day school for boys and girls, but there were also a few borders. I lived just across the road from the school, so I was one of the day pupils. Those were very happy times and I made some good friends, one of whom I am still friendly with and she still lives in Broadstairs. I stayed in touch with Miss Flory and we wrote occasionally - the last letter I received from her was in 1991, in which she states that the 15 years that she ran this school were the happiest times of her life.
Linden Hall School, High Street, St Peters was owned by Miss Fisher for girls from 4 16. It was for day girls and borders, and I went to this school when I was 12 years old in 1959. It was probably about 1 miles from my home and I used to cycle to school in the morning, cycle home for lunch, back in the afternoon and then cycle home in the afternoon. Boarders came from as far flung places such as Hong Kong and Israel, and some even stayed at the school during the holidays. As the school grew the house next door was bought, and used for the older children. The grounds were used for school sports day.
The uniform had to be strictly adhered to, and anyone deviating slightly from it, would incur a detention. Detentions were given by prefects if cardigan sleeves were pushed up higher that the wrist, or skirts were worn above the knee always a problem for growing children. For winter we wore a grey box pleated skirt, white shirt, Royal blue and grey striped tie, and a Royal blue V-neck jumper or cardigan, black lace up shoes and socks or stockings for outside, and we had to change into black sandals when we went indoors. Unused shoes were kept in a shoe bag on our own peg together with our hats, coats and games kit. In summer we wore Royal blue and white striped dresses with a blue cardigan, socks and sandals, Royal blue blazer and a straw boater.
The school was in lovely grounds, with a pond surrounded on one side by trees and shrubs. This site became the backdrop for school plays during the summer. One memorable play was Toad of Toad Hall. The school eventually closed around 1969 and was pulled down to make way for a new housing development.