St Joseph's Convent, Kenilworth

As it no longer concerns Gosford Park I thought I had better start a new thread on this topic. Thank you for the little bit of history Dutchman regarding Old Joe's. I had aways thought that the convent had always stood on the Kenilworth road. I was there 1950 to 1955 and loved every minute of it. The school itself was the Crackley building, and the Gables was where the nuns resided, and what beautiful buildings they were. I remember the 4th year classroom with wood panelling and inglenook fireplace. The wide sweeping solid staircases up to the classrooms. It would be great if there were some old girls looking in on this forum but that would be too much to hope for. I won't name them as I think they may be too modest to chat. As for the nuns, well, they were lovely, but we had outside teachers too. Miss Salt - English, Miss Brown - French, Mrs. Hawksworth -Needlework, Art, Mr Hawksworth - Science, Miss Murphy - Physical jerks & Sports, Miss Tibbits - Music. Maths, History and Religion were taught by the sisters. I remember Sister Phillips took us to London for a day, we must have given her a few headaches that day, I don't know how we crammed so many sights all in one day, but It will be a day I will never forget. I will remember the school sign :- St. Joseph's Convent, School for Young Ladies. Oooooo, I don't know about that !

Don't know if you have seen them Dreamtime but there are some wonderful photos posted on the site. If you look for St Josephs convent under photo mysteries you will find them.I live very near to the Kenilworth Rd but not sure where the Convent was,regards Jan.

Hello Mayjan, Yes, I have seen those but I think they are a few years before my time and probably before they moved to Kenilworth which incidentally was situated on the Kenilworth road just before you get to Kenilworth itself, where all the houses are now built around Crackley woods. So many changes, it is a pity those lovely buildings had to go. Thanks for your response Mayjan and it's good to know you are still on board showing some female support. Not many of us on here at the moment is there ?

Hello, I thought I'd let you know that there is a school there, but in a much changed form. The Sisters of Mercy left the school - in the 1970's I think. I am told that the move was to focus on the needy rather than those who could pay for private education. The school was taken over by lay staff who successfully ran the school for many years and a new hall was built, with money raised by parents. However, numbers began to reduce. Part of the impact on this was the decision of Princethorpe College to take girls. Around 2000-01 it was decided that the school in its current form was no longer viable and it was decided that the senior school be merged with Princethorpe College. The Junior School continues at the site - and is now located at Crackley Hall, which is the building at the top of the entrance drive. In fact, the school itself is called Crackley Hall. Three years ago Crackley Hall merged with Abbottsford School - their numbers were impacted by the closure of the Peugeot factory. Now it is the only Independent School in Kenilworth. At the point where the Junior School started there were just 51 pupils there and only a handful of boys. As parents, our main concern was whether or not the school would survive. Now there are over 150 and almost 60 in a thriving nursery and the split between boys and girls is almost 50:50. As well as working at Princethorpe College, both my daughters went to St Joseph's/Crackley Hall. The special atmosphere we felt when we first looked round in 1996 is still there. There is a real energy about the school. The uniform is also much changed. The shapeless maroon skirt that my daughter wore is long gone and has been replaced by a smart tartan. You can see some more about the school on our website: http://www.crackleyhall.co.uk/ If you wish, I can also make enquiries about who is running the Alumni Association. Regards Gill

What a wonderful and informative post Gill - I'm sure the original posters on this topic will really appreciate your efforts when they see it. Welcome to our little forum!

Hello Gill, Sorry, I have been off line for a week or I would have responded before. Lovely and informative response, thank you. I often wish I had taken more photos of the Convent. Loved it there lots of happy memories. There must be lots of 'Old Jo's' out there somewhere !!!

I was at St Josephs between 1983-1993. It stood on Coventry Road A429 (becomes Kenilworth Road when it crosses into Coventry a few hundred yards further on) The last of the Sisters left in 1991, when I was taking my GCSEs. This is when the Junior School moved into Crackley Hall (the convent building). The basement still contained the Sisters' storage items (including postulants' wedding dresses from their investiture ceremonies). As Gill says, the Senior School moved to Princethorpe around the millennium and The Gables (the Senior School building), purpose build Junior School, hall, gym, and other buildings were all demolished in 2002/3 to make way for housing . I believe Crackley Hall was protected by a covenant that prevented its being sold or demolished, but that may have just been rumour. The school is now called Crackley Hall School, so St Joe's no longer exists at all! But there is a group on Facebook called 'In Remembrance of St Joseph's Convent School, Kenilworth', which has over 200 members!

Hello Nelly Egdirdle, This is a very interesting piece of information and I send my thanks. Your attendance at St. Joe's is way after mine. I was there when the gym was being built, so it seems strange to hear that it has been demolished although I did know that. Best wishes to you from an old ex Old Joe.

I apologize for writing this way. My name is Johnnie Manckiy; I recently graduated from university with my BA in history. I am an American, but British history is my passion. I am especially interested in the histories of British country houses. One period I am working on is researching the role country houses played during World War Two. Most of my research on this subject has been on the use of country houses by evacuated schools. I am researching St Joseph's Convent School, Coventry when it was at Stoneleigh Abbey during the war. The school was evacuated from Coventry to Stoneleigh Abbey near Kenilworth. During the war the school's buildings in Coventry were destroyed and the sisters found a large house in Kenilworth . Could you please help me? I am trying to find out more about the history of the school and any information on its time at Stoneleigh Abbey. I would welcome any help anyone could give me. Thank you for everything. All the Best, Johnnie

Hi Johnnie, Welcome to the forum.
Although this sounds interesting I don't know anything about this topic, but I think there are possibly members on this site that do?:
photo mystery page(?).
Good luck in your research . Luke.

At Gosford Green on Walsgrave Road was a St Joseph's school which took boys, probably under the age of eight. My uncle whom I never knew, Bert Kendall, was a pupil there but he died aged 12 of meningitis in February 1920 and is buried in Stoke Churchyard. I remember this school being rebuilt after the war, it was not far in from the junction then with Paynes Lane, now of course disappeared into Sky Blue Way.

It wasn't the same school though. The entire site was cleared and the completely new St Mary's school built on it by the council. The entrance to the new school was in Lansdowne Street rather than Walsgrave Road.

Thanks for putting me right Dutchman.

Morning Prof, As an ex Old Joe's student, I think if you go into Google you will find the Crackley building (one of two, the other was called the Gables) is still standing there and now called Crackley Hall - still a school but no longer St. Joseph's Convent School for Young Ladies ! P.S. along the Kenilworth / Coventry Road.