St Hilary School's First Re-Union at Saltash

ST HILARY School, Saltash, was opened in 1929 and closed in 1959 when the lady who started the school Miss Grace Ivory retired. On August 22 the school's first re-union was held at St Mellion Golf & Country Club when nearly 70 former pupils returned, coming from a wide area in the South West to meet up again. Three of the early pupils of the school attended the re-union, Miss Vera Maddaver 1932 to 1940, Mrs Mary Maunder (formerly Billinghurst) 1932 and Mr Herbert Davy 1931 for one year in the school.

The school used to use the Saltash YMCA building in Fore Street, Saltash, which was eventually pulled down for street widening. It was a private school with a navy blue and white uniform and the pupils recalled their days spent there from the age of eight to fifteen, with a wide range of subjects taught.

Mrs Betty Dinnis (formerly Barrett) organised the re-union with the help of Miss Muriel Gregory, and special guests were Miss Ethel Roseveare, who had a long association with Miss Ivory and the school through the St Michael's former school in the same building, where Miss Ivory first taught and Miss Roseveare was a pupil.

Captain Butterworth was also a guest as his late wife (formerly Miss Creba) taught at the school for many years.

Included in the subjects taught were music, elocution, shorthand and typing, as well as mathematics, English, Scripture, dancing; about twenty three subjects in all.

Several former pupils displayed their school reports and receipts for fees - £3 3s 0d per term in 1946, plus 7s 6d for books. In 1945 at the end of the war the fees were £2 2s 0d per term.

Miss Ivory who first had private pupils at her home in Home Park Road, Saltash, and who opened her school in 1929, died in Saltash in 1981. At one time her sister Mrs O'Neil did some part-time teaching at St Hilarys. It opened on Saturday mornings for elocution and dancing. One of the former pupils Mrs Mary Frantom is now a qualified elocution teacher in Saltash and Mrs Dinnis, paying tribute to the school and Miss Ivory, said that the school had been an excellent grounding for life and Miss Ivory always maintained a very high standard of education. She said that teachers may not always have been popular but they certainly earned respect and Miss Ivory was one of those teachers and there was always strict discipline in the school; to misbehave while wearing the school uniform was considered a disgrace.

Mrs Dinnis thanked all those who had helped with the re-union and said she was pleased that so many had managed to attend. She said it had taken four years to organise the event and was not sure when the next one would take place. A buffet meal was served and the event ended at 4.00pm with a request to hold another.

Many of the pupils had not been found although the event had been on radio and in the local papers. There is a lack of photos and of the history of the school and she is hoping that someone in the area will have some photos they can pass on as the school was very much a part of Saltash. Saltash Heritage Museum has only one photo and they would also welcome more information; contact Mrs Dinnis 01579 382172 or Miss Gregory 01752 840593.

Carewatch Award Presented at Saltash

MAYOR of Saltash, Cllr Bryan Preston, visited the Carewatch (Tamar) Centre last week to present a National Award to Elizabeth Jory of Liskeard for her work as a carer in Saltash.

She was awarded a Carer of the Month Certificate and with a prize of Marks & Spencers vouchers.