New Hall, as you shall see, has quite a history for an Essex school near Chelmsford. Since 1799 it has been on the site of the Tudor Beaulieu Palace.
Before then, extracted from their website, … New Hall School was founded in Liège in 1642, making us one of the oldest Catholic Schools in the UK. The faith which lies at the heart of our foundation remains essential to the character of the school today.
The founding Religious Order, the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre, is one of the most ancient in the Church and was established in Europe long before the English Religious Community was founded in 1642.
During Penal Times, an English woman, Susan Hawley, went to the Low Countries and was trained in the Religious Life of the Holy Sepulchre. On making her profession, she left that Religious Community to found an English Religious Community in Liège; from these earliest days, girls were sent to the nuns to be educated. The Community’s spirituality, rooted in the Augustinian tradition, has a special emphasis on the Resurrection, prayer, community life, hospitality and service to others. Initially, the school offered a Catholic education to girls who were denied this in England in the Post-Reformation period. In 1794, the French Revolutionary Wars forced the nuns to leave the Low Countries. The school reopened on its present site in 1799.
On 26th July 1818 a New Girl arrived, a “Miss George”. Her final report summarises her education.
She is to take all the common lessons but not particular ones for the present. She has had the Cow Pox and Measles but not the Whooping Cough. She is not quite 6 yrs of age. She began Music Dec 1818. She made her first Confession April 1819. She began Dancing Jan 1820. It is the wish of Miss George’s Friends that she should be taught every accomplishment according as her age admits of Instruction. She made her 1st Communion Nov 21st 1822 and was Confirmed Sept 8th 1825.
She is my illegitimate aunt, Eliza, daughter of “Punch” Bryan and his mistress, an actress, Eliza Walstein. Her school record is rather better than mine from Castle Park for the Winter term 1962, when I was eight.
Religious Knowledge, 5/15 quite good.
History, 3/15 rather an easy going term (?) but a good man.
Geography, 8/15 not always attentive enough.
Reading, 1=/15 very fluent but he must learn not to fall over his words.
Spelling & Dictation, 2=/15 good.
Writing 13/15, must learn to take his time.
Latin, 10=/15 his progress has been very slow but quite steady. His exam result was much better than I expected.
French, 7=/15 very satisfactory progress.
Arithmetic, 12/15 he has made some progress.
House Chart, poor.
Drawing, a very promising pupil with original approach to his work.
In School, good on the whole but inclined to do the giddy-goat at times.
Out of School, good but not too good.
Fifteen boys in class, average age nine years, two months.
https://youtu.be/iR1p1_iZByw
A giddy-goat!! Reading your blog prompted me to dig out my old school reports. Great and amusing read, thank you!
I have seen a later letter about Miss George ( my great grandmother and my link to “Punch” Bryan from whom the chief blogger is also descended) written by the Principal at New Hall to her guardian ( a Major Armstrong), which shows her schooldays were not a total success:
“ The information I have to impart respecting Miss George’s conduct and application to her pursuits is I regret to state far from satisfactory – a want of steadiness defeats all our endeavours. We almost fear she will never acquire sufficient self control to counteract those bursts of temper which under the most trifling contradictions will suddenly break out, nor will Miss George ever excel in any accomplishment from the want of perseverance in her exertions. It rests entirely with your ward to be an estimable, amiable and accomplished character- but unless she makes the necessary endeavours all that can be done for her either by her friends ,or here will be unavailing. The least encouragement, or indulgence cause such an excitement as to render her quite ungovernable, until that feeling has subsided. I consider it a duty in me to mention these particulars in order that the Friends of our eleve may not be disappointed in the happiness they might expect from her society and which she is certainly capable of affording them could she be induced to subdue her temper and unless she does this, she will be a severe trial to all interested in her welfare and ill recompense the pains and expence bestowed upon her. I own I had flattered myself after your kindness to her and salutary advice when you were here last summer, that I should have had a more satisfactory report (than candour allows me) to send at present. I annex Miss George’s account as usual. She has not merited as yet the kind permission you gave her therefore no charge on that point. Miss George requests her best respects to yourself and Mrs Armstrong in which I beg leave to write with the highest esteem.
I am, Sir
Your most obedient, obliged humble servant
Elizabeth M.R. Garrard
New Hall 12th February 1829
A giddy-goat? Thank you for that rather more candid account of Miss George’s education. Punch was said to have been rather headstrong.