French Convent School, Park Grove, Hull

French Convent School

The French Convent of the Canonesses Regular of St. Augustine was built around 1914 and demolished in 1975. The roadside walls and gate still exist on Park Grove and a book about the school was published in 1991 by Irene Megginson.

Noreen Ford went to school here.

45 Comments

  1. sue - August 17, 2014, 10:12 am Reply

    Susan clayton went to school here

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - June 29, 2018, 6:37 am Reply

      If still interested there is a ‘Friends of the French Convent’ and we have a Reunion Lunch every October.

      • Julie mulvana - September 8, 2018, 7:36 pm Reply

        Hi Margaret, hope you don’t mind me contacting you.
        I went to the convent from 67-72 when it closed. I’m trying to find the date for this years reunion as I would like to attend. Could you email me the date if you know and who to contact for tickets. My email: juliemulvana@gmail.com
        My maiden name was Whitham

        Regards
        Julie

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - April 11, 2023, 6:35 am Reply

      Hello Sue

      Not sure who an email has come from via this website but mentions possibly you ‘Sue’ the email includes the names Margaret ever Ingham sue Herbert christine stenhouse. If you would like to be in touch would you like to email me direct on maltbarley7@aol.co.uk Margaret ‘Malt’ Barley

  2. Paul Ford - August 17, 2014, 7:33 pm Reply

    Thanks Sue. I’d love to know who Susan Clayton is, if you could add more information? Thanks, Paul

  3. sue - August 19, 2014, 8:23 am Reply

    Went to French convent school for 15 years 50s_60sw Margaret ever Ingham sue Herbert christine stenhouse

  4. Carolyn - February 2, 2016, 2:52 pm Reply

    I went to the French convent for a couple of years. I remember being taught by nuns. It closed down and I had to go to another school for a year before my parents sent me to Rise Convent, Rise Hall.

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - June 29, 2018, 7:06 am Reply

      Hello Carolyn and Rise closed and is now owned by Sarah Beeny and as well as their house they run it as a Wedding Venue. When the French Convent closed we had Reunion Lunches there at first until it closed. Malt Barley

  5. anne agar - July 2, 2017, 8:20 pm Reply

    lets keep this going i went to school here also my name was Anne Easterby had to leave because it was closing have so many good memories of this place,

  6. Heather Clubley - January 29, 2018, 7:36 am Reply

    Started school at the French Convent in 1955, I remember walking down Cave Street and little children with no shoes on throwing stones at us ! I was four yrs old and couldn’t understand what was happening. Barbara Woodhouse would take us on the bus from Cottingham ( Heather and Victoria Pool)

  7. sueovens - June 29, 2018, 7:21 am Reply

    Pls send news letter tks sue

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - July 9, 2018, 5:36 pm Reply

      Hi Sue I have been away on holiday where would I send the newsletter to my email for the Friends of the French Convent is maltbarley7@aol.co.uk We send one to one of our ‘Friends’ who lives in California Patricia Cockcroft. I was there from the age of 12 in 1962 to 1968.

      Malt

  8. Zoe - March 19, 2019, 9:20 pm Reply

    My aunty went to this school and I’ve just bought the book in order to learn more 🙂 thank you Irene for publishing this book.

  9. Margaret Strickland - June 4, 2019, 9:45 pm Reply

    Does anyone remember Christine Wells who attended up until about 1963? Thanks in advance

  10. Jenufa Harris - July 2, 2019, 5:07 pm Reply

    I went to the French Convent from 1950- 1959. I remember Mother Superior, and Miss Ingram , a teacher with a ‘port wine stain’ birthmark on her face, and I remember the ‘Giant Stride’ in the gym, which I really loved …Miss Ingram would always have a go, and whizz around with her skirt flying. On rainy days we would spend playtime in the hall, learning to dance the ‘Gay Gordons’ and the polka, over a hundred enthusiastic girls stamping around gleefully. What a dreadful shame they knocked that beautiful building down….it would have lasted another hundred years.

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - September 6, 2019, 2:29 pm Reply

      Just to remind you all that there is a ‘Friends of the French Convent’ please contact me on email maltbarley7@aol.co.uk if you want any more information. See paragraph above from me – Margaret ‘Malt’ Barley

  11. Janice Hudson - February 16, 2020, 8:19 am Reply

    I went there from 1957-1964. Memories are the wonderful chocolate slab cake the nuns made and the bunches of snowdrops they sold along with pictures of Jesus.

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - February 17, 2020, 11:29 am Reply

      Hello Janice Hudson
      As above there is a ‘Friends of the French Convent’ and we meet for a Reunion Lunch in October. Might you have know ‘girls like Gillian Greenstone who is our Chair

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - April 11, 2023, 3:41 pm Reply

      Just in case you look at this website again Please get in touch. maltbarley7@aol.co.uk
      Margaret ‘Malt’ Barley

  12. Margaret Barley - February 17, 2020, 11:19 am Reply

    Hello Janice Hudson there is a ‘Friends of the French Convent’ and we do have a Reunion Lunch in October if you are interested please email me on maltbarley7@aol.co.uk Would you remember Gillian Greenstone our Chair of the Friends

  13. Jeanette Dillon now Johnston - April 13, 2020, 8:40 pm Reply

    Ann, Margaret, and Jeanette Dillon all went there .

    • Margaret Barley - August 25, 2022, 4:27 pm Reply

      Hello Jeanette just in case this is sent onto you in an email I was talking to Vanessa Young yesterday who remembers you. Please look at wildwaters.org again and my email listed and maybe get in touch. Malt (Barley)

  14. Margaret Barley - April 15, 2020, 4:40 am Reply

    Please read the previous information if interested in the ‘Friends of the French Convent’ please get in touch with me Margaret Barley.

  15. Margaret 'Malt' Barley - June 18, 2020, 12:47 pm Reply

    Hello Jeannette If you look on here again sometime a lady has been in touch with me who remembers you and was in your class, so if you want to contact her please email me on maltbarley7@aol.co.uk Actually looking at your message again I know Ann Dillon she was in my year

  16. Heather Byatt - March 12, 2021, 8:14 am Reply

    I was at the convent in 1961 – anyone from the class. Jen Harrington and Vicky. Winifred Spetch

    • Eileen mary Carter - April 4, 2022, 12:23 pm Reply

      I was at the convent from 1961-1965. I remember you Heather Byatt!! Jen Harrington, Gwen Ruddock… Winifred…Kay Hartley..Sally Robinson RIP.. I am Mary Williams..now Mary Carter living in Ireland

      • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - April 11, 2023, 3:38 pm Reply

        Hello Mary Your message has just come up! I remember you too. I am still in touch with Gwen and Winifred I wonder what happened to Kay Hartley of Wyton? The Friends of the French Convent is still going and we still produce a Newsletter and have a reunion Lunch. Do you remember Pam Searle née Fairbotham I am in touch with her.
        Margaret Malt Barley

    • Margaret Malt Barley - May 17, 2022, 1:12 pm Reply

      Just in case you log onto this website again please look at comment on12th March 2021 and reply Heather.

    • Margaret Barley - August 25, 2022, 4:25 pm Reply

      Hello Heather just in case this gets sent onto you please look at wildwaters.org again

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - April 11, 2023, 3:33 pm Reply

      Hello Heather Just in case you look at Wild Waters again. Please contact me on maltbarley7@aol.co.uk if interested I’m still in touch with Gwen and Winifred.
      Margaret ‘Malt’ Barley

  17. Margaret 'Malt' Barley - March 12, 2021, 2:54 pm Reply

    Hello Heather, You were in the same class as me. Jennifer Harrington was an art teacher at Cottingham High School while I was working there. I left in 2000, but she was still there then. Vicky Beaulah I have no idea after she left the Convent. I am still in touch with Winifred Spetch, Mary Spooner, Gwen Ruddock, Penny Brown, Christobel Hawkins, Pam Fairbotham, Anthea Whincup and Felicity Walker, plus others from other years. You may remember Gillian Greenstone, You can email me direct if you want to be in touch. I am Margaret ‘Malt’ Barley and you can see my email in the comment before yours above. Malt

  18. David William Craggs - May 13, 2022, 8:56 pm Reply

    I am the organist at St.Mary,Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church in Bransholme, Hull. And we have the organ pipes from the French Convent chapel, incorporated in our organ.

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - April 11, 2023, 2:57 pm Reply

      Hello David after my comment was left on 12th March 2021 there has been nothing until today, all of a sudden your comment has come up and the ones that followed. Not only does St. Mary, Queen of Martyrs have the organ pipes (that I didn’t know) but we (the Friends of the French Convent committee) believe it has the clock and the bells and some stained glass. The information re the the clock, bells and glass is confirmed on this website https://taking-stock.org.uk/building/hull-st-mary-queen-of-martyrs/ Before Lockdown two of us on the Committe were thinking that we would contact Rev Peter Mulholland to see if we could come and look inside the Church and maybe take photographs as the Friends have a Newsletter every Summer and we are always looking for something different to put in. Margaret ‘Malt’ Barley

  19. Jan Wallace (nee Sheffrin) - October 14, 2022, 1:08 pm Reply

    I attended the convent from 1958 to 1962. I was friends with Gillian Greenstone. Also Janet Salter, Beverly Hendy and Jennifer (?). I am Janet Sheffrin

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - April 11, 2023, 3:06 pm Reply

      Hello Jan Wallace née Sheffrin Your message only appeared today! I am in touch with Gillian Barker née Greenstone as she is the Chair of the Friends of the French Convent. We have a newsletter each year and we had our first Reunion Lunch last year after Covid. Janet Salter is a Friend and she usually attends the Reunion Lunch she did last year. I believe Gill and Janet Briggs née Salter and Margaret Mann née Cleminshaw meet for coffee sometimes at the Beverley Arms. Gill was Head girl in my first year at the Convent.
      Margaret ‘Malt’ Barley maltbarley7@aol.co.uk

  20. Jill Collinge, neé Schofield - November 27, 2022, 10:51 pm Reply

    I went to the Convent in 1954.
    I remember Miss Ingram and Mother Gertrud and Mother Presentation.
    School friends: Angela Wells and Jerina Davies to name two.

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - April 11, 2023, 3:25 pm Reply

      Hello Jill Collinge née Schofield Your message has only appeared today! If you would like to reply via my email maltbarley7@aol.co.uk I could see if any of our Friends of the French Convent were at the school at the same time as you, unfortunately I do not recognise the names Angela Wells and Jerina Davies. But there are some Friends that you may know if you were 11 when you went in 1954.
      Margaret ‘Malt’ Barley

  21. Steve Bentley - December 27, 2022, 3:24 pm Reply

    I lived opposite there No.17 Park Grove.

  22. Jill Collinge (Schofield) - April 10, 2023, 10:16 pm Reply

    I remember Kathleen Ritson, but Sue Clayton and SueHerbert and Christine Stenhouse were a year above me. Although I was a friend of Sue Herbert because our mothers were friends.
    Suzanne Wood, Ann Ghyselinks, Jerina Davies and Angela Wells were all in my Year as were Belinda Bailey and Sylvia Watts.

    • Margaret 'Malt' Barley - April 11, 2023, 3:28 pm Reply

      Belinda Bell née Bailey is like me on the committee of the Friends of the French Convent.
      Margaret ‘Malt’ Barley

  23. Margaret 'Malt' Barley - April 11, 2023, 6:26 am Reply

    Hello Katrina, I have received an email from you via this website but it doesn’t seem complete do you think you could email me direct to maltbarley7@aol.co.uk
    Margaret ‘Malt’ Barley

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