PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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NOTRE DAME ROMAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS Notre Dame Roman Catholic High School for Girls is located in Looseleigh lane, Plymouth, alongside the Convent of Notre Dame. When the original Notre Dame Roman Catholic School for Girls was destroyed in the Second World War, the pupils were transferred to premises in Torquay, Devon. Although the Convent of Notre Dame was not re-opened after the War the School was re-started but was known as the Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Secondary Modern School. As early as 1955 a very large property named "Alwin" in Looseleigh Lane, Tamerton Foliot, was acquired as the site for a new school. Plymouth City Council approved the plans on January 24th 1964 and work commenced the following month. It was to be the first grammar school built in Plymouth for thirty years. [1] Mr R C Clark of Messrs Henry Smart & Company of London was the architect and Messrs Staverton Builders Ltd of Devon were the contractors. The cost of construction was about £250,000. [1] [2] The three interlinked, brick-faced blocks consisted of nine class-rooms, six science laboratories, plus subject rooms for pottery, cookery, art, needlework and commerce. [1] Alongside the assembly hall was the Chapel with its Norwegian rose marble altar. The wall behind the altar was decorated in Flanders blue with a Norwegian rose marble panel in the centre. Above the Chapel is the bell salvaged from the old Notre Dame Convent in Wyndham Street after it was destroyed in the Second World War. [1] A soundproof partition between the Chapel and the assembly hall could be drawn back to allow the hall to be used for services. The hall doubled as a gymnasium and behind the stage were changing rooms and showers. Even the dining hall, which could seat 200, could be partitioned to allow for separate music and television lessons. [1] Outside were four tennis courts and a hockey field. [1] There were 24 full-time teachers, of which only two were male, for physics and maths. In addition there were three part-time staff The Head Mistress was Sister Mary Xavier. The 400 pupils aged 14 to 18 moved in in April 1966. [1] This was followed on September 26th 1966 by the official opening ceremony, which was conducted by the Right Reverend Monsignor Cyril Restieaux, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Plymouth. Also present were the Deputy Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Mr Len Hill; Dr Andrew Scotland, Plymouth's Director of Education; Mr Peter Mason, High Master of Manchester Grammar School; and Miss Carmen Ace, the Head Girl. The Bishop's secretary, Father Collins, placed another relic of the old building, the crucifix, on the wall of the Chapel. [2] Following the closure of the Bishop Vaughan Roman Catholic Secondary Modern School in July 1981, the girls transferred to Notre Dame. Sources:
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