Bishop Lovett Middle School – now Oakfield Primary – had (and still has) the most picturesque setting of any Island school.
Much of the school was built around the former stately home of St John’s House – previously occupied by the local Island gentry.
St John’s House was constructed by Colonel William Amherst in around 1769. He named it St John’s after the capital of Newfoundland, Canada where he had been governor.
In 1796, St John’s House was sold to Edward Simeon, who then employed the famous landscape gardener Humphrey Repton – who helped plan Kew Gardens – to lay out the grounds in 1797.
For over 2 centuries, the area around Bishop Lovett has been renowned for its beauty.
In 1816, Sir Henry Eaglefield described the situation of St John’s House by stating that “few places can boast of more striking beauties than this”.
T. Bretfell commented in 1840 that St John’s House “commands a noble prospect, East, North and West, including every object which gives beauty or interest to the scenery of the Island”.
In 1974, when Bishop Lovett was in operation, 2 surprised lady visitors exclaimed “we didn’t realise it was a school. We thought it must be a park”.
On 16th July 1947, the St John’s Estate was acquired by Isle of Wight County Council for £12,000 (£400,000 in today’s values). Its building then became Ryde Secondary Modern School.
The first floor of the building was used as a flat for the first headmaster, his wife and family. The rest of the building was used as classrooms. The basement was a PE area and also where school dinners were eaten.
The new school was named after Bishop Lovett, the first Bishop of Portsmouth. With the coming of comprehensives and the introduction of a 3-tier system of education, the school became a middle school in 1971.
One former resident from St John’s House in bygone times apparently remained in situ when the stately home was transformed into an educational establishment – the Blue Lady – a teenage ghost who apparently searched for her lost dog in the basement and the grounds.
Former pupils recall being frightened to collect equipment from the basement or wander in the grounds of the school for fear of encountering her (although she was said to have been a benign spirit). Some even claim to have experienced unexplained happenings under the school building, although others have suggested the stories were spread by the school caretaker to keep children away from areas that were out of bounds.
The school was divided into 4 houses: Stirling – red, Windsor – green, Balmoral – blue and Arundel – yellow.
What are the memories of former Bishop Lovett Secondary Modern and Middle School students…?
In the early days of the Middle School, pupils traipsed to the swimming pool in Puckpool Hill to bathe in the freezing swimming pool, which was apparently cold even on a hot summer day.
Less attention was paid to health and safety then, so that the girls changed in what they described as a chicken shed full of spiders while the boys had to change in the dirt outside.
Pupils also recall school trips to North Wales, the Isle of Arran in Scotland and Dinard in France.
A further memory from the early 70s was an insubordinate student setting fire to a bed by having a crafty fag underneath, leading to the evacuation of a French hotel and the arrival of the local fire brigade.
Another example of schoolboy naughtiness was that of a Bishop Lovett pupil adding a halo and smoking cigarette to the portrait of Bishop Lovett that apparently was not removed for months.
Some teachers were fondly remembered. The PE teacher ‘Taffy’ Morgan – who taught during the final years of the secondary modern and early years of the middle school – inspired a number of his former students to become PE teachers themselves.
Mr Morgan also organised dance clubs after school where pupils were taught the waltz, quickstep and Gay Gordons.
1970s headmaster Mr Longhurst was well respected by former Bishop Lovett pupils, one commenting:
“Mr Longhurst was such a great headmaster; he just loved the kids and it showed.”
“I was part of the choir, and he conducted us as we sang at the Christmas end of term concert. He loved getting the school singing.”
The consensus among former students of Bishop Lovett is overwhelmingly positive:
“We were free to have fun – back when fun wasn’t a bad thing like the government try to make it now.
“Fewer government restrictions on what pointless things had to be taught so the teachers could really show their passion for their subjects.
Did you go to Bishop Lovett (secondary modern or middle school)? What are your memories? Let us know in the comments below…
Great story, such a shame these old buildings are no
longer with us.
Before rushing in to comment on every story why not actually look around!
St John’s House is definitely still with us and in use.
Many happy memories of attending Bishop Lovett Middle School. Mr & Mrs Watts: Geography & Home Economics. Taff Morgan: Sport. Miss Williams: Country Dancing. Mr Arapiss, the Caretaker, would scare pupils about the ghost under St. John’s House. Miss Anderson: RE. Mr Ellis: English & History. Mrs Hedges: I cannot remember what she taught, but she smoked (a lot). Mr Brooks: Form Master for Class 1B (the building in the photo being bulldozed was his classroom). Finally, Mr Longhurst, the Headmaster.
For those who attended Bishop Lovett, you will remember that at the beginning of the new term, the floor of the School Hall (also known as the 2nd year block) used to be varnished. This is not good for those with sensitive noses. You could guarantee, at the start of the new year in September, when pupils would be singing, “We plough the fields and scatter”, many would. Why? Because I was renowned for projectile vomiting all over the recently varnished floor. The latter was 51 years ago.
I loved attending Bishop Lovett. At the end of the ’80s and early ’90s, I had the pleasure of being a guest at the school, educating pupils about Christianity and the art of Mime. I couldn’t believe the school still had those purple and mauve Aztec curtains in the School Hall.
Oh, and Mr Ellis was still there; my favourite teacher.
Is this not the Blue Lady of Nettlestone Priory?
What a great school it was I left in1954 someone mentioned Taffy Morgan an ex marine I believe what a hard task master he was.I also remember him marching us out to the swimming pool at Puckpool where it sometimes was covered inIce but you went in whether you liked it or not,he also used to make us go running out round to Puckpool Park and back along the sea wall I used to protest by purposely jogging a little and walking the rest until one day I decided to see what I could do if I tried and came in third and so it was thanks to Taffy that I joined Ryde Harriers and can remember him cheering me on when competing in my first marathon
great days. George Kirkhope
In the top picture, third from the right at the back, I think I spot Ron Martin, woodwork. Not only a respected teacher but also a long-serving and much-loved Scout leader in East Cowes.