St Charles School

run by The Brothers of Our Lady of Mercy 1883-1901

Brother Arthur J. Doyle, the Director, opened St Charles School Brentwood at Fulham in 1886. He had about 40 orphaned boys.

Cardinal Manning bought the Brentwood property of about 18 acres and decided to build a school for 200 boys. In 1885 one main building was finished and half of the building connecting the two main blocks.

The main building consisted of four dormitories (one Brother and 25 boys in each), a classroom for 100 boys as was typical according to Government regulations of that period, an entrance hall, a reception room, a playroom and lavatory.

A covered section of playground connected the main building with the one floor building. The Sisters had the passage covered in so that one could pass from one building to another without being exposed to the biting wind and rain. This connecting building had a refectory, a kitchen, a bathroom, a shoemaker shop, a tailor’s shop, a small room for Brother’s refectory and a sacristy (small room).

When the building was finished in 1886 (approx) there was another small room used as the Brother’s lavatory plus old fashioned wash stands. There was also a steam laundry with steam horses for drying as the boys did all their own washing. On opposite side there was a room intended for the little boy’s refectory, but used in our days as a chapel.

The chapel between the two playgrounds was built for the Sisters. The statue of St. Charles was presented to Brother Arthur by the parents of one of the Brothers about 1895. The second part of the building was finished in 1886. The school was certified for two hundred boys, which number was in residence in 1886. In 1897 there was the building of infirmary which was isolated in a field and Priest’s House.

The ‘lay out’ of the ground was Brother Arthur’s work and he took great pride in the avenue of trees, the lawn, flowerbeds and the shrubbery in front of main entrance. He was a great lover of flowers. He visited his beloved school every year to enjoy, in his old days, the work of his Directorship and the fine Avenue of Trees he had planted.

Education

The usual “ seven standards”; three “R’s” and of course: “Religious Annual examinations”:- 1) Religious, 2) Government. The school was always open to inspection and the Government Inspector for health was very particular regarding cleanliness of boys and the school building. Torn clothes, boots out of repair and broken laces, holes in stockings, meant a “bad” report. His visits were always “surprise visits” so consequently boys and building had always to be in order. Guardians of Unions, whose children were in attendance, had the right to visit the school and inspect their own children. In addition The Inspectors for Religious and secular studies examined the children once a year. From fourth standard upwards boys were “half-timers”, half day in class and half day in manual work. Each boy was supposed to learn a trade with a choice of shoemaking, tailoring or farming.

All clothing was made by the boys including jerseys, collars and caps. Cleaning of the house was done by the boys. The Boys were received at the age of nine years and left at the age of 16 years. Boys under nine years of age were under the care of the Sisters of Charity, at Mill Hill and Leyton. On leaving school the boys were supplied with regulation outfit. Cardinals Manning, Vaughan and Bourne encouraged emigration to Canada (Province of Quebec). There were two hostels in London: St Patrick’s (Fitzroy Square) with Fr. Clement in charge and St. George’s (Blackfriars Road). If a boy returned to the slums it usually meant ruin of all done at school.

The Diocese paid £10 per year for each Brother for support of Novitiate. I have an idea we were allowed something for habits.

In the early days Guardians were not obliged to send Catholic children to our schools. I understand Cardinal Manning and Duke of Norfolk fought for them and gained their point. London Guardians paid six shillings a week for each boy. This was the maximum allowed by Local Government Board. Years later Guardians paid seven shillings. Some country Unions paid only 1/6 but the Bishop made it up to 3/6.

The school had to compete with Protestant schools, which had an unlimited supply of money. It was only the charity of the Brothers and Sisters of Charity that enabled us to have done so.

The choir for many years, probably to the close of school, went to Warley Church on Sunday to sing at Mass and Benediction.

At midsummer and Xmas the boys had a week’s holiday but did not go home. Brother Arthur’s feast day was kept on the feast of St. John the Baptist. The celebration of the feast and the excursion to Southend were the chief events of the midsummer holiday. The ramble after supper on St. John’s feast was known as the famous “Midnight Walk”.

Christmastide was the jolliest period of the year. There was entertainment arranged for each evening, a play was always prepared plus a the huge Xmas tree, toys and a magic lantern. One afternoon was assigned for the boys’ visit to the town to spend their Christmas money (“Truth” gave a toy and sixpence to each boy). The visit to town was the greatest event of the Christmastide amusements. On the boys return the Brothers had to admire their purchases. Poor chaps!!!

There was an excellent spirit among the boys. This was due to the fact that the majority of the boys came from the Sisters and not direct from the slums and to Brother Arthur’s fatherly interest in the boys and the spirit of trust he cultivated. Whenever he went into the playground he was surrounded by the boys, who looked upon him as their father. It was extraordinary the confidence the boys had in him. All their sorrows and joys were known to him. He could bring himself down to their level without loss of dignity. He was known as the ‘Poor Boy’s Friend’. He was an excellent reader and during the winter months he read stories to the big boys after supper. He was an excellent judge of books that would appeal to boys with Fr Finn’s books and Rev. Creek’s as great favourites. It was a sad day for all at St Charles when in 1899 Brother Arthur’s superior asked him to take charge of St John’s in Walthamstow. By pursuing his methods, which were so successful at Brentwood, he had the satisfaction of having St John’s classed among the most efficient of Industrial Schools in the country.

Cardinal Manning visited St Charles in its earliest years and addressed the boys, as he affectionately repeated ‘his boys’. Cardinal Vaughan visited the school in about 1895/96. After dining with the Community he administered Confirmation. It was on this occasion that he expressed the opinion that this type of school had reached its zenith. The fashion at that period was for “boarding out “ of children in lieu of the barrack system. I am of the opinion the idea was dropped as it was not easy to find a man and his wife suitable to manage 20 – 30 boys.

The change that took place in the administration of the Poor Law by 1900 caused the number of children sent to schools to be so reduced that it was decided to close St. Charles in 1901. Some of the boys were sent to North Hyde and some to Southend. So to the regret of the Community we had to bid farewell to a class of boys beloved by all.

After a number of improvements had been made the Sisters of Charity were asked to take over the school which they did until 1936 when the Irish Christian Brothers took over. The school closed in 1954. In 1971 after a period of unoccupancy the building was used as the country’s first Youth Treatment Centre (one of only two) which was a secure unit for criminally inclined adolescents aged 10-18 and remained so until its closure in 1995. In 2001 with the building having been empty in the intervening years it was proposed that the building be once again used for the same purpose but local opposition and cost preventing this from happening and the proposal was scrapped in 2004. The building is still empty and is currently up for sale.

I am not sure whether or not Cardinal Bourne ever visited Brentwood but I think it was after the closure of St Johns that the Cardinal assured Brother Arthur that he would never forget that he (Brother Arthur) had ever been a faithful servant of the Diocese. (some fifty years after).

At the end of his novitiate Brother Arthur was sent to North Hyde Orphanage and then spent some years at the Reformatory School at Blythe House. When Blythe House was closed the boys went to Boleyn Castle and there Brother Arthur remained till he was made Director of St. Charles’ in 1883. He lived in retirement at St Aloysius College till his death in his 80th year. He celebrated his Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee in Highgate.

Directors

Br. Arthur 1883-1899 (two years before close) Br. Aidan 1899-1900 Death Br. James 1900-1901 (closed the school) Chaplains:- Fr. Ryan, Fr. McKenna, Mgr. Watson, Fr. Bishop, Fr. Cullen.

Deaths at Brentwood: Bro.Basil, Bro.Hugh, Bro.Aidan, buried in the cemetery attached to the Catholic Church of St Helens.

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At least one old boy was ordained a Priest: Fr. J. Noonan, Salesian. Three old boys joined our Community. +++++++

This copy supplied on 26th November 2001, from Bro Fidelis. Whilst original date and author unknown, Brother Fidelis understood it was written by one of the Brothers, probably in the 1920/30’s. Additional information supplied by J. Thomas.

Andrew McGovern