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School friends

For the fainthearted . . .

A friend from school days shared a picture on Facebook, a van bearing the logo, “HBS Pharmacy.” He added a note that our school’s closure in 1989 must have been due to diversification. “HBS” for us meant “Heathercombe Brake School,” a strange educational institution that existed in Devon from the 1950s until the 1980s. It comprised two small boarding schools with satellite children’s homes. In the seaside town of Teignmouth there was a primary school for girls and boys, together with facilities for secondary aged girls. Boys of secondary school age were sent to an austere cluster of buildings deep within the hills of Dartmoor National Park.

Meeting a friend, last Monday, from schooldays more than forty years ago prompted further reflection on the strange places to which we had been sent.

The school had been founded by fundamentalist Christians and the terms of its charitable status in 1967 smack of the “improving” values of Nineteenth Century evangelicalism:

(a) to help children who are sick, delicate, maladjusted or suffering in any way from neglect or an unhappy or unsuitable environment;

(b) the physical care, education and welfare of the children;

(c) the spiritual, moral and mental guidance of the children;

(d) the scholastic education of the children;

(e) the reinstatement and readjustment of the children to a normal physical and/or mental state to enable them to face life with renewed courage and interest.

Local authorities paid the fees for those of us who attended Heathercombe Brake School, fees which were comparable to those of private schools, but without the prestige or camaraderie associated with a fee paying school. Attending the school removed us from the local communities from which we had come, meaning we were often isolated when we returned, but it did not create the social networks associated with boarding schools.

Personal memories of leaving the school forty years ago are of being severed from the small term time school community in which there were friends and  coming home to a place where some of the people I had once known had changed beyond recognition and where others had forgotten that I had ever been there.

Strangely, it is in the past decade that identification with Heathercombe Brake School has renewed among some of us. Social media, first Friends Reunited, and then Facebook, have reconnected former pupils scattered across the country. The odd experiences we endured at the school have been discussed, if never fully comprehended. Friendships have moved on, have become ones that do not depend on recollections or nostalgia.

Heathercombe Brake School might be long gone: the unlikely ties it created continue.

Click here for a gallery of photographs from the 1960/1970s.

Heathercombe Brake School Photographs

Comments

School friends — 72 Comments

  1. I was at Heathercombe Brake school between 1969-1971,I was then Bethan Llewelyn and even though we lived in Dawlish I was still a boarder. Does anyone remember me?

  3. Thanks Ian, that would be good. My father was a minister at Dawlish congregational church so that maybe something she remembers about me.

  4. My name was Christine Magney and I was there in May 1963 for what I remember to be the best 12 weeks of my short life. I was 11 and remember being great pals with a boy called Georgie Bell. We got lost on the moors one day and did not get back until late do we had to do the washing up. Would love to hear from anyone there around that time.

  6. Hi I think I was there from 1969 ish? I remember Sue Donut, Patsy someone & Fiona Olgivy I was Pat Young it as a pretty strange place and it screwed up my schooling because by the time I got back into main stream school I had missed quite a bit! only stayed for a while as I was too home sick. I do still bear the physical scars of playing hiding seek and running into a washing line pole and split my cheek open 🙂 also remember escaping down the outside fire staircase and going into town to play on the fruit machines and pin ball!!

  7. ooh! and just remembered Lorraine Evans and Patsy Bloomfield Trisha someone – where are you guys?

  8. Hi Trish was it Trisha Chilcott you remember. I was there 70-77. I’m sorry I don’t recognise your name, I remember Fiona but not the other names you mentioned. I was Lynnda King

  9. Ian, I believe that the last sentence is 100% true, whether or not social media continues, all who spent time at HBS will have both good and bad memories.
    Steve – 1976 – 1984, Teignmouth/Dartmoor

  10. I seem to remember Sue Donat, Trish Chillcott , Sue Whitehead, Patsy Broomfield- she was my best friend at the time – Rose Wilmott and a girl called Katherine O Dell, and many more. They were great times and lots of fun. Love to hear from you folks .

  12. Hi was at Heathecombe brake in 1967 till 1970 .when where you there ?

  13. I was there 1974-1977.

    I think Carol Harvey might have been there around your time, can I pass on your email address to her?

  14. Can’t seem to recall the name at the moment but it was a good while ago and it will probably click later. Yes, by all means do pass it on, it would be so nice to keep in touch with lost friends.

  15. I’ve passed on your email address. Good luck with your search.

  16. Thanks very much Ian and good luck in your search also .

  17. My auntie was at this school in the early 60’s She sadly passed away in 1965 I believe at the age of 14? Her name is/was Marlene Hugh. Anyone who knew and has memories of her I would love to hear from so I can pass them onto my mum.

  18. Hi Jemma,

    Was your auntie in Teignmouth or on Dartmoor? Christine Stanborough, who has posted her email address above, was on Dartmoor for one term in 1963

  19. Hi, I was sent there in the 1950s, around 55-56, I have a bible they gave me when I left. I don’t remember anyone from that time as I was unhappy there, the only day that comes to mind was we were taken to Becky Falls, and had to clean off our shoes back at the school in small porch, I was sent there because of being under weight at the time

  20. Alan, I think there were many people who would have shared your feelings. It was so remote that it felt like a different world.

  21. hi, Bethan Airey, I was at heathercombe break around the same time as you, I remember staying with your family one weekend, my name then was Lorraine Dunk, I remember you, Tony Lindsey, and a girl named I think Darlene,I have some good memories from there, although
    I was glad to be home I also missed the country side and the trips to the beach. I remember 1 member of staff, we called her Aunty Sue, she left not long after I started there. Are you in touch with anyone from our time there.

  22. Alan Jeeves I was there definitely in 1958 because I was asthmatic or similar.I also had a bible as a prize for learning John 3:16.I still have it.I thoroughly enjoyed my month there in the “wooden hut” with the ponies around at night and watching 6.5 Special on a little black and white tv.Friday trips to Teignmouth in the Land Rover.A whole new world to me.Loved it.

  23. Does anyone remember a young girl called Rufina who was there in the early 1970’s she said she was a descendant of red indians. It was a time when one of the staff was called Uncle Peter and he used to do the medication at night. Thanks

  25. You may want to leave the past in the past. But there are interesting discussions on the Heathercombe Brake School page on Facebook if you would like to read or comment, also the occasional reunion.

  28. I was there for a term. In 1974. Managed to escape the clutches of what I can only describe as a living hell.

  29. Further to my last comment. Wonder if Paul Cameron, Mark Church or perhaps Peter Sherman are out there. Feel free to get in touch via this blog. It was Heathercombe Brake.

    Danny Kehoe.

  30. I was at heatree house !966 to 1969 declared war at 13 when they wouldnt let me home for my seven year old sisters funeral to much bother says aunty bett.they got fed up with me when i was 14 and gave me the option of leaving or being expelled.I left,went back 10 years later to visit with my family.Felt nostalgic for the old place.

  31. Hi Bethan, I remember you well from Dawlish Secondary Modern. Hope you are well. Kind regards

    Andy Roberts

  32. I was at Heathercombe Childrens Home in 1961.I believe it was 8th June – 8th July.With Tony Goodbody Phillip Pye,Ron Kazarin and Ian Anderson.Also Rosina Caswell.Would love to see any photos or hear from these old friends after such a long time.

  33. I worked for about 18 months with someone who had been at Heatherway while I was at Heatree. We recognised one another, but neither of us mentioned the association, and carried on as if it had never happened. Not sure if that says more about us or the institution.

  34. I have helped run the Heathercombe Brake School FB Group for a number of years always looking for new members former boys, girls and staff most welcome.

  35. Hi John, I don’t do Facebook, but I hope you have found a good number of HBS past pupils.

  36. I was here from September 1977 until 1978 I was called tanya Phillips then. I remember miss bat was the headmistress and we had to recite a verse to her to get our little bible and had to wear a dress for church service on a sunday and someone got told off for wearing culottes and a lady that we called auntie eve worked there..

  37. Hi All

    I left Heathercombe can someone help, think Just after the Malvinas War. My name is Anthony Jacovides, My friends were Peter Serjeant, Kenneth Merrilees, Robin ? ,whoops sorry forgot surname, I remember teachers Mr Page, Ms Tucker. I stopped FBook, but for memories John Boulter’s FB group is cool, my email… anthonyjacovides@gmail.com. Stay safe Anthony (age 53)

  38. Miss Batty, yes I remember the Headmistress the brush or cane, I think brush; my backside was sore!

  39. I was there in July 1967. I still have the bible I ‘won’ for reciting john chap 1 verses 10.11.12. I remember the words to this day. I went to stormont house school in london. An open air school. Doubt very much if anyone on here will recall me. Xx

  40. Tanya Bastable, that’s around the time that I was there. was Auntie Eve from Holland? Do you you remember Auntie Barbara and I think her husbands name was Ken, one of their daughter’s names was Astrid

  41. I was there in 1958 Oct – Nov
    I Remember going to Tieghmouth on Friday mornings
    I was there because of my Chest condition ,6-8 wks
    When I returned home I had a bout of pneumonia !
    I remember a boy called David from billericay in Essex

  42. Hi lynnda .i remember you.and kay kelleher auntie barbaras husband was called uncle billy,,they had 2 children called astrid and naomi,lynnda,can you remember the blue mini bus uncle billy used to take us around in lol,had some hard times but had some good ones too.i was christine stokes .used to go for midnight walks down the fire escape and into town …and walk into dawlish ..crikey was i stupid.

  43. Hello
    I was at Teignmouth – Heathlands Rise, Heathercombe Brake Boarding School between 1962 – 1965. I was then called Avril Williams. I was there from 12 yrs to 15 yrs old, I was a prefect at Heathercombe Brake and my favourite teacher was Miss.Lugg, she was very nice and a good teacher. Also, Nurse Mary was lovely. And dear Miss. Bat, our Headmistress,- known as Aunty Nora. She never caned anyone unless Truly necessary! she was gentle and kind.
    Pupils I remember were:
    My friend Marjory, Marilyn Gold – remember me Marilyn☺,Duffy, Pat Williams,Diane Lloyd, Angela MacDonald,Jeanette Morris,Jacky Madge.A boy called Edward who had Hydrocephalus – I used to help dear Edward,and there was a boy with calipers sorry I can’t remember his name.
    My dear best friend Margaret Berryman died in Nurse Mary’s room in the middle of the night. It was terrible sad. There were other pupils perhaps you can remember other names. Does anyone remember me?

  44. I was at Heathercombe in June 8th to July 8th 1961.There was auntie Cath,auntie Anna Marie and Nurse.My friends were Tony Goodbody,Philip Pye,Ian Andersen and Ron Kazarin.I loved every minute of it and cried when i left.Unfogettable.

  46. Hi gerald marish here I was at heatree from Sept 74 until may 79 and enjoyed most of my time there I have alot of time for the people that taught me at that time. Ms tucker was my favourite teacher. I remember a lot of the the boys that were there at that time too, Paul Gates, who is no longer with us, Terry Richardson, Peter shurmer, Nicky Bonner and Neil Williams mark Hillier Andrew Clark and John Chamberlain as I said most of it was a good time for me

  47. Hi Gerald,

    I remember you. You were in the Ark when I came to Heatree in November 1974 and would have been on the second landing or in the extension when I left in June 1977. You had wavy black hair and you were always cheerful.

  50. Ian the girls from Teignmouth have a thriving Facebook page.Its good to share memories and recall old times.

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