St Leonards Papers

1849 - 1950

Extracts from the Book of Annals, Ceremonies and Feasts for All Souls Convent and Chapel

Dec 1849 - Jan 1853

This small manuscript booklet describes the feasts and ceremonies celebrated at the Chapel of All Souls, St Leonards-on-Sea. Since the SHCJ had only just arrived at St Leonards in December 1848, this manuscript is a valuable record of the sisters who were professed and girls who received their first communion at the very start of the Society's second community.

Evocative descriptions recreate the singing in the chapel such as 'O Cor, amoris victima' which 'never seemed to come so softly yet so trilling upon the ear'. The pages also recreate scenes from life at the boarding school, such as the girls dressing up and electing a King and Queen for the Feast of the Epiphany in 1850. 

Emma Ince Anderton 4th Course of Drawing

1897

Emma Ince Anderton's sketchbook from her Fourth Course of Drawing at the SHCJ school at St Leonards-on-Sea is one of a small collection of St Leonards' student work books and art pieces that have survived from the 19th Century. Created the year Cornelia died, Emma's beautiful work is testament to Cornelia's championing of drawing as 'a Chrisitian Art' and a 'universal language'. 

St Leonards Register

1850 - 1976

This register contains the names of the SHCJ's very first pupils and continues until the school's closure in 1976. Giving the names of parents, child's previous school and the dates when they received the sacraments, it holds a wealth of information, in particular for family historians. 

Programme for St Theresa's Feast

15th October 1897

The Feast of St Teresa is of particular importance to the SHCJ. In SHCJ schools pupils who were in the Children of Mary - a sodality of senior girls - would dress as Holy Child nuns and take lessons, giving the sisters a day off. The girls would also perform music and plays for the sisters on this feast and this programme is a remnant from St Teresa's in 1897. 

Address to Reverend Mother by the Children of Mary

24th May 1881

This is a manuscript text of an address to Reverend Mother made by the Children of Mary that was copied down in the Prefect's notebook who probably prepared the speech with the girls.

'Reverend Mother' refers to the Superior of a convent would oversee the community of sisters living with the convent as well as the school. The prefects of SHCJ schools acted as headmistresses who would be more involved in the management of the school and discipline.  The Children of Mary (also known as the Sodality of Mary) were a group of senior pupils who were picked from the school. They would raise money for good causes and guide and take care of younger pupils in the schools.

Map of a School Trip from handmade booklet

1950

This map was drawn by the pupils of St Leonards as part of a booklet handmade by them and given to Mother Mary Ursula Blake to celebrate her Feast Day. It shows the route of their school trip through Europe eventually arriving in Rome.