21 June 2024
For those that came to Caldecott in the last 50 years or so, I offer this basic introduction to the older Caldecott regime as recalled by those from my era or a bit earlier, in the days of Leila Rendel and Ethel Davies.
Rather than go right back to the 1911 Nursery in London, I could start with the Caldecott Community as incorporated in September 1946 and which moved its base from wartime Hyde House in heathland Dorset to Mersham-le-Hatch, Kent in August 1947. Even that was before I was born, so let us move on some years.
There were few care staff at Hatch. Key staff were mostly elderly women that tended to stay for decades, some with private incomes (token wages then), helped by some younger assistants. That could put one adult in charge of a dozen or more children. Simon Rodway was still a teenager when he joined as an assistant in the West Wing, little older than the most senior boy. Staff were characters, often quirky; even the dogs were a bit odd.
Children were divided into groups mostly by ages, also by gender for girls and boys over age 11 or so. The youngest - mostly infants but some toddlers and even babies of over six months - were in the Nursery, situated above the primary school / former stable and just by the kitchen gardens (hence later Garden House), with Miss Diana being in overall charge with young assistants for the care work. At Hatch itself, the next age group for girls and boys was the Junior Study, upstairs in the main block with Miss Murdin (earlier, Miss Melrose). The oldest juniors were the Senior Study ('Study'), girls and boys in a playroom between the Library and the Dining Room - until Summer term 1961 and after, when boys had separate playrooms at lower levels.
The senior children at Hatch were then in four groups. Young adolescents were either Junior-Senior Girls or Boys, the latter being based in the West Wing with Miss Travers. Senior Girls aged 14 or more had more obvious uniforms and were upstairs in the main block with Miss Elizabeth. Senior Boys aged 14 or more had obvious uniforms and with Simon Rodway - initially in part of the West Wing but in 1958 the original extent of the Colt House provided them with playroom space. That was enlarged in 1962 to provide 12 beds for boys, plus a staff flat at the far end (later extra bits followed - and even some older girls in 1980). Several of the oldest girls and boys were appointed PPU's - in effect, prefects - with slightly different uniforms.
In my time, Caldecott Community was mostly a sort of boarding school, influenced by Gordonstoun, operating in terms for 40 weeks each year. For holiday, children went back to their families or to foster homes or elsewhere. That was so until at least 1985 or slightly later.
The primary school was for infant and junior children at Caldecott. There was Miss Diana's Nursery class and three other classes by age groups with set teachers such as Mrs Robson, Miss Watson and Mr Draper, also Miss Rayment for music, largely singing for those of us without talent for playing a recorder, violin or piano. We went off for eurythmics, pony-riding etc.
The school courtyard also had the chapel for the Community including the numerous children with not much interest in religion (although the few Catholics could be taken to a local church).
Senior children went off on weekdays to various state schools at Ashford or elsewhere, although occasionally special arrangements might be needed.
There were some 100 children at the Hatch site, not more than 25 being classed as maladjusted. At least half of us were not formally in care of a local authority, just with some home difficulties etc.
In 1956 Mike Clover bought the Paddocks (now Caldecott House), Smeeth. This was used as a family-type group, about 15 children, run for Caldecott initially by Mr and Mrs Clover for five years, then for three years by James and Tessa King.
In 1965 Caldecott left the Paddocks as Mr Clover wanted it for his own operation of a children's home (for about 25 years). Caldecott bought Lacton Hall, Willesborough, so that the family group with Mr and Mrs King moved there (later run by other staff from 1967 and for various Caldecott groups until 2011).
Some children, such as my younger brother, started in the Nursery (just after his 5th birthday) and progressed to Junior Study, Senior Study, West Wing boys and Colt House until he had taken A-level exams and went on to the University of Kent at Canterbury. Some children came to and went from Caldecott at various ages and for a range of reasons. There were also some children of members of staff such as the Kings, the Marshalls, the Horts and Mrs Warrington (who ran the East Wing sick rooms after Miss Easton left in 1967, 'Miss E' having been on Caldecott's staff since 1923).
In Summer 1961 Caldecott was given two TV's (b/w), one for Miss Leila and one for a room, next to the primary school, where senior children did "prep" homework between tea time and supper time. Use of the latter TV was limited for a few years. The Paddocks and Lacton Hall had TV's at some stage, perhaps with use not quite so limited. Some staff were evidently not keen on intrusions by the modern world into the semi-monastic community life.