southport, Local Online News Community, Forums, Chats, For Sale, Classified, Offers, Film Reviews, Events, Motors Sale, Property For Sale Rent, Jobs, Hotels, Taxi, Restaurants, Pubs, Clubs, Pictures, Sports, Charities, Lost Found
Results 1 to 12 of 12
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    8
    Likes / Dislikes

    Bright Helmeston School?

    There used to be a private school in Birkdale which my great Aunt attended. I've been googling alsorts of spellings but can't seem to locate it - can anyone tell me where Bright Helmeston (sp?) school in Birkdale was?
    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Norse West.
    Posts
    2,409
    Likes / Dislikes
    Hope this helps.

    Even more memories of Brighthelmstone school!
    By Danielle Manning on Jun 29, 10 01:13 PM
    Since featuring the memories of Brighthelmstone school, I have received swarms of your emails and letters of nostalgia!

    The next person to reminisce is Jane Manaster, who now resides in Austin, Texas.

    Jane said: "On a recent visit to Southport, I live now in Texas, my sister gave me the recent article on Brighthelmstone where I was a student a very long time ago, before I started working for the Southport newspapers in 1956 or so.

    "I must have started at Brightelmstone in 1945 when Miss Domikin ruled the kindergarten, and among the girls were a few boys.

    "Miss Domikin's friend, Miss Hervey, she of the loud whispers, execrable French accent (and the little grey vocabulary books), and elongated ears, hung up what is now called a bulletin board.

    "If we scribbled anything other than work in our 'rough note' books, we were obliged to donate a ha'penny to the mission she supported in Africa, our contribution recorded with a pencil-shaded triangle on a large sheet of paper.

    "As well as the ha'penny, her mission benefited from 4 x 4 inch knitted squares which were stitched into blankets. These were destined for the babies in the 'jungle' so they didn't need to be wrapped in newspapers. We never queried where the newspapers came from.

    "The headmistress at this time was Miss Cox who lived with her assistant, Miss Albert, in a gloomy close across the street from us in Weld Road, near the York Road traffic lights.

    "When Miss Cox retired Miss Heap and Miss Flett, who were life-partners shared the headship with the terrifying Domikin. Miss Heap was a classics scholar, and I loved the book you mentioned in your article. (Under the name Winifred Lear, she wrote a book called 'I Like This Place' which tells of her years spent teaching there.)

    "Miss Flett, Thora, was the gym teacher and wore pink knickers down to her knees under her grey flannel skirt. She was loud and butch and humourous, and both women were simply super.

    "I remember the smell in the basement, which I wouldn't try to define, the ice in the half-pint bottles of milk, so cold it was down there. And the fossils, and the cloakrooms, and the toilet with no light bulb.

    "I remember mince for luncheon on Tuesdays, gristly bits floating in thin gravy, and stews on Thursday, and the wasp that settled on my burned custard and which, of course, I had to eat.

    "I remember Miss Avent and Miss O'Toole with a hankie always to her nose, and Miss McLaughlin, and being scared when we read a sentence each that I'd get 'blossom' and by mistake read 'bosom.'

    "There were red buttons for achieving an average grade or mark of four-plus out of six each week, and a silver button if you didn't miss a single day all term. For this, I strived in vain!"
    ****Blessed are the cracked:
    For it is they who let in the light****
    ***Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held it's ground*****

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Norse West.
    Posts
    2,409
    Likes / Dislikes
    And.

    The town has one Independent School, called Sunnymede School, which is in Birkdale.[43] In the past the town had more independent schools which included Tower Dene, which was situated on Cambridge Road. The school closed due to lack of pupils and funding in 2002 and now one of the Victorian houses that housed the school has since been turned into apartments, the other is derelict. Kingswood College (originally St Wyburn's) is now housed outside Southport at Scarisbrick Hall, but it takes many pupils from the town. Brighthelmstone School (girls) and University School (boys) are long closed.
    ****Blessed are the cracked:
    For it is they who let in the light****
    ***Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held it's ground*****

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    8
    Likes / Dislikes
    Thankyou Ex More, I've copied & emailed to my Grandma so she can recount it to her sister this evening (we're trying to get my Great Aunt to use email but she prefers talking the hind legs off a donkey )

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Southport Ghetto
    Posts
    36
    Likes / Dislikes
    http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=2408342473

    I went to Brighthelmston, cried my eyes out the day we all left because it was closing down. And again when I saw it being knocked down

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    southport
    Posts
    56
    Likes / Dislikes

    Brighthelmsone.

    My mum went to this school and loved it there. Saxonholme was the school she attended before that (down saxon road). Very happy memories, she has been to frequent school reunions over the years. My mum attended in the early 1950s.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    8
    Likes / Dislikes
    My Great Aunt would have attended at the same time as your mum WhiteWitch - she would have left school in the late 40's early 50's

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    southport
    Posts
    56
    Likes / Dislikes
    My mum would know her for sure. The pupils were like one big family and as my mum is a only child, her school chums have played a big part in her life. She is still in touch with a few of them all these years later, even though they live miles and miles apart

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    310
    Likes / Dislikes
    Sadly Sunneymede closed its doors this Summer. My daughter was a pupil at Brighthelmstone when it closed down a very sad day for all the pupils at the time.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    southport
    Posts
    2,645
    Likes / Dislikes
    My sister went to Brighthelmston.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    1
    Likes / Dislikes
    Quote Originally Posted by Owen View Post
    There used to be a private school in Birkdale which my great Aunt attended. I've been googling alsorts of spellings but can't seem to locate it - can anyone tell me where Bright Helmeston (sp?) school in Birkdale was?
    Thanks
    Brighthelmstone school was on Waterloo Road - I attended there as a day pupil for a year (1956/7? ) and lived over the road at number 10 ( now flats I believe)

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Posts
    1
    Likes / Dislikes

    Your article re Brighthelsmton in 2014 interested me as I am also a past pupil

    Hello
    I am writing my memoirs and came across your article this week. I thought that I would write to you and hopefully make contact. I am now 80 years old and so I suppose you will be in your eighties also. I laughed out loud at your description of Miss Hervey. She 'taught' me Scripture for a short while. I agree about Miss Domakin - very forbidding!
    Miss Heap was an amazing teacher and I am so grateful for all she taught me.
    I hope that you do receive this reply after such a long time!
    Best wishes
    Gill Hellewell

Custom Search


Search Qlocal (powered by google)
You are in: UK / Southport / North West
Find any Town in the UK, or Use UK map
Local Google MAP for Southport

User Control Panel

Not a Member? Sign Up!

Login or Register


Privacy & Cookie Policy



   Check Todays Deals On Amazon.co.uk
   Check Todays Deals on Ebay.co.uk

Also website at southportnews.co.uk

Southport Music & Piano Academy


Qlocal Supports Woodlands Animal Sanctuary

Woodlands Animal Sanctuary Charity

Booking.com

Firewood suppliers in southport
Replacement Stove Glass in southport
Supporting Local Business
Supporting Local Business
Be Seen - Advertise on Qlocal






UK, Local Online News Community, Forums, Chats, For Sale, Classified, Offers, Vouchers, Events, Motors Sale, Property For Sale Rent, Jobs, Hotels, Taxi, Restaurants, Pubs, Clubs, Pictures, Sports, Charities, Lost Found
southportsouthport News


Supporting Local Business
486 Liverpool Road, Birkdale, Southport, PR8 3BD
We manufacture all types of Memorials and Cremation Tablets in marble, granite and stone. Existing monuments renovated & restored. Additional Inscriptions available on request
WEBSITE     TEL: 01704 578854
Supporting Local Business
165 Lord Street, Opposite the Prince of Wales, Southport, PR8 1PF
In superlative classic surroundings, enjoy your tea and food in a building which you would be forgiven to think was in the heart of London! Actually we are opposite the Prince of Wales in Southport
WEBSITE     TEL: 01704 540066

Supporting Local Business
127 Wennington Road, SOUTHPORT, PR9 7AH
Our team of Veterinary Surgeons, trainee and qualified Veterinary Nurses and Receptionists aim to provide the highest possible standard of a personal, caring and friendly service.
WEBSITE     TEL: 01704 214460
Supporting Local Business
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club, Bradshawa Lane, Southport, PR8 3LG
Following a full time career, Jim has now settled in to a challenging and exciting role as club professional at Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club.
WEBSITE     TEL: 577316


Stats: Qlocal over 500,000 page views a month (google analytics)