The story of the School
Caroline Thomas' book about St Margaret's is sold out. Rather than re-printing, we are reproducing it as part of this SMOGS website, corrected and slightly expanded.
'Bygone Kent' is a publication about Kentish history, and included an excerpt from the book about the School, which attracted correspondence.
Click on one of these boxes . . . . .
The St Margaret's tradition
(written by 'An Old Girl' and published in the Folkestone Herald on the hand-over to the Hassons)
"A school which has been in the care --- and 'care' is the right word --- of one family for 57 years, and has weathered the storms of two wars with continuity unbroken, must have acquired that elusive thing: tradition. How did this tradition of St Margaret's originate? I think in the personality of its founder. It has been said of her: 'The principle on which she worked was that of giving of her best, and expecting the same in return.' This is the very quality of leadership. This was the torch she handed to her successors, and they have kept it burning. Many girls must have recognised this principle and adopted it as their own. It is a high ideal. One can do no more, one should do no less."
Final clear-out
as reported in the local newspaper 28 Feb 1968:
"Final links with the now silent school of St Margaret's, Folkestone, were severed last week when the school's entire furniture and equipment went under the auctioneer's hammer. The amount realised from the sale is not being disclosed. Empty desks and chairs, initials scribbled here and there on the woodwork, awaited their fate --- and collection by the highest bidder. The three-day auction, which ended on Thursday, provided what may have been the last occasion former pupils had to reflect nostagically on their education at St Margaret's, which closed just before Christmas because it was no longer economically viable. Microscopes, pianos and school trophies, some tarnished with age, awaited their turn of auction. Even the school's board of honour and plaques with the names of head prefects was not left out. However, determined not to lose the prominent names of the school, St Margaret's Old Girls' Association topped the bidding for the board."
Quoted in the local newspaper June 1973 when reporting the start of demolition of the Earl's Avenue building:
"While the school has ceased to exist, its spirit lives on in the form of an old girls' association."
THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS --- THEN AND NOW
Compare how we remember the buildings with their present appearance (May 2011). Notice how the trees have grown, and lots more parked cars!
The main school building was totally demolished, and replaced by flats known as Old School Court.
The Annexe on the other side of Earl's Avenue, has hardly changed.
Neither has the Lodge, which housed the gymnasium.
The Junior School building in Grimston Gardens is just as it was.
The 'New Hall' was demolished and built over, but the ornamental columns.of the next door driveway are still there.
Here are some photos taken by Girls of Class 1964 during their visit to the 2011 Reunion. They called at the Junior School in Grimston Gardens and asked to look around!
L-R: bay window, dining room, serving area, staircase, stairwell, landing, outside Remove, stage in assembley hall.
