Dear Old Augustinians and Friends.
We are pleased to announce that our Archive is now available to view on our website. Please use the link below:
The Archive includes all our school magazines going back to the first edition in the Winter of 1886 up to when the school closed in 1995. Also published are other books and documents, such as Monastic and Scholastic Century and school prospectuses.
It will take some time to work your way through all the documents, but by reading the magazines alone, you can see the first-hand accounts of our school history unfold year by year.
The timeline begins from the early years in Ramsgate into the 20th Century and then the outbreak of World War One and the Zeppelin raids that lead to the school’s temporary closure in 1917. Then its reopening as a “prep school" between the wars, leading up to the evacuation from Ramsgate at the outbreak of World War Two to Madeley Court, Hemingford Grey in Huntingdonshire, through the war years until well into the 1950’s.
This was followed by the reintroduction of the St Augustine’s Abbey School in Ramsgate to the eventual re-unification of the schools of both Ramsgate and Madeley Court which then led to the setting up of Assumption House in 1960. The school was re-named St Augustine’s College before we left Ramsgate.
From 1971, the closure of Ramsgate and the move to Westgate resulted in a year of sharing the premises with Les Oiseaux Convent School and the introduction of joint classes with the Ursuline School. The trauma of the great flood of 1973 was made worse by the fact that the school was not insured for floods. Also Fr Bernard's retirement as Headmaster occurred in 1987 and this was followed by the school’s eventual closure in 1995 when thanks to the Ursuline Sisters, many boys went off to join the newly reorganised co-educational Ursuline College.
Again, thanks to all our members whose subscriptions and donations have made it possible for us to get this work done (there is still time to join the OAs and donate!).
On behalf of all OA’s, our sincere thanks go to our Archivist, Peter West, who has painstakingly brought this project to fruition, along with the support of OAs, Committee Members and to our web manager and designer, Paul Littlefield.
We would also like to thank Fr Abbot Paulinus Greenwood and the community of Benedictine Monks who originally founded our school by allowing us to have access to the School Archive held at the Monastery in Chilworth, Surrey. More importantly, it was the late Father Benedict’s assistance with the School Archive that gave us the impetus to finally finishing this long-standing project.
We hope you enjoy reading it!
With good wishes,
Andrew Sharp
Chairman
The Society of Old Augustinians
Officers:
Chairman: Andrew Sharp OBE
Secretary: Michael Hallisey
Treasurer and Membership Secretary: Bob Bridger
Vice Chairmen: Richard Caraccio and Keith Fenton
Hon President: Dr Chris Horsburgh
Chaplain: Canon Brian Coyle
Archivist: Peter West
Patrons: Fr Abbot Paulinus Greenwood and Mr Kevin Doherty
“To make a UK payment to the Old Augustinians Society, you will need the Sort Code: 16.00.11 and Account Number: 15267538.
For overseas payments, the remitter should instruct his overseas bank to make a sterling payment to the Society’s UK bank account, with all charges to be paid by the remitter.
The remitter will need to provide both a SWIFT address and an IBAN Number to ensure funds are routed to the correct account.
The Society’s IBAN Number is GB03 RBOS 1600 1115 2675 38.
The SWIFT address is RBOS GB 2L”
Dear Old Augustinians and Friends.
After years of preparation, we will be publishing our archive on the website on Monday 15th April.
The Archive will include all our school magazines going back to the first edition in the Winter of 1886 to when the school closed in 1995. We will also be publishing other books and documents, such as Monastic and Scholastic Century and school prospectuses.
There are some fascinating stories to read. Too many to mention! One example, during the first World War a couple of boys who were sheltering in the school during a Zeppelin raid were caught drinking from a bottle of wine by one of the Priests. When hauled in front of the headmaster for their drinking offence, they were asked where the bottle of wine was – they replied that the priest who'd confiscated their bottle of wine, had drunk its contents; another example, during the Second World War, the story of the evacuation move from Ramsgate to Madeley Court in Huntingdonshire and the rationing that followed.
In another, just before the school left Ramsgate, one boy mysteriously fell ill one morning and was sent by Matron to the local hospital. After tests and being kept under observation, he was remarkably well enough to go home by the end of the school day (having sadly missed his double Latin Class).
The disapproval of “cuddling in the cloisters” during the experimental year was noted where our school shared the Westgate premises with the Les Oiseaux Convent School girls in the early 1970s but then in 1995, the sad closure of our School and the “courage of the Ursulines” to take in our boys to their school to form the new Ursuline College.
May we take this opportunity of thanking all our members who without their subscriptions and donations, we would not have been able to afford this project (there is still time to join the OAs and donate!).
Particular thanks must go to our Archivist, Peter West, who has spent many hours over many years to bring this project to fruition, along with the support of OAs Committee Members and to our web manager and designer, Paul Littlefield, for taking the final steps to make this archive go live on our website.
It is just over Two weeks until the OA London lunch on Saturday 13th April 12:30pm for 1:00pm. The lunch takes place at Sartori's Italian Restaurant, 15, Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JE (situated off Leicester Square). The Google Location Map is displayed on the EVENTS Page.
If you haven't already booked, it's not too late... but please remember the Final Date for booking is: Wednesday 3rd April.
The easiest method to book a place is Online via our website. Just go to the EVENTS Page, scroll down, under the location map you will see the Online Booking Form, Menu Choices Form with online payment details. Follow the instructions and make your booking...
We do hope you are able to attend and look forward to welcoming you at Sartori's.
Please note: Forthcoming Events in 2024:
Saturday 28th September - OA Westgate Lunch - a memorial for Robin Edwards and an acknowledgement of Fr. Brian's 40th Ordination Anniversary.
Saturday 9th November - OA Mass of Remembrance at St. Augustine's Church, Ramsgate.
We extend a warm invitation to all OAs and friends to attend our London lunch at Sartori's Italian Restaurant, 15, Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JE (just off Leicester Square) on Saturday 13th April 2024 at 12:30pm for 1:00pm.
How to get there: Please see the Google Location Map on our Events Page.
The easiest and quickest way to make a Booking, access the Menu Choices and make a payment is to use the Online Booking Form on the website Home Page.
We hope you can attend and look forward to welcoming you at Sartori.
We are delighted to announce the following Forthcoming Events diary dates for this year:
London Lunch - Saturday 13th April 1:00pm at Sartori Restaurant near Leicester Square, London.
Feast of St. Benedict - Thursday 11th July Mass with refreshments afterwards, London.
Westgate Ursuline Alumni - Saturday 13th July 12 noon 120th Anniversary Garden Party, Westgate.
OA Reunion Lunch Westgate - Saturday 28th September 12 noon at St. Augustine's, Westgate .
Mass of Remembrance - Saturday 9th November 12 noon at St. Augustine's Church, Ramsgate.
More details for each event will appear on the website in advance of each event including Booking Form, Menu choices and Payment / Donations online.
Many thanks to Old Augustinians, Westgate Ursuline Alumni and the Ursuline College for supporting our Remembrance Requiem Mass on Armistice Day. Students in Catholic Education in Thanet remembered students of the past who gave their lives in Wars.
As mentioned, The Ursuline College Students were an absolute credit to their school. During the OA Remembrance Requiem Mass they read with respect and reverence, the OA Roll of Honour; eloquently read the psalm and Prayer for Peace; and with grace, laid their own wreath at our OA War Memorial.
As remarked upon, they delivered a beautiful story of the life of OA Charles Oscar Wilson (1910) who died in the First Battle of Gaza in March 1917 aged just 23. He is buried in the British Commonwealth Cemetery located just outside Gaza City. Today it is a War zone and sadly no Remembrance Service has taken place there. The students made sure Charles Oscar Wilson - and all the other Old Augustinians who gave their lives were not forgotten " We will Remember them"
Andrew Sharp OA Chairman
Pictures from the day will soon appear in our Galleries - Recent OA Events
It is with great sadness and regret to have to announce Robin Edwards died peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Tuesday morning, 2nd November. Robin or "Mr Edwards" as we always called him gave 32 years of outstanding service to our school from 1963 to when the College closed in 1995.
He was an exceptional History Teacher and served in the 1960's as Headmaster of Assumption House and then from 1971, Assistant Headmaster of St. Augustine's College until it closed.
Robin was a man of tremendous intelligence and wit, with great integrity, high standards and above all, modest. A deeply religious person, with a love of cricket too.
We send our deepest sympathy and condolences to his widow Doreen and his daughter, Eleanor. Please keep Robin and his family in your prayers at this time.
For those wishing to send his widow, Doreen, and daughter, Eleanor a card, please get in touch with either Richard Caraccio or myself for the address. (email address below)
We will take the opportunity of remembering Mr Edwards at our Remembrance Mass at St. Augustine's Church, Ramsgate on Saturday 11th November, to which you are all welcome to attend.
May he Rest in Peace.
Andrew
Andrew Sharp
Chairman
The Society of Old Augustinians
email: oldaugustiniansevents@gmail.com
The annual Old Augustinians Mass of Remembrance takes place on Saturday 11th November 2023 at 12 noon at St. Augustine's Church, Ramsgate to which you are invited and most welcome to attend.
For more details and Google directions - please see the EVENTS page on this website.
If you have not already booked, there is still time to make a booking for our Annual Reunion Lunch taking place this year on Sunday 1st October 12:30pm for 1:00pm at St. Augustine's 125, Canterbury Road, Westgate on Sea, Kent. CT8 8NL.
To make a booking, it is easy to book on our website. Please go to our EVENTS page, scroll down to find the Booking and Menu Choices Form and details how to make an Online Payment.
There is plenty of parking at the venue and a map of the location is located on our Events Page.
LAST DATE FOR BOOKING - Saturday 23rd September 2023
We look forward to seeing you...
URSULINE ALUMNI REUNION AND NEW ALUMNI GROUP INAUGURATED IN THE 120TH YEAR OF THE SCHOOL MOVING TO WESTGATE ON SEA – SATURDAY 13TH JULY 2023
Old Augustinians joined Ursuline Alumni at the Ursuline College in Westgate for a reunion to mark the beginning of the Ursuline’s 120th year in Westgate and to formally set up the Westgate Ursuline Alumni Association (Saturday 15th July 2023)
70 attended, mostly Ursuline Alumni, came together to enjoy lunch and an afternoon together as many reunited with their old school friends for the first time in some years. The event started with an uplifting Mass in the beautiful Ursuline Chapel led by our Chaplain, Canon Brian Coyle and assisted by Ursuline College Chaplain, J’anna Byrne, followed by a reception on the Chapel lawn and lunch in the School Assembly Hall.
All guests were welcomed by former Headteacher, Sister Alice Montgomery. Speeches were given by Dannii Lancefield, Academy Principal together with her two assistant Principals, Paula Gaffney who leads on Mathematics and Chris Gregory, who leads on History. They gave talks on the work going on to support students and how the Ursuline and Augustinian Alumni could help. OA Chairman, Andrew Sharp, thanked the school and the Ursuline Alumni for hosting and facilitating the event and said that the OAs looked forward to working together with the Ursulines in ways which will help Ursuline College students.
Sr Alice Montgomery formally asked members to adopt a resolution to set up the Westgate Ursuline Alumni Association (WUAA), which was agreed without dissent. Officers elected were President; Sr Alice Montgomery: Chair; Keryn Poulter: Vice Chair and Treasurer; Sue Hennessey: Secretary; Alice Odeke and Committee members; Marcella Pitt and Sarah Thomas. Paula Gaffney from the Ursuline College and Andrew Sharp from the Old Augustinians would serve at Liaison members of the Committee.
Ursuline College students volunteered to give up their Saturday afternoon to given tours of the school to Alumni Members.
The meeting agreed that the 120th Anniversary reunion would take place at the Ursuline College on Saturday 13th July 2024.