STELLA HOUSE COLLEGIATE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
Dartmouth Park Hill 1870s 16 Cathcart hill 1880 – c.1896 15 Cathcart Hill 1896 – 1905 ?
Originally founded by Jane Furnace and situated on Dartmouth Park Hill, Stella House Collegiate School relocated to 16 Cathcart Hill in the autumn of 1880 under it’s new head, Elizabeth Steed Sutton. Born in Deal in Kent, Elizabeth’s family had moved to London in the 1850’s. On the 1871 Census, Elizabeth was listed as “governess” and still living with her parents at No.2 Pemberton Terrace. But in 1876, following the marriage of Jane Furnace to a Mr Calvert of Belper, Elizabeth succeeded as the principal of Stella House. Electoral Roll Records indicate that, after almost 15 years at 16 Cathcart Hill, Elizabeth Sutton moved next door to No.15 f0r a couple of years, almost certainly taking the school with her. For on the 1901 Census though Miss Sutton had retired and was now living in Hornsey, No.15 was occupied by Mrs Cecelia Catherine Porter – schoolmistress, with her husband and children, 3 governesses, 4 boarding pupils, a cook and servant.
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CATHCART COLLEGE 16 Cathcart Hill 1896 – c. 1914
No.16 Cathcart Hill’s days as an educational establishment were not over however; in 1896 No.16 opened its doors to a fresh set of students. Founded by Alfred Preece Lye, M.A. in 1896 Cathcart College was a new private school for boys. For the previous 11 years (1885 – 96) Alfred had been a teacher and deputy head at Kentish Town High School for Boys on Fortess Road, during which time he had married a Sarah Jane Robinson. Alfred and Sarah went on to have three boys, Reginald Thomas and twins Percival Alfred and George Herbert. But in 1914 after 18 years residence at 16 Cathcart Hill, Alfred Preece Lye and his family moved to Hounslow following his appointment as the new headmaster of Hounslow Commercial College. With A. P. Lye’s departure Cathcart College had rung its school bell for the last time.
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HELPING HAND HOME 59 Caversham Road, Kentish Town 1908- 1914 16 Cathcart Hill 1914 – 1940.
In its third and final incarnation as a place of learning No.16 was to become the new location for this institution. Founded in 1908 and originally located at 59 Caversham Road in Kentish Town, the Helping Hand Home was a residential establishment for the care and education of “high grade mentally deficient females”. In 1914 it was relocated to 16 Cathcart Hill, the largest house in the street (18 rooms according to the 1911 Census) and had capacity for some 30 girls aged mostly 16 years and over. The matron at the time of the relocation was Miss Julia Ellen Cosby and her successor soon after was Miss S. F. Griffith.
“The Helping-Hand Home, Highgate. — The purpose of this small Establishment is the training of feeble-minded girls for domestic service and laundry work, in order that, in some measure, they may be able to earn their own living. Although they have only now obtained a certificate under the Mental Deficiency Act, the “Association for Helping Mentally Deficient Children” (the responsible Managers) have conducted an Institution to further these objects for many years past. The certificate, granted to this body in March, enables them to receive 25 girls who are feeble-minded and between the ages of 14 and 20 years. The Home was full and working successfully at the close of the year.” (Papers by Command, 1918. vol. 16, page 43, House of Commons)
Honorable Secretary: Mrs Beryl Russell, J.P. (as listed in The Catholic Who’s Who and Year Book, Vol. 34, 1924)
The Helping Hand Home was closed in 1940 when the house was requisitioned for Government use. It is probable that it relocated to 44 Watford Road, Radlett where a care home by that name is featured in directories for the following three years.
It would appear that my Grandfather attended Cathcart College….I have a book “Swiss Pictures” which was awards to him by AP Lye in 1908 as a Form Prize. I wondered if you’d like some photos?
Dear Clare,
Thank you for your recent message. I would be most interested in this item and, yes, it would be great to have a few images. I’m presuming ( and hoping) that the book has a pasted in Cathcart College book plate. It would be great to see that, the title page and a small selection of the pages within.
What was your grandfather’s full name? I may be able to spot him in the examinations lists or perhaps he’ll get a mention in the newspapers. They have recently uploaded a load of issues of the St Pancras Gazette to the British Newspaper Archive’s collection. The St P Gaz seems quite keen on Cathcart College, giving it substantial end of year write-ups in its pages.
Regards from the CHHS.