An early photo of the art room.

Undated and described as an Assembly Hall although it clearly doubled as at least two partitioned classrooms.

Taken in September 1963, the girls would be about 14.

Taken around 1954 at St Joseph's Convent, Anne Readman is second from left on the front row.

Convent schoolgirls sketch in the Gray Art Gallery and Museum hot house.

Taken from Thornton Street looking towards South Road and the back of St Joseph's Convent

1953 Team. Margaret (now Costello) is far left on back row.

A class photo taken in 1949. Anne Readman is 3rd from left on the top row.

Taken in Victoria Road about 1966, this is the extension added to the school in 1962. I t contained a new assembly hall as well as classrooms.

Unfortunately, in 1973, the building was demolished so it was infact  vewas there only 11 years.

The PTA  garden party was held in the grounds of the Convent and here people are enjoying a roll the halfpenny game.

An early photo of the school from Grange Road with the fence of St Paul's bottom right.

This school opened in 1885 in a house which had belonged to shipbuilder Edward Withy and it served Hartlepool and South East Durham. The order of nuns were FCJ (Faithful Companions of Jesus) and the last headmistress was Sister Mary Agnes FCJ. In 1973 girls were transferred to English Martyrs and the Victoria Road school was demolished in 1978.

St Joseph's School FCJ 1968.

St Joesph's Convent St Paul's Road, Hartlepool

HHT&N 222

Class photograph of St Joseph's Convent West Hartlepool September 1963.

Class photograph of St Joseph's Convent West Hartlepool April 1968.

An early photo of the school chapel.

Victoria Road behind the girls. At the centre back row is Margaret (now Costello)

Convent uniform donated to Hartlepool Museum by ex-pupil Pat Wormald (nee Daley) who attended the school 1965-70. Her Parents bought the uniform at Grieveson's in York Road. The winter uniform at the time was a brown pinafore-type dress, a cream blouse, a tie and a brown cardigan. In summer, dresses were either bought or home-made using the same distinctive material which was mustard and brown patterned. The dresses had a white collar.

In the 6th form, girls could wear a skirt rather than the pinafore dress. All girls had to wear a brown bowler-type hat. In addition to the brown uniform, girls had to have a white triangular mantilla trimmed with lace which was part of the uniform when attending church.

 This poem was written by Judith Brown who attended St. Josephs's Convent School FCJ. 

“For all of the girls at Hartlepool Convent there was the terrifying ordeal of an annual “Rally”.  The whole school would gather for a roll call of class positions and after waiting to hear your name each girl would walk to the front and stand in the rank order place. Public humiliation for all but the top few, this poem is dedicated to all others."

Judith Brown 1963-70 “