The previous post has had certain unsubstantiated accusations against the School Management edited out.
Otherwise, who knows? Not surprised at the distress caused by homesickness and separation from family, nor the cold (this was part of "the cure" for some as the schools were acting in part as sanatoria - a few of the luckier(?) Birmingham children were sent to Switzerland). Food? The odd memoir talks about it in glowing terms and a personal memory I have heard that it was good at Cropwood. But all these things are snapshots of time and place. All the schools were active for decades and no doubt conditions fluctuated.
Chris
Sorry, we have to steer clear of unsubstantiated accusations of wrongdoing against individuals and of the naming of those concerned. So the above two posts #186 and 188 have been heavily edited.
Chris
I do not recognise any of the bad reports about Cropwood. My time there was 1954 to 1956, age 6 to 8. Miss Urquhart was the head, Miss Williams the deputy. There were 2 other teachers which made 4 in all for 80 girls from age 5 to school leaving age. Their hands were full particularly as most of the pupils had fallen behind in their learning due to chronic illnesses. At no time was a pupil forced to eat and to my knowledge no one left the table hungry. I do remember extra plates of bread and butter coming out of the kitchen if there was a show of hands when asked.
Two of the teachers ran the Brownies and Guides. Several years later I returned to Cropwood and ‘helped out’ in some classrooms, a taster for a career that eventually lasted until retirement. Miss Urquhart was still there and made me very welcome. Batmadviv