Papers of Monica M Spear (née White) as a former pupil of Hoove Lea School, 56 The...

A number of the documents, which have been grouped separately from Mrs Spear's own records, were given to her by Miss Mortimer, to whom they originally belonged. Of the Old Girls' newsletters, which are also listed separately, those prior to 1934 belonged to Miss Mortimer. The recollections of former pupils were donated separately by the individuals concerned

Documents given 28 Sep 1994, 4 Dec 1997, 18 Oct 1999, 8 May 2002 (ACC 6475)

The school that was later to be known as Hoove Lea was started by a Miss Patrick in 1871 at 15 Norfolk Terrace, Brighton, a new building built that year. On Miss Patrick's retirement, Miss Ellen R Winterbottom took over the school with her sister Mary, and they were later joined by another sister, Fanny. The 1891 census shows residing at the school, in addition to the three sisters, a French teacher, a music teacher, 15 pupils and three servants

Some time prior to 1895 the school expanded to incorporate 16 Norfolk Terrace and remained in these premises until the retirement of Ellen and Mary Winterbottom at the end of the Summer term, 1909. In September of that year, the school was taken over by Miss Lilian Blake and Miss Constance Mortimer and moved to a house in Courtenay Terrace, King's Road on Hove sea front. This house, Hoove Lea, gave the school its name for the rest of its existence, although in about 1916 it moved to new premises at 56 The Drive, Hove

Hoove Lea School closed in 1936, when Miss Mortimer retired (Miss Blake having died in 1928), but the Hoove Lea Old Girls' Society, founded in 1910, and its annual newsletter continued for another 20 years