Catholic school under fire
today but also in the past!
School’s
dark past revealed by local Southport author, Pat Regan …
Our Lady of Lourdes School, Grantham
Rd, Birkdale, Southport
OTS News recently
asked a loaded question about this Birkdale School…
“Are Sefton
council covering something up?”
OTS reported:
‘One parent who would like remain anonymous at this time said: “Seven
children and their families have been affected by this school but the local
education authority allowed the school to do its own investigations and it was
all brushed under carpet.’
Read the full OTS News article here
This OTS piece grabbed my attention as I was sadly once a reluctant
pupil at this harsh education (religious indoctrination) facility.
Moreover, although I cannot comment about recent abuse allegations
at the school I wrote the following about my previous negative experiences there
(and in another school) in one of my books.
Southport Catholic Church
schools of the 1960s: the abuse
Brutality by harsh teachers in Birkdale (an area of Southport,
Lancashire) schools was extensive and committed under the misleading guise of
punishment. I know this to be the truth,
because I was there! I have sat on the following for many years but at times
someone has to speak up against such injustices. This is where I come in!
I can recall some happy memories from schools that I attended as a small
boy yet these are mixed with other recollections that are more dreadful in
nature. For many children that attended the Birkdale Catholic Schools like me
in the 1960s, time has created recollections of nostalgia. I have noted several
local internet news threads that speak of how ‘good’ the teachers were at these
facilities. However, others threads admit that overtly strong-arm tactics were
in place as well. I can draw similarities here with the recent spate of
allegations against the famous ‘Top of the Pops’ presenter, Sir Jimmy Savile.
Savile was seen by millions as an amazing person who did much for charity,
which is quite true. He raised millions of pounds for various charity concerns.
However, today numerous persons are coming forwards with tales of sexual abuse
at his hands.
I think that many may be jumping on the publicity (and compensation)
bandwagon herein against a deceased man who is no longer able to defend
himself. Nevertheless, the following as an accurate description of what I can
personally recall about the harsh methods implemented against pupils at two of
the schools in question. The first was ‘Our lady of Lourdes’, a primary school
in Birkdale. The other was ‘Christ the King Secondary School,’ also in Birkdale
Southport, Lancashire.
Back in the 1960s Catholic discipline against children as young as 5
years old was merciless and swift and that was just the accepted way things
were. I can still recall being humiliatingly dragged out in front of a whole
class when I was very (5 to 6 years old) young and having my short trousers
pulled up to reveal my bare bottom as the teacher, one ‘Miss F’, slapped my
legs exceedingly hard for talking in class. She was adept at bringing tears to
the eyes of very young children and one of the many educational bullies
therein. She usually continued to slap children ‘until’ they cried out in pain.
I recall later being quite amazed that Miss F later went on to send me a nice
postcard from her holidays abroad. Even at that time as a child I felt cheated,
violated and as if serious double standards were in operation here. Several
distressing incidents occurred at the time I was at primary school that my mind
has tried to block out. I do know that they were significantly disturbing
however and involved abuse against very young boys. The slightest error on the
part of a child (age range from 5 to 11 years old) resulted in severe beating
with cane or strap. One tall skeletal teacher, ‘Mr R’ used to make the boys
stand in line, military fashion, in the playground and hold out our hands at
lunchtime for inspection. He would take
great pleasure in caning anyone who had dirt on their hands.
This was ridiculous as a large mound of black coke or coal fuel was
typically placed in the school yard. The school caretaker at the time, Mr
Foggerty (as nice old chap), thought that the teacher was completely out of
order I recall by beating the lads for this alone. When I was only ten years
old the same loutish teacher marched me into his office alone and caned me dreadfully hard, until my hands
bled, for the terrible offense of ‘kissing’ a lovely girl in the school yard
who I had fallen frantically in love with. She loved me back equally, yet this
counted for nothing.
Love for Jesus was demanded at Catholic school, yet love of anyone else
was punishable with six of the best. Things were bad at this primary school,
yet they were to get ‘much’ worse at the secondary modern…
Find out much more in my revealing book.
The Devil God’s
Best Friend
That
was back then – so what exactly is
happening today?
Pat Regan ©
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