Presentation Brothers: Plymouth and Reading

J Matthew Feheney fpm

Introduction

Though the Presentation Brothers had been involved in special education for Catholic children in England since 1876, it was not until 1918 that they became involved in second-level education. By this time, however, they were well-known in Ireland in the field of second-level education: they opened Presentation College, Cork, in 1887; Presentation College, Queenstown/ Cobh in 1890 and Presentation College, Glasthule, in 1902. Moreover, the Brothers in the English province were generally trained for primary teaching, being graduates of St Mary’s Teacher Training College, located first in Hammersmith and subsequently in Strawberry Hill, Twickenham. Added to this was the fact that, by 1918, the Brothers had passed the great period of expansion, which was one of the characteristics of the administration of Brother Patrick Shine, first Superior General, who died in 1905.  His successor as Superior General, Brother Aloysius Rahilly, was a more cautious man, who had already made a considerable commitment in establishing foundations in Canada in 1910. It is arguable, therefore, that the decision of the Presentation Brothers to become involved in second-level education in England was driven less by policy and more by a desire to respond to an individual request from an influential churchman. It would be well to keep this in mind as we look at the genesis of St Boniface’s College, Plymouth, which was the Presentation Brothers’ first involvement in this type of schooling in England.

St Boniface’s College

What was later to evolve into St Boniface’s College, Plymouth, began in the 1860s as a small boarding school at 29 Wyndham Square, in the centre of the naval town of Plymouth in Devon. A diocese of the same name had been established in 1851 and many of the Roman Catholics in the town had connections with either the Royal or merchant navy. Moreover, not a few had Irish surnames. Though originally operated by a layman, Mr Clarke, on his retirement, the school was taken over by the Basilian Fathers in 1883. Dissatisfied with what they regarded as cramped facilities in Wyndham Square, they transferred the school to Beaconsfield, Peverell, in the suburbs of Plymouth. Though the space and facilities at Peverell were much superior, the new location of the school was too far distant from the centre of town for day students and the school became predominantly a boarding establishment. In 1900, the Basilian congregation withdrew from the college, because of commitments to other cities in England.[1]

         The bishop of the diocese, Most Rev Charles Graham, extended the premises at Wyndham Square, through the purchase of adjacent houses, and St Boniface’s Collegiate school was established by the bishop and put under the direction of Rev Michael Burns, a priest of the diocese. The new college was intended by the bishop to perform the function of a junior seminary by ensuring that students, who were aspiring to the diocesan priesthood, had a sound basic education. During this period, the bishop sought to have the college recognised as a secondary school by the local authority and the Board of Education. Unfortunately, however, following their assessment of the college, the Board of Education inspectors found that the college only offered the first three years of the normal four-year programme of a secondary school. However, it must be remembered, that, at the time, the public examining boards, such as the Oxford Local Examinations Syndicate, offered two certificates at secondary level. The first examination, for what was known as the Junior Certificate, was taken after three years, while the second examination, for what was known as the Senior Certificate, was taken after four years. St Boniface’s College, apparently enjoyed some success at Junior Certificate level, but not at Senior Certificate level.[2]

         In 1911, on the appointment of Most Rev John J Keily as bishop, the administration of the College was entrusted to the care of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (FIC) and it made good progress until 1914. With the outbreak of World War I, however, the FIC Brothers, being French, were all called up for military service in France and St Boniface’s was once more without staff. In June, 1916, Bishop Keily and Mgr Barry VG, travelled to Cork to meet the Superior General of the Presentation Brothers, with a view to requesting that the Presentation Brothers take over the administration and staffing of St Boniface’s College. Following this visit, Brothers Peter Curtin, Assistant General, and Brother Bruno O’Donoghue visited St Boniface’s with a view to inspecting the college, discussing details with the bishop and assessing the possibilities. At the end of the discussions, an agreement was signed by the Bishop on 28 July, 1916. In this document, the Bishop agreed to the following:

1. To pay the rates and taxes of the College and be responsible for its general repairs.
2. To make, at present, such structural alterations in the College as have been decided on by Brothers Peter and Brendan, also to fit up and equip a laboratory (when found necessary) for ten boys or so.
3. To grant permission for the Blessed Sacrament to be reserved in the Oratory and to make arrangements for weekly Mass and Confession for the Brothers.
4. To entrust to the Presentation Brothers the charge and management of St Boniface’s College, as a going concern, with the furniture and general equipment already in it.[3]

Following the signing of the agreement, the General Council approved the venture and allocated three Brothers to Plymouth: Brendan Carroll, Superior and Headmaster, Claver Brennan and Cletus Curtin. The college reopened under the administration of the Presentation Brothers early in September, 1916.[4]

         It is evident that, under Brother Brendan, sound academic standards were established, because, within one year, several students passed the Oxford Junior Certificate and four students passed the apprentices’ examination for entry to HM Royal Dockyard in Plymouth. In 1919, Brother De Sales Mehigan MA was appointed Headmaster, while Brother Brendan continued as superior of the community and a member of the teaching staff. At the Prize Day in December, 1919, some 40 students received certificates from the Oxford Local Examinations Syndicate, while others passed the Apprentices’ Examination for entry to HM Royal Naval dockyard. The following year, Brother Brendan was recalled to Cork to become Superior at Mount St Joseph, Cork. Brother De Sales was appointed Superior in Plymouth in his place and continued to hold the twin posts of Superior and Headmaster until his recall to Cork in 1925. Other Brothers who served in Plymouth included: Stephen O’Sullivan (Superior), Francis Langan, Fidelis O’Connor, Dunstan Curtin, Damascene Savage, Willibrord Tobin, Celsus McCarthy (Superior and Headmaster), Boniface Dower, Cassian Cagney, Borgia Carroll, Raymond Nealon and Bertrand Boyce (Superior).[5]

         The college continued its academic progress until a crisis arose in 1931. This difficulty concerned property rather than education matters and was precipitated by the death of Bishop Keily and the appointment of his successor, Bishop John Patrick Barrett. Since the diocese owned the college building in Wyndham Square, the new bishop gave notice that he wanted the building for other diocesan ministries and suggested that St Boniface’s College, move to Beacon Park, on the outskirts of Plymouth. The Presentation Brothers were willing to make the move, but the diocese insisted that they would have to purchase the new site themselves. The cost of this, alleged to be in the region of £10,000, proved too much for the Presentation Brothers, and, in the absence of any significant financial help from the bishop, they were unable to raise this sum. They, accordingly, gave notice to His Lordship of their intention to leave Plymouth. The bishop, however, did not lose out in the matter, because the Christian Brothers (CFC) accepted his invitation to purchase the new site in Beacon Park and to move St Boniface’s College to the new location. The Christian Brothers continued to operate the college for many years. St Boniface’s College continues to operate to the present day as a boys’ comprehensive school, under the management of the diocese of Plymouth, and is now located in Crownhill, Plymouth.[6]

Move to Reading

Following the announcement of the withdrawal of the Brothers from Plymouth, Brother Peter Curtin, then Superior General, again came from Cork and began a search for a location for a new Presentation College.  He received considerable encouragement from Most Rev Dr Cotter, Bishop of Portsmouth, Canon Kernan and Dr George Murphy-O’Connor, father of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, who was a General Practitioner in Reading.[7] Eventually, Brother Peter settled on the mansion of General Hulicatt, formerly the home of the Sutton family, which started the world-famous horticultural seed company in Reading in the second half of the nineteenth century. The mansion, known as Oakland Hall, had its main entrance from the Bath Road and was located about one mile from the centre of Reading. The house was surrounded by about 25 acres of ground. Oakland Hall was a charming house, built of Cotswold stone, situated in beautiful grounds with adequate space for playing fields. The Sutton family had planted many beautiful trees and shrubs, among which pride of place must go to the two lofty giant Sequoias (Sequoia Gigantica) and the variety of attractive trees. There was also a sunken rose garden in front of the house.[8]

         The Plymouth community, which transferred en block to Reading, comprised Bertrand Boyce, Superior and Headmaster, Cassian Cagney, Raymond Nealon MA, Willibrord Tobin, Francis Langan, Carthage Kelleher and Borgia Carroll. Since only  four pupils were enrolled by opening day in September, 1931, several of the Brothers, not being required on the teaching staff, were transferred elsewhere.[9]

         There is an apocryphal story about these transfers, which I have heard more than once from some of the participants involved, and which I owe to posterity to record here. It would appear that the members of community who came from Plymouth felt strongly that their superior, Bertrand Boyce, apparently an effective and popular leader, should continue to lead the new community in Reading. This was disputed by the Provincial, Br Jerome Murphy. Because there were so many in the community who differed from him, Jerome decided to refer the matter to the new Superior General, Brother Angelus Keane, who had just been elected at the recent 1931 General Chapter. On receiving Jerome’s letter, Angelus immediately left for Reading. On arrival there, the community requested a plenary meeting with him. Though such ‘intimations’ of democracy were hitherto unknown, and community meetings did not ‘come in’ until after Vatican II, Angelus agreed. Several of the Brothers stated their case eloquently, while Angelus listened without comment, taking an occasional note. It is said that while Brother Borgia Carroll did not make a speech, he did add ‘Hear, hear!’ at the end of the oration of one of the other Brothers, who was a fluent speaker.

         At the end of the meeting, Angelus made no comment, apart from thanking everyone, and adding that he would soon inform the Brothers of his decision. He then went to his room and wrote out transfer letters for each of the Brothers who spoke at the meeting, including Borgia. This is said to be the background to the following transfers: Borgia to Orpington, Raymond to Cobh, Francis to Dartford, Cassian to Presentation College, Cork, Carthage to Cork. Fifty years later, in Dartford, Francis told me the story, vouching for its authenticity, but Borgia, while admitting his transfer, maintained that he was merely ‘clearing’ his throat, when others thought he said, ‘Hear, hear!’

Protestant Town

When comparing Plymouth to Reading, as a venue for a Presentation second-level school, it should be noted that the former, being a naval centre, had a sizeable Catholic and Irish population. During the administration of the Presentation Brothers, no less than at other times, there was a steady flow of religious vocations to the priesthood and religious life from among the students of St Boniface’s College. In contrast, Reading was preeminently a Protestant town, Catholics being only 3% of the total population. Moreover, as a private school, it was intended for the Catholic middle class, such as the children of Dr Murphy-O’Connor. There was, however, little or no bigotry in the town and, from the beginning, non-Catholic parents were prepared to send their children to Pres. Nevertheless, few, if any, would contend that the number of middle-class Catholics in Reading was sufficient to guarantee the viability of a fee-paying second-level school in 1931, or, perhaps, at any subsequent date. It was this fundamental point, which eventually led to the closure of the college seven decades later. Meantime, however, in 1931, the Presentation Brothers were willing not only to accept but to welcome non-Catholic students, something which enabled the school to become firmly established.[10]

         The history of Presentation College, Reading, might conveniently, if arbitrarily, be divided into four periods. These are: the foundation period, 1931-1941; the consolidation period, 1941-1963; the expansion period, 1963-1992; the decline period, 1992-2004

Foundation Period, 1931-1941

In 1932, after one year, Brother Bertrand Boyce was replaced as Superior and Headmaster by Brother Bede O’Donoghue, while the new community included Brothers Lambert, Louis Guinane and Thomas Neville. The enrolment had now grown to twenty. The building of a new classroom block was begun, but not completed until 1934. Accommodation at Oakland Hall was reserved for Brothers and boarders, who still numbered only four in 1934. However, total school enrolment had by 1934 increased to 70 students of all ages. In 1935, two more classrooms and a recreation hall were added to the four previously-built classrooms. Brother Benedict Fitzpatrick replaced Brother Bede as Superior and Principal, the latter moving to Enniskillen. In June, 1936, the first annual sports were held.[11]

         Brothers Gerard Larkin and Angelo Conlon, both graduates, were added to the staff in September, 1936, and, in successive years, the examination results continued to improve, until, by 1939, they were considered good. The enrolment at this time was almost 100 students, with about 20 boarders. The outbreak of World War II in September, 1939, introduced a period of hardship, with the introduction of food rationing and priority being given to the War effort.[12]

Period 2: Consolidation Period (1941-1959)

In 1941, Brother Benedict was replaced as Superior and Principal by Brother Gerard Larkin, who had been on the staff for some years. The enrolment continued to increase, reaching 141 in 1941, with 26 boarders, 170 in 1942, with 43 boarders, 191 in 1946, with 31 boarders, 185 in 1951, with 32 boarders, 224 in 1956, with 71 boarders, 249 in 1960, with 70 boarders, 390 in 1967, with 73 boarders. During all this time, the percentage of Catholics among the students fluctuated: in 1951, it was 41%; in 1956 it was 69%. Moreover, a significant number of the boarders were sons of people in the British Government services overseas, which, rather generously paid the school fees for these children.[13]

         An increasing enrolment, while welcome, meant that new school accommodation was required. A new classroom block, providing a physics laboratory, an art room and a ‘top form’ room, was completed. In 1953, an adjacent mansion, Rotherfield Grange, with its own grounds, was purchased and integrated with the existing campus. In January, 1954, two classes from the Junior School moved into the ex-Ministry of Food prefabricated huts, beside the Grange, while the latter building accommodated the senior boarders, in addition to providing bedrooms for some members of the community. The former billiard room was turned into an oratory. In 1978, when boarders had been phased out, the Junior School, now call the Preparatory School, occupied the Grange.

Following an application and a detailed inspection by the Department of Education, the school was recognised as an Independent Catholic Grammar School in February, 1955. This recognition enabled the college to accept students who passed the Eleven Plus examination at Grammar School level. Since the school fees of these latter students would be paid by the local education authority e.g. Berkshire County Council, the arrangement enabled the college to broaden its social mix, since some of these scholarship winners were from working class homes. This arrangement was very important, since, for parents, it was the equivalent of a scholarship to Presentation College for a student’s entire secondary school career. This esteemed arrangement with Berkshire County Council, lasted 23 years and, when, in 1979, the Council unilaterally decided to terminate the arrangement, the consequences for enrolment and finances were serious for the college. True, the Council tried to lessen the blow by deciding to pay the school fees for a small number students in 1979 and to continue paying for the students in the college, who were already benefitting from this scheme, but no new students could benefit from the previous arrangement. An indication of the boon this arrangement was to the college is the fact that, in 1974, the school fees of 338 or 71% of a total of 475 secondary students were being paid by the local education authority. At this time, there were eight Presentation Brothers on the teaching staff.[14]

         In 1957, a Sixth Form was established, offering a limited number of subjects at GCE Advanced level. The examination results at GCE Advanced level were good from the start and gradually the number of students capable of and interested in studying at this level increased. In 1958, Park House and grounds, No. 72 Bath Road, located directly across the road from the college campus, was acquired. After renovations, this building was intended for use as a Juniorate for aspirants to the Presentation Brothers.[15] The proposed juniorate was not a success, however, and Park House, at different times was used for different purposes, including temporary science laboratories, accommodation for the Junior School and Sixth Form Study rooms, before it was finally sold to a hotelier in January, 1981.[16]

Expansion Period, 1959-1993

Brother Gerard Larkin, who had been Headmaster from 1941 to 1959, was succeeded by Brother Fidelis Clifford. Brother Gerard was responsible for the growth and development of the college from its days as a small Catholic school to a medium-sized college, recognised by the Department of Education and offering subjects at GCE Advanced level. One of Brother Fidelis’ first priorities was the building of a new school, since the existing accommodation was inadequate. This building was begun in 1965, with the demolition of an old gate lodge at the entrance from Southcote Road. The new building was an imposing structure, fronting Southcote Road, and containing all modern educational amenities, including first-class science laboratories, a library and a very fine assembly hall. The building was completed in 1966 and blessed by Most Rev Derek Warlock, bishop of Portsmouth, on 21 November, the feast of the Presentation of Our Lady. It cost £200,000.[17]

         The college enrolment continued to increase. In 1963, it was 280, with 64 boarders; in 1966, it was 385, with 73 boarders; in 1974, it was 584, with 70 boarders. Increased enrolment also meant more applicants for GCE Advanced level and more students getting direct access to university. In 1974, Brother Fidelis was succeeded by Brother Simon Sullivan as Headmaster and the college continued to prosper until 1979, when the decision of the local education authority to cease paying fees for Presentation College students who passed the Eleven Plus at Grammar School level came like a bombshell. From then on, all new students had to pay their own school fees and this inevitably began to affect enrolment, though slowly at first. In 1981, Brother Joseph Bell succeeded Brother Simon as Headmaster and he put a good deal of energy into developing the junior or preparatory section of the college. The growth in this area helped, to some extent, to offset the decline in numbers at secondary level, following the decision of local authorities to discontinue paying school fees for students at private schools.[18]

         Public examination results during this period were good, both at GCE Ordinary Level (GCSE after1988) and GCE Advanced Level. The college was a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools in the UK and was, at different times, ranked in the top 500 independent schools in the UK. The college celebrated its diamond Jubilee in 1991 and Brother Joseph Bell retired from the Headship in 1993.[19]

Waning Period, 1993-2004

Between the resignation of Brother Joseph Bell in 1993 and the handing over of the college to the Licensed Trade Charity in 2004, there were five Headmasters. Brother Simon Sullivan, who had spent over fifty years in Reading, and who was one of the ablest and shrewdest of the Headmasters, succeeded Joseph in 1993. He had, however, reached retirement age and held the post for three years only, after which he was succeeded, in 1996, by Brother Terence Hurley, who already had had a distinguished career as Principal of both Presentation College, Bray, and Presentation College, Cork, behind him. An excellent administrator, he remained in the post only one year, before handing over to his deputy, Brother Damian O’Sullivan, in 1997. Damian, who was relatively inexperienced in school administration, discovered that he had a vocation to the diocesan priesthood and, after two years, resigned in 1999. The deputy Headmaster, David Lailey, a long-time teacher at the college, was appointed as acting Headmaster for a year. The last Headmaster, Frank Loveder, was appointed in 2000 and remained in his post until the transfer to the Licensed Trade Charity in 2004, whereupon the college was renamed the Elvian School.[20]

         As a private independent school, Presentation College, Reading, paid all its staff, together with the statutory employer’s pension contributions to the Government Teachers’ Superannuation scheme, in addition to meeting all operational expenditure. With a declining enrolment, it gradually became more difficult to balance the budget. By 2003, with the combined enrolment of preparatory and secondary schools amounting only to 275 students, the college was reported as losing about £178,000 per annum. The operational deficit the previous year was reported as £60,000.[21]  There was a total of 65 staff, including 43 teachers at this time.[22] Though the Anglo-Irish administration of the Presentation Brothers recognised that there was no viable future for the college, and gave notice in April 2003 of closure in July 2004, it was persuaded by a group of parents and past students, who formed the ‘Save Pres Campaign’, to allow time for the making of alternative plans for the future of the college. These plans, formulated in June, 2003, involved a group of parents setting up The Presentation College Trust, with the expressed aim of managing and operating the college.

         Meantime, parents and past students, in an effort to ‘save’ the college, began an active media campaign, a significant amount of which was critical of, if not disparaging towards,  the Presentation Brothers. The Catholic Herald, which had strong Pres Reading connections, virtually led the media campaign, occasionally using offensive headings, such as ‘Asset-Stripping at Presentation College’. This story stated that the Reading property had an estimated value of £18 million and raised the question as to whether some of this money might be used by the Brothers to pay into an ‘indemnity fund’ in Ireland, following the setting up of the Redress Board. After calling the Brothers ‘absentee landlords’, the story went on to ask, ‘Why does a small teaching order need that kind of money?’[23] There was also an on-going attempt to involve Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor in the campaign and, to this end, several stories noted that he was a past student of the college and that his father, George, was, in part, responsible for its original foundation in 1931. The Daily Telegraph carried the story, with the heading, ‘Cardinal’s College cashes in on Closure’.[24] The ‘Save Pres Campaign’ also recruited some personalities of national standing, including local Member of Parliament, Martin Salter; former Liberal politician and now life peer, Lord David Alton, who described the closure of the college as ‘an unmitigated disaster’[25]; the Bishop of Portsmouth, Most Rev Crispian Hollis; and Dom Antony Sutch OSB, former Headmaster of Douai School, who, though not a past student, seemed to take on the role of public advocate for the ‘Save Pres Campaign’ in an extended article in The Catholic Herald[26].

No defenders of the Presentation Brothers appeared from the ranks of the Presentation Family in England: the Reading community was silent, apart from acknowledging that its members received the closure notice ‘with dismay’.[27] There was nobody from the parents, staff or past students to explain the background to the decision to close the college. In fact, in the whole of the United Kingdom, there was only one person, who wrote to a newspaper to affirm the educational work of the Presentation Brothers in England. This was Professor Gerald Grace, Director of the Centre of Research and Development in Catholic Education (CRDCE), whose only contact with the Presentation Brothers was through myself.

         In response to an editorial in The Catholic Herald, dated 3 September, 2004, with the heading, ‘Out of Order’, and the sub-heading, ‘The Presentation Brothers forget their Mission’, Professor Grace wrote to the editor on 7 September, 2004. Hereunder, I reproduce part of his letter:

I read with dismay your editorial (3 September) under the sub-title, ‘The Presentation Brothers forget their Mission’. This intemperate attack seems to be based on the fact that the Brothers decided that they could no longer support a small independent school in Reading which was losing money on an annual basis.

Whatever mistakes might have been made in the process of the Order’s withdrawal from Presentation College, to suggest that the Order has ‘forgotten its mission’ is a gross distortion of the situation and it suggests further that the writer of the editorial has no understanding of the historical and contemporary mission of the Presentation Brothers of Cork.

Edmund Rice founded the Christian and Presentation Brothers to be of service to the education of poor Catholic boys in Ireland, England and in the mission fields. The primary mission of the Presentation Brothers therefore has been, and is, to give educational service to the many Catholic poor and disadvantaged boys rather than to a few relatively well-off boys in Reading…. If anyone is ‘Out of Order’ at this time, it is, regrettably, the editorial comments of The Catholic Herald and not the Presentation Brothers.

Yours faithfully

Professor Gerald Grace

Director of CRDCE

Administration

The Presentation College Trust formed by parents in 2003 did not, however, manage to save Presentation College Reading and, in August, 2004, it became insolvent and went into Administration. It was sold later in 2004 by the Administrator to the Licensed Trade Charity (LTC), which then renamed it, The Elvian School. After purchase by the LTC, the contract of the Headmaster, Mr Frank Loveder, was terminated. The Elvian School operated successfully until 2010, when, on learning that its plans to rebuild the college were turned down by the Reading Borough Council, it closed. Since then, neither Presentation College Reading nor the Elvian School Reading exists.[28]

Rationale for Pres Reading

In 1931, the rationale for the establishment of Presentation College was that it was the only Catholic second level school for boys in the growing town of Reading. In 1955, however, this position changed when a large Catholic Comprehensive school, Hugh Faringdon Catholic Foundation School, was built next door to Pres. The two schools were so near that their grounds were actually adjoining one another. The opening of Hugh Faringdon School forced the Brothers to clarify the rationale for the existence of their college, which would now appear to be that it was the only Catholic Grammar School for boys in Reading. Since Hugh Faringdon School was largely financed by the Local Authority, and charged no fees, it was the obvious school for working-class Catholics, who were unable to pay school fees for their children. The opening of Hugh Faringdon School also emphasised the double selectivity of Presentation College: firstly, it was a Grammar School and its curriculum was designed to provide an education for those going on to university and the professions. Secondly, the fees made it socially selective, since only those students would attend whose parents were able and willing to pay school fees. True, the social difference was considerably modified between 1955 and 1979, when, as noted above, the Local Authority agreed to pay the school fees for students who passed the Eleven Plus Examination and obtained marks meeting the minimum requirement for Grammar school entry.

No Exit Strategy

While the majority of the Presentation Brothers felt proud of the contribution of Presentation College Reading not only to the Catholic community, but also to the population at large in Reading and surrounding areas of Berkshire, not a few of them were embarrassed and pained by what might be termed the debacle of its closure. For at least fifteen years before its sale to the Licensed Trade Charity, it was obvious to some of the Brothers that Pres was not financially viable in the long term, since Local Authority aid was not possible because of the existence of Hugh Faringdon School, which was already receiving public funds. Yet, no Presentation Brother in England is on record as recommending an appropriate exit strategy from the college. However, a final judgement on the circumstances leading to the closure of Presentation College, Reading, will have to wait for some years, until, as it were, ‘the dust settles’. In the meantime, we can only acknowledge the proud and notable contribution of Presentation College Reading to Catholic education in Berkshire, while, at the same time, wishing that its closure could have been accomplished with less pain and embarrassment.

         The final arrangements for the handing over of the College to The Presentation College Trust were handled by the Anglo-Irish Province administration, in collaboration with the Congregational Leadership Team, and the representatives of both. The purchase of the college campus and grounds by the Licensed Trade Charity in 2004, if not a blessing, had many of the advantages of it. It ensured that the campus would continue to be used for educational purposes. And it brought an end to recriminations aimed at the congregation of the Presentation Brothers during the previous two years.

References