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| Bournemouth Church History |
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St. Walburga, after whom the School is named, was a member of a Saxon family, several of whom were regarded as saints. She became a nun of the Abbey at Wimborne, where she lived for many years. In the year 748 an appeal came from the Saxon St. Boniface for help in his great work of spreading the Gospel in much of what is now western Germany, and St. Walburga was one of a large party who volunteered for this work.
Eventually she became Superior of the Abbey at Heidenheim, which was a double monastery for nuns and monks. There St. Walburga ruled the community, and took her share in working for the local people. She is reputed to have had particular skills in the practise of medicine. St. Walburga died in 779, her principal shrine being at Bichstatt. Her feast is kept on 10th May.
The 'marine village' of Bournemouth had by 1861 become well established, particularly as a winter resort for invalids who were attracted by the mild climate and the beauty of the surroundings. In that year the population was already over 1,700, and was increasing rapidly.
The nearest Catholic church was St. Mary's at Poole - the Christchurch mission had not then been opened. In the autumn of 1862, however, Mrs. Washington Hibbert, who was staying for the winter at the Belle Vue Hotel, arranged for Father Mochler, S.J., of Lymington, himself a semi- invalid, to say Mass in a room at the Hotel.
Somewhat similar arrangements were made by other visitors during the succeeding years until 1868, when no such facility was available. Mr. Harnett, also a visitor, then paid for a bus to take the few local Catholics to Poole each Sunday.
In the autumn of 1869 Mrs. Washington Hibbert rented Astney Lodge in Branksome Wood Road (that part of the road is now named St. Stephen's Road), a lease for twelve months being signed on 12th October. This house she made available for two Jesuit Priests, Fathers Brownbill and Eccles, who came there to live and opened a small public chapel in it.
During 1870 a site on Richmond Hill was obtained on which a temporary church was built. This was later replaced by the Sacred Heart Church opened by the Bishop of Southwark on 5th February 1875.
The number of Catholics gradually increased, so that consideration was given to the provision of education for the children. With the help of a group of volunteer ladies some classes were commenced in one of the Windsor Cottages, which were on Richmond Hill, and had been purchased.
Something more permanent was already in mind in 1876, when it was suggested that the land adjoining Pine Cottages in Branksome Wood Road might be considered as a site for a School. These Cottages were in the part of the road since named St. Stephen's Road, in fact very near to the site on which St. Stephen's Church stands.
Then in 1877 St. Joseph's Home for Invalids at "Blenheim", Lansdowne Road, lent a room for the classes to be established on a more formal basis. A teacher was engaged, and the St. Joseph's School was commenced in the autumn of 1877. It may be noted that St. Joseph's was founded in 1873 by Lady Georgiana Fullerton (pictured below) and supported by her and her friends.
It was situated at the junction of Lansdowne and Madeira Roads. Lady Fullerton had written a number of books in the mid-19th century, had become a Catholic and devoted much of her income to the support of Catholic causes.
The teacher left the School in the summer of 1878, and at the same time the Home found itself unable to spare the room any longer. The arrangement at St. Joseph's had been a temporary one, and in July 1878 Fr. Wynne had been urging on the Province of the Society of Jesus the desirability of buying Pine Cottages, one of which could be used for the School; later a school could be built on the site.
Urgent action became necessary, so that premises were rented at 1, Avenue Villas, Avenue Road, and St. Joseph's School was transferred to Avenue Road in the Autumn of 1878.
Avenue Villas were on the south side of the road approximately the present steep flight of steps leading down to the Central Gardens near the War Memorial.
In August 1879 the name of the School was changed to St. Walburga's, and thus it can been seen that there has been a corporate continuity from the commencement of St. Joseph's School in the autumn of 1877.
After the teacher had left in 1878 the School continued with voluntary teachers, but in late 1879 the Religious of the Cross were asked to take charge of the School.
These Sisters had come to this country from France in 1871 and with the help of Lady Fullerton in finding a suitable house had opened a convent in Branksome Wood Road. On 15th April 1871 they had commenced a boarding school there for girls, and had also taken some day pupils.
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