The main entrance to the college on Sandwich Road, there was a letter-box just inside the gate.
Mrs. Ina Hammond, the widow of Captain Egerton Hammond, put the St. Alban’s Court estate up for sale in late 1937, the estate was divided into more than eighty individual lots to be sold by auction by John D. Wood and Co. of 23, Berkely Square, London, who published a catalogue of the property and land to be sold.
The new St. Alban’s Court house built in the 1870’s plus two “Tudor cottages” that had previously been the old St. Alban’s Court house and some fifty acres of the surrounding land was purchased by the English Gymnastic Society (EGS) for use as both head-quarters and a training centre for women who wished to teach gymnastics. The EGS had been founded by Miss Gladys Wright, who had trained in Denmark and Sweden, and taught a modernized style of gymnastics evolved from the pioneering work in the early 19th century of Per Henrik Ling.
The college which was opened on 23rd July, 1938 by Cosmo Gordon Lang, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, with Miss Wright as Principal and Stena Kreuger, a Swede, as Vice-Principal. The links with Scandinavia were strengthened through the activities of the English and Scandinavian Summer School of Physical Education with Miss Wright visiting Scandinavia before and after the Second World War.
In the June of 1939 the Duke of Kent visited Nonington, Snowdown Colliery and Aylesham. He was shown around Nonington College by the Principal and Vice-Principal and watched some displays by the students.
During the War the establishment was evacuated to Bromsgrove in Worcestershire and the buildings were taken over to aid the war effort. During Miss Wright’s tenure a Swedish Gymnasium, later known as the Swedish Dance Theatre, was built. The theatre is now listed
Miss Wright retired as Principal in 1952, and the college was taken over by the Kent County Council’s (KCC) Education Department with Winnifred Whiting as principal. The college became one of the principle teacher training colleges in the U.K. providing training for students from all over the world to become physical education teachers. Until 1966 the college was a women only establishment and the students were easily recognizable by their blue capes with the college badge embroidered on it. Many of them were “in digs” in Nonington and the surrounding villages and this close relationship with the local population often led to marriage.
The KCC invested a lot of money in the college during Winnifred Whiting’s tenure as Principal and during that of her successor Miss Eleonor Hinks. A new gymnasium was opened in 1959 and a swimming pool was built soon afterwards. Many local children from the schools in the villages surrounding Nonington, including myself and my sisters, learnt to swim here under the guidance of Mr. Rogers.
Old Court House and St. Michael’s in Easole were used as annexes and some small hostel blocks had been built to the east of the main house during the early 1960’s but due to the demand for P.E. teachers in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s the number of students increased and on site and off-site accommodation proved inadequate and additional residential hostels (now converted into privately owned flats). A sports hall; performing arts centre and new kitchen and dining room facilities were also built and another forty plus acres of land adjoining the grounds to the west were purchased to provide additional playing fields.
This demand for PE teachers was short lived, apparently the then falling birth-rate meant that less PE teachers would be needed, and in the late 1970’s teacher training came to an end and the college’s then principal Stanley Beaumont diversified the colleges activities into none teaching qualifications in partnership with Christ Church College. Sadly further cuts in Government spending saw the closure of the college in 1986 (along with the sale at premium prices of many school sports grounds for re-development).
However, to the everlasting shame of KCC, the college estate was left empty for nearly a decade at a time when property and land prices were booming (although for some reason the road lights were still turned on every night) with some occasional use for the training of the police and other services. Various alternative uses for the premises were put forward over the years, some more credible than others (at the time it seemed to the local population that the less credible the scheme, the more credence the KCC gave to it) until it was sold very cheaply to property developers who re-developed the various buildings and sold them for a substantial profit. Some of the old college’s sports facilities were replaced by industrial units, something that the KCC had previously said was not possible. They also frequently stated that the estate was not suitable for housing development, even in part, as the local infrastructure (ie. sewage and water) could not cope with an increase in population, but the 1870’s mansion and other nearby buildings now house two hundred or so people of all ages, with frequent requests to the local authorities for more accommodation to be allowed.
Linda,
No idea if you will see this message, as it is over two years since you posted yours. I’ve only just come on this website.
I was there 1974-78, and lost touch with you. Would be good to have a catch up 40 years on.
Please keep me informed
I knew Nick Marshall well at Rye Grammar, which he left in 1967 to go to Nonington College. Only a few weeks ago I was chatting to him about that place at a Rye Old Scholars Reunion of the ’60s generation.
I knew Nick Marshall well at Rye Grammar until he left school in 1967 to go to Nonington College. I was chatting to him about the place only a few weeks ago at a Rye Old Scholars Reunion of the ’60s generation.
Hello Lynda,
I’m sitting here with Bonny and we are looking through the Nonington site and low and behold, there is your reply to me (one year ago). Sorry.
Yes, we would love to meet up. I’m still in Surrey and Bon lives in Essex. She visits regularly (godmother to both my girls), so maybe in early 2019. What do you think?
I am trying to get hold of a copy of the book written by Judith Chapman and printed by Mickle Print Ltd, Canterbury, Kent. Title – Nonington College Kent, England 1938-1986. Can you please help
Was that the guy that played for Leatherhead? I was at Nony 76-79.
I remember going on the coach to watch the game great achievement for a College the size of Nonington. I played for the rugby team at that time we had a decent side we lost narrowly to St. Mary’s in the Colleges cup that year I seem to remember.
Hi Dennis, a blast from the past. Trevor Brighton (always known as Tich) Seems so long ago driving to football in Rog Peedle’s mini playing 461 Ocean Boulevard and others. I always thought that you and Pam had gone to Australia. Good to hear that you are still about and best wishes. Do you ever here from any others?
Looking to get together with the Football Team that won British Colleges in Spring of 1979
Anita’s maiden name was Fursey, loving known as Fuzz by her peers. 1963-66 (or maybe 67. Not sure if she did a B Ed)
Hi Shirley – me again. You knew me as Peasa (Carol) Green. If you’d like to contact me via email, I can tell you a good way of finding many of our year. I’m in Colorado, USA now. Hope all is good with you.
Time rolls on I was 60 last month. I drop the odd email to Tony Hall be great if anyone else from those years was about 1977-1980. I never really kept in touch with people guess we all move on and get on with our lives. I worked with a bloke called John Cooper he attended the College he was a few years older than myself.
I remember terry Harris at nonington. Fine fellow..we were in the same year. I married a nonington girl from the year below…Pamela garner. Still married and retired to the west Country.
best wishes
Dennis read
Hi Wendy
I went to Nonington 1967 – 70, spent my first year in east One room 2 with Nick (the king) Marshall).
We played rugby v Wye. All I remember are those after-match dinners there, and the heavy drinking that was compulsory.
I had a great time in mu 3 years and did very well, got to the rank of headteacher by the time I was 30. I ran an outdoor education centre in Wareham, Dorset for 16 years.
I married a Nonington girl – Pookie Wines. We live in Dorset near Lulworth Cove.
I was a student at Nonington 1965 to 1968 and have very fond memories of my time there. I would love to make contact with anyone else who was there during that time. My name is Wendy Kirk and I met my husband Howard Kirk when I was a student at Nonington. He was studying agriculture at Wye. Perhaps someone else can remember the many social events organised between the two colleges. Yesterday we both had a most enjoyable and nostalgic trip around the two colleges. It was heart warming to see Nonington looking so beautiful. In contrast, unfortunately Wye College looks very delapidated.
Hi- just on the off chance that there is someone out there who was at Nonington CPE from 1963- 1966. My name then was Shirley Underwood (married Geoff Wallace- he who had the motor bike!)
I have been reading with interest the posts written by people who were at the college in the 40’s, 50’s and 70’s but have never seen anything from those who were there from this era. I am hoping that although the site does not appear to be used regularly, someone will pick this up and respond.
I’m trying to find out if anyone knew my parents they met here between 1972/1975 Terry harris and Susan ward they are amazing parents and are celebrating the Ruby wedding anniversary this August!
Dave
Why not visit sunny Dorset, we have space.
Hello everyone. My mother was at Nonnington from 1950 to 1953 Joan Richardson. She died this week of MND and as is often the case it has stemmed an interest from me in her time here, which she always said were very happy days. Might anyone remember her? All the best Simon