Happy Haylett days (From Western Telegraph)

Happy Haylett days

IN 1956, Mrs Joan Sharpe and Mrs Joscelyne Hanby opened the doors of Haylett Grange School to eight children - four of whom were their own. When they retired 43 years later, the school they set up as young women had a solid reputation and 130 pupils.

New owners took over the school, which continued until 2002. But it was the end of an era when the women, who lived and breathed Haylett Grange, left.

On the insistence of past pupils and their parents, Joan and Joscelyne wrote a short memoir of their life's work.

JENNY HANSON asked them about the beginning and the end of their happy days at Haylett. The interview took place shortly before Joan Sharpe died. This feature is dedicated to her memory.

In the 1950s it wasn't commonplace for women to set up their own businesses, but there were exceptions to the rule. Joan Sharpe and Joscelyne Hanby were two such exceptions. Joan was born in Bristol and Joscelyne was from Lichfield in Staffordshire. The pair had both chosen careers in teaching, and both came to Pembrokeshire when their husbands took up posts in the area.

"We have lived in Pembrokeshire for over 50 years," said Joan. "It's our home - we feel we are Pembrokeshire people."

The women met and soon became firm friends. Joan had two sons, Robin and Peter, and Joscelyne had a son, Jack, and a daughter, Lesley.

"We'd both been teachers before and we felt there was a gap in our lives," said Joscelyne. "We were wondering where we would send our children to school, and then we thought 'why not set one up ourselves?'."

"It seemed a marvellous idea," added Joan. "We could be with our children and work at the same time." "We didn't think of it as a grand scheme," said Joscelyne. "We thought we'd have a class each and that would be it."

They started their search for a suitable location for the school and finally came across Haylett Grange, a private house on the outskirts of Haverfordwest. The pair knew 'straight away' that Haylett was 'right'. "There was plenty of space, the garden was lovely and the view was gorgeous," said Joan. "It was perfect."

But Joan and Joscelyne weren't the only ones to fall for the property, and at one point it looked as though Haylett would go to another buyer.

"I went to see the estate agent and he told me there were other offers on the house," explained Joan. "He told me what they were - which would never happen nowadays - and I rushed straight to the bank to see if I could up our offer. Luckily we could. I phoned my husband after I'd made the higher offer, in a complete panic about borrowing the extra money. He just said 'well, you wanted it didn't you?' and that was that."

With Haylett theirs, the Sharpes and the Hanbys moved in upstairs, planning to set up the school on the ground floor. "In the beginning, we wondered how on earth we were going to get everything organised," said Joscelyne. "In those days we would roller-skate down the drive, hoping not to bump into prospective parents!"

Haylett Grange School officially opened in 1956, and went from strength to strength for the next 43 years. "We enjoyed every minute of it," said Joscelyne. "The school started as a family and it seemed to stay as a family, no matter how big it got."

The women have a wealth of stories to tell about the ups and downs of their Haylett years, from finding escaped stick insects in the downstairs cloakroom to the 'great innovation' of having a swimming pool built. That is why they wrote their book, Happy Days at Haylett Grange.

"We had such fun writing it," said Joscelyne. "It was a chance to talk about old times and to look at old photos. When I forgot certain things, Joan would remember them!" It seemed as if Joan and Joscelyne would go on teaching forever but eventually, long past the standard retirement age, they decided to call it a day.

"I was 82 and Joscelyne was 79," said Joan. "We're both pretty energetic people and we couldn't bear to stop," said Joscelyne, "but we were becoming so ancient we had to give it up."

Haylett Grange was Joan and Joscelyne's life's work. Leaving it behind was extremely hard for both of them. "I was devastated," said Joan. "I loved teaching and I found it very hard to let go. The school was part of me - leaving it was like having something amputated." "It was a big wrench," agreed Joscelyne. "Haylett was our life - there wasn't really time for anything else."

The ladies then settled in a house in Haverfordwest, and, by their own admission, were 'very content'. The location was different, but the legacy of their years at Haylett was still with them and always will be.

"Everywhere we go we meet people who are connected with Haylett," said Joan. "We met so many through the school, and they all remain our friends."

"We often see ex-pupils when we are out and about," said Joscelyne. "It's wonderful to see how well they have done for themselves - and to meet their children." Mrs Joan Sharpe died on April 18th, aged 89. If you ever had the pleasure of meeting her, you don't need me to tell you that she won't be forgotten.

* For a copy of Happy Days at Haylett Grange, contact Mrs Hanby on 01437 767168.

Pictured are Joan and Joscelyne, with their memoir, in April in the garden of their new home. PICTURE: Western Telegraph (JH581H03).