Jessamine Victoria Bradley was born in Derby on 25th May 1897. She was the daughter of William Edge Bradley, a clerk for the Midland Railway, and Louise Violet Squirrell, who was the second eldest daughter of the Rev. Squirrell, thus making Jessamine the Rev. Squirrell’s granddaughter.
She was married to her first cousin Henry James Stretton-Ward in 1919 and moved with him to live at Warneford House.
Preparatory school
I know very little about Jessamine except that around 1945 she established a preparatory school at 9, Radford Road, giving it the name Gower House. She remained principal of the school until she retired in 1973. The house still exists and is still called Gower House.
She was also a member of the Afternoon Townswomen’s Guild and a keen supporter of the Loft Theatre. Plus she was a member of the Christian Scientist Church.
Jessamine passed away at 3, Warwick Street, Leamington Spa on 14th September 1979 and was cremated at Oakley Wood crematorium on the 20th.
Comments
I attended Gower House School from 1949 to1955 and have many memories of the school, it’s classrooms, sandpit and teachers, especially Mrs Ward and Miss Remmington. The education was quite informal and include French at an early age
I too attended Gower House school, but for only 1 year 1950-51.
I have few memories of my time there, but still have class photos. I don’t know how much the fees were, but am amazed that my parents could afford it as we had very little money. Maybe that’s why I was only there a year.
Mrs Stretton Ward was my aunt and I visited her a number of times both while she was living at Gower House (which was not the same building as housed the school but was attached to Warneford House) and after she moved to live in Warwick Street. The building used as the school does still exist but looks very different as it used to have a very large plate-glass window at the front, put in when my uncle had his motor-cycle building -Forfield Motors – there.
I J Lightfoot
I attended Gower House School 1946 and 1947. I remember Mrs. J. Stretton-Ward, Principal, very well. She was a nice lady. I have many positive memories of this, my first school. I moved to Newcastle upon Tyne in 1947, earned a Ph.D. and moved to America. Sorry that I never got back to thank Mrs. Ward and her staff.
I attended Gower House I think from 1958 to 1961. I loved it there! I have very fond memories and have some lovely school photos, Mrs Ward was such a lovely lady. I have a memory of a sweetie jar – if you’d been really good you’d get a sweet! So remember those Janet and John reading books. My father used to give out prizes on prize giving day.
Add a comment about this page