Members of the Community
I have tried to compile a complete a list of the members of the Ursuline community that served at Spetisbury between 1907 and 1926 but there are sure to be some that I have not found.
Prioresses
Révérende Mère Sainte-Ursule
When the Ursulines first arrived in Spetisbury in October 1907 their Prioress (the 8th) was Révérende Mère Sainte-Ursule who was born Victoire Videloup at Saint-Brice-de-Montanel on 28th Aug 1835. She had professed in 1856 but died at Spetisbury soon after their arrival on 25th Nov 1907 aged 72. La Semaine Religieuse de Coutances in announcing her death stated that she had been “several times Superioress of the Ursulines at Mortain” and that “after 53 years of the religious life the pain of the expulsion and the exile could only bring forward her days.”
Révérende Mère Saint-François-de-Sales
The 9th Prioress was Virginie Thilbault who was born in Nantes in 1849. She was named as the Prioress of St. Monica’s Priory in the 1911 census but nothing more is known about her.
Révérende Mère Saint-Jean-de-la-Croix
The 10th Prioress was Révérende Mère Saint-Jean-de-la-Croix, born Marie Mathieu at Mortain on 19th Feb 1855. She had professed on 7th Feb 1882 and died on 21st Oct 1919 at Spetisbury aged 64.
Révérende Mère Marie de Saint-Ignace
The 11th Prioress was Révérende Mère Marie de Saint-Ignace, born Marie Loiseau at Flers on 24th May 1852 of Jean Louis Loiseau and Caroline Boutière.
Marie Loiseau came from a remarkable French family: her five brothers all became Jesuits and her sister Anna, an Ursuline. She was educated in the boarding school of the Ursulines at Mortain from the age of 10 and made her first communion 21 June 1863; (around this time Père Léon Barbey d’Aureville predicted a religious vocation for her). She entered the Ursulines, took the veil at Ascension 1886 and professed in September 1888. She first became Prioress at Mortain in 1896 and was Prioress at Avranches in 1905. During the first years at Spetisbury, Mère St. Ignace was living at Avranches as Prioress and then at Warminster where the community from Ploërmel had moved, but in 1913 she returned to Spetisbury, her own community as Prioress.
She was much loved for her joyful spirit & holiness of life “Those who see her notice her air of happiness like a reflection of joy.” She was a very cultured lady, speaking English, German and Italian and enjoying music and painting. After declining health, she suffered a pious death on 12th Nov 1921 at Spetisbury aged 69.
Mère Marie de Jésus
Lucienne Béguin, born at Mortain on 15th Jan 1858. She professed on 5th July 1881 and died at Bon-Sauveur de Caen in 1956 aged 98.
Mère Saint-Laurent
Euphrasie Coursin, born at Saint-Ouen-la-Rouërie on 1st Jan 1873. She professed on 19th Sept 1893 and died at Quimperlé 18th Nov 1957 aged 84. In October 1954 Mère Saint-Laurent wrote, “It was nearly 64 years ago that I entered the noviciate. I have therefore known and seen die all the community that lived at that time. I can assure you that there were good souls there. We are now only two who professed at Mortain, Soeur Saint-Jean-Baptiste and myself. After the exile we had to renounce the idea of returning to our dear nest. However, God has taken care of us.”
Mère Marie de la Croix
Blanche Le Dantec, born at Montréal, Canada on 11th Dec 1875. She entered the convent at Mortain in 1905 and professed at Rome on 30th Oct 1907. She was part of the “English Mortain” and took her vows at Spetisbury on 30th Oct 1910. She returned in 1926 to Quimperlé and then followed her great friend Mère Marie Berchmans to Sainte-Adresse. In 1940 she was interned as a Canadian. She finished her career at the community of Arras where she died several months short of 90 years on 17th Sept 1965. She was said to be “full of faith and humour, very cultivated, possessing perfect English, a musician, a painter, and an excellent teacher, without any loss of her great personal originality, her religious career was very rich.”
A postcard sent by Mère Marie de la Croix to one of her pupils in 1921
Mère Marie-Augustin
Julie Hallé, born at Neufbourg and took her vows at Spetisbury. She was one of the three Ursulines who went to Mortain as “institutrices libres” in 1925-26.
Mère Marie de Saint-Jean
Mlle Dorey, born at La Haye-du-Puits and took her vows at Spetisbury. She was one of the three Ursulines who went to Mortain as “institutrices libres” in 1925-26.
An autograph book belonging to Winifred Conyers who was at school at the Priory in1912 has some beautifully drawn autographs done by various nuns of the time.
Mère Marie de Saint-Ignace
Teaching Nuns
Mère du Saint-Sacrement
Marie-Thérèse Mauger Lavente, born at Ger on 1st July 1867. She professed in 1890 and died 1st Mar 1911 at Spetisbury aged 44.
Mère Saint-Pierre
Octavie Marie Rosalie Noel, born at Loges-Marchis on 19th Jul 1874. She professed on 4th Sep 1900 and died 30 Nov 1911 at Spetisbury aged 37.
Mère Saint-Angèle
Marie Eugénie Moulin, born at Fresne-Poret on 14th Oct 1829. She professed on 29th Oct 1859 and died 5th Aug 1912 at Spetisbury aged 83.
Mère Marie-Joseph
Marie-Augustine de Marseul, born at Paris 18th July 1842. She professed in 1908 and died at Spetisbury 6th Jan 1924 aged 82. She was one of the last five nuns to leave Mortain in August 1908.
The de Marseuls were among the most ancient noble families of Mortain. Their chateau de la Touche-Couvey is found near the village of Romagny and they also had a mansion at Mortain. A wooden cross bearing the name of Mère Marie-Joseph rescued from the burial ground at Spetisbury now hangs on the wall in the village hall.
Mere Marie-Joseph 1924
Mère Saint-Joseph
Vitaline Leroyer, born at Mantilly (Orne) on 9th June 1861. She professed on 7th Feb 1882 and died at Spetisbury 7th Jan 1925 aged 64. She was one of the last five nuns to leave Mortain in August 1908.
Mère Marguerite-Marie
Théotiste Quinton, born at Saint-Denis-de-Gâtines (Mayenne) on 1st Apr 1865. She professed in1884 and died 6th Apr 1925 at Spetisbury aged 60. She was one of the last five nuns to leave Mortain in August 1908.
Mère Madeleine
Marie Palmyre Angélique Vastel, born at Cherbourg on 11th Aug 1866. She professed on 4th Feb 1890 and died 4th May 1926 at Spetisbury aged 60.
Mère Marie du Sacré-Cœur
Angèle Virginie Vautier-Lanos, born at Ger on 26th Dec 1848. She professed in 1873 and died at Quimperlé 14th May 1929 aged 81. She was one of the last five nuns to leave Mortain in August 1908.
Mère Marie-Thérèse
Vitaline Raine, born at Mortain on 26th Apr 1843. She professed in 1866 and died at Quimperlé in 1933 aged 90.
Mère Saint-Vincent-de-Paul
Blanche Mabire, born at Paris on 6th Aug 1866. She professed on 4th Feb 1890 and died at Quimperlé in 1933 aged 67.
Mère Marie de l’Incarnation
Clotilde Agathe Derieux, born at Brécé (Mayenne) on 10th Jan 1869. She professed on 23th Feb 1897 and died at Quimperlé in 1938 aged 69.
Mère Marie-Berchmans
Anna Loiseau, born at Flers on 4th Sep 1862. She professed on 24th Sep 1883 and died as sub Prioress of the Ursulines of Sainte-Adresse on 8th Oct 1939 aged 77.
Anna Loiseau was the sister of Mère Marie de Sainte-Ignace, the 11th Prioress and like her sister boarded at Mortain but from the early age of 3 years. In exile in England she furthered her studies in English literature and showed herself to be an excellent teacher. In 1913 she was overjoyed in finding herself near her elder sister again; in 1919 the latter being fatigued, she became sub Prioress at Spetisbury. In 1927 she returned to France to the Sisters of Quimperlé and in 1932 she was called to Sainte-Adresse where she finished her days, assiduous in particular to her religious studies in which she excelled. “She rests now on the heights of Sainte-Adresse, facing heaven and close to the sea”
Mère Sainte-Philomène
Eugénie Philomène Tencère, born at Isigny-le-Buat on 27th July 1866. She professed on 4th Feb 1890 and died at Quimperlé on 22th Apr 1939 aged 73. “She asked while dying the favour of being commended at the sermon of the parish of Mortain”
Mère Saint-François d’Assise
Camille Leteinturier-Laprise, born at Sourdeval-la-Barre on 1st Oct 1857. She professed on 4th Feb 1890 and died at Quimperlé in 1939 aged 82. As a young nun she had taken the religious name of her sister Noémi who died in 1885. She was a former sub prioress of Mortain and was the soul of a small group of survivors at Quimperlé.
Working nuns
Soeur Marie-Ange
Adélaïde Nathalie Pelouin, born at Ger on 20th Mar 1845. She professed in 1870 and died 4th Feb 1911 at Spetisbury aged 66.
Soeur Sainte-Gertrude
Céleste Flavie Pelouin, sister of Soeur Marie-Ange, born at Ger on 14th Nov 1842. She professed in 1866 and died at Spetisbury 26th Jan 1922 aged 80.
Soeur Saint-Charles
Marie Augustine Heurteaux, born at Reffuveille on 5th May 1873. She professed on 5th May 1892 and died 26th Dec 1920 at Bon-Sauveur de Saint-Lô aged 47.
Soeur Sainte-Angèle
Augustine Courbin, born at Avranches on 6th June 1862. She professed in 1916 and died 25th Apr 1926 at Spetisbury aged 64. She was the last nun to be buried in English soil.
Soeur Sainte-Marthe
Marie Gallicher, born at Saint-Georges–de-Rouelley on 30th June 1848. She professed on 7th Feb 1882 and died at Quimperlée 8th May 1933 aged 85.
Soeur Sainte-Germaine
Marie-Françoise Almin, born at Ger on 28th Mar 1849. She professed in 1877 and died at Quimperlé in October 1936 aged 87.
Soeur Saint-André
Maria Célestine Patry, born at Saint-Cormier-des-Landes (Orne) on 9th July 1872. She professed on 15th May 1953 and died at Quimperlé in April 1940 aged 81. “The dear sister who directed the kitchen of the establishment.”
Soeur Sainte-Agnès
Fanny Marie Madeleine Lebouteiller, born at Saint-Ouen-la-Rouërie (Ille-et-Vilaine) on 28th Feb 1877. She professed on 24th Sept 1895 and died at Quimperlé in 1944 aged 67.
Soeur Saint-Baptiste
Marie-Thérèse Badier, born at Luitré (Ille-et-Vilaine) on 30th Jan 1873. She professed on 6th Jan 1903 and died at Quimperlé 19th Feb 1958 aged 85.
Soeur Saint-Paul
Elise Brulay, born at Ger on 9th Oct 1887. She professed at Spetisbury in 1911 and died in England in 1958 aged 71.
Soeur Saint-Etienne
Louise Desavoye, born at Neuville-les-Dieppe (Seine-Maritime) on 16th May 1881. She professed at Spetisbury on 13th Nov 1909 and died at Morlaix 10th May 1960 aged 79.
Priests
Père Bernard
Père Bernard was the first chaplain who arrived with the nuns at Spetisbury in 1907
Rev George A Graham
The Rev George A Graham was born in Bath, Somerset in about 1852. He went to school in Gravesend, Kent and by 1881 at the age of 29 was the Catholic Priest at St. Neots, Liskeard in Cornwall. Ten years later he was still in Liskeard but by 1898 was the Catholic Priest (or Missionary Apostolic) for Harrow on the Hill in Middlesex. During his nine years in office there he was responsible for the building of the church of Our Lady and St Thomas of Canterbury, and for the beginning of a parish school. This zealous priest also established a Mass centre in Wealdstone in 1898, saying Mass once a month in a public hall in the High Street. It is not known exactly when Father Graham arrived in Spetisbury but he appears in the 1911 Kelly’s Directory and in the 1911 census as living at The Priory House, Spetisbury and was still there in 1922, according to an ex-pupil of the school.
Rev John Joseph Tyndall
The Rev John Joseph Tyndall appeared in the Kelly’s Directory for 1915 as the Catholic Priest for Spetisbury living in The Priory House.
Rev Thomas O’Neill
The Rev Thomas O’Neill appeared in the Kelly’s Directory for 1920 as the Catholic Priest for Spetisbury living in The Priory House
Rev Tracy
The Rev Tracy seemed to have been a Catholic Priest at Spetisbury between 1920 and 1926. He appeared in a Directory for Dorset at Spetisbury in 1923.
Lay Workers
The interpreter at Spetisbury in 1907 was a Miss Price. Miss Hunt and Miss Shore were mentioned as lay teachers between 1920 and 1926. It is known that some ex-pupils taught at the school.
1911 census
The 1911 census for St. Monica’s Priory at Spetisbury shows some members of the community not mentioned above i.e. Augustine Moirmiche, Marie Lehure, Marie Lejerille, Lernice Vergriète, Gabrielle Chain, Marie Joseph le Stang and Marie Heurteaux. (Appendix 40)
A postcard sent from Sr St. François d’Assise to one of her pupils about 1912
Mère Marie du Calvaire
Clotilde Julie Boyer, born at Toulouse on 5th Feb 1859. She professed on 4th Sept 1900 and died at Bon-Sauveur de Caen in 1941 aged 82.
Mère Saint-Alphonse
Marie Stéphanie Hossard, born at Fougerolles (Mayenne) on 20th Nov 1877. She professed on 21st Sept 1905 and died in 1942 aged 65 at the convent at Dinan where she was bursar. She was one of the last five nuns to leave Mortain in August 1908.
Mère Sainte-Anne
Joséphine Frétel, born at Montanel on 20th Sept 1870. She professed on 4th Feb 1890 and died at Quimperlé in 1945 aged 75.
Mère Marie-Bernard
Marie Anne Jeanne Mancel, born at Mortain on 25th Feb 1874. She professed on 14th Sept 1896 and died at Swatow, China on 19th May 1950 aged 76.
This nun became one of the greatest female missionaries of our time. In 1910 she set off for Batavia (Jakarta) and then joined the first Ursuline establishment in China at Swatow (Shantou) which was established by the Canadian Ursulines in 1921. The body of this great missionary is now resting in Communist China. “Christians and pagans came in their crowds to see her exposed in the chapel ‘How beautiful she is’ said the children.”
Mere Sainte-Marie