Katharine Patience Hague - Part 2, Biographical photographs 1916 -1946

Katharine Patience Hague
Biographical Photographs 1916 – 1946
Part 2

Back in England Pat studied chiropody for a year. After qualifying she found a job in a
Lewisham foot clinic.
The clients were mostly old, over-weight, working-class women who spent their working
lives on their feet. There was an all-pervading smell of mentholated spirits and sweat from
the clients’ feet. They were busy from morning to evening.
During her first winter working as a chiropodist she developed a hacking cough. The
doctor said there was danger of her becoming consumptive.

Pat’s parents came up with a wonderful suggestion. Her sister Peggy was now living
in Ceylon married to a tea planter and was expecting her first baby. They were going out
there to support her while waiting for the birth. It was arranged that Pat would travel with
them as far as Cape Town. Here she could stay with an aunt and uncle for a few months
before continuing on to Ceylon to help look after the baby. They set out in 1938 when Pat
was 23.
From the tiny, dismal bedsit where the window looked out onto a brick wall – her
accommodation while studying chiropody – she now experienced the height of luxury
travelling first class on one of the enormous Union-Castle Line ships. She joined in the
social life but nothing could remove the inner feeling of black despair and total lack of
confidence.
Pat’s visits to South Africa and Ceylon allowed her to regain her strength and it was a
return to a life of comfort and security. But this did not last long because the declaration
of war meant she had to return to England.

Pat in black trousers pulling on rope

Pat talking to mother sitting in deck chair

At port on board ship with mother, uncle Dick, aunt Olive and cousins

Uncle Dick’s house – Lynwood, Heseldon Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town (now No.28)

With uncle Dick in South Africa

The Inchanga, built in 1934 in Belfast

Lorna Frater on board the Inchanga

Pat stopped off at the hotel before going on to Hindagala

Peggy’s bungalow in Hindagala

Hollyside / Freemount School
1941 - 1946

Back home she did not know where to go or what to do and she was overwhelmed by a
total lack of confidence. Then PSY entered her life yet again. He wanted to pick up their
relationship once more. For a while they stayed with her in-laws in Haslemere in their
beautiful house, planned and built to their own specification surrounded by a lovely
garden with well-tended flower beds.
But this was not for long. Because Peter was a conscientious objector he had to find an
alternative to being called up. They visited many communities looking for like-minded
people but it became clear to Peter that he wasn’t cut out for communal living and that it
wasn’t easy to live with pacifists at close quarters.
Then when they were staying at Stroud a change of direction opened up. On hearing that
PSY was a teacher there was demand for them to set up a small boarding school where
parents could send their children away from the war.
And so Hollyside near Monmouth was found, two cottages joined together. The little
school started with six pupils. Conditions were primitive in the extreme. A lean-to shed
with one cold tap was the kitchen and the loo was a Elsan outside. Cooking meals
required ingenuity but there were no complaints and no plates were left empty.

When more pupils came along the school moved to Freemount, a lovely manor house in
the Golden Valley . Pat said that life at Freemount could fill a book. As a housemother,
housekeeper and teacher Pat gained valuable experience in dealing with children and
parents. The school naturally closed at the end of the war. It was also the end of Pat’s
marriage. But it was not the end of relationships which she had formed during those
years. She enjoyed visits from a few former pupils right up to the end.
While at Freemount two events happened which changed the direction of Pat’s life. The
first came about because they needed a homeopathic doctor for the children. They found
a lady doctor in Bristol who became a friend. Then, out of the blue, she suggested that Pat
might be interested in a workshop in Stroud. This became Pat’s first introduction to
Anthroposophy.
Ellie Wilke introduced her to Eurythmy but, what was much more interesting to her at the
time, Dr Stein gave lectures on Waldorf education. Pat bought as many books as she could
carry on education by Rudolf Steiner, recognising that this was a turning point in her life.
The second life-changing event came about because she decided to take a break and
attend a conference on the Comparative Study of Religions in Tring, Hertfordshire. Here
she met her future second husband, Peter Hague, who was attending a different course
there. Afterwards he visited her at Freemount several times and finally they married.

Freemount Manor used as a boarding and day school during the war

Pat at back on left, Peter standing on right

Pat at back on right with towel on head

Pat centre, Wendy Gabbott back right, Peter Gabbott front left

Mr & Mrs Herbert from the lodge (probably)

Mrs Peachy, a helper (probably)

Andrew Zobel, a helper (probably)

Peter Hague, second from left, Pat on right

Drive to lodge on right (probably)

Keith
15th April 1946
“My son Keith aged 9 years has been at
Freemount School, Bacton Manor,
Herefordshire for almost four years.
When he went there he was rather a prim, shy
little boy, but under Mr and Mrs Young's care
he has developed into a sturdy little boy with a
definite personality all his own.
He has been most thoroughly taught and is
now reading and writing very well.
His general knowledge is remarkably good, and
I consider he has been taught carefully and
patiently.
Mrs Young has a very thorough knowledge of
health and diet and from being a rather boy
Keith has become healthy and strong.
Both Mr and Mrs Young are most suited to the
task of teaching and caring for children, and I
most sincerely hope they will be successful in
obtaining any post or posts they may apply for
in the future.”

John
“Peter and I just want to let you know how
very pleased we are with John.
He seems to much more self-confident, and
restrained (not repressed!). Also, he really
talks sensibly about things, without all that
hesitation.
This seems a very good result, for one term.
What a pity the skin has given you so much
trouble. He looks pretty good now, so you
have got him over the worst of it.
John says “Muphie did everything she
possibly could for me,” he appears very
grateful, too.
With many thanks for your efforts, and all
the best wishes for Christmas.”

My Boy
“I sent my boy aged 7 to Freemount
School, Bacton mainly because he was
very difficult to control at home and I
had complete confidence in Mr and Mrs
Young's kindness and tact. I thought that
community life would help him most to
have a better sense of proportion in
social behaviour.
Also he was rather delicate and liable to
severe colds and bronchitis. He has
greatly improved in every way, in fact he
is now a real help to me and very
diplomatic with the younger children and
he is quite strong physically.
I do not know of anyone better suited to
help difficult children, who need extra
love and sympathy to ordinary children.”

Paul
18th November 1946
“I feel that I would like to write and let you
know how pleased I am with the progress
made by Paul during the time he has been
with you. He has made tremendous strides,
and now seems very stable emotionally and
sensible in his outlook on life. I feel that you
have pulled him through a difficult phase in
his life and laid a solid foundation of real
character which will stand him in good
stead later.
I know that you have done this through
your desire to make some real contribution
to the future generations, and not through
any self-interest, and I would like to express
my great appreciation.”
My Son
17th January 1946
“I am very pleased to find a great
improvement in my son after a year at
Freemount. You seem to have been quite
successful in countering the unfortunate
barrack-room methods of his former school,
and it is a pleasant change to find him
independent and self-reliant. His ability to
cope with all sorts of situations and people
makes me confident that can now profit from
more conventional pre-school education . . . .
I have been very pleased to find his artistic
work encouraged and so well developed: his
ability in this respect is quite impressive. I am
glad, too, that his fearlessness in water has
not been checked, and he does seem
gratifyingly response to the natural discipline
of social life where formerly he was resentful
and suspicious of repression.”
Humphrey
9th March 1946
“It wasn't until I saw the tremendous
change in Humphrey during the last
holidays that I realised how very repressed
he must have been before coming to you.
He is so much more responsive and takes
far more interest in things. His pleasure in
going back to school showed how very
happy he was.
N.B. Humphrey has been at Freemount
some 3½ years.”

Jonathan
“I was very pleased with Jonathan – he's very much improved in every way: in fact he's more nearly
normal than he has ever been.”
Pierre
“It is the first photo of Pierre since he was two years old where he looks a really happy and normal
child . . . I certainly noticed a very encouraging change. What has been the greatest help to Pierre is
that he has had no ground for an inferiority complex at Freemount.”
Jill
“We are pleased that Jill seems more settled in her mental outlook this term and more pleasing to
herself and the community. A great deal of the credit for this must lie with you, I think, as she
certainly seems to feel security at Freemount.”
Tony
“There is a very noticeable improvement in Tony; I found him much more lively and independent.”
Excerpts

Waldorf Teacher Training Course
1946 - 1947

When Freemount closed in 1945 Pat found herself penniless but was determined to
attend the teachers training course attached to Michael Hall. It was arranged that she
should pay her way by working in the kitchen and helping Mrs Swatham with the boarders
in the mansion.
Now her heavy workload and responsibilities gave way to being a student and living in a
community committed to working with the high ideals of Anthroposophy. She found the
emphasis on artistic subjects wonderfully healing. She was lucky in her teachers who
included Cecil Harwood, Francis Edmunds, William Mann and Elizabeth Jacobs.
Each day was a revelation. The slow process of creating a new life began, including
bonding with her new partner.

A painting Pat might have done on her teacher training course

Peter Hague, Pat, mother and father

Lynette was born in 1947 and the family needed a home. Peter started to convert an old
coal barge into a houseboat while the family lived in a caravan nearby outside Worcester.
Peter didn’t always see the necessity of haste, or so it seemed to Pat. But he lovingly
worked away and fitted a lorry engine, boiler, bath, cooker and stove. By winter it was
warm and cosy.

Caravan at Worcester lived in while boat being built

Houseboat at Kinver
1949 - 1958

When Peter was offered a job in his father’s works in the Midlands they took the boat up
the canal network and found a mooring at Kinver. This is a village near Stourbridge
and Elmfield School where Pat hoped to find work.
The mooring at Kinver was a disused coal wharf and to get drinking water it was necessary
to cross the busy road to reach the outside tap behind the local pub. Lighting was by
paraffin tilley lamps and bath water from the canal. Once again Pat was having to cope
with very primitive conditions.
In 1950 Helena was born. Both children had to learn to swim almost before they could
walk in case they fell in the canal.
In due course Lynette entered the Nursery Class at Elmfield School and soon Pat joined
her as a teacher. A suitable child minder was found for Helena. To get to Elmfield she and
the two children had a five-mile drive in Peter’s old 1934 Austin 10. It had very poor
suspension and no heating. But this was the beginning of 16 years of close association
with Elmfield School as a mother and teacher – a path of learning, inner struggle and
development.

Peter, Helena, Lynette and Pat

Pat with Helena on her knee and Lynette

Helena and Pat (back), nieces Josephine and Annette with Lynette

Top mooring, lockhouse on other side of canal

After 10 years of living in the houseboat the family moved to a house in Stourbridge
which Pat’s parents paid for – to save her sanity! It was at this time that Astrid entered
the family as a boarder, aged 7. She has remained a part of the family ever since.
At Elmfield Pat taught, at various times, French, tennis, lacrosse, gym and drama. It must
have been very frustrating for her that she was not in a position to be a class teacher,
especially as she had taken the Waldorf teachers training course. Her main aim was to
make sure her children had a Waldorf curriculum and she made great sacrifices for this.

Outside the house in Stourbridge

In 1970 at age 55, when the girls had left home, Pat attended Summerfield Teachers
Training College for two years and gained her National Teaching Diploma. She enjoyed the
study very much and art and music were her special subjects.

H R Arnold
Headmaster, St. Martin’s CE JM School, Wallace Road, Bradley, Bilston
21st July 1972
“Much that I dislike the giving of testimonials generally, good or bad, lest they embarrass
the recipient as well as the giver, I realise they are sometimes a necessity. In this case I
can not speak too highly of Mrs K P Hague. Before she came to me as a probationer, I
wondered why, at her age, she should have wanted to enter a training college.
I soon found out – her enthusiasm for the job is unbounded! She entered into the spirit of
the school immediately. Environmental study was not just an educational phrase.
Everyone sprang to her aid until she knew the town, the district “inside out.”
She soon knew every child individually and so worked with her class not only in the
school’s 3R and other set studies programme, but introduced and correlated other
studies, paying visits, collecting material, and affording the children much practical and
project work. The children soon responded to her enthusiasm.
Throughout the year Mrs Hague has spent a great amount of time in reparation and
follow-up work both at school after school hours and at home.
I might add here that an H.M.I. agreed with me that here was a teacher far above the
general run of probationers. Moreover, Mrs Hague is a charming person and would be an
asset to any staff – I was going to say I would retain her for her personality alone, but of
course that would not do.”
Reference after probationary teaching year

Katharine Patience Hague - Part 2, Biographical photographs 1916 -1946

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Katharine Patience Hague - Part 2, Biographical photographs 1916 -1946