St. Joseph's

St. Joseph's Convent, Navan, Co. Meath

This is a colour image of St. Joseph's Convent run by the Sisters of Mercy located at Leighbrook in Navan. One of the first convents to arrive in Navan in the mid-19th century to provide primary school education to the children of the Parish.

By permission of Meath County Library

St. Joseph's Convent, Navan, Co. Meath
By permission of Meath County Library

St. Joseph's Convent, Navan, Co. Meath

This is a colour image of St. Joseph's Convent run by the Sisters of Mercy located at Leighbrook in Navan. One of the first convents to arrive in Navan in the mid-19th century to provide primary school education to the children of the Parish.

By permission of Meath County Library

Enlarge image

St. Joseph's was the next school to follow St. Annes into Navan. The Mercy Sisters came to the town in 1853 and set up a small school in Bakery Street where they taught reading, writing and arithmetic (maths), and needlework which was an important skill for girls in that time.

Later they moved to Leighsbrook House, where they still are. Subjects included music, French, elocution (speech training) and drill (P.E.).

In 1910 the nuns built a new primary school on the site of the old school. It cost £6,000 to build and there were 500 pupils.

Spicer's Delivery Van

Black and white image of Spicer's Bakery Delivery Van, built by Hyland's Coach Works,circa 1930s

By permission of Meath County Library, courtesy of John Smith, Navan

Spicer's Delivery Van
By permission of Meath County Library, courtesy of John Smith, Navan

Spicer's Delivery Van

Black and white image of Spicer's Bakery Delivery Van, built by Hyland's Coach Works,circa 1930s

By permission of Meath County Library, courtesy of John Smith, Navan

Enlarge image

The children brought just bread and butter to school for lunch. The schools supplied them with milk. Spicer's Bakery provided the school with currant buns to give to children who had no lunch.

Life was less comfy in those times. There were up to 50 pupils in a class with one teacher. The children sat two to a desk. They used pens with nibs for writing, which they dipped into inkwells.

Before there was central heating, each child brought a sod of turf to school each day to keep the fires going.

In 1966 the school underwent major reconstruction and extension work which cost nearly £70,000. A new wing and an assembly hall were opened.

The new wing included four new classrooms, a cookery room and toilets.