Looking for Glen Ban School and Heath House, Abbeyleix

[Gone.]

Sometimes things do work out!

I do have a photograph of Angela Wilson.

Additionally I have an autograph book with a page signed by staff in 1939 and her signature is there also.

I can post scans here, if you are happy for me to do that.

[genecolm]

Sometimes things do work out!

I do have a photograph of Angela Wilson. I can post scans here, if you are happy for me to do that.

That would be wonderful, or you can email me at colm at spelman dot edu.  Many thanks!

[janices]

Hello Ramsin,

I have only just viewed your post.   I am interested in Heath House, Ballacolla Rd, Abbeyleix as I believe it may have been Mrs Suffield's and Miss Cramer's Boarding School for Young Ladies between the years 1824-1830.  I have a record of a Tithe record in the name of Mrs Suffield of the Heath, Abbeyleix in 1826.

I am interested to know if you have confirmed your photo is actually Heath House on Ballacolla Rd?

Regards

JaniceS

[Gone.]

Hi JaniceS

Sorry about the delay in replying – I didn’t get a roots chat email saying that there was an addition to the thread so have just recently seen your message.

I’ve looked at all the contributed information again and I keep coming back to the location as being on Ballacolla Rd.

I have a few other photographs of the house and, compared to the plan below (from a map with the year range 1883-1913 as on page 2 of this thread) there are a number of matches, such the position of the porch (more or less),  the shape and length of the driveway and so on.

It appears on the photographs I have that there are no buildings to the left of the building with the porch way. Maybe these were demolished by the time the photographs were taken around 1935-1947.

At this stage, I feel reasonably confident that ‘my’ Heath House is the one on Ballacolla Road, but certainly I am not 100% certain …  However, I am sure at some point there will be a definitive answer.
 
Interesting to know of its earlier history.

Regards
Ramsin

[janices]

Hi Ramsin,

Thank you for you reply, Ramsin.   My ancestors, the Suffields and the Cramers, closed their school (maybe Heath House) at the beginning of 1831.  From a For Sale advertisement for Rose Lodge, Abbeyleix in 1830, the school was adjoining Rose Lodge.

[janices]

Sorry hit 'post' before I had finished.

I don't know if Rose Lodge still exists but it was situated within half a mile of Abbeyleix and within a quarter of a mile of the Rev Matthew Eaton's Academy for boys.  This Academy was at Bellview (the current name being BlackHills Yoga School.   As you can see from google maps BlackHills is very close to 'your Heath House'.

Mrs Suffield's and Miss Cramer's school was under the patronage of Viscountess DeVesci of DeVesci House, Abbeyleix and was bounded by the road leading from Abbeyleix to Mountrath and the demense of Lord DeVesci.

Hopefully one day our theory on Heath House will be solved.   Thank you again for your posts.

Janices