MORE insight into the history of Malvern’s former Covent of the Holy Name has been provided by retired council officer Roger Morgan.

He was responding to our appeal for memories of the convent which was established back in 1879 and was home for some 250 nuns in its heyday.

Roger, now aged 75, who was born in Malvern Link, first remembers being asked by one of the nuns to tread more softly when entering St Matthias Church for Sunday School.

“I was six or seven at the time and think I must have had particularly noisy shoes which seemed to irritate this particular nun,”

“I volunteered for some extra cash by helping to update the Council’s annual Register of Electors and was given the area which included the convent.

“So, every year I would send the Mother Superior a copy of the register and she would go through it and cross out the names of all the sisters who were no longer there.

"But she would also send me a covering note with a hand-written list of the new arrivals but the list, which was up to two pages long at the start, was in decline by the time I left to join the Worcester Council Housing Department, some five years later."

Our appeal for memories of the convent and its successor Day of Salvation Ministries Gospel Centre is being made in association with conservation specialists Broadway Heritage who have just converted the Grade Two listed building into new homes for the 21st Century.

The company has now started work on building fourteen new homes in the grounds.

We will publish some of your memories over the coming weeks and the writer of the best letter will be invited to cut a ribbon to reopen the former convent

Please send your responses by letter to Malvern Memories care of 27,Bridge Street, Pershore, Worcs WR10 1AJ or by email to Nigel@media-Consult.co.uk.

If you have any pictures then please only send copies.