Mylnhurst Convent of Mercy, Sheffield, 1933-2010

Father T. Maloney had requested the assistance of the Burngreave Road Sisters of Mercy for a school in Eccleshall and in 1933 a branch house was opened in Mylnhurst, Sheffield. Mylnhurst Convent and Day and Boarding School was opened by Superior and first principle of the school Sr. Berchmans Daley, with Sr. Vincent Daley, Sr. Aloysius Smith and Sr. Evangelist Steele (who returned to Burngreave Road to die shortly afterwards). The school started with seven pupils, two of whom were boarders. By January 1934 there were 23 children, with the number of Sisters increasing to manage. By January 1936, pupil numbers had increased to 186 including 14 boarders. By 1939 the number had reached 360 with girls continuing to University standard and boys leaving aged eight or nine. There were about ten lay teachers employed in the school and new Sisters kept arriving. In 1947 the senior school began to lose a form each year so Mylnhurst began as a Primary School in September 1952, with both boys and girls leaving at eleven plus. In 1983, Mylnhust Convent became an independent community under the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy. In 1992, the last teaching Sister of Mercy retired and a lay headmistress took charge. The Mercy community at Mylnhurst played an important role as Trustees of the school until the decision was made to hand the school over to parents and governors in 1995. One sister now lives at Mylnhurst Lodge.