Welcome

Welcome to the Seale-Hayne web site.
		We hope that you will find this site useful and interesting. For those new to the Seale-Haynians, Seale-Hayne is an Agricultural College of old, and more latterly became a faculty of the University of Plymouth. The University have subsequently closed Seale-Hayne and much of the history and discussion surrounding the closure can be found elsewhere on this site. The Seale-Hayne alumni club is administered by a volunteer committee comprising several dedicated former students and members of staff from both the College and the Students Union. To this end we endeavour to meet every couple of months and as a result of several specific members hard work, we can now boast the fact that we are internationally renowned (via the web site) and of course the annual magazine. Membership of the Seale-Haynians is based on a ten year standing order subscription for the magazine. If you left Seale-Hayne before 1989 please Click Here for information relating to your life membership. To download the membership form Click Here

News from Ray Bartlett, Chairman, 2023
		Dear Seale-Haynians On the 15th October, 140 of us gathered at the Riviera Centre Torquay, postponed since 2019, to celebrate the Centenary of the opening of Seale-Hayne Agricultural College in late 1919. We have committee member Jan Sturmer to thank for organising this excellent event, which is reported elsewhere in the magazine. But I must mention especially the message of good wishes from our most venerable alumna Maisie Hill, who at 105 received a round el applause. Then, our ever resourceful lgg discovered in the 1923 College Year Book that the “Old Seale-Haynians Club” was founded that year. What a find and you will note in this year’s issue that we celebrate that centenary. This conveniently draws one’s attention to the future of the Club. In previous annual magazines, we have reported entries by alumni/a in the Visitor’s book at College, stating how much they cherished their years at Seale-Hayne and expressing their thanks that we keep the club going. This is gratifying, but your committee is having to address the future of the club in its present form. One learns from clubs of all types that since the “Dreaded Lurgy”. former committee and other volunteers are not returning and we too, face this issue. Keeping the club going in its present form may not be possible because of shortage of new committee members of a “more recent generation”. Since last year we have lost our splendid President Prof Fred and also Vice Chairman John Simpson. And Tom Jenkins has moved away. It may be therefore, that the club will exist in another on-line format. Fortunately, both lgg and Simon are well qualified to establish this. We have already a social media group of Seale-Haynians, which was started and is administered by Yasmin Jenson. Although the present owner of our beloved alma mater is very accommodating. allowing us to keep all our documents and artefacts on the shelves in the old library, we are not certain how long this may last. Accordingly, to secure their safety, Simon Daligan has been scanning our documents and photographs; but it’s much work for him. We will approach the Newton Abbot Museum, the Devon Records Office (where many documents were moved when the college closed) and even the National Archives at Kew to seek homes for these originals. We will photocopy the originals for display on in the Old Library. You will see therefore that we have much to do and we could do with just two or three more to help. This brings me to thank the remaining stalwart committee members and the ever-reliable Kate Templeton and Angela Blackman we “archiverate” an afternoon each week in the Old Library. With very best wishes, Raymond Bartlett, Chairman, the Seale-Haynains

Seale-Hayne Neurasthenic Hospital – First World War
		At the beginning of the last century Seale-Hayne was the only purpose built agricultural college in the UK. It was ready to open in 1914 but the start of the First World War caused the opening to be postponed. The building was offered by the Governors to the War Office to help in the ‘National War Effort’ and at first it became a centre for training ‘Land Girls’. Then from April 1918 until July 1919, Seale-Hayne was chosen for its idyllic setting to become a specialist hospital to treat soldiers returning from the horrors of the war who were suffering from what was then called “Shell Shock”. Some novel and pioneering treatment was administered by Sir Arthur Hurst, some of which is recorded in an extraordinary Pathé Bros film which features Netley Hospital and Seale-Hayne and which can be found on ‘YouTube’. With the Centenary of the War fast approaching and as part of the commemoration events being planned by the present owners of the college, the Dame Hannah Rogers Trust, the Seale-Haynians (alumni) club are researching Sir Arthur Hurst’s extraordinary and pioneering treatment of soldiers at the college. Within this work we are concentrating on the lives of those who suffered from Shell-Shock and the subsequent affect this had on those men and their families. This will eventually form part of the archive at Seale-Hayne and we hope will achieve some national media coverage for the events at Hannahs. The Seale-Haynians and Hannahs are keen to hear from any descendants or any contacts of any WW1 servicemen, patients or medical staff who may have been at Seale-Hayne Neurasthenic Military Hospital during this period. If you think that you may have a story related to the Seale-Hayne hospital or if you know of someone who might, then please get in touch here or write to Ray Bartlett, Seale-Hayne, Newton Abbot, Devon. TQ12 6NQ.

Welcome to the Seale-Hayne web site.

News from Ray Bartlett, Chairman, 2023

Seale-Hayne Neurasthenic Hospital – First World War