The Community of the Franciscan Servants of Jesus & Mary

On 28th June 1935 Mother Teresa and Sister Margaret made their life professions, their vows being received by Bishop Curzon of Stepney and for two years they worked in London. In 1937 they moved to Witwell in the Isle of Wight, renting a house which they called the House of St Francis. Here they worked with women and children in the neighbouring parishes and held retreats for Externs, until the outbreak of the war in 1939.

Travelling to and from the island became difficult, making an end to the retreats, but the Sisters accepted four evacuees. As the island suffered both from bombs dropped by raiders returning from London, Southampton and Portsmouth and raids on the radar sites about Ventnor, the evacuees were returned to the mainland. The Sisters continued to work on the island, speaking to young men at Camp Hill Borstal, talking to wives of prison officers at Parkhurst and helping with Sunday Schools until 1942 when the authorities advised them to leave the island.

The House of St Francis they vacated later in the year became the Officer's mess of the Devonshire Regiment. The Sisters moved to Posbury House, which they renamed the House of St Francis. With a great deal of hard work the house was made habitable and the ground brought into cultivation. Hospitality was extended to many guests, a practice which was maintained until the end of the order. The heavy bombing of Exeter, which destroyed much of the city centre took place in 1942 and the Bishop of Exeter was the Sisters to hold a retreat for the Ordination candidates. This they continued to do for many years.

Additions have been made to the house over the years, including the enlargement of the chapel and the Sisters continue to work in the community, sensing out speakers to meetings of the Mother's Union, Youth Groups, confirmation classes and holding retreats. Thus Posbury, although barely locatable on a map has been the source of considerable influence in many ways.

For sometime only 2 nuns remain at at Posbury St Francis. Mother Hilary died in February 2019, and not long after Sister Giovanna moved out of the main house into the converted "Tractor Shed". Subsequently the main house was sold in 2020.

Sister Giovanna regularly joined the congregation at St Luke's, but has her health declined she moved into a nursing home in Exeter. Sister Giovanna died on 13 December 2024 and her funeral service was held at St Luke's and was buried in the Sister's burial ground.

Sister Giovanna & Mother Hilary. ©Chris Chapman

1836

The Posbury St Francis Trust (PSFT) continue to maintain "The Tractor Shed" at Posbury and the Sister's Burial Ground which is open to members of the public to visit.

For more information about PSFT visit www.psft.org.uk