The children of Wesley House

Wesley House invites previous residents to share your memories of what it was like to live in the old college.

Julia Ingram sent us her recollections of living at Wesley;

As one of the daughters of Brian and Margaret Beck I lived in or around Wesley between 1968 – 1984 when my father was first tutor and then Principal. Being brought up in a theological college has both positive and challenging aspects to it. You have both a unique extended family of people who watch and support you grow up and also a very public observation of both your triumphs and your mistakes. I have a very strong memory of being frogmarched with one of my sisters round the quad by my father back to 31 Jesus Lane with the knowledge that every one could be in no doubt that we were in trouble. I also remember the fun of discovering the access hatches at the back of the college to the heating pipes and playing dare with other friends as we crawled in the dark between the openings with the doors shut for added fun.  With three teenage girls mum and dad supplied the students with easy babysitting solutions for Friday night dinner for years. I earned my first wage being paid 50p an hour painting the sets between terms and cleaning the brass door handles in no 32. Somewhere between the floor boards in the Principal’s lodge is a note I wrote when I was 17 thinking with the typical introspection of youth that it would be of some interest to the person who in the future finds it. One last surprise when the builders finish their digging in the corner of the principles garden might be the discovery of the remains of Waffles my beloved white rabbit. After all Wesley House was a home.