Old Girls' Newsletter - Autumn 2022

Bolton School

Shared memories and continued support

CONTENTS

STAY IN TOUCH 2

STAY CONNECTED 2

BOLTON SCHOOL MERCHANDISE 2 WELCOME

MESSAGES

Laura Henthorn, Chair –Bolton School Old Girls’ Association 3 Lynne Kyle, Head of Girls’ Division 3

FOUNDATION NEWS

A Message from the Head of Foundation 4

Welcome to New Governors 4

CONTINUING SUPPORT 5

School Celebrates Record Donation to Bursary Fund 5

SCHOOL NEWS

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 6 Esteemed Colleagues are Celebrated 6 Results Day Celebrations 7

Equality and Diversity Report 7 Girls Inspired by Former Footballer Luke Staton 7 Founders’ and Benefactors’ Assembly 7 Gold Award for Concert Band 8

New Head of Beech House: Jo Field 8 Gowning Ceremony 8 Girls Raise Money for Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal 8 Girls Support Ummah Welfare 9

Year 13 Fun Run 9

May Serenade 9 New Recruit to the Development Office: Rebecca Kendrick 9 EVENTS 10

The Inaugural Platt Fisher Lecture 14 Alumni Events Calendar 14

OLD GIRLS’ FEATURES

Inspiring the Next Generation 15 Alumni Authors 19

Old Girls in the Emergency Services 20 Spotlight On Mr Linfitt 22 Old Girls Go Global 23 Story of a Gown 24

The Lost Words: Told in Gold 26

NEWS OF OLD GIRLS

News of Old Girls and Former Staff 27 Matches and Hatches 29 Mini Reunions 29

Graduations 30

Alumni of the Year Awards 32 Boltonians Ladies Football 32

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Ask the Archivist: Where was Bolton School’s First Outdoor Learning Centre? 33

Memories of School: Kathryn Johnson 34 The School Prayer 34 Looking Back 35

LIVES REMEMBERED 36 IN MEMORIAM 39

Bolton School Merchandise

A variety of merchandise, including our new style hoodies, priced at £25 each and available in burgundy or black, is available from the store on the School’s website. Please visit www.boltonschool.org to see the full range and find details of how to order.

All profits made from the sale of merchandise go directly to the School’s Bursary Fund which helps to make a Bolton School education open to all academically gifted pupils, irrespective of their families’ financial situations.

STAY IN TOUCH

Connect with Old Girls and Old Boys on the Bolton Alumni Network: www.boltonalumninetwork.com ‘Like’ our Facebook page for event invitations, School news and memories: search Bolton School – Old Boys and Old Girls (Official)

Connect with fellow Old Girls on LinkedIn: connect with Bolton School Alumni and join the Bolton School Group.

Follow Alumni and School news via Twitter: @BoltonSchAlumni/@BoltonSchool.

Follow boltonschoolalumni to keep up with news, events and memories on Instagram. You can also follow bolton_school_foundation for the latest news and photographs from School and use #BSAlumni to share your own memories and photos.

Watch short films posted on the School’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/ boltonschoolmedia.

Read regular blogs from pupils and staff from across the campus: boltonschool.me/ View photos of Alumni events on Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/bsalumni/albums

Visit the ‘Former Pupils’ section of the School website at www.boltonschool.org to see event photos, read Alumni career profiles, find news of Old Girls, view an up-to-date events calendar, update your contact details and more.

CONTACT US

Development Office, Bolton School Chorley New Road, Bolton BL1 4PA T: 01204 434718 E: development@boltonschool.org

THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Rebecca Brayshaw – Development Manager

Laura Firth – Director of Development and Alumni Relations

Frances Johnson – Development Officer

Rebecca Kendrick – Development Assistant

Emma Metcalfe – Alumni Engagement Officer

Stay Connected

We hope you enjoy being kept up-to-date with what is happening at School and within the Old Girl community as much as we value the opportunity to stay connected with you. If your contact details have changed, or if you have not yet let us know your communication preferences and wish to continue hearing from School, then please contact the Development Office as soon as possible, or complete the Former Pupil Registration form found in the ‘Former Pupils’ section of the School website, www.boltonschool.org

WELCOME FROM THE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION

Just as School and Alumni life was returning to ‘normal’ following the pandemic, with the resumption of ‘proper’ exams and the opportunity to get together in person at events again, came the sad news of the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

The morning following the announcement, Girls' Division staff and pupils gathered together in the Great Hall to celebrate the extraordinary life of The Queen, remembering her service, her commitment to charity and her efforts to unite people throughout the world. Days later, many of us watched her funeral, in awe of the pageantry and solemnity of the occasion. I am sure that I was not the only Old Girl who recognised that many of the traits demonstrated by The Queen during her lifetime of service are those which Bolton School endeavours to instill into its pupils.

Philip Britton, Head of Foundation, has spoken often about celebrating the individual parts of the Bolton School family, and this extends to bringing together the

Divisions at Alumni events. To this end, a joint Old Girls’ and Old Boys’ Lunch will be trialled for the first time on Friday 10th February. This will be a great opportunity for members of both the Old Girls’ Association and the Old Boys’ Association to enjoy each other’s company and to share their collective memories of their time at School and I am looking forward to seeing as many of you there as possible to help make it a success.

Now that the nights are drawing in, it is all too easy to refrain from venturing out. However, with Christmas just around the corner I can thoroughly recommend the Ceremony of Carols on Monday 12th December. This is one of the highlights of the Girls’ Division’s year and it will be live-streamed once again this year, meaning that, wherever they are in the world, Old Girls will be able to join the celebrations and reminisce as they listen to Three Kings from Persian Lands Afar.

WELCOME FROM THE HEAD OF GIRLS’ DIVISION

It is with pleasure that I introduce this edition of the Old Girls’ Newsletter. Hearing from our Old Girls and finding out about all that they have achieved is without doubt one of the greatest joys of the job. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all those Alumni who have offered me support over the course of my first year as Head of Girls’ Division.

The start of this term was overshadowed by the sad news of the death of Her Majesty the Queen. We marked this in several ways across the Foundation; in the Girls’ Division, a special assembly was called on the day after her passing and, in the following week, our annual Presentation Evening took a somewhat more subdued tone as we paid respect to the Queen whilst also commemorating the successes of our GCSE and A Level students.

The highlights of the Alumni Calendar over the last year were the ‘1’ and ‘2’ Class Reunions, in April and October respectively, at which it was delightful to see so many of you; I thoroughly enjoyed hearing your stories about how things used to be from Alumni going as far back as 1952. You will see that we have a feature on Cautley (see page 33), which I know many of you enjoyed visiting back in the 80s.

I have also enjoyed attending the Oxford Dinner last November before subsequent events transferred over to zoom as Covid began to rise again. The Cumbria lunch in the Summer term was delightful and I am very pleased to see a full complement of Alumni Dinners back in our programme of events for this year again. With more recent leavers in mind, you will see we have a new feature in this newsletter, Graduations Galore, with reports and pictures from those who have recently graduated from university. I know that our current

teaching staff will particularly enjoy finding out about what Old Girls have been up to since they left School. We have made a few changes in the Girls’ Division over the Summer holidays, the main one being that the former Psychology corridor is now The Hive, which houses much of our additional curriculum and pastoral support in one centralised location; please do come and take a look if ever you are visiting School. As is the case each year, a number of staff left for pastures new at the end of last year and you find a feature on Phil Linfitt, whom many of you will remember, on page 22. Finally, a plea: links between Old Girls and current students continue to go from strength to strength, with so many instances of good advice and useful connections being shared. Many Old Girls join us to talk about their particular careers and I know that our current pupils find this invaluable. This year, we have launched the Old Girls Mentoring Scheme, Steps to Success, of which you will find more details in this Newsletter. Please do get in touch if you feel you could help in this area. With careers still in mind, we held the inaugural Platt Fisher lecture this year at which Sheila Fisher shared some of the secrets to her very successful career. I was delighted to see that Sheila was recently voted as our first ever Old Girl of the Year – a most deserved accolade.

I hope you enjoy the Newsletter and I look forward to seeing or hearing from you in the near future. Do follow me on Twitter, @LynneDKyle, to see more of what is going on in School.

Lynne Kyle Head of Girls’ Division

Laura Henthorn (née Carless, 1970-1977) Chairman – Bolton School Old Girls’ Association

FOUNDATION NEWS

A Message from the Head of Foundation

Our ‘new’ Foundation arrangements are now a year old and I am pleased to report that all we hoped would be achieved has been so far: a sense of collective and purposeful endeavour, whilst celebrating the distinctive identity of our various schools each with their long and important traditions. Those traditions helped us to process the shocking news of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. Just as had been the case in 1952, there were special assemblies in both Divisions to share our thoughts and feelings. The Presentation Evening in Girls’ Division took place in the week of national mourning and it was a pleasure to lead our thoughts on using Her Majesty as the example of a life well lived.

It has been a pleasure for me to be part of the yearly round of Girls’ Division events, from a passing mention (albeit for my predilection for Twitter) in the famous Prefects Panto to feeling very much part of the end of term commemoration for Dr Spurr, Reverend Plant and Miss Dickinson. The real spirit of Girls’ Division for me was shown in two successive days in the Great Hall. One morning we had the Founders’ Day assembly, the first in Girls’ Division and a solemn and important occasion, with the School Song, prayer, readings and Jerusalem The next morning was the Sixth Form leavers’ assembly, with the same Great Hall filled with noise, laughter, joy, quizzes and sketches. We really can do everything. As well as that I have been able to enjoy Boys’ Division events and to begin to define the Primary Division, which will doubtless have its own traditions, as well as retaining

Welcome and Farewell

The Bolton School Foundation has recently appointed three new Governors, all of whom are Alumni, and all of whom bring a wealth of expertise to the Governing Body.

Janet Woods CBE (née Aldred, Class of 1965) is an education and school improvement adviser and consultant; following a successful teaching career, she has held a number of senior positions in education in the North West and has extensive experience of both the independent and state sectors. Janet will add huge experience and value to the educational work of the Governing Body. She is without doubt well connected at School – she is an Old Girl, as was her daughter, and now her granddaughter is at Hesketh House.

Dr Victoria Gibson (Class of 1993) is a Senior Social Researcher. Having worked for a wide range of local Safeguarding Boards, for adults and children, she is well-placed to support the Foundation in fulfilling its safeguarding responsibilities, as well as more general Governance roles. She is also a keen campanologist.

Suve Banerjee (Class of 1999) is a compliance lawyer focusing on bribery, corruption and serious fraud risks. Suve was generous with his time during lockdown, helping current members of the School

those unique to Beech House, Hesketh House and Park Road.

An overarching theme for Foundation life as we embark on a new academic year will be friendship. I am sure that for many of you the friends you still have from your School days are one of the most enduring benefits of being at School. The word ‘friends’ may have been trivialised by social media, where it is possible to have many thousands. But real friends, who help shape the expectations of the world you live in, how you think about yourself, who buoy up and also who moderate excesses, are an astonishing gift. As the young people grow up past the Covid years, we will focus very much on how having good friends and being a good friend can make all the difference to so much in life.

Philip Britton, MBE Head of Foundation

prepare for their law degrees, and his legal background and experience will be invaluable as the Foundation maintains its compliance in an ever more complex world. At the same time as the arrivals, we have said farewell to two Governors who are also Alumni of the School.

Louise Relph (née Collins, Class of 1976) joined the Governing Body in 2009 and brought her experience as a District Judge in the family courts to our safeguarding work. Louise was Head Girl when she was at School and later was a parent in Boys’ Division, so was able to use her own sense of the School’s ethos and her experience as a parent, as well as her professional expertise, to make wise Governance decisions.

Charles Cowling (Class of 1981) joined the Governing Body in 2007 and brought his professional financial expertise to roles as Chair of the Finance Committee and the Investments Committee at various times during his time as a Governor. Charles was also a parent to three boys and one girl at School, through which he gained useful insight into everyday life and, amongst other things, became a great advocate for the excellence of Music at School. His early education was also at Bolton and perhaps from that early start absorbing the ethos, his passion for charitable work has grown, amongst other things having run several marathons for good causes over the years.

CONTINUING SUPPORT

The Bolton School Bursary Foundation

Thanks to the exceptional generosity of our supporters, Bolton School is proud to offer one of the most generous bursary schemes in the country. Currently, one in five pupils across the two Senior Schools receives bursarial support for their place at the School, with 20 per cent of those young people (four per cent of all Senior School pupils) receiving full-fee remission.

A Bolton School bursary can have a transformational impact on a child’s life and ambitions, as this young Old Girl, who left School this Summer having received a bursary place, attests:

Bolton School

Chorley New Road, Bolton, BL1 4PA

"In my time here, I have made a trunk full of memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life and which have all shaped me to become the independent, confident individual that I am today. I will remember my time here forever, and I hope one day I am able to return the donors’ generosity."

Registered Charity No: 1110703 434718 e. development@boltonschool.org w. www.boltonschool.org

It is the Governors’ long-held ambition to return the School to the needs-blind access of the Direct Grant era – when the proportion of pupils receiving a funded place stood at one in three – by 2030. If you feel that your time at the School benefited you, and would like to ensure that the ladder of social mobility remains in

good condition for the next generation of Boltonians, then we would value your support in our work towards that goal. Whether you make a one-off donation, establish a regular gift or decide to remember the School in your will, your generosity will make a real difference to the futures of the bright, talented pupils who are following in your footsteps here at School.

Support the Bolton School Bursary Fund

Registered Charity Number: 1110703

To find out more about how you might support the School’s bursary scheme, simply scan the QR code on the left. Should you wish to discuss your intentions in more detail, please contact Laura Firth, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, by calling 01204 434718 or by emailing development@boltonschool.org

School Celebrates Record Donation to the Bursary Fund

Earlier this year, the School was honoured to celebrate a record donation to the Bursary Fund from Old Boy John Roberts (Class of 1992) and his wife, Sally. John and Sally’s donation has facilitated a new outreach partnership – Flourish – between Bolton School and the youth charity OnSide, which aims to promote social mobility by encouraging a wider range of applications to the School’s bursary scheme, from young people who might otherwise never even have heard of Bolton School, nor understood that they might thrive here.

The donation is part of John and Sally’s ongoing commitment to support more young people to achieve their full potential, and will support 14 pupils with meanstested bursaries, funding two Year 7 pupils a year for seven years through to completion of their A Level studies at the School. These bursaries are available for young people that are members of OnSide Youth Zones to support their education and cover additional expenses to ensure they benefit from all the opportunities the School has to offer.

Through the Flourish programme, during the 2021 Autumn Term Year 6 members of Youth Zones in Blackburn, Chorley and Wigan took part in activities including science experiments, performing arts workshops and graphic design sessions at the School whilst receiving academic support ahead of taking the entrance exam, leading to eight young people taking the exam in January

2022. Three pupils from the cohort were successful, with two bursaries being provided by John and Sally and one provided by Bolton School. Those three pupils all joined Year 7 of the Girls’ Division in September, and are already throwing themselves into School life with great success. Reflecting on why he chose to support the Bursary Fund, John writes: “Sally and I know that talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not. Bursaries are a brilliant way to level this up. Bolton School is an amazing place and we want young people from OnSide to have the same fantastic experience there as I did. It’s been brilliant seeing the two charities work together to make this happen. We’re extremely proud of the new pupils and look forward to following their progress.”

When the gift was announced, Philip Britton, Head of Foundation, commented: “We are exceptionally grateful that John and Sally have chosen to make such a transformational gift to our Bursary Fund. The Flourish outreach programme will ensure we can find bursary candidates with real potential, and support them to apply to the School, safe in the knowledge that there need be no barriers – financial or otherwise – to their future success. Our bursary pupils take the opportunities their education here provides and then go out into the world to make a difference for good, and we are delighted that John wishes to pass on the gift of a Bolton School education to the next generation of Bolton School pupils.” The next cohort of Youth Zone members have now joined the Flourish programme, and have enjoyed activities throughout the Summer and Autumn Terms whilst preparing for the entrance examination in January 2023.

ANNUAL

SCHOOL NEWS

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: 1926-2022

Flags flew at half-mast on our Chorley New Road campus as the Bolton School community commemorated the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Assemblies were held in each of the Foundation’s individual schools to remember the Queen’s distinguished 70-year reign. Staff and pupils joined together to mourn and to reflect on her life of service to this country and its people. Throughout her reign, she led with strength, kindness, dignity and compassion – traits familiar to everyone in the Bolton School family.

Esteemed Colleagues are Celebrated

The Girls’ Division’s continuing success has been founded upon the dedication and service of its staff. During the past two years, the Girls’ Division has lost several of its notable former leaders and colleagues and several other long-standing colleagues have retired; unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic meant that these occasions were unable to be marked at the time.

However, a special commemoration event at the beginning of July recognised these valued colleagues. During an extended assembly in the Great Hall, tribute was paid to the generation of Girls’ Division leaders –Dr Margaret Spurr, Miss Margaret Dickinson and Reverend Elizabeth Plant – who sadly passed away in the past two years.

Afterwards guests enjoyed coffee and cake in the Arts Centre and honoured those Girls’ Division colleagues who had retired recently and witnessed the unveiling of new commemorative oak boards recognising colleagues who have achieved their 25 years’ Long Service Award.

Long-serving members of staff who were not recognised during their lifetimes were honoured

Dr Spurr, Miss Dickinson and Reverend Plant were remembered

Former Headmistress Gill Richards and current Head of Girls’ Division Lynne Kyle are featured on the Roll of Headmistresses

Mrs Haslam, Mrs Kyle, Mrs Brown, Mrs Shafiq and Ms Felton were recognised for their long service

Mrs Smalley is proud to be featured on the Distinguished Service board

Results Day Celebrations

School releases new Equality and Diversity Report

After the death of George Floyd in May 2020 and the subsequent international awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement, many institutions were catalysed to examine their approach to diversity and inclusion. At Bolton School, this was encouraged by Alumni, who wrote to the School and then helpfully and constructively engaged with us in examining the past, assessing the present and making sustainable changes for the future to school life.

The Class of 2022 celebrated an outstanding set of A Level results this Summer. They were part of the first cohort to sit public exams in the past three years, having suffered two and a half years of disruption to their studies.

As the girls and boys received their grades, Head of Foundation Philip Britton said: “Their achievements should be celebrated all the more when we take into consideration that we are still in a pandemic recovery period. I am delighted for the students, whose outstanding achievements are down to hard work and perseverance, and thank their teachers who have supported and guided them through some difficult times.”

This year’s report summarises the activity and change in School since our last report in June 2021. Similar reports will be produced in the summer of every year for five years to ensure a sustained approach to the issues and in order to systematically change habits within School life. For those interested, links to both this year’s and last year’s reports can be found at bit.ly/3BuEsVo

Head of Foundation Philip Britton said: “May I thank all colleagues who have been involved in all the activity recorded in the report. It really is impressive as a summary of our work on an issue that will continue to remain a focus of activity for some time to come. My thanks especially to Ms Bradford-Keegan (Girls’ Division Staff) and Mrs Waller (Boys’ Division Staff) for drawing the report together this year.”

Girls Inspired by Former Footballer

Junior girls were transfixed and enthused by motivational speaker Luke Staton when he visited Hesketh House.

As an eight-year-old, Luke was inspired by a trip to watch the England football team play at Wembley; several years later he found himself on that very pitch as he turned out for England’s U15 schoolboys. However, his football career ended prematurely and he took a job working on a building site. Realising that he did not want to

do that for the rest of his life, he recalled going to Azerbaijan with England schoolboys and visiting an orphanage where he delighted a boy who could not get out of bed by lending him his designer sunglasses. This recollection moved him to become a motivational speaker – he is now passionate about inspiring people to find their personal identity, passions and purpose. Luke urged the Hesketh House girls to believe in themselves, to step out of their comfort zones and to work hard to achieve their goals – his key message was that it doesn’t actually matter what you do in life, as long as you become the best person you can be.

Founders' and Benefactors' Assembly

Head of Foundation Mr Philip Britton led the inaugural Girls’ Division Founders' and Benefactors' Assembly, which from now on will be held annually on or close to 7th May, to the date of the death of one of Bolton School’s foremost benefactors, Lord Leverhulme.

Mr Britton described the long and distinguished history of the Foundation, which stretches back to the founding of a school for boys in Bolton in 1516. However, the most significant date for the Girls’ Division is the founding of Bolton’s first girls’ school in 1877. One of the key figures involved was Mary Haslam, whose husband was a governor of the boys’ school. Mary was also involved in the Women’s Suffrage movement. Intent on addressing the inequality she saw around her in Victorian England, she created a school for girls at this pivotal moment of change in the country’s history.

Initially located at the Mechanics Institute and employing just one schoolmistress, Bolton Girls’ Day School was

notably open to all girls, regardless of their class. It quickly became Bolton High School for Girls and in 1891 moved to a site on Park Road, where the Junior Boys’ School stands today. This school would go on to join with Bolton Grammar School for Boys in 1915 to become the Girls’ and Boys’ Divisions of Bolton School. The assembly also acknowledged the contributions of John Barton, the Benefactor who first founded the school for boys in Bolton; Robert Lever, whose benefaction led to the Civil War refoundation of the boys’ school in 1644; and William Hesketh Lever, Lord Leverhulme, who is largely responsible for the current 1915 Foundation and buildings of the School.

Head Girl Anika Maini addresses the Founders and Benefactors Assembly

Gold Award for Concert Band

During the Easter break, Bolton School’s Joint Senior Concert Band performed at the National Concert Band Festival in the prestigious concert hall of the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM).

The group performed to a large audience and received encouraging feedback from Simone Rebello of the RNCM. They also had the opportunity to watch numerous aspirational performances before a small number of the band joined the Royal Marines Band for a performance.

It proved to be an excellent day with the concert band receiving a Gold Award and the percussion section being awarded an Outstanding Performance Award.

New Head of Beech House

Mrs Jo Field has been appointed as the new Head of Beech House, the Infant School for girls and boys aged 3 to 7 years at Bolton School.

Mrs Field gets to know the Beech House children

Mrs Field took up her new position at the start of the Summer Term, having previously taught at Eagley Infant School in Bolton where she held roles as Deputy Head and Acting Head Teacher. Throughout her teaching career she has worked predominantly with Key Stage 1 and EYFS children.

On joining Beech House, Mrs Field said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Bolton School as its new Primary Division begins to take shape. For me, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is where all the magic begins. I firmly believe, that, by starting correctly, we can guide children from an early age, ensuring the right foundations are laid.”

Gowns Galore

The Girls’ Division’s traditional gowning ceremony took place in May. Having watched the ceremony with eager anticipation since they were in Year 7, the newly-appointed Prefects donned their gowns and proudly ‘swished’ down the centre of Great Hall.

There were smiles all round as the new Prefects received their gowns

Girls Raise Money for Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal

The Girls’ Division raised almost £3,000 for the DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal through a non-uniform day.

This is one of the most impressive totals the School has achieved for a non-uniform event, particularly in recent years. The girls were thanked for their outstanding contributions during assembly, as well as being reminded why their donations are so important.

Outgoing Head Girl Summer Kay accompanies Anika Maini, Head Girl for 2022-23

Girls Support Ummah Welfare

Girls in 8B ran a sweet sale at breaks and lunchtimes, raising almost £500 for Ummah Welfare. This charity helps those who may be struggling in war-torn countries and helps to feed children during Ramadan.

Fun Run!

Year 13 students from both Divisions came together for a fancy-dress Fun Run in aid of charity during their last week in School. Girls and boys took to the Levels in costume to raise money for the Ukraine appeal.

Wonderful Performances at the May Serenade

Pupils, parents and teachers were delighted to be back in the Great Hall to celebrate the traditional May Serenade after the event had to be live-streamed last year and in 2020 did not take place at all. As ever, it provided a chance to offer a fond farewell to the Year 13 musicians as they performed in their last school concert.

The entire performance can be watched on the School’s YouTube channel.

The Development Office says Goodbye (and Hello!)

The Development Office has said goodbye to two members of staff in recent months. In June, Hannah Fox left her post as Development Officer to take up the position of Major Gifts Officer at Salford University, after three years working in the team. In September, Kathryn O’Brien left her role as Alumni and Development Assistant to take up a new challenge a little closer to home, after 15 years’ service to the School. Both Hannah and Kathryn will be missed tremendously by their colleagues and by the Alumni

and donors who got to know them through their work in the Development Office, and we wish them the very best for the future.

In July, the Development Office welcomed a new team member, Rebecca Kendrick, following her appointment as Development Assistant. Rebecca originally worked as a teacher and has in recent years co-managed (with her husband) a bar and exhibition space in Prestwich. She will be responsible for the department’s gift administration and record keeping.

Rebecca is a great asset to the Development Team

EVENTS

‘1’ Class Reunion

30th April 2022

A year later than planned (thanks to the dreaded pandemic), Old Girls and Old Boys from the classes of 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 returned to School for a hugely enjoyable day of catching up and reminiscing.

Anne Ibberson (née Lee), Pippa Farrimond (née Williams), Hilary Burke (née Taylor), Anne Fleck (née Jennison), Elaine Greenhalgh (née Lee) (all Class of 1981)

Rachel Parsons (née Fielding), Carolyn Pointon (née Bond), Kiran Mangrolia, Gillian Rimmer (née Barker) (all Class of 1991)

Annabel Leather, Charlotte Kee, Rachael Acton (née Ainscough), Gabriella Wilkins, Katherine Liversedge, Claire Bower (née Hughes), Rebecca Chapman, Elizabeth Maloney, Ayse Caglayan, Jessica Helm, Caryn Ryan, Bethany Hughes (all Class of 2011)

Laurie Ashworth, Claire Keat, Caroline Bennison (née Goodwin), Annabel Gratton (all Class of 2001)

Janet Goodman, Kate Barlow (née MacPhie), Eileen Palayiwa (née Sweeney), Michelle Slater (née Toudic), Catherine Brennand (née Barker), Susan Ward (née Preston), Alyson Waugh, Lesley Timmis (née Shutt), Susan Farrar (née Hall) (all Class of 1971)

Sarah Adderley (née Wilkinson), Sophie Turbefield, Rachel Hayes (née Compton), Anna Ganley (née Georgiades), Lucy Kenworthy (née Rowe), Julia Campbell (née Singh), Rebecca Kane (née Brookman), Heather Matthew (née Dodds) (all Class of 2001)

Marcus Taylor, Claire Keat, Nina-Jayne Birley, Annabel Gratton (all Class of 2001)

Former Girls’ Division Staff: Julia Head (née Holt, Class of 1971), Carol Haslam (née Bonser, Class of 1966), Julie Stone, Valerie Birkenhead, Liz Brown

Joan Anderson (née Greenhalgh), Jean Howarth (née Lever), Mavis Nwokobia (née Shufflebotham), Janet Wainwright (née Yates) (all Class of 1961)

Cumbria Lunch

The annual Alumni Cumbria lunch took place once again at the beautiful Lindeth Howe Hotel, Windermere, Old Girls and Old Boys enjoyed a delicious lunch in stunning surroundings, with chatting and reminiscing carrying on throughout the afternoon.

Leavers’ Farewell

Wednesday 29th June 2022

Year 13 pupils and their parents gathered to bid a fond farewell to Bolton School and to wish each other well as they embark on life after School.

Janet Ward (née Mitchell, Class of 1964), Moira Greenhalgh (née Stevens, Class of 1964)

Lynne Kyle (Head of Girls’ Division), Nic Ford (Head of Boys’ Division)

Judith Peel (née Dean, Class of 1979), Carol Haslam (née Bonser, Class of 1966)

Taya Panter, Hannah Berisford

Eloise McDermott, Celia Logan, Helena Lintott

Katie Schaffel, Fizaa Valli

Millie Mercer and Charlotte Martin

Aisha Mogradia and Mrs Mogradia

Manahil Masood, Mr Booth, Penny Booth (Class of 2017), Phoebe Booth, Lillian Featham

Glory Steer, Summer Kay, Natalia Bromilow

David Jenner (Class of 1960), Mary Harper (née Monks, Class of 1954), Janet Ward (née Mitchell, Class of 1964)

Catherine Brennand (née Barker, Class of 1971), Judith Peel (née Dean, Class of 1979)

Carol Haslam, Margaret Fearnley (née Hulme, Class of 1967), Carole Collins (née Stones, Class of 1966)

Lynne Kyle, Rachel Crompton (née Allen, Class of 1983), Gwynneth Nightingale (née Kirk, class of 1953), Karen Griffiths

Stephen Broughton (Class of 1970), Laura Henthorn (née Carless, Class of 1977), Carol Haslam

Recent Leavers’ ReunionThursday 7th July 2022

New York Dinner

- Thursday 22nd September, Harvard Club of New York City

Old Girls and Old Boys of every vintage – from 1950s leavers to a member of the Class of 2021 – travelled from across the United States to join Philip Britton and Laura Firth at the Alumni New York Dinner at the Harvard Club in September.

Jerry Federlein, Jan Slimming, Nancy Federlein (née Smith, Class of 1962), Allan Slimming (Class of 1974)

Philip Britton (Head of Foundation), Steven Foulkes (Class of 1970) and Linda Foulkes

Sheila Riley (Class of 1955) and Rob Bewick (Class of 1978)

Viral Kapadia, Angeli Kapadia (née Vadera, Class of 2007), Paul Pennington (Class of 1997) and Mike Faulkner (Class of 2001)

Tom Simpson, Thea Simpson, Paul Pennington, Natalie Pennington, Robert Bewick, Philip Britton, Michael Faulkner, Allan Slimming, Jan Slimming, Viral Kapdia, Angeli Kapadia, Steven Foulkes, Linda Foulkes, Jerry Federlein, Nancy Federlein, Sheila Riley, Laura Firth

The Class of 2021 returned to School to give Year 12 pupils first-hand advice about university and work life before enjoying a good catch-up with former classmates and teachers.

Haleemah Mohammed, Zara Rattoo, Maryam Patel

Saira Hussain

Lily Rimmer Maddie Ashton, Jess Buckthorpe

Lizzie Lees

Anna Phillips

Sarah Walker

Sophie Hann

Nathan Burudi, Abi Hughes, Lizzie Lees

‘2’ Class ReunionSaturday 1st October 2022

Old Girls and

from the classes of 1952, 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002 and 2012 enjoyed a trip down memory down when they returned

Class

Old Boys

to School in October.

of 1972

Emma Corless (née Wallwork), Heather Cowie (both Class of 1992)

Class of 1992

Class of 2012

Eleanor Senior, Selina Coles, Toni Pilling (all Class of 2012)

Class of 2012

Class of 1972

Helen Paton (née Battersby), Katy O’Neil, Liz Rhodes (née Thomas), Claire Donnelly (all Class of 1992)

Fiona Edwards (née Veals, Class of 1982) and Nancy Craven (née Gaskell, Class of 1983)

Ann Hall (née Heslop), Karen Bentley-Brown, Alison Healey (née Jones), Fiona Edwards (née Veals) (all Class of 1982)

Joanna Lomax, Olivia McCrae, Jade Kelly (all Class of 2012)

Jeanette Powell (Class of 1990), Val Hanrahan (Former Girls’ Division Staff), Lesley Relph (Former Girls’ Division Staff)

Jane Bullock and Clare Fordham (née Westhead) (both Class of 1992)

Joan Pattison (née Huddleston) and Heather Cox (née Meredith) (both Class of 1972)

Yasmin Ariff (Class of 2002; Former Girls’ Division Staff) and Sarah Chapman (née Cunliffe, Class of 2002)

Anne Morris (née Sellwood) and Alison Healey (née Jones) (both Class of 1982)

Eleanor Senior and Ruby Bai (both Class of 2012)

Charlotte Lees (née Ellis), Emma Kay (née Boardman), Andrea Laithwaite, Sharon Harley (née Orton) (all Class of 1992)

Inaugural Lecture on Learning from Living

The Girls’ Division was pleased to begin a new tradition back in April with the first ever Platt Fisher Lecture. This annual public talk aims to inspire current and former pupils as well as the wider community in Bolton, and began with an address from its namesake: Old Girl Dr Sheila Fisher (née Platt, Class of 1970).

In her lifetime, Dr Fisher has held many roles: maxillofacial surgeon, wife and mother, Bolton School Governor, minister and more. She took the audience on a captivating review of her life so far, focusing on each decade in turn and sharing her life lessons along the way.

She began by recalling her time at Bolton School, acknowledging that it had given her so much more than a good academic education, not least the confidence to belief in herself. She is also grateful for the friends she made at School, who have remained friends for life.

After describing her path to becoming a surgeon, Dr Fisher gave her views on being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated profession, taking one’s husband’s name after marriage, balancing work with motherhood and, finally, retirement – in her case this

Alumni Events Calendar

2022

was not an opportunity to step back, but as a time when there is ‘so much to offer, so much still to do, so much more life to be lived to the full’.

Bringing her address to a close, Dr Fisher advised the young people in the audience: ‘Know yourself. Know what matters most to you. Value your friends. Go for your dreams and never be afraid to pursue the opportunities that life offers. Treat others, and treat our world, gently and with respect, and always strive to do good for others as well as for yourself.’

The inaugural Platt Fisher Lecture can be watched in full at: bit.ly/3rbanEp

Following the huge success of the lecture, Dr Fisher returned to Bolton School to meet with aspiring Medics. She fielded questions about studying Medicine and becoming a surgeon and expanded on the principles laid out during her lecture.

Monday 12th December Ceremony of Carols Great Hall and Live Stream, 7.30pm

2023

Friday 3rd February Cambridge Dinner

Sidney Sussex College, 7pm

Friday 10th February Joint Old Girls’ and Old Boys’ Lunch Bolton School, 12 noon

Friday 3rd March London Dinner

Wednesday 8th March Platt Fisher Lecture

Armourers’ Hall, 7pm

Girls Division Great Hall, 7pm

Saturday 22nd April ‘3’ Class Reunion Bolton School, 11.30am-4.30pm

Friday 28th April Scotland Dinner

Thursday 4th May May Serenade

St Leonard’s Hall, Edinburgh, 7pm

Girls Division Great Hall, 7.30pm

Wednesday 7th June Former Staff (Girls’ and Boys’ Divisions) Lunch Bolton School, 12 noon

Thursday 15th June Old Girls’ Lunch and AGM Bolton School, 12 noon

Friday 16th June Cumbria Lunch

Lindeth Howe Hotel, 12 noon

June (date to be confirmed) Recent Leavers’ (Class of 2022) Reunion Bolton School, 3pm-5pm

To reserve your ticket for any of our Alumni events, please call the Development Office on 01204 434718, email development@boltonschool.org or visit the ‘Former Pupils section of the School website (www.boltonschool.org) where you can book online.

Dr Fisher (centre) with Mr Britton, Mrs Kyle, Head Girl Summer Kay (left) and Deputy Head Girl Manahil Masood (now both Class of 2022)

Dr Fisher shared the benefit of her experience with members of the Dymond Society

Inspiring the Next Generation OLD GIRLS’ FEATURES

A Silent Role Model

With the passing, of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I’ve had cause to reflect on why it is that she had particular meaning to me, and what it was that I admired so much about her. I realise that she embodied so perfectly the values of service and giving which Bolton School embedded in me, and no doubt all of you, throughout my earliest years. She has been a silent role model without my even realising it, and in her death has been a reminder and an inspiration to live a life true to the values which you hold dear.

From the age of 16, sitting choosing my A Levels in my bedroom in Smithills, I never once questioned the fact that I would have a career which would enable me to give something back. After a brief flirtation with Medicine (which saw me choosing Chemistry A Level –most definitely not my strong point as Mr Lewis would attest!) I changed my focus to Environmental Science; a strangely prescient move given the world we now find ourselves in. Under the watchful and inspirational guidance of Mrs McClellan, my love of Geography was cemented, and I was incredibly fortunate to find myself studying it at Cambridge University.

When I graduated back in 2002 jobs in environmental science were few and far between. Climate Change was little understood in the public domain, and there were certainly no businesses with a focus on sustainability! But I knew that I wanted to do something to improve the world, and the Civil Service Fast Track seemed like a pretty good place to start. I found my way into a role in intelligence and an incredibly happy ten years of combatting threats to

Bank Interest

Rachael Willis (née Bickerstaffe, Class of 2005), Head of People Excellence at HSBC Bank (Middle-East, North Africa and Turkey), ‘Zoomed in’ from Dubai to deliver a World of Work assembly for Year 10 pupils.

After leaving School, Rachael studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Durham University. During her undergraduate years, she took an internship with HSBC, which gave her an opportunity to try out the banking industry. She subsequently joined HSBC’s Executive Management Scheme and eventually moved to London to work in the commercial sector of the bank where she developed her interest in organisational structure and behaviour.

the UK, including 7/7 and, latterly, project managing 2012 Olympic Security. I knew that it was time to move on when I realised that we were saving lives, but not improving the root causes of extremism in the UK – I no longer felt that I was truly helping to change things for the better, and it suddenly felt harder to go to work each day.

From there my career path has, to the casual observer, been a rather winding one. But through teaching secondary Geography, researching for the Mayor of London, creating Education technology and, finally, building a business which is helping to reduce waste in the fashion industry, there runs a Golden Thread. That every role undertaken, and every move made, has been driven by a desire to improve the way in which things are done – to make a better world for more people. This is the value, if you like, upon which my career has been based. I may not always have lived up to it, but I’ve certainly always tried.

As I embark upon a new role this term, as a mentor for budding entrepreneurs in the Bolton School Sixth Form, there will be one piece of advice which I will be repeating time and again: find your values and stick to them. Identify the thing which you care about above all else, the thing which makes you get up every morning knowing who you are and what your life is about. And use it in everything - in the career you choose, in the things you say, the people you call your friends, and the way you raise your family. In the image of our late Queen, a life built on foundations of value will be a life truly well-lived.

Charlotte Morley (née Maddrell, Class of 1999)

After starting their family, Rachael and her husband left London for Dubai, where her current role involves sitting on the Executive Committee for the commercial bank and looking at the talent development, wellbeing and performance of over 1,200 staff in eight different markets across the Middle East.

Rachael had a number of life lessons for the girls. Firstly, to push themselves into the unknown, to take informed risks and to go with what excites them.

Secondly: give things a go! Her third piece of advice was to acknowledge the importance of having empathy with others. She also urged the girls to endeavour to keep their sparkle and a positive attitude, whatever the circumstances. Her final tip was: ‘Be bold and fearless –what is the worst that can happen?’

Charlotte and her family

Charlotte with Deborah Meaden during her appearance on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den, seeking investment in her company, The Little Loop

Old Girls Talk Careers in Sport

The latest ‘Perspectives’ lecture looked at careers in sport, with five Old Girls speaking about their respective experiences, the diverse range of career choices within the sector and the character traits and skills required to succeed.

Beth Coton (Class of 2013) is a Tennis Coach and Customer Service Manager at Kooyong International Tennis Academy in Melbourne, Australia. Beth began playing tennis aged four. Having represented Lancashire at tennis and reaching a Top Five ranking in the UK, she went on to study Communication and Media Studies at the University of Northern Colorado. Alongside her studies she played tennis at Division 1 level, captaining the university’s tennis team. Following her graduation, she travelled in Asia, before moving to Australia. At the Kooyong Academy she has recently held tennis clinics alongside world number one players Stan Smith and Ash Barty. Considering sport as a career, Beth’s view is: “Your career takes up much of your life, so why not do something that you are passionate about?”

Catherine Rees (née Salmon, Class of 1994) is the founder of Move PR, a sport and lifestyle PR company. At School she played lacrosse and netball and captained the athletics team. She studied History at the University of Liverpool before taking a postgraduate diploma in PR and Journalism at the University of Cardiff. Catherine was Global Head of Communications at Umbro where she had responsibility for high profile campaigns around the England football team, Manchester City FC and with the world’s best-known football players, including Pele, David Beckham and Eric Cantona. With Move PR she works with sport companies, brands and charities from grassroots sport upwards. She is also a nonexecutive director of the FA National Futsal Series and recently helped to secure a broadcast deal with BT Sport, the biggest of its kind in the history of futsal in England. Catherine explained that within the world of sport there are positions for those working in law, in fashion, in PR, in journalism and much more.

Dr Rosie Arthur (née Poynor, Class of 2001) is a Lecturer of Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of the West of Scotland. She investigates the interplay between psychological, physiological and social factors, such as deprivation, and how they work together to influence the participation and performance of physical activity. There are three parts to her job: teaching, research and dealing with other organisations, including GB Rowing, NHS Lanarkshire, Celtic Football Club, the Scottish Football Association and the British Military paratroop regiment, to

help them understand and improve their sport and exercise programmes. Rosie developed her love of sport, particularly lacrosse, at School, and played for Wales whilst studying at Cardiff University, where she developed her interest in the psychology underpinning sports performance. She then studied for a Master's and a PhD at Bangor University. Rosie noted that communication skills are vital for her role, as well as an ability to work both in a team and independently.

Recent leaver Jasmine Howarth (Class of 2021) is studying Sport and Exercise Medical Science at Kings College London. She is particularly interested in the applied physiology of the human body to sport. Jasmine has played a lot of sport over the years, including swimming, dance (she is a member of her university's dance team) and gymnastics, and has recently started powerlifting. She plans to undertake a law conversion course after completing her undergraduate degree as she is considering working in sport contract law.

Annabel Ault (Class of 2014) is a Media Analytics and Strategy Manager at City Football Group which owns Manchester City and ten other football clubs globally. After leaving School she read Geography at the University of Oxford and joined Deloitte on a scholarship. However, despite travelling the world and working with some fascinating companies, she realised that she needed to do something that she was passionate about. Having enjoyed rowing, football and lacrosse at School and at university, she was lucky to find the ‘perfect’ role working for the Strategy and Ventures team at City Football Group, where the focus of her role is to identify new opportunities, working on projects as diverse as acquiring new clubs, determining the optimum broadcast deals for women’s football and launching a Manchester City language learning app during lockdown. Considering why someone should work in the sector, Annabel acknowledged that sport is loved around the world and is a powerful force in bringing people together; however, it can be a challenge to get your foot in the door and her advice is to gain experience in grassroots sport to start building your CV.

‘Perspectives’ is a series of free, public lectures hosted by Bolton School on Microsoft Teams. They are free to attend and open to pupils in Year 10 and above, parents, Alumni, and all other members of the School and local community.

A Career as a Data Scientist

Saamin Cheema (Class of 2016), who works for the Wellcome Sanger Institute, a world-leading genomics research institute, gave a virtual talk to Year 10 girls about her job as a Data Scientist. Prior to the talk, part of the School’s Women of Work series, Saamin reflected on her time at Bolton School and how it had influenced her career choices.

“My time at the School forms a significant part of my life and is a place where I made lifelong friends. I have many fond memories, including school trips to Europe, lunch time clubs and events such as the Christmas Post. But I look back most fondly on my time in the Junior School – the pre Hesketh House era, when the now ‘A corridor’ was our school and the netball courts were our playground. In winter we looked forward to the days when warm buttered toast was sold during the morning break. In summer, we excitedly waited for the chance to play on the field during lunch break. Everyone would race to ‘their’ tree in the woods and we would set up ‘shops’ with acorns as our currency and wood shavings as our gold. It all sounds a bit bizarre now, and I doubt the tradition still carries on today, but it was the most exciting activity for us. I miss

Junior Careers Carousel

The annual Junior Careers Carousel aims to get Year 6 boys and girls thinking about career opportunities by presenting a variety of different options for them to consider.

Emma Roden (née Platt, Class of 1990), who runs her own architecture and interior design practice, explained how architecture is the perfect blend of creativity and problemsolving.

those carefree and innocent times.

“Mrs Entwistle was my GCSE Textiles teacher, and her motivation and belief in my abilities inspired me to work hard on my textiles project. I remember confidently handing in my initial designs only to be surprised later when Mrs Entwistle didn’t accept them. She encouraged me to demand more of myself. I took on the challenge and came back with new and improved designs, and put in many extra hours working on my project. My efforts paid off: I achieved an A* and was very proud to see my project displayed in School. I would never have pushed myself to achieve this without Mrs Entwistle’s encouragement and guidance.

“Bolton School provided endless opportunities to explore a plethora of sports and to develop many skills. From sailing to craftwork to learning the trombone, I tried many activities, even including trampolining lessons. In the end I enjoyed the piano, athletics and discovered a love of hiking and volunteering through the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. I continued all these activities after leaving School – in particular I was the treasurer of the DofE Society at my university. My time at the School allowed me to find my interests and to develop and grow into the person I am today.”

From Performing Arts to Chartered Surveying

Year 10 girls enjoyed a Women of Work virtual careers talk with Emily Hilton (née Speak, Class of 1999), a Chartered Surveyor who, prior to that, worked in the performing arts.

Emma’s career combines arts and sciences in a way no other profession does

Alisha explains how the brain works

Alisha Patel (Class of 2011), Manager of the Brain Research Centre at Salford Royal Hospital, got the pupils thinking about future career opportunities in a fun interactive session learning all about the brain and – with the aid of some Starburst! – how clinical trials work.

The Junior pupils also heard from Old Boy Rob De Maine (Class of 2002) who hosted an engaging session about his career as a military helicopter pilot.

Emily gained a degree in Performing Arts from St Martin’s College, Lancaster. However, during her studies she realised she preferred the roles back stage to performing. Through a family contact she gained some work experience at Universal Studios and then spent five years in a variety of roles from Location Assistant to Unit Manager to Location Manager. Tiring of London life, she considered her next move and, through another contact, secured some work experience with a surveying company. The stability, variety and the chance to travel and meet people appealed, and Emily went on to study a Master's in Commercial Property at Liverpool John Moores University. Two years later she passed her Assessment of Professional Competence and was eligible to join the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Emily has since worked for a number of companies, including Jones Lang LaSalle, Travis Perkins and Manchester Airport Group, where she moved into investment portfolio, and then on to Peloton Real Estate, where she currently works. She credits her Performing Arts degree with boosting her confidence and communication skills

Emily’s advice to the girls was to grasp any opportunity that comes along – and not to be afraid to make use of their contacts and the doors that they can open.

Interview Inspiration

Thank you to all those Old Girls who kindly volunteered to take part in the Interview Skills evenings held in the Summer term to help Year 12 pupils hone their soft skills as they prepare to enter higher education or the world of work: Ruth Auchterlounie (née Stott, Class of 1989),

Farah Awda (Class of 2015), Isobel Cotogni (Class of 2014), Hannah Earp (Class of 2010), Chandrani Gupta (Class of 2017), Claire Melbourne (Class of 1993), Amanda Nuttall (née Pinkerton, Class of 1991), Raisa Saley (née Umarji, Class of 2004), Radhika Sharma (Class of 2015), Emma Shaw (née Pasquill, Class of 2008), Jade Slater (Class of 2011), Amy Williams (née Worsell, Class of 1997) and Hazel Youens (née Wolstenholme, Class of 1998).

Steps to Success – Old Girls’ Mentoring Scheme

Earlier this term, the Old Girls’ Association launched ‘Steps to Success’, a mentoring programme designed to provide inspiration by example for younger Old Girls.

All of the mentors involved are giving their time for free to support younger Alumnae seeking guidance as they navigate the transition from education into the world of work and throughout their ongoing career progression. Whether you are planning your first steps into a career as you prepare to graduate, or considering your next move on the ladder, a mentor introduced to you through the scheme can provide a trusted and knowledgeable guide into and through the world of work.

Environment Club

With a keen group of Old Girl mentors from a wide range of professions and sectors already in place, the Development Office now invites applications from young Old Girls aged 30 and under who would appreciate support as they enter the world of work or advice on taking the next steps in their career. If you are a young Old Girl who would welcome the opportunity to be matched with a mentor, or if you would like to volunteer your time to act as a mentor, please contact the Development Office.

Steph Reed (née Grimes, 1998-2005) is working with the Girls’ Division’s Environment Club.

Steph Reed (née Grimes, Class of 2005) is the owner of Reed’s Refillery, Chorley’s first plastic-free, zero waste shop. Her mission is to inform and inspire young people about the climate crisis and sustainability.

Rachel Langley, Head of Product Design, invited Steph to join the Senior Girls’ Environment Club where she will be setting its members ‘live’ research and design briefs throughout the year. The first task she set the group was to investigate the brilliance of bamboo; after presenting their findings, the girls embarked on the exciting challenge of making an item out of bamboo without creating waste!

The Bolton Alumni Network

The Bolton Alumni Network has continued to grow throughout 2022 and the free Business Directory, which offers self-employed Alumni the opportunity to promote their businesses and services, enables us to present a networking community that spans the globe. With over 2,900 registered users in the UK, Australia, the USA, Canada, the Far East, Europe and beyond, the Bolton School Alumni network offers a diverse spectrum of support for Old Girls, Old Boys and Former Staff in a variety of sectors.

In the last six months, 69% of users have indicated they are willing to help those within the Bolton Alumni Network community, whilst we have seen a steady rise in the number of users seeking help via the network. The most commonly-sought advice is around work experience and reviewing CVs and users are most likely to offer advice around mentoring and recruitment.

• 1,750 users are willing to answer industry specific questions

• 1,470 are willing to introduce other alumni to their connections

• 1,590 are happy to offer advice

• 1,200+ have offered to review CVs

• 150+ currently offer work experience or internships

The use of the Bolton Alumni Business Directory as a free tool to showcase services to an active network has

proved very popular, as has using the platform to offer benefits directly to members. The network of registered users can also be used as a free recruitment tool and we actively welcome any members of the Alumni community who work within, or are responsible for, recruitment to make use of the varied and engaged pool of potential candidates. Over the last six months, 20% of users who have visited the main directory page have gone on to interact with the offer from the relevant business.

For advice on how to advertise a vacancy or search for a mentor within the network please see the informative ‘How to’ videos in the Resources tab. We also welcome any Alumni who are keen to post a careers skills video specific to their industry to contact the Development Office.

If you are not yet a member of the Bolton Alumni Network, you can join today by signing up at www.boltonalumninetwork.com with your LinkedIn, Facebook or Google Account or with an email address.

The Eco Club with Steph and Miss Langley (far right)

Alumni Authors The Book of Good News

by Margaret Krawec (née Hurst, Class of 1984)

On first reading this short and well-researched work from an Old Boltonian, in my mind’s eye I found myself back at School. Religious Studies was a favourite subject of mine, one of its greatest advantages being that there will always be new areas to study. There will always be something left to learn, another Biblical hero or anti-hero who we have not considered in depth previously.

In short, we can never know everything about our subject, which makes our intellectual journey into faith more fulfilling.

Embarking on this book, I found myself racing through a whistle-stop tour of the Old Testament. Thrown out of the Garden of Eden, then quickly through the Torah, I was introduced to Samuel and then David – the contradictions inherent in David’s character, a flawed human being and

The Good Shepherd and The Last Perfect

by Susan Kaberry (née Cox, Class of 1964) Available from Amazon

Have you ever visited Rome and contemplated the mysteries clutched within the Vatican museums? Is the bad rap often given to medieval inquisitors justified? Thanks to archived records dating back 700 years released into the public domain by the Vatican, and translations by Jean Duvernoy, the story of interrogations led by the medieval Bishop Inquisitor, Jacques Fournier, can now be told.

By the end of the thirteenth century in the County of Foix a group of Christian dissidents flourished. They held that the church in Rome had become worldly, materialistic, and corrupt. These dissidents were the Cathars who eschewed many of the teachings of Roman Catholicism. The Cathars revered their holy men and women, known as Perfects, so called due to the simple lives they led. Regarded as heretics by the established church in Rome, papally appointed clergy as Inquisitors were charged with preserving orthodox Catholic beliefs and teachings throughout Christendom.

Based on Jacques Fournier’s exceptional record-keeping, exposure of the Cathar inquisitions is woven into Susan

king, although great musician and writer. The temple is constructed, Queen Ester intercedes for the Jewish people, Job, Psalms and Isaiah and the prophets. The narrative was also peppered with surprising historical facts which kept my interest.

A great strength of this work was its inclusion of The Apocrypha, which is often omitted from other works of this kind. In its pages I finally encountered Judith and Susanna, women who overcame oppression and took control, and the story of the Maccabees.

The transition to the New Testament is smooth, and Krawec concentrates on the Gospel of Luke. She also emphasises the different treatment by the four gospel writers of Christ’s life. Paul’s letters are examined in their political and historical context.

Themes running through the book prevent it sounding like a text book of theology. There is a constant emphasis on the importance of obedience. Evidence of the fulfilment of the words of the Old Testament prophets in the New Testament and the life of Christ is underlined at all stages of the writing.

This is an interesting and novel source of information about the scriptures – and a useful reference.

Mary Thurston (née Winder, 1977-1984)

Kaberry’s compelling narrative, The Good Shepherd and The Last Perfect. This is a fictionalised account of the epic, true story of two Cathars, Pierre Maury (Pedro), the shepherd, and the last Perfect, Guillaume (Guy) Belibaste. ‘When he reached the track that led to his father’s farmhouse, he was gasping for air and his head was spinning.’ The novel begins with a traumatic, heartstopping event which places Guy in a grotesque position. Escorted by two Perfects who are covertly visiting his father, he flees the family home. His path intersects with that of Pedro who ‘felt pushed and pulled in all directions. He loved his family and his loyalty to them was strong’, but Pedro, too, secretly leaves the village to work for his cousin as a shepherd and learn more about the Cathars. Believing that the church in Rome had lost sight of God’s teachings, friends Guy and Pedro are drawn into the world of the Cathars where they find a sense of belonging. Upon learning of the many Cathars subjected to horrific torture at the hands of the Roman church Inquisition, the two men seek shelter in Aragon. Can the Perfect and the shepherd maintain their safety? Will their new-found faith and long-standing friendship survive as the Inquisition becomes increasingly ferocious?

A writer with observational flair, Sue Kaberry has plaited a vividly compelling depiction of the consequences of holding beliefs viewed as unorthodox. The plot is gritty and covers an era of dysfunction when tyranny subjugated people. Demonstrating a mastery of historical detail, the novel is worth the time investment. It’s a terrifying insight of mass manipulation and depicts that power in the hands of a few can unleash unspeakable destruction. Sound familiar?

Jacki Waters (Director, Red Literary Agency, and Former Girls’ Division Staff)

Emergency Services

Those who knew me at School would probably agree I was not academically minded, not 100% committed to my studies, and as my mum (herself a teacher) always said, I was “very capable, but did not apply myself”. I played a lot of sport and loved being part of a team, but, as for academic subjects, those with a “hands-on” or practical element were my favourites.

After School I gained a degree from Durham University in Information Systems Management (in hindsight, never going to be a good fit for me), and then graduated in Sport and Recreation Management from the University of Notre Dame Australia, the latter as a stepping stone to moving my life Down Under. In this process, I’ve had to navigate numerous visas and work requirements; it’s taken an extraordinary amount of time, money, energy, diligence and perseverance to achieve, and I believe Bolton School prepared me for much of this: managing workloads, deadlines and standards. The rest was my upbringing; the work ethic that has been instilled in me by my parents has repeatedly set me apart in Australia.

In 2014, I was finally a permanent resident, having lived in Australia for eight years, and with that came the freedom to choose what I wanted to do for work. It came down to one simple thing: “I want to be useful”. So, I reverted back to a childhood desire, and I applied for the position of Firefighter with the Department of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES) in Western Australia. The odds were against me; over 2000 applicants for a school of 24. However, one thing I love about the Firefighter role is that the male and female entry testing standards are identical, as are the expectations on

McCormick QPM (née Owen, Class of 1986)

Coming up to 33 years in policing, I reflect on a career that I think is ‘a job like no other’. Having served in Greater Manchester and Cheshire to the rank of Chief Constable, I am now working with the Home Office heading the national police uplift programme. This is bringing in more than 50k officers over three years and will help the service face the very different challenges of modern policing than when I started my career. What was once crime in the open is now in the digital space crossing international borders. Yet the societal challenges, such as domestic abuse, remain a priority. Being with people at their most vulnerable and low moments, making that difference by providing them with support, strength and justice, is a privilege.

Thinking back on my time at Bolton School, I learnt lessons that have held me in good stead over this time. Most fundamentally the deep-seated value in me of fairness and equality is perhaps the one that has most strongly shaped my policing career. My current role is focused on ensuring policing is more representative, but sitting for many years on the national Equality and Diversity Committee, leading for Gypsies and Travellers and, until recently, disability, has

shift. On my second attempt, in 2017 (now 35 years old!), I was accepted to a school – an intense 18 weeks, delivering all the basic skills needed to perform the role of Firefighter and work on station. This was is followed by five years of further study on the job. I have now moved up the ranks and am a Senior Firefighter.

As firefighters we deal with fire (bushfire, buildings, cars, boats, ships), rescue (the occasional cat up a tree!), Road Crash Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), Hazmat, casualty management and more. We are trained in multiple disciplines and are expected to respond to a variety of incidents. Each shift has the potential to present something entirely new and unexpected. The job is always hands-on, but you also need to be observing (warning signs, changes in conditions, hazards present) – tunnel vision can be extremely dangerous. Working in close quarters with your crew for long hours (10-hour days, 14-hour nights and regular 24-hour shifts), you need to trust yourself and the people around you to know their job. When we’re not at incidents we continually train, drill and upskill to keep us fresh. It’s a great team environment to be involved in.

My education and values from my formative years at Bolton School have afforded me a certain ingrained discipline. Knowing how to study, process information, evaluate and make assessments has been crucial in getting me where I am today.

For anyone thinking of a career as a Firefighter, I’d say: go for it! Just keep as fit and strong as you can and try to have a good practical mind. The best part is you work in a tight crew, you always have help and backup and everybody mucks in. If you love team sports and have a desire to help, this could be a good job for you … but maybe start earlier than I did!

meant changing perceptions and challenging policy. In a world of social media, standing up for people who are often marginalised shows you the prejudice in society at its worst.

School encouraged me to be an independent woman, open-minded and to stand up for what I thought was right. You remember the people who did that in practice and don’t forget the impact small acts have – Mrs Fisher, who let me buck the trend working outside the curriculum, and, more recently, Mrs Hanrahan, who did that for my daughter.

Sport played a large part in my time at Bolton. Captaining and being part of a team showed me the support you can provide each other in good as well as tough times, and I learnt some hard lessons on the accountability of leadership.

I joined on the fast-track scheme that meant I led a team from an early age, relying on their backup, celebrating our successes, as well as being that mentor and coach ensuring their personal wellbeing. More latterly running a multimillion-pound organisation of around 4,000 people it is equally important to have that business acumen. That maths and stats has come in useful!

I was never top of the class, nor a Prefect, but I gained a work ethic that has stood me in good stead, a sense that I could achieve, and have been given an opportunity to do just that in a job like no other, and certainly one I can recommend to anyone who wants to make a difference.

Helen Booth (Class of 2000)

Janette

Bolton School prides itself on encouraging its pupils to follow their ambitions. Here we meet four Old Girls who work in the emergency services – and who attribute their motivation and determination to build their careers to their inspirational teachers and lessons learned in the Girls’ Division.

Lindsy Slamon (née O'Reilly, Class of 1994)

I knew from an early age that my interests primarily lay with the sciences. I may or may not have been inspired by watching Quincy on television and reading lots of Nancy Drew books, but forensic science and police investigations always held a certain allure!

I always felt it was a real privilege to be at Bolton School – it was never the plan, indeed was never on the radar, until a primary school teacher suggested I sit the entrance exam. But, from my first day, I knew it was an opportunity not to be wasted and I can honestly say that I look back on my time there with great fondness. In those seven years, I found inspiration in many of the strong female figures around me – Mrs O’Kelly, my Chemistry teacher with her dry sense of humour; Miss Dickinson with her calm, unruffled presence; Mrs Robinson, my maths teacher who commanded respect without even raising her voice; and many others that I could list whose impact lingers still.

After School, I studied Molecular Biology at the University of Manchester, knowing at this point that I definitely wanted to pursue forensic science, but unwilling to risk pigeonholing myself by undertaking one of the newly-introduced degrees in it. The three years gave me enough experience of laboratory-based work to sharpen my focus – I certainly didn’t want a career in a lab; rather I wanted to get to the coal face!

I joined Greater Manchester Police as a Crime Scene Investigator (or Scenes of Crime Officer/SOCO as we were known then) in 2000. Based just north of Manchester city centre in Collyhurst, I dealt with all crime types, from theft and burglary to serious sexual offences, assaults and murders. No two days were ever the same, and the camaraderie exhibited within the team was essential when dealing with such potentially impactive situations. I do think that my experiences at School helped when it came to being a strong woman in a predominantly male environment.

Having gained a huge amount of experience working on several major investigations, I was promoted to Senior Crime Scene Investigator and ultimately managed a team of CSIs whilst also carrying out the role of Crime Scene Manager. This was such an interesting, challenging and rewarding job. I saw some terrible sights, but also helped to serve justice and to bring some degree of peace to those most affected by violent crime. Certainly, working on the Manchester Arena bombing investigation was both disturbing and rewarding at the same time.

Ultimately, after 22 years with GMP, 22 years of shifts, working weekends, and being on call, I decided to seek a new challenge and earlier this year became a lecturer at the University of Salford. So far, I’m relishing the new direction. I have lots to talk about and plenty of experience to share with the students, and the variety of work is really enjoyable. Hopefully, I can inspire some of my students in the way I was inspired back at Bolton School.

I didn’t settle on a career path whilst at Bolton School and went through the various ‘traditional’ career options, but they never felt right for me. My favourite subject at School was History, taught by my favourite teacher, Mr Davies. I look back on History lessons very fondly as I recall Mr Davies saying, “I don’t need to read your essays to mark them, I could just weigh them!” in response to my always epically long essays. My passion for History was routed in my inquisitive nature, always asking ‘Why?’ as a child. I was curious about people and finding things out. This led me to study History at Lancaster University, with the guidance provided at School giving me confidence that I didn’t need to have a career already picked out. Gaining my degree was an achievement in itself; I was the first and am still the only person in my family to attend university.

It was at university that the suggestion of joining the Police came about. I spoke to some officers at a careers fair on campus and, combined with my enjoyment of crime and psychological thriller novels, a seed was planted. The more I researched a career in the Police, the more my enthusiasm grew. I joined Lancashire Constabulary as a Special Constable in 2013, a volunteer role which I undertook around a full-time job. In 2014 I become a Police Community Support Officer, working alongside Police Officers in a Neighbourhood Team. After three years, I finally became a Police Constable and I spent five years working on the front line as an Immediate Response Officer.

I still can’t believe I was being paid to race around with blue lights and sirens going, arrest criminals and help vulnerable people, hopefully giving them some closure.

I am very thankful to have found a career that I love and that has so much scope for development, diversity and progression. I passed my Sergeant exam in 2020 and had plans to seek promotion, but knew deep down that my career lay in the detective world. Putting promotion on the back burner, I made my way into the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), becoming a Detective Constable. I feel privileged to be investigating serious and complex crimes, and getting to support the most vulnerable victims.

One of my career highlights so far was working on the team investigating the brutal murder of an Accrington pensioner who was tortured and killed by a man trying to fund his drug habit. On an investigation of this scale, you are only one small part of the whole investigation, but seeing how the CCTV I had located and spent hours viewing helped send the man responsible to jail for life, I felt very proud.

If anyone is interested in a career in the Police, speaking to someone in the job is great place to start, but I would highly recommend applying to be a Special Constable as this really gives you a big insight into the role and gives you the opportunity to try it out without committing to it as a career.

My time at Bolton School taught me to follow my curiosity and find out where my passion lay. I would encourage anyone who is struggling with figuring out their career path to follow whatever they are passionate about – unknown opportunities will arise that you don’t expect.

Sarah Coleman (née Jones, Class of 2009)

Staff in the Spotlight

This Summer the Girls’ Division bade a fond farewell to Mr Linfitt who hung up his teacher’s gown after 23 years at Bolton School.

Phil Linfitt

How long have you worked at Bolton School?

I started work at Bolton School in 1999, just before the new millennium. At the time, many people had a real anxiety that computer systems around the world would collapse due to this looming change in the year’s numbering. Nothing happened! Those 23 years have flown by and it seems incredible to me that I have now worked at the School since long before any of the current pupils were born. Teaching at Bolton School was my second career but, undoubtedly, it has been my most satisfying and rewarding. After completing a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from the University of Manchester, I spent many happy years working as a design engineer in the electricity industry. Privatisation of that sector nudged me towards a new start and a new way of life. During my PGCE year, I happened to do a placement at the Boys’ Division. This included a visit to Patterdale; great fun and lots of new ideas to explore and to inspire me.

Had you worked in other Schools prior to working at Bolton School?

My first teaching job was at Lancaster Royal Grammar School – all boys, including a young Mr Owen, for whom my Year 7 Physics lessons inspired a lifelong love of History. When a vacancy showed up at BSGD (in a real newspaper, of course!), I applied immediately. I still remember the warmth and enthusiasm of the staff and pupils I met during my first visit. After being interviewed by the then Headmistress, Miss Jane Panton, I was delighted to start in a newly-created Head of Department role. My first impressions from that day were happily confirmed. The outstanding professionalism of the Technology colleagues has endured – I could not have been luckier.

How has School life changed over the years?

Soon after I started, the Technology Department began exploring new ways of delivering the curriculum. We changed the physical layout too, impossibly creating four classrooms where only three had stood. The space was designed by us and made real by Bolton School’s own in-house Estates team. This time of change, and the autonomy to make important decisions, was a really exciting start for someone relatively new to teaching. The School’s staff room, then and now, was a supportive and encouraging environment and I happily took on new responsibilities such as Year Tutor, and later helping Dr Cath Brown with the management of the School’s operational systems. I’d like to say I’d crafted a master plan of career development, but that is very much not the case. As time moved on, I became part of the Senior Leadership Team and, as a result, got involved in aspects of School life that were new, challenging and fascinating to learn. In a very rewarding way it also meant working with an even wider range of talented colleagues across the Foundation.

My early education and work in engineering fuelled my love of problem-solving. It has been a great privilege to see the creative work of so many young people, and to share with them an enthusiasm for imaginative and practical solutions. Probably the most ambitious project was a cross-curricular Science-Maths-Technology challenge to design and built a full-size working trebuchet … risk assessments were much smaller documents back then.

Do you have any standout memories from your time here?

Of a very long list of enjoyable things I never planned or expected to do, School trips rank high. Through rain and shine, and occasionally snow, I’ve enjoyed excursions with almost every teaching department, including Duke of Edinburgh. My top favourite was being co-opted into the History Department visits to New York, Washington and Boston. The Headmistress at the time, Mrs Gill Richards, brought her boundless energy to these trips, but a full account of this would fill another article on its own. I am indebted to all the colleagues who created so much fun on those trips, especially Mrs Sandra Heap, then Head of History.

What is your favourite Bolton School tradition?

Colleagues and pupils, quite rightly, list the fabulous music, sport and drama that perpetuate our enjoyable traditions. My favourite time is the first day of term. It silently celebrates the gargantuan administrative task from previous months in preparing for another year, and is a day full of optimism for the possibilities ahead, for staff and pupils.

What have you enjoyed about working at Bolton School?

I look back with real affection and enormous thanks, and recognise the very good fortune I’ve had to work alongside so many hard-working, entertaining and intelligent colleagues and pupils. This has impacted my whole family, since both our daughters came through the School (yet another great serendipity) and both had a fabulous education. It also meant wonderful fun for me, every day. I very much hope others, whom I have worked with and taught, have a similar feeling.

Old Girls Go Global

Carol Taylor (Class of 1962)

I have lived in the US now for over 50 years, since I married the American year-abroad student

I had met on my first day in London, four years earlier. We lived in New Orleans LA, then in Indiana, before moving to the Boston MA area, where I still live in Brookline.

My career was mostly in education, primarily college level teaching and later administration, at Harvard, MIT, and other universities. I gained a Master’s degree (German) from Tulane University in New Orleans, a PhD in Comparative Literature (Medieval) from Harvard, and an MBA from MIT. A broad education indeed!

Retirement has continued work with non-profits in education and the arts, and the company of my husband, three children and three grandchildren. Over the years I have returned regularly to the UK and keep up with British media. Two of my children hold British as well as US passports (very useful especially for the journalist specialising in the Middle East in the days when he could travel in the region). My first impression of the US was, perhaps obviously, the scale of the place: distances travelled, the horizon is further away. But I think scale applies to comparisons between the two, even while the differences have narrowed over time.

UK commentators often regard ‘American’ opinions as homogenous. Just overlay the geographic US over Europe: it extends into Russia and encompasses all the EU. Hardly an area where you would expect standard opinions! In the US the differences in regions (North vs South; East vs West) are rooted in history and often persist. Urban vs rural, race, economics, social position (not class in the UK sense), political ideas yield widely divergent attitudes. The issues may be more shared in both countries than they were 50 years ago, but the scale of their expression may seem stronger in the US. Far less ‘keep calm and carry on’ here, though Boston is an island of comparative calm and common sense!

Ann E Knight (Class of 1983)

I live in Houston, Texas – I have lived here since I emigrated from the UK back in 1987. My father, who is a metallurgist and graduated from Sheffield University, was offered a job in the oil and gas field in Houston to design and market heat exchangers (he originally worked for Hick Hargreaves, a company that was located in Bolton).

I don’t know where to start with the differences between the US and the UK! Firstly, the weather – it took me a couple of years to get used to the humidity and heat in Texas. Then there is the food and the servings –definitely, what I would call Texas-sized portions! People tend to work longer hours here and do not take as much vacation. And while we all speak English, different words are used to describe the same thing (gas/petrol; trunk/boot, hood/bonnet; cookie/biscuit; attorney/barrister, solicitor; rubbish/garbage, and injection/jab; panty hose/tights etc) and some words are spelt differently (color/colour). And, of course, while the British and the rest of the world love football, the Americans love their ‘American Football’.

The best things about living here are the people and lifelong friends that I have made. I really enjoy the wonderful holiday of Thanksgiving. I also appreciate the ability to play sports all year long without the weather interfering! And cheap gas (petrol) is a bonus.

I do miss certain things about the UK though: pubs, traditional British ‘pub grub’, a full British breakfast, public transport (pretty much non-existent in Texas), National Health, the British countryside (Texas is flat!), British historical buildings and architecture, Christmas and the Christmas holidays (in the USA you have Christmas Day off and then it is back to work the next day), Bonfire Night and treacle toffee, football/soccer … and British weddings – the Brits know how to have a party!

To mark the recent Bolton School Alumni dinner in New York, here we find out what motivated these US-based Old Girls to move across the Pond, what they enjoy about their lives there … and what they still miss about the UK!

Story of a Gown

The Prefects’ gowns are one of the enduring symbols of the Girls’ Division, and the Gowning of the Prefects, held in the Great Hall each May, has become one of its most special traditions. Here Zanthy Epifaniou (Class of 2004), Amy Marwick (Class of 2010) and Millie Camm (Class of 2014) describe wearing their gowns with pride.

What was your favourite moment whilst wearing your gown?

Zanthy: There was a bit of a build up to my favourite moment. My sister, Oli ("Olga") Epifaniou (Class of 2000) is 4½ years older than me and was also a Prefect. She is someone I looked up to immensely, so when it came to allocating our Prefect gowns, it was the mad scramble beforehand (which actually involved a lot of negotiation, persuading and eventual begging) to make sure that I received hers! Then, when I first entered morning assembly in the Great Hall, with the resounding sound of the organ playing, the whole School standing and, me, walking down the aisle, gown slightly swishing against the wooden chairs, all in the knowledge that my name was sewn in next to Oli’s, I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of pride. That was my moment!

Amy: I think everyone at some point ran across the quad pretending to be Batman! I loved the tradition of the Ceremony of Carols and even just walking into assembly. My absolute favourite memory of being a Prefect has to be the Prefects’ Panto at Christmas (I played Mr Boyle) which I still remember as such a fun-filled and hilarious day.

Millie: The Prefects’ Panto was definitely a highlight! Having seen it performed by others all the way through School and then have the privilege of performing in my final year was great! I did quite enjoy walking into assembly too; the whole School standing as we entered was pretty memorable.

What were your hopes and plans for the future, as you passed on your gown?

Zanthy: I was more a dreamer than a planner, so I had lots of dreams. The official immediate plan was to study law at university, but I secretly never saw myself becoming a lawyer. I didn’t really specifically know what I wanted to do (I don’t think anyone really knows, especially at 17), but I saw myself doing so many things … a traveller, a writer, a dancer, an actress in the West End, an Olympic champion (in what?!). I didn’t really know what was out there, so I just thought I would take it a moment at a time and see where it would lead me.

Amy: I knew I wanted to study Biology and had an inkling I would like to teach, but I was happy to see where life took me!

Millie: I’m not really sure. I had no idea what I wanted to be or where I wanted to end up (I still don’t really!). However, I’d done World Challenge and I knew I definitely wanted to travel more, which is something I went on to do.

What did you do after leaving School?

Zanthy: I studied law and then did an LLM in Medical Law at the University of Manchester. I then came down to London and completed the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC, as it was then called) and quickly realised, as I had suspected all those years ago (or rather simply just admitted to myself), that I did not want to become a Barrister ... or a Solicitor or anything related to law. I did, however, somehow still find myself working as a legal advisor in a private family office for a high-net worth family operating (and, with my help, restructuring) businesses worldwide.

Amy: I studied Biological Sciences at Liverpool University which I absolutely loved. I loved Liverpool and still spend a lot of time there visiting friends. After graduating in 2013, I took a year out to travel with my sister and I then studied for my PGCE at Edge Hill. I’ve been teaching Biology ever since.

Millie: I was never 100% certain whether going to university was really worthwhile, so after getting my A Levels, I deferred my position at St Andrews and decided to take up an accounting apprenticeship at Deloitte. After nine months living in Leeds and doing tax depreciation, inevitably I decided I wasn’t sure enough about an accounting career to risk not getting a degree. So I got a place studying Maths (and Spanish initially) at the University of Manchester.

Zanthy (right) with big sister Oli

Amy (front right) wearing her gown in 2010

Millie wearing her Prefect’s gown

Lots of Amy’s friends from School attended her wedding last year

What are you doing now?

Zanthy: Ten years later, still said legal advisor in same private family office. However, I am slowly checking off my country bucket list, I have started writing a children’s book, I have competed in pro-am Latin and ballroom dance competitions (with swing dance competitions on the horizon), am actively auditioning in amateur musical theatre productions and training in archery (finally found my Olympic sport).

What I have come to realise is what we ‘do’ isn’t just the profession we stumble into (and if you do a law degree, a Master’s in law, your BPTC, it is less of a ‘stumble’ and more of an inevitability). Our profession is just a small percentage of the bigger story of who we are. What we ‘do’ is all the moments in between – between school, our degree, Master’s, BPTC, job – and the people we choose to do those things with. I wasn’t in the lucky few that find their dream job, but I am lucky enough to be in a position where I am living out some of my dreams with some pretty amazing people.

Amy: I’m a Biology teacher, which I absolutely love. The job has its moments, but overall I love sharing my passion for Science. I had some amazing teachers at Bolton School whom I hope to emulate, especially Mrs Furey who taught me Biology for about five years! I was on a BBC podcast called ‘Teach me a Lesson’ last year where I talked through my favourite subject (Genetics); it was a great experience.

Millie: I’m working at Willis Towers Watson. I have just finished studying and have become a qualified actuary, specialising in life insurance. The exams are known for being particularly tough and it’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever done by far!

What one piece of advice would you give to this year’s Year 13 pupils?

Zanthy: Plan for your dreams to make your dreams the inevitability, letting go of any expectations you or anyone else may have of you, and live every moment in between.

Amy: Don’t panic too much about having your whole life mapped out –just pick subjects and jobs that you enjoy doing and are interested in and you will figure it out along the way!

Millie: Don’t get bogged down about not knowing what you want to do when you’re older – there will be so many jobs out there that you’ve never even heard of! I’d just try to experience as much as you can and say ‘yes’ to every opportunity that comes your way.

Are you still in touch with friends from School?

Zanthy: Unfortunately, not as much nowadays. It has been a few years now since I have seen anyone from School, but I have a lot of good memories which will always be cherished.

Amy: Absolutely! I’m still in touch with a big group who get together as often as we can. We were so lucky to have lots of them at our wedding last year, and we have three more weddings to look forward to! We often comment how lucky we are to remain so close all these years later.

Millie: Yes; I’ve kept in contact with lots of friends from School! Obviously Covid made it harder to meet up though!

Amy (right) and her twin sister, Beth, celebrating their 30th birthdays this year

Millie, pictured with her Dad, graduated from the University of Manchester

Millie celebrating after passing her last actuarial exam

Prefects 2003-04 – Zanthy is second from left on the back row

The Lost Words: Told in Gold

In the Autumn term last year, theatre director and voice coach Collette Murray-Payne (Class of 1991) came into School to support the Joint Upper School production of Clockwork with voice and text work for the cast. During this time, she and Naomi Lord (Class of 1998); Director of Creative Learning and Partnerships in the Boys’ Division) discussed bringing Collette’s adaptation of The Lost Words, by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, to the School’s woodlands. The pair had a shared loved of the book and very similar ideas about what creative learning means in an environment like Bolton School.

“Originally commissioned by Wild Rumpus and the National Forest, the production had been in enforced hibernation since March 2020, until The Lost Words: Told in Gold was recommissioned by Bolton School in Spring 2022, supported by a successful Arts Council England grant. It seemed fitting to me that this production, about love of language and reigniting care for the environment, should return to the source of much formative patterning in my life and creative habits.

“As a school girl, I was quite chatty, opinionated and, I suspect, a little disruptive. I wasn’t particularly academic – I did fine, but was never an Oxbridge candidate. However, it was in the rich calendar of events and rituals of School that I found my joy. The concerts, the speakers and speeches, ESB, the Christmas Post, the Duke of Edinburgh weekend expeditions and netball tournaments all offered me the opportunity to be part of teams that stuck together in a common goal – as I still try today to achieve in the casts of actors and crews that I create.

“But most of all I loved the Ceremony of Carols. Alongside the challenging programmes that the musical SWAT team of Mrs Long and Mr Blisset worked so tirelessly to drill into us, I admired Mrs Johnston’s annual job of getting the whole School to practise walking into the Great Hall over the duration of the first carol to sit down in a gentle ‘swish’. Her determination for accuracy of execution in this created a very theatrical and atmospheric moment. This, coupled with Mrs Fisher and Mrs Cole’s angels, set the service off with elegance and majesty. I know Mrs Johnston’s practice sessions bored some of my friends senseless, but, for me, they were an early experience of the dedication it takes to create events that excite and move audiences.

“I remember, in particular, my first Christmas at School hearing Sixth Former Beth Allen (Class of 1986) sing the coveted Once In Royal David’s City solo at the beginning of the carol service. I made it a private and secret mission to sing that solo when I got to Upper Sixth. From then on, I was in all the choirs that School could throw at me. Each Christmas, I got a step closer, but the personal stakes got higher. As I said earlier, I was a chatter-box, so it probably wasn’t as secret as I remember. Certainly, my friend Carolyn Pointon (née Bond, 1981-1991), who is still a dear friend today, was my cheerleader. So, alongside a dozen or so peers, I nervously auditioned for Mr Blisset as

he sat with his back turned, like an early 90s version of The Voice. Reader … I sang it.

“Life in Bolton School gave me a determination to make things happen for myself. I think my chattiness and lack of fear of voicing my opinion was tolerated by the staff as they felt I was building, albeit haphazardly, my own sense of fairness and pragmatism. I remember being in the Sixth Form and having an indignant row with Mrs Smalley about my use of a tin-opener without permission – an early foray into the art of rhetorical discourse! This has been invaluable professionally in bringing new pieces of work to life. In my later life, working at universities, I have been accused of, in my advocacy of students, being a ‘difficult woman’, but I now understand that life in the Girls’ Division was all about learning to be women who stood up for what they believed. So, I wear the difficult woman badge with pride –the difficulty is in them, not me.

“I was very inspired by a number of teachers – particularly Mrs Kershaw who recognised my desire to speak aloud as a skill. In English classes, I never really relished the idea of analysing Shakespeare’s texts as an academic exercise; however, given the chance get up and speak these amazing, resonant words and I’d come into my own, feeling the physical effect of the vowels and consonants as they found their meaning on utterance over the tongue. Mrs Kershaw gave me the bridge that connected the academic and the practical. She offered me the why and how of language, and the ‘what if …?’

“And now, in one guise or another, that’s pretty much what I do for a living.

“Equally, over the years, I have thanked Mrs Fisher aloud for her insight and creative integrity. Whenever I get stuck in rehearsal with creating a mise-en-scène, I try to channel Mrs Fisher in her lessons on the Golden Ratio – and she always comes up trumps for me.

“School gave the space to learn that things that I want happen by my own efforts, determination, ingenuity and creativity. So it’s no surprise that I’ve spent my professional working life creating events in theatre and preparing people to speak at their own events.

“It was this sense of creative integrity and discussion about creative learning that I found in Naomi Lord and her invaluable role at School and the reason I wanted to awaken The Lost Words in Bolton School’s grounds. I am hoping that it will be the beginning of a new chapter in my relationship with School when I can be part of the legacy of developing the creative spirits of the girls and boys who pass through it.

“Sometimes, as I’m approaching making a new piece of work, I still have a recurring dream of Dr Brown chasing me around the B corridor for an RS essay I haven’t handed in. And I’m shouting over my shoulder: 'But I left School 30 years ago, I’ve got two degrees and I’ve finished loads of other things since …', as she gains on me – you see, I’m ever the dramatic!”

Julie Power - as the enchanting Barn Owl

Pete Williamson - as aviator The Heron

Khagen Douglas - as breaking The Raven

The cast of 'The Lost Words: Told In Gold'

Beech House pupils were enraptured by the performance

NEWS OF OLD GIRLS

If you would like to get in touch with any of the Old Girls featured – or any other Alumni – please contact the Development Office.

Class of 1950-1959

Patsy Southwell (née Jenkinson, Class of 1959)

Patsy’s book, The Psychosocial Impact of Sight Loss, is to be published by Cambridge Scholars this year. Having counselled people with sight loss, or developing it, for the last 21 years, the book is a culmination of all her work.

Class of 1970-1979

Maggie Wardle (née Watson, Class of 1977)

Maggie has been fundraising for Dreamflight, a charity which takes children with serious illnesses or disabilities on the holiday of a lifetime to Orlando, Florida. She has been a staunch supporter of Dreamflight since her own daughter, Naomi, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, benefited from such a trip back in 2005; she had a fantastic time and returned with more independence and a more positive attitude to her disability.

The trip was unable to go ahead in 2020 and 2021 and many fundraising events had to be cancelled. However, a number of volunteers took on the challenge of touring the world ‘virtually’ during February and Maggie committed to walking ten miles every day that month around the local lanes, wearing a tutu and a silly hat. This year she joined the Thames Bridges trek, walking across all the bridges between Putney Bridge and Greenwich, with Naomi. Together they have raised nearly £3,000.

Maggie’s just giving page is now closed, but the charity has its own page: www.justgiving.com/ dreamflight

Heather Henry (née Fisher, Class of 1979)

Queen’s Nurse Heather has written a new book to help nursing students with their career development. Heather was commissioned by the global publisher Elsevier to write Be a Leader in Nursing: A Practical Guide for Nursing Students. She collaborated with nursing students themselves as well as a national student leadership programme, managed by the Council of Deans of Health, called the #150

Leaders Programme to make the book as useful as possible.

The book is the first dedicated to helping undergraduate nurses to practise the sort of leadership skills that they will require once registered. Heather illustrates the book with real-life leadership case studies from current nursing students from different fields of nursing practice and offers a range of practical tips and exercises. University librarians are now stocking the book as leadership is now a required undergraduate competency.

Class of 1980-1989

Amanda Valentine (Class of 1983) Amanda has reached the end of an era, as she and husband Chris no longer have a child in School!

Daughter Alex (Class of 2016) is now working as a trainee solicitor in London and son James (Class of 2022) is embarking on university life reading Materials Science at Queen’s College, Oxford.

However, Bolton School will continue to feature heavily in Amanda’s life through her role as Vice Chair of Governors with responsibility for the Girls’ Division. When Sheila Fisher (née Platt, 1963-1970) stepped down from this role last December, Amanda was delighted to be invited to take up the position. She was privileged to play a part on the Appointments Committee which saw Lynne Kyle confirmed as the permanent Head of Girls’ Division against a strong field of external candidates and she is enjoying working with Lynne as she establishes the team around her.

Amanda was also proud to speak at July’s Celebration Assembly remembering the lives of Margaret Spurr, Margaret Dickinson and Elizabeth Plant. Miss Dickinson in particular had a significant influence throughout her school life and Mrs Spurr helped her through her own Oxford application process back in the early 1980s.

With the house to themselves for the first time in 25 years, Amanda and Chris are looking forward to the next chapter, in particular to spending more time in France.

Class of 1990-1999

Naomi Lord (Class of 1998; Boys’ Division Staff)

Congratulations to Naomi, Director of Creative Learning and Partnerships in the Boys’ Division, who was Highly Commended in the ‘Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School’ category at this year’s Pearson National Teaching Awards.

Class of 2000-2009

Rashmi Chattopadhyay (Class of 1999)

Rashmi studied Dentistry at the University of Leeds. She and her husband, David, own Southport Road Dental Practice in Chorley.

Rashmi has a special interest in nervous patients. She has written a book, How to Make Your Fear of the Dentist Disappear, and developed a podcast and a workbook to help such patients to overcome their fear.

In recognition of her work with dental phobic patients and her contribution to the postgraduate teaching programme in Aesthetic Medicine at Queen Mary University of London, Rashmi was nominated in the ‘Dentist of the Year’ category at the 2022 Dental Awards. Although disappointed to miss out on the top spot, Rashmi was delighted to reach the final five and will continue to work in this rewarding area. She attributes her success to Bolton School which instilled in her the confidence to pursue her goals and never to give up.

Antonia Heap (Class of 2009)

Having completed the Half Ironman last year, in July this year

Antonia took on the Ironman UK 2022 full distance triathlon in her home town of Bolton. It was a gruelling 140.6mile course which saw her swim 2.4 miles in Pennington Flash, followed by a 112-mile hilly bike course and finished

School friends April Foster, Liz Davies, Mhairi McLaughlin and Helena Chadwick (all Class of 2009) cheer on Antonia

Amanda and family

with a 26.2-mile run which consisted of four laps from Bolton town centre and along Chorley New Road. Antonia was delighted to complete the course in 16 hours and 11 minutes. The support from spectators throughout the day was phenomenal, as was the encouragement and continued support from her friends and family.

Helen Kennair (née Wall, Class of 2001) Congratulations to Helen who has received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bolton. Helen, who led the rollout of the Covid vaccination programme in Bolton during the pandemic, received the degree of Doctor of Health Care for her outstanding contribution to public health.

Helen has shown exemplary leadership in implementing Bolton’s clinical response to the pandemic. As well as being the senior responsible officer for the borough’s vaccination programme, she has led the Health Economy Resilience Group (HERG), organising vital PPE and oxygen supplies and bed capacity at the height of the pandemic.

Raisa Saley (née Umarji, Class of 2014)

Raisa and her family moved from London to the Seychelles in December 2021 after her husband accepted a job in the Attorney General’s Chambers there. Raisa’s parents are originally from the Seychelles and she has been visiting the islands since she was a child, so the transition to island living was easier than expected. Raisa is fortunate to be able to continue doing her job in the UK remotely which means her working day usually starts around 12 noon, although she sometimes has to work late into the evenings because of the time difference! They are all enjoying the warmer climate, being able to spend more time outdoors and being closer to family. Relaxing on the beach, hiking in the mountains and visiting other islands make each weekend feel like a mini vacation!

Cherie Cunningham (Class of 2005) Cherie, Channel Director of the comedy entertainment channel Dave, won two Baftas this Summer, for Big Zuu’s Big Eats, a series where chef Zuu and his sidekicks Tubsey and Hyder cook up food for different celebrities. The series won in the Best Features category for Dave, beating Mortimer & Whitehouse:

Gone Fishing and Great British Sewing Bee, and Big Zuu himself won best entertainment performance in Big Zuu’s Big Eats.

Class of 2010-2019 Thorrun Govind (Class of 2010) Earlier this year, in her capacity as a frontline pharmacist and Chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England, Thorrun attended a reception at St James’s Palace, hosted by [the then] Prince Charles, to celebrate Community Pharmacists. Thorrun explained that [Prince] Charles had a real insight into pharmacy and they discussed the importance of pharmacists being accessible in their communities and pharmacist prescribers being better utilised.

Jaiminee Patel (Class of 2011) This October, Jaiminee will be trekking to Everest Base Camp, in aid of two charities supporting young people in both Nepal and the UK. She will be entering a world only accessible by foot, tackling mega high altitudes and freezing temperatures over three weeks, hoping to make it to Base Camp at 17,500ft/5,380m above sea level. This is not a holiday; Jaiminee is paying all of her own costs for this trip, travel and training.

Jaiminee’s fundraising will help build and equip a vocational training centre in Kathmandu for young people furthering their education and skills upon leaving school. Her other cause is OnSide UK, the charity sitting behind Bolton Lads and Girls Club, providing exceptional youth work for disadvantaged young people.

Jaiminee is looking for fundraising support, whether that be donations, funding of a specific item for the centre in Nepal, or corporate sponsorship – please visit supportingnepalschildren.enthuse. com/pf/jaiminee-patel or contact her at jaiminee_patel@hotmail.co.uk

Hannah Sutcliffe (Class of 2011)

Hannah, current COO and co-founder of MOONHUB, a VR training platform, has been listed, along with her two co-founders, in the technology sector in Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ 2022. This announcement came after the startup raised their Seed investment round of $2.6M, and most recently launched their off-theshelf VR dementia healthcare training.

Madeline King (Class of 2014)

Maddie has been promoted to a new post at the Department for Transport. She has worked in General Aviation

policy (everything other than scheduled commercial flight, ie emergency service aircraft, private jets, pleasure flying, even hot air ballooning!) since April last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. The programme has significant ministerial interest so it’s been challenging but rewarding! Maddie is now moving towards more commercial aviation work: her new job will be as an Airspace Modernisation Senior Policy Advisor.

Riya Kalhan (Class of 2016)

Riya’s singing career continues apace. She was recently interviewed on Eamonn O’Neal’s Sunday sessions show with BBC Manchester, during which she sang a cover of Adele’s Easy on Me. She was also thrilled to have been selected as one of 12 participants across Europe to take part in the LEC co-creation week (Manchester and Groningen) and subsequently performed at the ‘Sound From the Other City’ festival in Salford.

This Summer Riya released her debut EP this summer and performed at her debut headline show in London and Manchester in September.

Lucy Baxter (Class of 2017)

Lucy is organising a charity ball for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust called ‘Black and Life’ on Saturday 4th February 2023 at the Barton Manor Hotel, Preston. As she turns 25 years old next year, she is hoping to raise £25,000 to go into research for the condition from which she and 10,800 other people in the UK suffer. The black tie event will consist of a drinks reception, three-course meal, live music, entertainment and a casino. Tickets are £68 and sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information please contact Lucy on 07754 478667 or olucybaxter@btinternet.com

Abbie Gregson (Class of 2017)

Due to the pandemic, it has taken Abbie just over three years to achieve what should have taken 18 months, but after 13 gruelling ground exams, over 250 hours of flight and simulator time, and numerous examination flights, she is now qualified to fly in the UK as a commercial pilot! She is now applying to airlines for the first step into what has been her dream career since she was 12 years old – her ambition is to be seated in the left-hand seat for legacy airlines such as TUI Airways or Delta Airlines.

Raisa and family

MATCHES AND HATCHES

Rachel Bowering (née Wood, Class of 2006)

Congratulations to Rachel who married Mark on 4th June at St Nicholas’ Church, Portishead, followed by a reception at Walton Castle, Clevedon in North Somerset. John Davenport (Former Girls’ Division Staff) played the organ at the wedding and there were several Old Girls in attendance.

Claire Harrison-Twist (née Manley, Class of 2012)

Congratulations to Claire who tied the knot with Jordan Harrison-Twist (20032010) on Saturday 21st May 2022 at Scarlet Hall in Cheshire. They were joined in their celebrations by several Old Girls and Old Boys: Alex Fletcher (Best Man; 2003-2010), Michael Hilton (2003-2010), Shivam Sukha (20032010), Zakary Harrison-Twist (20082015), Samara Mohtasham (Maid of Honour; 2005-2012), Olivia Heald (Class of 2012), Ben Smith (2003-2010), Josh Smith (2003-2010), James Samuel (Class of 2017); Sophie Bentley (Class of 2011), Hannah Bentley (2003-2014) and Serena Mohtasham (2005-2016).

Emily Lucas (née Harper, Class of 2009)

Congratulations to Emily and Peter (1995-2009) on the arrival of Daniel James Lucas on 17th June 2022, a little brother for Evie.

The Lucas family

Sarah Coleman (née Jones, Class of 2009)

Sarah and her husband, Will, had a wonderful surprise when Evelyn ‘Evie’ Jean Coleman was born on 10th August 2022 – two weeks ahead of her due date!

MINI REUNIONS

Class of ’64 London Reunion

Suzan Detre (née Beesley) writes: “Our first reunion since the pandemic was organised by Elizabeth Mullenger at the delightful venue of the Army and Navy Club in St James’s. We enjoyed an excellent lunch and interesting conversation peppered with reminiscences of our times at Bolton School six decades ago. Our meeting date had been hastily rearranged after the recent rail strike, so sadly not all our usual group could be there this time.

“Our gathering began with a fascinating and revealing discussion led by Elizabeth on Sue Kaberry’s recently published memoir, Britannia Street, written under her pseudonym ‘Beth Cox’. The book, a fictionalised

biography, is described in the blurb as ‘a compelling story of how we deal with loss weaving together resilience and family secrets’ and was favourably reviewed by Maria Howarth in the Spring Newsletter As Sue’s exact contemporaries we were, of course, a unique audience. Sue read a few excerpts, bringing back memories of times and people we had all known. We reflected, sometimes ruefully, from the perspective of 2022 on changing times and attitudes since our schooldays

Present were Elizabeth Mullenger, Janet Ward, Heather Vinter (née Armstrong), Susan Kaberry (née Cox), Susan Robinson and Suzan Detre.

Windermere Reunion

Judith Peel (née Dean, 1972-1979) sent in this photo of the annual Windermere Bolton School Friends’ reunion. The group has been celebrating 50 years since starting together in form 3M with Mrs Mussett in 1972!

L-R: Gwithian Doswell, Catherine Kneafsey; Elizabeth Newton (née Whyatt), Janet Edwards (née Griffiths), Anne Galloway, Rosemary Claxton (née Lunn), Judith Peel (née Dean) (all Class of 1979)

Happy couple Rachel and Mark

Claire and Jordan on their special day

long ago.”

L-R: Sian Lynch (née Kelly), Melissa Woodward (nee Morris), Sarah Collins (née Pimblett), Gemma Spavin, John Davenport, Rachel Bowering, Lindsay Allen (née Harwood), Sarah Bailey-Munroe, Charlotte Sandiford (née Walshe), Nikki Burn (née Parkinson) (all Class of 2006).

Sunshine and fizz for Elizabeth’s birthday! L-R: Janet, Elizabeth, Suzan, Heather, Sue, Susan

GRADUATIONS GALORE

As well as those graduating this Summer, Old Girls whose graduations were postponed due to the Covid pandemic were at last able to celebrate their successes – congratulations to all of them!

Jessica Ryan (Class of 2014 )

Jess graduated in July 2021 from East 15 Acting School with BA (Hons) in World Performance, after completing her Foundation Year in Acting and Musical Theatre at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts back in 2014-15.

She is now Head of the Withington Branch of the Urban Stage School of Performing Arts – a performing arts school Jess herself attended between the ages of 10 and 18, and subsequently taught at across all their branches (Swinton, Withington and Sale). She is looking forward to the challenge of heading up a branch and is excited to see what she can achieve.

Alexandra Hopkinson (Class of 2016)

Alex sat her Oxford Classics finals in 2020 from the dining room at her family home and inevitably her graduation ceremony was postponed. However, last September she returned to Oxford for her graduation ceremony in the Sheldonian Theatre. As she has been working through two years of law conversion, there was another degree to collect when she completed the GDL year – a Graduate Diploma in Law with a graduation in May, this time at the Barbican in London. This Summer has seen her complete the LPC year, earning her an MSc in Law, Business and Management from the University of Law. She is now embarking on her law career as a trainee solicitor with US firm Shearman & Sterling in their London office.

Ashna Rayarel (Class of 2016)

Ashna studied Fashion Public Relations at London College of Fashion. She graduated in 2020, but due to the pandemic the official graduation ceremony was held in the Spring of this year. Ashna has been working at McCann Manchester as an Account Executive working with popular retailer Aldi.

Francesca Chuck (Class of 2017)

Francesca studied Law at the University of Leeds, graduating in 2020 with a First-Class Honours

Degree (like many, with a delayed formal ceremony this year). She loved the city and enjoyed the course, including the extra-curricular society activities such as volunteering. Whilst at the School of Law, Francesca decided to pursue a career in corporate law and, in the summer of 2020, successfully completed an internship with DLA Piper UK LLP, a global law firm, where she secured a Training Contract offer for 2022. She then studied for a year at the University of Law, where she was awarded a High Distinction LPC MSC, before temping for a financial services firm in Manchester until this summer. After getting away on a few holidays, Francesca recently started her Training Contract.

Khadijah Ismail (Class of 2017)

Khadijah graduated with First Class Honours in Aerospace Engineering after completing

the Engineering Degree Apprenticeship Scheme at BAE Systems. She has chosen to specialise as a Mission Systems Engineer and her role involves qualification and testing of avionics systems. Her future plans include gaining international experience and contributing to sustainable solutions within the aviation industry. She also aspires to develop study abroad programmes for the Early Careers schemes at BAE Systems.

Charlotte Johnson (Class of 2017)

Charlotte finished university in June 2020 – and graduated on 26th April 2022! She was awarded a 2:1 BA (Hons) in Dance from the University of Chester. She continues to work at Heathlands Village care home and has recently been promoted to Family and Customer Care Co-ordinator.

Aaliyah Khan (Class of 2017)

Aaliyah has graduated from Lancaster University with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery MBChB. She has started a foundation training post at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary on the medical wards, with further interests in emergency medicine and general practice with rotations in her FY2 year.

Eloise Booth (Class of 2018)

Eloise has graduated from the University of Cambridge with First Class Honours in Modern and

Medieval Languages (Spanish and Italian). After a wonderful time at St Catharine’s College and a fabulous year abroad as a teaching assistant in Cádiz, Spain, Eloise plans to pursue a career in Communications and Marketing, hopefully somewhere up north!

Hannah Penketh (Class of 2018)

Hannah recently graduated from the University of York with First Class Honours (with Distinction) in Accounting, Business Finance and Management (with a year in industry). She also achieved the ‘Highest Achieving Student in Bsc Accounting, Business Finance and Management’, excelling in modules such as Advanced Financial Reporting, Capital Markets and Taxation Systems. Alongside her studies, Hannah was also a member of the University of York cheerleading team, ‘York Hornets’, competing in many national competitions. Hannah has very fond memories of York and thoroughly enjoyed her four years at university. In her penultimate year, she returned to Bolton to carry out her year in industry with Cowgills, working in their audit team. Having thoroughly enjoyed this role Hannah has decided to pursue a career in audit and moved to Jersey in August to begin her ACA qualification with PwC Channel Islands.

Kathryn Austin (Class of 2019)

Kathryn has graduated from the University of Salford – she has achieved a Bachelor of Arts with

First Class Honours in Multimedia Journalism. In September she will begin a Master’s Degree in Publishing at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Vanessa Azavedo (Class of 2019)

Vanessa has completed a three-year Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning with Upper Second Class Honours. She is particularly proud of her examination results for which she achieved a First. Vanessa commenced studying for an MSc in Real Estate at the University of Manchester in September with a view to a career in Real Estate and Asset Management.

Melissa Cartwright (Class of 2019)

Melissa has recently graduated from the University of York with a 2:1 in Theatre: Writing, Directing and Performing. In September she began studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

as one of four students commencing their two-year Postgraduate Diploma course in Theatre Costume.

Jade-Emerald Green (Class of 2019)

Jade-Emerald has graduated from The Manchester Metropolitan University with a 2:1 in BA International Relations (Hons). She was inspired to read politics and international relations after a conversation in Year 11 with her history teacher, Mr Winrow, made her realise the importance of having an understanding of the world around her. Her GCSE Spanish teacher, Mrs Naughton, has also been a huge influence, and her support has remained with Jade-Emerald into adult life.

Jade-Emerald is now a pension administrator for local government pensions and aspires to a career in the civil service.

Amelia Wood (Class of 2019)

Amelia has achieved at First Class grade in her Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree

at Balliol College, Oxford. After travelling across the USA over the Summer, thanks to her receipt of the William Westerman Pathfinders award, she started her job as a trainee economist with the Civil Service Fast Stream in October.

Alumni of the Year Awards

In Spring 2022, Bolton School launched its inaugural Alumni of the Year Awards. The Awards were initiated to celebrate the myriad contributions of the Old Girls and Old Boys to society and, through their example, to inspire the next generation of pupils currently studying at the School.

The Awards seek to recognise Alumni who have made an outstanding contribution to society through their voluntary service, academic achievements or professional success, or whose behaviour and values inspire others – in short, those Alumni who have delivered upon the famous exhortation of the Girls’ Division prayer, that “much will be expected of those to whom much is given”.

In May, members of the School community were asked to nominate Alumni whom they felt were deserving of the awards for Old Girl and Old Boy of the Year. Four Alumnae were subsequently shortlisted for the Old Girl of the Year award – Dr Sheila Fisher (née Platt, Class of 1970), Thorrun Govind (Class of 2010), Charlotte Morley (née Maddrell, Class of 1999) and Rebecca Turner (née Maudsley, Class of 2006).

Pupils from across the Junior and Senior Schools in both Divisions were invited to choose the nominee they felt was the most deserving winner of each of the two Awards in a vote conducted at the end of the Summer Term. The close nature of this pupil vote, combined with the strength of Alumni support for the nominees and their achievements, led the School to present two further awards, for

Boltonians Ladies Football

As reported in the last edition, the first full season after the Covid situation was a difficult one for the Ladies’ football team, with two years of disrupted play and the resultant loss of some players from the previous high-flying side. However, the team managed to rebuild and the season finished on a high with their appearance in the Greater Manchester Women’s League Premier Cup Final at the Vestacare Stadium in Oldham in May. The Ladies eventually lost 1-0 in a close game to a very talented Middleton team in front of a large crowd. However, their performance belied their league position and was a great credit to the all the players and the volunteers who have supported them through the recent problems.

The Summer saw a recruitment effort, but also a difficult choice, given that some of the players are young and new to open age football. As a result, the Club has requested that they return to Division One of the league to experience more competitive and enjoyable football as they grow and develop in the game.

The new season began with a match as part of a great day at the Old Boltonians AFC's (much delayed!) Centenary Festival of Football held at School in July

Outstanding Achievement, in addition to the two Alumni of the Year Awards.

Dr Sheila Fisher was chosen as the inaugural recipient of the Old Girl of the Year Award, in recognition of her distinguished career as the UK’s first female maxillofacial surgeon and her voluntary service within her local community. Rebecca Turner was the recipient of the Old Girls’ Outstanding Achievement Award, in recognition of her extensive fundraising in aid of the Blue Skies Hosiptal Fund, undertaken in memory of her younger brother, Tom, who passed away in May 2020 following a short but brave battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

Sheila and Rebecca will be presented with their Awards at a special assembly for pupils from both Divisions to be held in the Spring Term. They will be joined at that assembly by Sir Philip Craven, MBE (Class of 1968) – winner of the Old Boy of the Year Award 2022 – and by Max Griffiths and Sam Yates (both Class of 2001) – joint winners of the Old Boys’ Outstanding Achievement Award 2022.

We offer all four recipients our heartfelt congratulations on their well-deserved awards.

Nominations for the 2023 Alumni of the Year Awards will open in Spring 2023.

and has continued with a very positive pre-season and start to the league.

Matches are played on Sundays at 2.00pm at the Old Boltonians ground in Turton and any support would be appreciated. Training for the team is every Tuesday night at Ladybridge Sports Centre and new players are always welcome especially from within the Bolton School family and their friends. Contact Stacey Saunders for more information (staceybluemoon@hotmail.com).

Boltonians Ladies team before the Greater Manchester Women’s League Premier Cup Final in May

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Ask the Archivist

Where was Bolton School’s First Outdoor Adventure Learning Centre?

Visits to the School’s adventure learning centre at Patterdale Hall are now an integral part of a Bolton School education, but when did the School first purchase its own field centre?

Older Alumni will need no reminding that this was in 1967, when the School was able to purchase the former St Mark’s Vicarage at Cautley near Sedbergh, thanks to a most generous donation of £6,000. Jointly given to both Divisions, this was initially anonymous, but later revealed to have been the gift of Mr and Mrs Tom Markland (Governor 1972-1977), whose sons, Peter (1959-1969) and John (1959-1966), are both Old Boys. Largely driven by the energy of Mrs Hesketh in the Girls’ Division and Mr Kirk in the Boys’ Division, the building was made ready for use by the Spring of 1968. It was very much a joint effort as pupils, staff and parents all pulled together to convert the old vicarage into a field centre for young people. One of the kitchens became a biology laboratory, the pantry a storeroom, the lounge a common room, the bedrooms dormitories and the coal house a drying room. Staff and pupils of the Girls’ Division were responsible for choosing, making and hanging the curtains. Senior boys lent a hand with jobs such as sanding and varnishing the floors, installing new sinks in the kitchen and installing much of the furniture. A legacy from Mr Albert Parkington funded the furnishing of the dining room and other donors included the Parents’ Associations and the Old Boltonians’ Association.

The first group to visit Cautley was the girls of Form IIIH who ventured north at Easter 1968. There was apparently fierce competition for the top bunks in the dormitories until everyone agreed to take turns. Washing up and other chores that were deemed tedious at home became great fun. Long walks were to become a major feature of life at Cautley and these first girls decided to climb Great Dummocks, from the summit of which they were able to see Morecambe Bay. Only ten stalwarts made it to the top where they celebrated their achievement by singing the School Song.

The centre was up and running, but there was still much to do and fundraising continued. In 1968, for example,

each girl was given a shilling with which they were expected to make things and then sell them. This is said to have heralded a bout of frenzied activity as girls made such delicacies as gingerbread and ‘squashy’ cakes. A resounding success, it raised no less than £750 to help pay for new equipment.

The centre, which could accommodate up to 40 students and staff, was used primarily by the Girls’ Division for specialist courses such as Biology and Geography, History and English weekends and Form weekends. The Boys’ Division had similar purposes, but its groups tended to be smaller with less emphasis on Form trips, but greater interest in fell walking and a little caving. The building was extended after the death of Tom Markland in 1977 when his widow, Mrs Rita Markland, donated a further £10,000 to finance the building of a laboratory/art room.

Visits to Cautley continued to be as popular as ever, but by 1986 the fabric of the original building was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain, the water supply was proving to be problematic and the increased speed and volume of traffic near Cautley led to fears for the safety of the younger girls and boys. The Governors reluctantly came to the conclusion in November 1988 that it should be sold, with the agreement of Mrs Markland.

Cautley left many happy memories – washing up at the sink provided one of the finest views in the country, the central heating boiler seemed to need relighting every hour during a visit and pupils would work out how many baked beans their party would consume over three days. Many were sad to see it go, but most agreed it was the right decision.

Cautley was replaced by Robin Cottage, situated in the picturesque village of Askham, some five miles southwest of Penrith. This, too, had to be refurbished and it did not come into use until the beginning of the 199091 academic year, on an initial three-year lease. When issues emerged surrounding the renewal of the lease the Governors again looked elsewhere and when Patterdale Hall became available, the Governors jumped at the opportunity – and the rest, as they say, is history!

Meet the Archivist

Eric Fairweather

If you have a question about the School’s history or would like to donate to the Archive any photographs or artefacts from your time at School, Eric would love to hear from you. E: development@boltonschool.org.

Enjoying the great outdoors

Remove at Cautley, 1979

St Mark's Church, Cautley

Memories of School

Not Miss Higginson’s Choice

As many readers will know, Hig took a sabbatical in the Spring of 1965 to join Robert Montefiore Secondary School in Stepney, being placed in charge of Form 3D (a ‘tough class’ of 14 year olds).

Consequently, she was not in School to carry out her usual – with Miss Moon – annual interviews of the girls from the town’s primary schools who had come top in all the three 11+ exams (English, Maths, spatial test) and the Girls’ Division’s entrance exam. I was in this cohort and, instead, we were all interviewed by Deputy Head Miss Pilsbury and Miss Moon.

Miss Pilsbury was very different from Miss Higginson: arty, unconventional, ‘bohemian’, witty, wearing interesting and flamboyant clothes and sometimes considered ‘eccentric’. I think she chose a group who were different from the group Hig would have chosen

At the Old Girls’ Association’s AGM lunch in 2019 one of the women who was a Prefect two years ahead of us described us as a ‘naught year’ (once a Prefect, always a Prefect …). Certainly we full-scholarship girls were a lively, sometimes ‘street cred’, mischievous lot; different from the ‘classic’ Bolton School girl. However, something happened in the Spring of 1966 which helped to reconcile Hig to us. Well, to 3H anyway. Kind Mrs Hesketh took our class of 11 and 12 year olds on a camping trip to Stainforth, near Settle. It was physically quite demanding (especially for those of us who had never slept in a tent before), but enormous fun. We camped in a farmer’s field and got some food from the farm. There was a lovely clear river next to where we camped, with a beautiful waterfall cascading into it. I think we paddled and some swam. I can’t recall what we got up to for most of the time, but there was definitely campfire singing. Plus, Mrs Hesketh’s two teenage sons, Andrew and Michael, were there to help us with the heavy stuff. Andrew was 17 and Michael older (both Boys’ Division, of course). Several of us, including me, fell madly in love with dishy Andrew; here is the little poem I later wrote about him, as a smitten (and rather silly) 12 year old:

The School Prayer

Old Girls of all generations are familiar with the Girls’ Division prayer. In particular, the line “Much will be expected of those to whom much is given” sums up the ethos of Bolton School. But very little is known about the history of the prayer – where it originated or when it was first used. A delve into the archives suggests that it may have been introduced by Miss Higginson … or perhaps Miss Varley.

If any of our readers can throw any light on the provenance of the School prayer, we would love to hear from you!

Andrew

Andrew is the nicest boy I’ve ever met, at camp, He fell into the river once And came out rather damp. His hair is brown and wavy His eyes are grey and hazy His grin is most delicious, And over him I’m crazy!

He’s everything that I adore With personality too, He’s the greatest boy that ever lived That gorgeous hunk Andrew!

The weather there was extreme. Very cold and snow … lots of it. However, we persevered and lasted through the week. It later transpired that a group of Boys’ Division Sixth Formers also went on camp that same week and to a similar part of the north, but due to the cold and snow they packed up early and came home! This contrast delighted Miss Higginson; she was very proud that her girls had stuck it out whilst the older boys had not – and she didn’t miss an opportunity to point this out.

So, as the years went on, maybe our year was a rather rebellious lot, but we were also daring, strong, original and determined.

Kathryn Johnson (née Butterworth, Class of 1972)

Kathryn has recently returned to live in Bolton after 43 years away (and is dead chuffed to be back!). She would like to be in contact with Old Girls from the era 1963 (as 3rds) to 1974 (as Leavers). If anyone is interested, please get in touch via the Development Office.

O God, who has taught us that Thou will require much of those to whom much is given, grant that we, whose lot is cast in so goodly a heritage, may strive together, the more abundantly, by whatsoever means Thou shalt ordain, to extend to others that which we so richly enjoy; and as we have entered into the labours of others, so to labour that in their turn others may enter into ours, to the fulfilment of Thy holy will and the salvation of all mankind.

Amen

Looking Back

A nostalgic trip down Chorley New Road –photographs from across the decades

Don’t forget to take a look at the ‘Scenes from the Past’ page on the School website, which we update regularly with new archive photos: www.boltonschool.org. You can also share your own archive photos on the Bolton Alumni Network: www.boltonalumninetwork.com

Dr Spurr smiles during the visit to Bolton School of Diana, Princess of Wales, on 20th October 1993

Sixth Form Girls, 1966

Science Class, 1986

Badminton Team, 1987-88

Senior Gymnastics Squad, 1996-97

Swimming success, 1996

LIVES REMEMBERED

Florence Bishop (née Webster, 1943-1951)

Died 14th March 2022

Florence Webster was born on 26th June 1933, the only child of Olive and Walter, a railway clerk. Life at that time was particularly hard for the family: Walter went of to war, leaving Olive at home looking after Florence.

Florence was a bright girl. At Bolton School she found she was a natural musician and she learned to play the piano and organ, as well as the French horn. After School she attended the Royal Manchester College of Music and gained a teaching qualification which enabled her to take her first job at Hollingworth Secondary Modern School in Cheshire.

She then moved to Bolton to teach, and there she met Peter. The couple found they had a mutual love of music and their courting years were mainly spent attending various concerts. At college Florence had made friends with a visiting lecturer, John Barbirolli, the conductor of the Manchester-based Hallé Orchestra. Florence and Peter enjoyed listening to the Hallé and watching John conduct.

Florence was brought up in the Congregationalist church tradition and so she and Peter married in the chapel in Bolton on 24th August 1959. They moved into their first house in Hildon Street, Bolton, which had all mod cons – including an indoor bathroom and an outside loo! Their son, Roger, was born in 1960. The family moved to Nottingham when Peter secured a job there and Florence played the organ for the West Bridgford Congregationalist Church, whilst also working as a peripatetic music teacher and giving private piano lessons too. The family moved again, this time to Staffordshire, where Florence took a job at Cannock Grammar School. She became great friends with Gillian, one of her organ pupils. When Olive became ill and needed looking after, Florence and Peter moved into a larger house in Gnosall so that three generations were able to live comfortably together.

When Peter took early retirement, the couple moved to Newport where Florence continued to give private tuition for piano and organ. After Peter’s accident, the couple moved again, settling near Cromer in North Norfolk. Both were retired by this time, but Florence continued to use her skills to accompany a ladies’ choir.

Florence and Peter travelled widely in Europe, exploring France, Germany and Austria. A particular highlight was visiting Vienna, walking in the Vienna Woods, sailing on the Danube and having the opportunity to listen to some beautiful music.

Florence and Peter were avid walkers and had always enjoyed visiting the Lake District, so they made a final move to Lindal, where Florence busied herself with the house and garden, feeding the birds, walking the dog – and still found time to play the organ in various churches and chapels in the area. She also enjoyed reading, sewing, embroidery, knitting and cooking, and latterly became interested in the power of crystals.

However, it is not her pastimes for which Florence will be remembered, but for her relationships as wife, mother, grandmother, friend, teacher, colleague and neighbour, all of which were special in their own unique way.

Peter Bishop

Sheila Coates (née Hill, 1932-1942)

into later life through involvement with the Old Girls’ Association and as a member of the Scott Trust committee. Sheila also regularly attended Old Girls’ Dinners and enjoyed weekends away with her old School friends into later life.

From School Sheila went on to study at the prestigious Edinburgh College of Domestic Science in Atholl Crescent. She took on her first DS teaching job in Staffordshire only for it to be cut short by an attack of polio; fortunately Sheila survived it with only a minor weakness in one arm. Subsequently she went on to teach at Castle Hill School in Bolton where she had to be inventive with rationed ingredients after the war.

In her teens and twenties, Sheila played for the School lacrosse team and, in 1952, served as ladies captain at Lostock tennis club where she had met Neville Coates (1935-1938). They were married in 1953 at Bank Street Chapel; Sheila was a great patron of the Unitarian faith and the Chapel in particular, where she served as President of the committee for a number of years. In 1956 they moved into their forever home in Edgworth and completed the family with three children: John, Hazel and Judy.

Sheila was always busy; her first priority was always the family, but she also used her secretarial skills to help out at the family dressmaking business, H Coates & Sons, and took on much voluntary work with Meals on Wheels, the Bolton’s Women’s Refuge, Bolton Newstalk, fundraising for the RNLI to name but a few.

Bolton Little Theatre became a large part of Sheila’s adult life and she was very involved over many years as an actor, props lady, costume maker, committee member, president and always an audience member.

Sheila was born on 19th August 1924, the eldest child of Alfred and Nellie Hill and, with her much loved brother, John, grew up almost next door to Bolton School. Sheila started at Beech House where she met her lifelong friend, Sheila Bruckshaw (1932-1942), born just a day later (and who sadly died last year). Her affinity for Bolton School extended

In Neville’s retirement they were lucky to have their health and be able to enjoy time together. Sheila loved language and was a real stickler for correct grammar and usage – completing the Telegraph cryptic crossword was a daily activity. As regular visitors to France, she and Neville even took on A Level French in their 70s and achieved very respectable grades. Long haul trips to South Africa, Costa Rica and

Upper IV in 1938; Sheila is third from right on the second row

several cruises took them around the world, whilst always making time for regular visits to the Lake District and their children in Jersey, Cornwall and London.

Sheila and Neville were also lucky enough to stay in their beloved Greenthorne Cottage until Sheila became poorly, latterly made possible with the wonderful help of their live-in carer, Rosie, to whom we are so grateful. Sheila was 94 years old when she died after a few days of illness in Bolton Hospital. Her husband and children were all there to say goodbye – very sad to see her go, but feeling so lucky to have had such a wonderful wife and mother in their lives for so long.

Judy Zussman (née Coates, 19711978), Hazel Fenton (née Coates, 1968-1975), John Coates (1963-1973)

Barbara Drage (née Jary, 1932-1945)

On 29th June 2022 Barbara fell ill and died from an embolism in the garden of her Shropshire bungalow. At 94, she still believed that walking aids and mobility scooters were for very old folk (others).

Barbara was senior of the three Jary children to attend Bolton School, following Uncle Geoff (Boys’ Division Staff, 1936-37) and father WF (Bill) Jary, who taught in the Boys’ Division 1937-1957 and returned as an advisor for new laboratories – a 30year family connection.

Starting at Beech House, Barbara loved her schooling, excelling in sport, drama and needlework, while learning to play the violin. But, teacher training beckoned … Leaving the Girls’ Division in 1945, Barbara went to the Gloucester Training College, bringing home skills ranging from exotic dishes (cooked from rationed ingredients) to dressmaking for drama productions and to newfangled toe-trimming practice.

Barbara’s first teaching post was at Kettering, Northants, where she met Ronald, a factory-trained shoemaker

and forces-trained chiropodist. They married at St George’s Church, Bolton, in 1952, with Nigel Atherton (Boys’ Division, 1942-1949) as best man.

Barbara and Ron set out on a career in hotel management, starting (much to the boys’ delight) in Farnborough, and then in Reading – but these were no places to start a family. They then took on the village post office and stores at Orlingbury, near Kettering, where their first two sons were born, amongst postal orders and pensions (maths was vital, as calculators were rare). The villagers enjoyed the onestop supply of produce from Ron’s excellent vegetable garden.

By now, family time was seriously lacking and they moved to a family home in Ipswich, where their third and fourth sons were born. Help from special needs students enabled Barbara to return to teaching, parttime, a class of handicapped children in 1962.

When Ron’s parents died, the family moved northwards to a roomy house in Shrewsbury, where an excellent range of educational facilities catered for the boys’ diverse ambitions. Barbara was able to resume her teaching career at the Monkmoor Girls’ School, even driving to a parttime supply post at Whitchurch, while a local folk group was an outlet for making music on their violins. Finally, with the family fledged, a move out of town combined country surroundings with wildlife habitats, a thriving choir, a rambling club and real ‘retirement’ in the form of holidays abroad. This ‘rambling’ covered Australia, many countries in Europe and beyond, while grandchildren occupied any spare time (and accommodation) at home.

When Ron died, Barbara continued in the community with U3A, tours to famous gardens, and set up her own music group in-house, helped by upto-date recording technology.

Only after the age of 90 did her life of teaching, helping, supporting and accommodating others gradually slow down and the family – when in agreement – started to make decisions instead.

Barbara leaves her family of four boys and their grandchildren.

Steven Jary (Boys’ Division, 1945-1955)

Patricia May Glover (née Entwistle, 1940-1947)

Mum was born in Bolton, the daughter and granddaughter of cotton weavers.

Though the mill workers laughed at my grandfather, saying “Why bother educating women, they will only get married and leave, education is wasted on them”, he put Mum, and later her younger sister Hazel, through the applications for Bolton School. Both were accepted, Mum with a bursary. My grandmother took up a post running a fish and chip shop (not an easy thing in the war) in order to raise more money to assist Pat and Hazel in their education and university.

Mum started off studying modern languages at Nottingham University, but when they saw how good her Latin was (thank you Bolton School), she changed to Latin, French and Ancient History.

After graduating, Mum trained as a teacher, concentrating on junior and infant teaching. She then married Eddie Glover (another son of a weaver) who had just qualified as a doctor. Her first post was at a school in Norfolk where, due to teacher shortages, her class size reached 50 pupils. She worked hard for her pay!

Eventually Dad finished his national service and he and Mum returned to Manchester where Dad set up

a practice on a newly-built council estate and Mum was his receptionist. Later she took up teaching again and worked for a while in a Hasidic School in Cheetham Hill. She found this very rewarding and was pleased to find out that every girl’s reading age was above her actual age.

The pupils also had a fine sense of humour. Mum used to wear her glasses on a chain round her neck. One day she was walking past some children who remarked “Look, there goes Mrs Glover with her shortsighted chest.” She had difficulty keeping her face straight.

By this time I had also got into Bolton School and when I was about to leave the Sixth Form, Mum gave me a Bolton School library book to return, taken out in 1945. Despite my objections, Mum insisted that it was returned. On handing in the Latin textbook at the staff room, the Latin teacher looked at the book, thanked me and commented that she thought the syllabus had probably changed. I was very embarrassed.

Mum became a widow in 1993, losing the love of her life. However, after a while she decided that she would travel whilst she was still able and would holiday, usually in cold places such as Alaska. Coming up to the end of the millennium, Mum became very secretive, telling us only that she was going on holiday for a while. She would not be drawn on where she was going. When she returned, we found out that she had flown to South America and taken an ice breaker south so that she could see the sunrise of the new millennium over Antarctica.

What a Mum, what a role model and what a best friend.

She has inspired many of the females in our family and we have many happy memories.

God bless, Mum. Ruth Glover (1972-1979)

(Winifred) Joan Lacy (née Millar, 1936-1942)

My mother – always known as Joan – was born on 10th December 1924. After leaving Bolton School she studied medicine at the University of Manchester (where she met my father) and then worked at the Bolton Royal Infirmary. As was normal in those days, she ceased to practise when she started a family, but did join the women’s retainer scheme

which encouraged women to go back to medicine in the 1960s.

The family moved to Lincolnshire in 1959 and Joan took on the role of GP’s wife, taking phone calls and helping with dispensing, as well as looking after a family of five. She was very active in the local church, speaking at women’s meetings, serving as treasurer for the church and the local Methodist circuit, and later becoming a local preacher. She had a love of wild flowers and of Scotland which she shared with my father, as well as a fondness for murder mysteries and history.

After my father’s early death in 1987, she moved to Keswick where, as well as church involvement, she ran the local group of the Macular Society and was always ready to welcome children and later grandchildren and great grandchildren, friends and neighbours. She was always pleased to receive the Old Girls’ Newsletter and, after losing her eyesight, hearing it read to her, and kept in touch with many of her contemporaries, as well as attending reunions until fairly recently.

Joan moved into residential care in Lincoln last Autumn, but was unable to get out to spend her 97th birthday and Christmas Day with her family. After a stay in hospital, she moved into nursing care where she was very well looked after, maintaining her interest in events and family almost to the end.

She and her younger brother, Jim (Boys’ Division, 1938-1944), who later became a dentist, were from a fairly ordinary background and I know she was always grateful for the start the School gave her: on one of her last holidays during a break from the 2020 lockdowns we made a special trip to Bolton to see the School and it was great to hear her reminiscences of her time there.

I and the rest of the family would like to thank Bolton School for helping to make Joan the informed, questioning and wonderful person she was.

Dr Ian Lacy

Barbara Lees (née Parry, 1942-1950)

United with her beloved husband, Ian, Barbara passed away peacefully at her home on 8th June 2022. She is survived by her three sons, David, Michael and John, grandchildren Henry, William, George, Sophie and Adam, as well as longstanding friends

from her Bolton School days, Audrey Hood (née Nuttall, 1940-1948) and Margaret Krawec, and friends Ada Temperley from Wolfenden Girls’ Secondary School and Fred Tyldsley from Deane School.

Barbara was born and raised in Tonge Moor, Bolton. After leaving Bolton School she attended teacher training college, going on to teach at Wolfenden Street Girls’ Secondary School, where she became Head of English. After gaining a degree from the Open University, Barbara became Deputy Head at what was then Deane Secondary School.

Margaret Krawec (née Hurst, 1942-1947)

Shirley Whitworth (née Rushton, 1944-1952)

Shirley Maureen Rushton was born in Bolton in 1935, the daughter of Frank and Elsie Rushton, and younger sister of (Frank) Michael Rushton (1943-1950).

Across Bolton, and in music society specifically, her parents were held in the highest regard. Her father was Choirmaster at St George’s Church in Bolton, conducting many orchestras and choirs regionally; and her mother, an accomplished pianist in her own right, was organist at St George’s Church, and also taught the piano.

Shirley inherited the musical gene and developed her musical talents during her years at Bolton School. On leaving school, her talent as a pianist led to her being awarded

Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music; Associate of the Royal College of Music; and Associate of Trinity College London.

In 1962, at the age of 27, Shirley’s mother died. St George’s Church also lost its church organist – a position that Shirley stepped into. Through church and through music, Shirley met Leslie in 1964. By March 1966, they were married at St George’s Church, and moved from Chorley New Road to Tudor Avenue in 1972.

Bolton School remained ‘across the road’ all her life. The family Steinway grand piano stood proudly in the music room where it stands

to this day. Shirley retained many connections with the School, and many pupils came to the family home at the end of the school day, some becoming accomplished pianists in their own right over the years.

In 1976, the family joined St Michael’s Church where Shirley took over as organist, a position she would hold for 43 years until she decided the time was right to retire. She was Chair of the Mothers’ Union for several years and was also a popular organist amongst many of Bolton’s funeral directors who regularly called

on her to play the organ at Overdale Crematorium.

Shirley was widowed in 1995. Having never been abroad up this point, Shirley enjoyed several holidays with her best friend from Bolton School, Val Harris (née McCarty, 1947-1954). The Italian Lakes, Austria and Majorca were their favourite destinations.

Music remained an important part of her life with many a trip to the Hallé, and to Victoria Hall with her brother and his wife; and many an enjoyable evening was spent courtesy of the Friends of Bolton Symphony Orchestra.

In July 2018, Shirley was diagnosed with bowel cancer and underwent challenging surgery that August.

In November 2019, Shirley hung up her organist slippers – playing the organ was by this time difficult. She was 84 by this point and had completed 43 years in post.

IN MEMORIAM

Lois Cheatle (née Hough, 1944-1949) - Died 22nd March 2022

Becoming increasingly frail, she continued to attend church when she could, but in January 2021, Shirley received the devastating news that the cancer had returned and spread. With each month that went by, she became more fragile, and by November needed support at home. She spent Christmas Day at home, surrounded by her family.

Having been fiercely independent with some degree of mobility throughout, Shirley retired to bed on the evening of Sunday 9th January 2022, where she remained and slept peacefully for much of the time until she passed away in the early hours of Wednesday 12th January 2022, aged 86.

David Whitworth and Sue Higson (née Whitworth)

Sheila Entwistle (née Constantine, 1932-1944) - Died 2nd January 2020

Jeanne Lonnen (née Glover, 1938-1944) - Died 16th June 2022

Dr Marjorie Nevill (née Lord, 1942-1953) - Died 26th May 2022

Gladys Sidebottom (née Ormesher, 1952-1959) - Died 27th September 2022

Julia Campbell (née Singh) and Anna Ganley (née Georgiades) (both Class of 2001) having a fabulous time at the ‘1’ Class Reunion, April 2022 Designed and printed by BHW Print Group, Farsley Park, Wingates Industrial Estate, Westhoughton BL5