Winter 2021
Hello…
Welcome to the latest edition of your tri-annual alumnae magazine, Cloisters, bringing you the latest news from the School and your alumnae community. In this edition of Cloisters we highlight some of the fantastic events and celebrations that took place on and off the School campus in the second half of the Michaelmas term. A personal highlight was the two Carol Services which were held at St Nicolas Church in Newbury and St Mary Abbots Church in Kensington, it was wonderful to see some of our alumnae at each of those services. We are also delighted to feature members of our alumnae who share their achievements and personal journey’s since leaving Downe House. Each different and each inspiring. As we look ahead to a new year, I hope 2022 brings new challenges, new possibilities, and the opportunity for travel once again. We have a busy events calendar planned for this year and I hope to see many of you either at Downe House or at one of our reunions across the UK. With very best wishes, Alexandra Barlow Director of External Relations
A Special Connection: Downe House and Queen’s Gate School Downe House has connections with several Schools, however, the historical connection with Queen’s Gate School is rather exceptional, dating back to the Second World War. Miss Olive Willis, Founder of Downe House, was an old friend of Queen’s Gate Principal, Miss Spalding ‘Spee’. During the war, the School was evacuated to Downe House, in the Cold Ash countryside following an invitation by Miss Willis in which she kindly offered hospitality and the use of dorm rooms, gymnasium, labs, piano room, playing fields and 120 acres of private grounds. About 60 girls travelled from London along with the School Cook, Chauffeur and indeed several pets. On Friday 1 October, Mrs Alexandra Barlow (Director of External Relations) and Mrs Jane Caiger-Smith (School Archivist) enjoyed a wonderful visit to Queen’s Gate in South Kensington for a tour of the Senior School before joining Mrs Kamaryc (Principal), the School Archivist and the Communication’s team for a delicious afternoon tea at a local hotel. Many pots of tea were poured as they indulged in the nostalgia and imaging what it would have been like for those pupils all those years ago. Thank you to Queen’s Gate and Mrs Kamaryc for their wonderful hospitality. It is delightful to see the special friendship between the two schools continue, and we look forward to the years to come.
Contents
ON THE COVER A 2012 LEAVER SHORTLISTED FOR THE DRF WRITERS AWARD Read more on page 6 .
2 Strong Connections Similar but Difierent
4 DH LINKS Humour, Passion and Candor
8 Alumnae Focus Celebrating Downe House girls of the past
16 Farewell to the Class of 2020 A Time to Reflect
22 Senior Medley Lectures Sir Max Hastings Entertains
28 Fondly Remembered A Tribute to a Remarkable Old Senior
Magazine team Editor-in-chief Mrs Alexandra Barlow Guest Editor
Civil Engineer recognised in the New Year Honour’s List Rachel Skinner (Bass DH 1994) makes her mark as a trail-blazing engineer on page 5.
Freya Illingworth (Upper Sixth) Designer Mr Craig Stevens Cover image Marcus Hessenberg Photography
Downe House School @DowneHouse downe_house
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D H LINK S
The Power of our Alumnae
Conne ct I nn o va t e On l i n e
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We are delighted to share with you a flavour of the DH LINKS programme, to showcase events which have taken place over the past term, and to shine a spotlight on future initiatives.
HOW TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF AND NOT BE AFRAID OF TAKING RISKS
Jodie Gibbens (current parent) pictured with members of the Upper Sixth in Willis Boarding House
On Thursday 18 November, the Upper Sixth students had the fantastic opportunity to hear from Jodie Gibbens through the DH LINKS programme. Jodie spoke to us about her extensive career experience; spanning a role in a precarious Hong Kong based marketing firm at the age of 21, managing banks for all of Asia, working globally as an investment banker, and finally how she went back to university and founded her own executive coaching and consultancy company – which now has offices all across the world. Not only has Jodie managed to be successful in such a plethora of roles, but also be a working mother and a current Downe House parent; the achievement of which cannot be undervalued. The DH LINKS event took the format of a discussion; after Jodie had told us all about her life’s path, we talked candidly, and she asked each of us individually what our plans for the future were. We were touched by the genuine interest that Jodie had in our plans and dreams for the future, and the time she took to give us specific and meaningful advice. For those of us who didn’t know what we wanted to do
(which was most of us!), her probing questions allowed us to introspect, and consider which values were most important to us when considering a career path. Some found it was moral integrity, travelling, work-life balance, new experiences, and so on. She listened closely and suggested potential paths in life, not all work based, that were in accordance with our priorities and what was most important to us. I think it’s safe to say that we found Jodie’s stories and advice to be invaluable. She managed to do the impossible and reassure us that the future is in fact something to look forward to, despite the pressure to have your life mapped out by the age of 18. Through Jodie’s humour, candour, and passion, she connected with us through her understanding of the anxiety of youth and all the uncertainty it entails. I can assuredly say that Jodie was one of the speakers at Downe House from whom we have learnt the most from, and whose impact will memorable and lasting. Mathilda Singer (Upper Sixth)
Join us
FOR THE NEXT DH LINKS EVENT Wednesday 4 May 2022 7pm – 8.45pm
London (venue to be confirmed) We are delighted to invite you to the next DH LINKS event which is open to alumnae, parents and current girls. This event will focus on entrepreneurship and showcasing future innovators & leaders – come along to build links between the Downe House community and to share and gain insights into the varied career opportunities linked to entrepreneurship and innovation.
Be inspired, motivated and entertained We anticipate high demand so make sure you register to secure your place. Tickets will be available from 1 March 2022
E: foundation@downehouse.net T: 01635 204740
Alumnae in the Spotlight Executive Director at WSP, Rachel Skinner (Bass DH 1994) is recognised in the 2022 New Year Honour’s List, receiving a CBE by Her Majesty The Queen, for services to Infrastructure She has previously been named as one of the Daily Telegraph Top 50 Influential Women in Engineering and as the most distinguished winner of 2017 at the European Women in Construction and Engineering Awards. She became the youngest ever president of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 2020. Congratulations to Mary Bonsor (DH 2005) who has been shortlisted as an Innovative Leader for the WIPLAs – Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards 2022. Mary is co-founder of F-LEX, an online platform to connect law firms and general counsel to lawyers and law students.
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Alumnae Focus
SOPHIE
MEADOWS 2012
Sophie has been shortlisted for the DRF writers award 2021, a prize for unpublished writers, for novel THE FROG alongside building a career in advertising. She works for The Mix London and shares her journey since leaving Downe House with us. The friendships I made at Downe are still some of the most important in my life. I started school as a day girl – something I am still teased about – and I was very shy. I became much more comfortable in mixed aged houses. In the ten years since leaving school, we have ended up doing very different things for work (finance/ marketing/sales/acting/psychology/ fundraising/journalism), with different groups of friends to one another, and in some cases living in different parts of the world (London/New York/New Zealand/Hong Kong). Despite that, we still gravitate towards one another. I currently live with three of my friends from Tedworth. We moved in earlier this year, and carrying bin bags of duvets up the stairs together was a real flash-back to the start of term times at Downe. At school I had a very practical approach to my career, and by Sixth Form I was determined to do law after university. I definitely saw work primarily as a means to facilitate my life, and law seemed interesting, worthy and reliable. In hindsight, I was probably afraid to pursue what I really wanted to do – write novels – and instead I was trying to fulfil other people’s expectations. Since then, I’ve thought a lot about how, as much as it is human to want other people’s approval of the decisions we make, it is only ever ourselves who live with them. My career path since leaving school has not been the one I originally planned. I am not a lawyer, and I currently work at a market research agency called The Mix.
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We talk to real people to understand how and why they think/feel/behave as they do, and consider what this means for brands and businesses. We work a four day week, and I spend my Fridays in the London Library researching and writing. Recently, I was delighted to be runner up for the DRF Writers Award 2021 – a prize for unpublished writers – for her novel THE FROG, which I hope will help me find literary representation. My role as Lead Strategist at the Mix is the third job I’ve had since leaving university. I went to UCL and studied English Literature, and became heavily involved in UCL’s arts and culture magazine. I loved every minute, but even then I refused to acknowledge that doing something creative that involved writing was a more natural fit than law. I was equal parts horrified and relieved when my applications for law graduate schemes were unsuccessful. I temped for several months as a receptionist while I applied to anything and everything. Finally, I got an internship at an advertising agency, and was hired as a Strategist off the back of it. Spurned on by this, almost immediately, I started writing flash fiction. As I became more set on writing alongside work, I moved to another agency to give me more time to myself. In 2020, I did an amazing evening course at Faber Academy called Writing A Novel, during which I started writing THE FROG. At work, a typical day begins with a check in with my team. There are nine of us in total, three of whom I
line manage, and it’s my responsibility to make sure that our different work streams and projects are adequately resourced. The challenge is making sure that everything is getting done without anyone feeling micromanaged or overworked. I will check my calendar to see whether I have any client meetings, and if so, that everything is prepped in anticipation. Between calls, I block out my time to do my work. As we are a research agency, our purpose is to give clients a point of view on their brand/product/new product development/communications based on the findings of our consumer research. I am involved with all stages of the research, from writing the recruitment spec of the people we will be speaking to, writing the discussion guide which lays out the structure of the interview, conducting the interviews, analysing and writing up the interviews, and managing the client relationship throughout the process. My team is made up of junior researchers, data analysts, strategists and project managers, so I don’t do everything myself. Primarily, my role is to have strategic oversight of each project and to decide what our clients could be doing more effectively. All the way through school and up until the end of university, there’s a sense that if you put in the hours you’ll get where you want to be. Everyone who has chosen the same path is essentially on the same predetermined trajectory. I graduated with a First and as President of UCL’s arts and culture journal, confident that I would succeed at the first thing I tried to do. It didn’t take long to realise that finding a job wasn’t the grand finale to years’ worth of exams and my degree, but in fact the beginning of something completely different… It’s definitely worth keeping an eye on how you choose to spend your time when you are gifted free days, and what naturally interests you when no one else is watching or listening. Then you can figure out where this overlaps with things you are good at and what is commercially viable.
“Comparison is the thief of joy; look forwards, not sideways” 7
Alumnae Focus
ROSIE
CHURCHER (PULLINGER) 2007
After 7 years spent teaching in the UK, Rosie is now working for Game Rangers International (GRI), a wildlife conservation NGO. Who are building a world-class education centre in Lusaka National Park, which will offer free conservation education to some of Zambia’s most under-privileged children. Rosie talks to us about moving to a new country during a pandemic, what a typical day looks like for her now and where her passion from education came from.
What career did you envisage when you were in the Sixth Form at Downe House? How does it compare with the career you have had so far? I always knew I wanted to have a career that was people facing and diverse; sitting at a desk wasn’t for me! I thought education was something that interested me, but I didn’t think I’d end up living in Zambia and working in conservation education! Where did your passion for education begin? I think my passion for education comes from my belief that education is the key to change and progress. By providing education, you can open the doors of opportunity for others, and this is something that I wanted to be involved in. Describe a typical day for you. This is really difficult to answer as every day is completely different but it might look like this: We start work early to avoid the Zambian heat as much as possible. First thing, I usually answer my emails and read through the thousands of WhatsApp’s we receive. Due to our teams being all over Zambia, with limited internet
access, we use this platform for all correspondence which can get pretty overwhelming! I then might drive to our Elephant Nursery in Lilayi to meet my team and check up on progress in our Conservation after-school clubs project and our work with Women’s Empowerment Groups. If I’m lucky, I might mix up some of the milk for the elephant orphans and walk out into the bush with the elephant keepers to see them. I then head into the town office for meetings and to work on our fundraising strategy, education programmes etc. In the afternoon, I might go to Lusaka National Park to meet potential partners and check on our Wildlife Discovery Centre project before returning home. What challenges do you face in a post-pandemic world? For our organisation, the biggest issue is project funding. After the pandemic, grant funding has become even more competitive and, generally, there’s less disposable cash for charitable funding out there. However, in the wake of COP26, climate change and sustainability are very much becoming hot topics and conservation education is finally coming to the foreground.
What advice would you give to yourself as a Downe House leaver? To pursue a job that gets you up in the morning, that will teach you new skills and take you to new places. Where do you see yourself in five years? I’d like to be running my own Education NGO. Describe some of the challenges you have faced in your career. Without a doubt, the biggest challenge was teaching in an Academy in a particularly deprived area of London. Day to day was tough, both physically and emotionally, but I’m glad for the experience as it undoubtedly made me a lot stronger and more resilient. What would you say to someone considering a career change? Embrace the uncertainty! Finally, what quote/phrase/advice do you live by? Be curious and remember that ‘people rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing’ (Dale Carnegie).
“To pursue a job that gets you up in the morning, that will teach you new skills and take you to new places.”
To find out more, please visit gamerangersinternational.org 9
Alumnae Focus
ELIZA
DOWNES 2017
Eliza Downes (DH 2017) is a London based artist. Through her work, she aims to excite and uplift the viewer by capturing the essence of her environment using bright colours, bold patterns and texture. Eliza talks to us about her aspirations for the future and the challenges she has faced as she navigated her way through the pandemic as a self-employed artist. What career did you envisage for yourself when you were in the Sixth Form at Downe House? When I was at Downe I desperately wanted to be an actress (and still do!). Where did your passion for painting start? I have been painting and doing creative things from a really young age. As I got older, I would take my watercolours with me when I travelled to paint the views and sites, which I love doing.
Describe a typical day for you. At the moment, I have a studio in Chelsea Harbour, so I walk there every morning to start painting around 9am. Sometimes I have a friend that comes and keeps me company, the perks of working from home! When I am preparing for a mural or decorative painting project there is a lot of planning and correspondence with the client involved, like discussing paint samples and design, so I try and get this done in the morning so that I get on with my oil paintings. I try to have about three paintings on
the go at one time, therefore I can move on if I get stuck on something, rather than rushing into a decision. Everyday, I take photos of patterns, objects and colour combinations that inspire me which I then draw out in my notebook full of ideas, I add and refer to this all day. Instagram is also a massive part of my day, not only is it great for inspiration as I follow lots of other artists and designers but a great way to market my work. I try to post at least once a day to keep the momentum going and make sure I am
keeping my followers engaged. But for most of the day I paint whilst listening to audio books, the sweet life! What challenges do you face as a self-employed artist, particularly in a post-pandemic world? I’ve learnt that everything comes in waves, one day you think you’re Picasso and the next you’re having to use your prints as kindling! You have just got to stay positive and keep going! I naturally spend a lot of time on my own when I am painting,
so lockdown hasn’t changed much. However, having a painting in the Summer Exhibition at The Royal Academy proved it was all worth it! What advice would you give to yourself as a Downe leaver? Don’t worry! Follow your instincts and put everything into that. Where do you see yourself in five years time? In five years time I see myself mainly focussing on decorative paintings. This provides me with the opportunity to collaborate with other artists, designers or whoever the client is as they are done on a commission basis. Often this results in the ideas being bigger, more exciting and something I wouldn’t have necessarily thought of myself, which I absolutely love. What advice would you give to someone wanting to pursue a career in art? Like anything, if you enjoy it, keep at it and you’ll create your own opportunities.
To view Eliza’s work please visit elizadownes.co.uk 11
10 Year Reunion: for the Class of 2010 WEST 4TH KITCHEN & BAR PARSONS GREEN, LONDON THURSDAY 11 NOVEMBER
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Nearly fifty girls in the year group were able to join us at the beautiful venue in Parsons Green Photographs by Lara Arnott (DH 2010)
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Katharina Reimann-Dubbers & Lara Arnott Charlotte Stephen, Mrs Emma McKendrick & Jo Henley Our hosts & venue owners Livia Boumeester (DH 2012) & Louisa Stevenson-Hamilton (DH 2012) Eleanor Hall & Laura Elliott Anastasia Pejacsevich, Iona Macmillan-Douglas & Polly de Ferranti Flora Macfarlane & Molly Mactaggart Erica Hayes, Lottie Boumeester, Molly Mactaggart, Lucy Robinson, Victoria Stack, Charlotte Stephen & Amelia Wrighton Hattie Beazley & Amy Ropner Jo Henley
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Sarah Gillespie & Anna Newton Iona Macmillan Douglas & Anastasia Pejacesevich Camilla Capaldi Helena Parker & Laura Moore Lottie Boumeester, Giulia Beraud, Lucy Robinson & Alexa Berry Emma Powell Charlotte Carter, Laura Elliott & Eleanor Hall Davina Hall
NEW BEGINNINGS
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Minutes with Mr Matthew Godfrey – the new Deputy Head
fascinating and inspiring to learn how each of them has navigated their way through the years beyond Downe House. The main way in which our alumnae can help is to ensure they keep in touch with us so that we can draw on their experience and expertise to help others in our school community.
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Describe yourself in 10 words. I will simply repeat ten words my late father passed on to me and which I try to remember all the time: “Tell the truth; keep a sense of humour; listen carefully.”
What and who inspires you? The kindness of others is always an inspiration. I don’t have idols, but my literary hero is Kazuo Ishiguro (wise, beautiful prose), my sporting hero is Roger Federer (supreme athlete, calm under pressure), and my personal hero is my wife Julia (hugely capable, wise, endless patience). Spending time in the great outdoors – especially the English countryside and coastline – is also important and inspirational for me. Briefly explain your career path. I joined a global management consultancy straight after university; it was a top job for a graduate, and I chose it over teacher training. Seven years later I was disillusioned and still had the urge to become a teacher. I finally switched careers when I was 30 years old; I completed a one-year teacher training course and secured my first role as an English teacher at a challenging inner-city comprehensive. I was appointed Head of English after 18 months but left after just three years as I didn’t feel it was sustainable in the long term. I was invited to write a regular column in a national newspaper (The Daily Telegraph) about my experiences as a teacher; I sustained the column for around five years. I switched into the independent sector in 2004 and taught in three schools before joining Downe House as Deputy Head: Latymer Upper, in Hammersmith; Brighton College; and Caterham School in Surrey. I have never regretted retraining as a teacher, which I think is a wonderful profession.
What is your proudest achievement? Undoubtedly, it’s been raising my three children with my wife (very much work still in progress…).
What has been a highlight of your first term at Downe House? Spending time in the boarding houses. I have found the girls to be fun, courteous, bright and friendly. Broadly speaking, what does your role as Deputy Head at Downe House involve? I deputise for the Headmistress whenever necessary. I have oversight over pastoral and disciplinary matters and the professional development of our teaching staff. I line manage the Performing Arts departments (drama, dance and music) and our marketing and alumnae offices. I oversee various other ongoing projects, including our strategic partnership with Radley College. I continue to teach English to a fabulous group of UV girls and have five tutees, each of whom I meet individually once a week.
Downe House encourages its pupils to have a global outlook, offering girls a wealth of opportunities to develop their intellectual curiosity about the world around them. Why do you think this is important and what part can our alumnae play in this? It’s important because modern society is global. Our girls are excited by the opportunities and challenges this brings. They will go on to work in international companies and live within increasingly diverse communities and cultures. We are fortunate to have an eclectic, diverse and impressive alumnae and our current pupils find it helpful,
Mr Godfrey writes a regular blog for the Downe House website and his latest submission can be found here downehouse.net/taking-charge-of-your-learning
The Foundation Office has a number of reunions & events planned for 2022 both at school, around the UK and possibly overseas. Which of these might you be popping up at? I intend to be at as many of these events as possible as I am keen to meet as many of our alumnae as possible.
2020! Farewell to the Class of
On Saturday 4th September 2021, the girls whose time at Downe House ended during the lockdown of summer 2020, were welcomed back for a special Leavers’ Day lunch and celebration in the Cloisters.
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Ms Sabrina Natta (staff) & Arabella Woo Madison James & Sabrina Wang Alice Weldon, Tara Farquhar, Charlie Nicholson, Anna Neville, Tilly Hughes & Nina Paterson Maria Calem & Nina Paterson Victoria Aarons & Arabella Woo Helena Wormsley & Abby Dolbear Emily Barber, Ottilie Whitbread, Zoe Carruthers & Daisy West Jessica Chapman & Emily Manners Olivia Pockney, Jocasta Ferrigno & Gina Marchand Imogen Webber, Henrietta Miles, Alex Kiy & Olivia Lopes Julia Kennerley, Emily Manners & Nina Paterson Clementine Pemberton & Charlotte Field
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Alumnae Focus
GEORGIA
ALLISON 2020
One Year On
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We chat to Georgia Allison (DH 2020) about life at University and what she has been up to since leaving Downe just over twelve months ago. How has life changed one year on? Life has changed so much and at the same time hardly at all. I am still doing so many of the things that I loved at Downe such as my subject and music but I’ve also picked up new hobbies like rowing and cricket. My best friends are still DH girls (and I’m living with one of them in Durham next year) but I’ve also met so many new people. Describe how your expectations of University match up to the reality. The first couple of weeks were definitely tougher than I had expected. I never thought that I’d be homesick after 5 years of boarding but I was, and unfortunately this was exacerbated by having to isolate with covid. Last year wasn’t really what anyone expected with all of the restrictions, which made it hard to meet people and do all the things we love, however now that sports and societies are back on and teaching is in person I think it’s almost everything I hoped it would be. One thing I don’t think you can quite prepare for though is quite how much you have to take charge of your learning. People told me this but I don’t think I quite realised that nobody is chasing you to go to lectures or do assignments. Particularly with my practical labs this year, you are given an aim but no step by step instructions, which at first was very daunting but now I quite like the freedom and am excited for bigger research projects in future years. How has COVID impacted your studies – is there a mix of online and in-person lectures? Last year all of my lectures were online but I had a few in person labs and tutorials in the first term before the Winter Lockdown. Luckily this year all of my lectures and tutorials are in person with just the occasional lab being held on MS Teams. To account for this the physics department provided us all with a lab kit with all the equipment we need for the whole year including some exciting bits of electronics. I definitely prefer everything being in person as it’s easier to concentrate in a proper lecture setting and it also means I get to see all of my course mates.
Describe the transition from Sixth Form to University. I didn’t actually find the jump to be too great academically as much of the first year of my course was making sure that everyone who did different boards or went to school in other countries has the same foundation. However, there were a few topics which were completely new such as quantum theory, relativity and coding. I found these more challenging but enjoyed learning something new and having that ‘eureka moment’ when you understand a new concept, after all it was for this feeling that I wanted to study physics.
How did Downe House prepare you? Downe prepared me for University by giving me a love for my subject and particularly in Sixth Form to be a motivated and independent learner. It also gave me solid friendships with people who I know I can always rely on them when things get tough, even if I cannot see them for months on end. Most and least favourite part of University? My least favourite part of University is probably having to cook for myself and wash up, I definitely preferred being catered last year. 9am starts are also pretty tough and for some reason all of my lectures are in the morning, I don’t know how I used to get up so early at school. My favourite part has to be the variety of things to do. You can play sport or music and do drama to a professional standard or be a complete beginner and there are opportunities to try something
“Downe House prepared me for University by giving me a love for my subject and particularly in sixth form to be a motivated and independent learner.” Socially it was very different because I haven’t really had to make new friends since joining Downe at 13. I think the main difference was at Downe we were one big group of friends but at uni you have to manage different friendship groups who probably don’t know each other and sometimes I struggle to find the time to see everyone. One of the things about Durham is that there are lots of familiar faces of people who were at Downe or we’d met on socials etc so I instantly felt part of the community as I bumped into people in town. During the depths of covid someone set up a WhatsApp group for my course and from this there were zoom quizzes and drinks (this seems bizarre now but there was nothing else to do) after getting to know some people through this we met in the summer before uni and some of these people are still my closest friends. This was definitely one of the best things I did to make the transition easier, particularly when everything was online and many people didn’t meet course mates.
new and meet so many people if you are brave enough to put yourself out there. I also love being part of my college. There are so many fun events and activities and it definitely gives a greater sense of community between years. I’ve also become involved in my JCR exec which means that I can have an impact and make change within college which I really enjoy. Have you thought about your plans for after University? I’m fairly certain that I want to work in financial services, probably more specifically either deal advisory or asset management. Last year I took part in some spring insight weeks and from this I have an internship lined up for this summer. If this doesn’t work out I think I’d like to work in events planning as I’ve really enjoyed the process of planning my college ball this year and over the summer I worked for an events catering company.
Georgia pictured with Alex Kiy (DH 2020) at the Leavers’ Day celebrations in September 2021
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Alumnae Focus
SOPHIE
SHIPTON Sophie Shipton (DH 2014) graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in Politics and started on the Unlocked Graduate Programe in 2020. Sophie works as a Band 3 Prison Officer at HMP/YOI Feltham whilst also studying for a degree in Criminal Psychology. Sophie shares a fascinating insight into her job and what is takes to work with some of the UK’s most vulnerable boys aged 15-18.
The afternoon regime starts again at 13:30 with a gym session. Dinner is served at 16:45 and then the prisoners are behind their doors from 17:15. Violent incidents and incidents at height can greatly affect the running of the regime, so much so that if a prisoner goes at height on a wing that whole wing can go into lockdown, and no one is allowed to be unlocked! This is obviously very frustrating and disruptive for both staff and prisoners but is what makes every day totally different.
“You never know what you are capable of until you try.” What career did you envisage for yourself when you were in Sixth Form at Downe House? How does it compare with your career? I always wanted to work with people and thought that PR or film and television sounded the most exciting (despite never having worked in either!) I had thoughts of joining the army, but having done Gold D of E in L6 that idea was firmly removed from my career plans! Describe a typical day for you. Working at HMP Feltham is different everyday and due to doing shift work I start at different times most days. But a normal main shift goes something like this: My shift starts at 07:30 where there is a whole staff meeting held by one of the Governors and the Custodial Manager who are running the prison for the day. We are told about any incidents from the previous day, hospital escorts and staffing levels for the day (which recently have been worryingly low). We then all go off to our various wings to wake up the prisoners at 07:45 and get take them to education. Each prisoner will have meetings scattered throughout the day such as wellbeing, interventions like anger management and resettlement. It is my job to manage these all and make sure they all run smoothly alongside the regime. We serve lunch at 11:45 and then the prisoners are behind their doors (called patrol state) from 12:30–13:30 where staff can then have lunch.
What is working in a prison like? Fast paced and extremely stressful – I didn’t expect to do so much running! However, it is the most rewarding place I have ever worked as you are in a position to influence and help the most vulnerable and often forgotten in our society. Working with teenage boys aged 15–18 can be extremely frustrating at times as they are constantly pushing boundaries and testing you. However, it is also a very funny place to work and I spend a surprising amount of my day laughing!
school start out in some amazing jobs that we would never have seen ourselves in when we were at Downe! How are you balancing studying part time for a Masters while working in a prison? The way the masters has been written is very manageable alongside full time work. We have lecture days once a month which is a great opportunity to compare notes with participants from prisons all over the country! I am still a very last minute person (I was often found working in the Willis computer room in the early hours of the morning as I had left starting my essay until the night before!) so I start my assignments a week or so before but try and make sure I use a few rest days to complete them rather than relying on annual leave! Finally, a quote/phrase/advice that you live by. ‘Better a live donkey than a dead lion’ Sir Ernest Shackleton ‘You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think’ A.A. Milne
What advice would you give to yourself as a Downe House leaver? Don’t put any pressure on yourself! You will probably be in a totally different place in 5 years than you expected so just go with it. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? I would love to still be working in the criminal justice system in some aspect. Probably not as a frontline officer but maybe for the Ministry of Justice or a charity that prevents re-offending. I would also love to live abroad too! Describe some of the challenges you have faced I’ve seen a lot of violence between prisoners but also directed at my colleagues. This is something you become desensitised to unfortunately but at the beginning it was very shocking to witness. It is a sad reality that most of the prisoners in my care will almost always use violence to sort out their issues. What advice would you give to someone considering a big change? 100% go for it and challenge yourself. I never imagined I would step foot inside a prison, let alone work in one every day! You never know what you are capable of until you try and it has been amazing seeing my friends from
“It is the most rewarding place I have ever worked as you are in a position to influence and help the most vulnerable and often forgotten in our society.”
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SENIOR MEDLEY LECTURE
SIR MAX HASTINGS
Distinguished journalist and military historian, Sir Max Hastings, sat down with Teal and Honor for a special Senior Medley Lecture. We were delighted to welcome the distinguished journalist and military historian, Sir Max Hastings, to Downe House for the Senior Medley Lecture on Thursday 25 November. Speaking in conversation with our Deputy Head Senior, Teal, and Head of Lower School, Honor, in front of a large audience of Sixth Formers, parents, staff and guests, Sir Max spoke with great candour about his wide-ranging career. The feedback from our UVI pupils after the event was very positive. “It was impressive to hear the breadth of his experience as a journalist. He has covered such a huge number of big stories over many years – everything from the state of the NHS to the Falklands War,” said one. “He has also written extensively on a wide range of historical events,
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and it was fun to have the chance to speak to him afterwards and get him to sign his books,” said another. “Some of us were lucky enough to have dinner with him beforehand – and we thought Sir Max was a very charismatic and fascinating person to talk to,” said another UVI former. “He seemed genuinely interested in us as individuals and we all felt that he believed in us, too, in the sense that he believed we could go out into the world and make a real difference.” Another UVI pupil added: “He really emphasised how much he hoped some of us would go into politics. During the evening he was very frank in his appraisal of our current politicians – he was pretty dismissive of them and told us he didn’t think they were showing
sufficient leadership and courage about some of the big problems facing the modern world, such as mass immigration, global warming and social care.” Several girls noted how they admired Sir Max for taking some chances in his early career. One commented: “It was interesting to hear how he made his name covering the Vietnam War – but also how the only reason he was there was because he took a bit of a gamble and asked his boss at the time if he could go out as a kind of rove reporter to cover the action over there.” Teal and Honor did a fantastic job leading the conversation. Their questions were succinct, articulate, and bold, and it was especially impressive that almost all of them were asked spontaneously in response to Sir Max’s comments. The questions from the floor were also wide-ranging, articulate and intelligent.
Mr Matt Godfrey Deputy Head
Coffee Morning
Foundation
Saturday 5 March 2022 11am–12.30pm | Willis Coffee Room
The Foundation Office warmly invites grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters, nieces and cousins to a very special event celebrating generational connections with Downe House.
In association with
DH LI NKS
Conne ct I nn o va t e On l i n e
RSVP by 19 February: foundation@downehouse.net | +44(0)1635 204797
Have you listened to the Downe House Podcast yet? If not tune in and listen to our latest episode featuring alumna Emma Stonebridge (DH 2016) talking about what compassion means to her. Emma has also recently joined the staff team as Assistant Housemistress of AGS.
Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ gb/podcast/the-downe-housepodcast/id1556421306
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/ show/4lwy3o4WczXyNz44pcpfIx
Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/ the-downe-house-podcast
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The Joy of Christmas
Snow image: Infinity T29/Shutterstock.com
Highlights of the second half of the Michaelmas term included a Winter Wonderland experience organised by the Co-Curricular Department with fairground rides an ice rink and delicious Crepe’s and Churro’s for all the girls on the school campus. On the evening of Saturday 13 November, we were treated to a musical extravaganza with the annual Michaelmas term Concert, this time being broadcast live from our very own recording studio in the Farr Centre to parents, guardians and alumnae around the globe. Two Magical Carol Services rounded off the Michaelmas term and we
were delighted to host our two Carol Services back in person at St Nicolas Church, Newbury and St Mary Abbots, Kensington. Audiences online and in the church were treated to the much-loved congregational carols, exhilarating brass fanfares, and descant lines, as well as a wonderful and varied selection of choral gems, masterminded by Dr Charlotte Exon (Director of Music).
Pictured to the right is Lucy (Head Senior) and Teal (Deputy Head Senior) with Father Christmas (Mr Godfrey) & Monty the dog, as they make their important Christmas present deliveries to the Houses.
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At the end of the Michaelmas Term, girls were invited to enter the Foundation Office’s Christmas Card Competition to send to Downe House Alumnae. We had some amazing entries, particularly from the Lower School, and it was clear to see that we have some budding artists among our current girls! The winning entry was from Elisa in Remove, with second place going to Charmaine, who is also in Remove, and third place to Keren in LV. We have some very talented and creative girls throughout the School, and so it was great to be able to showcase their talent to our wider community. Keep an eye out for future competitions as there will be plenty more opportunities to display your talent!
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50th Reunion for the Class of 1970 On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in September, the Foundation Office welcomed back 15 members of our alumnae from the class of 1970 to Downe House for their fiftieth Reunion. This milestone event held in partnership with DHSA, was the brainchild of Elspeth Fleming (DH 1970 Marshall) and Rosie Leggo (DH 1970 Bunting) and after two postponements due to COVID-19, it was wonderful to host this special occasion. We all met outside the Murray Centre and, after a group photograph, a tour of the school was conducted by Mrs Alexandra Barlow (Director of External Relations) and Mrs Jane Caiger-Smith (School Archivist). The trip down memory lane included visits to Chapel, Cloisters, the Pepperpot, Concert Room, Art Rooms, Main Dining Room and also the Nickel Room which created much discussion as this space is now the Staff Room rather than the Gym! ‘The tour of Downe was fascinating and brought back many memories although there have been so many changes, obviously for the better, but it was reassuring that many things remained the same!’ The tour ended back at the Murray Centre, where a magnificent afternoon tea was produced by the Downe House Catering Team. We were treated to an amazing selection of sandwiches, Victoria sponge, coffee cake, scones with lashings of clotted cream and jam. Thank you to everyone who came and especially to Elspeth and Rosie. ‘It was fascinating to see a very different school, but the tour brought back so many fun memories. Then a delicious tea – another thing which has changed in 50 years!’ Louise Peto Alumnae & Events Officer
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Our thanks to all those who attended: Andrea Beaumont (Wilberforce DH 1970) Tessa Bennett (Gamble DH 1970) Elspeth Fleming (Marshall DH 1970) Fiona Foote (Foa DH 1970) Olivia Gerrish (Bostock DH 1970) Juliet Grayson (McCormick DH 1970) Jane King (Mynors DH 1970) Rosie Leggo (Bunting DH 1970) Henrietta Metters (Elwes DH 1970) Anne Morgan (DH 1970) Mary Murphy (Pierce DH 1970) Margaret Perkins Marsden DH 1970) Francesca Prentice (Fairbairn DH 1970) Annie Saner (Ross DH 1970) Sara Bristow (Cunningham DH 1970)
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DHSA NEWS
DHSA GRANTS All members of the DHSA are entitled to a grant to assist them in a worthwhile project e.g. towards an individual’s professional/educational development. Submissions are considered at the next scheduled meeting of the Committee. Application forms, available from the website, should be sent to the DHSA administrator at dhsa@downehouse.net. GRANTS [FOR ASSISTANCE WITH COSTS] HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO Philippa Durrant (Parkinson, 1991) – Training to be an Ollie Coach for Emotional Therapy for children and young adults. Molly Ropner (2014) – training at The Chartered Institute of Insurance. Next application deadlines are 21st February 2022 and 31st August 2022
MATHER TRAVEL AWARDS Mather Travel awards may be applied for by Members from university age onwards (Travel awards will not be granted for gap year activities). For full application criteria, process and timing, see www.downehouse.net/community/dhsa Next deadline: 21st February 2022 and 31st August 2022 The Hurlingham Club Lunch September 2021
REUNIONS Postponed from 2020, this was finally held on 17th September 2021. On a glorious summer day we welcomed more than 70 Seniors who had left Downe prior to 1970. Each decade from the 1940s to 1970s was represented, with special mention to the 1960s, who were the largest group. The event was held in the elegant Quadrangle Room; as the day was fine and sunny the doors were thrown open onto the terrace for pre-lunch drinks overlooking the magnificent Hurlingham grounds. The lunch was absolutely delicious and the DHSA would like to thank the Hurlingham Club for pulling out all the stops for this special occasion. The thank you letters we have received seem to reflect that everyone had a marvellous time; the atmosphere was very upbeat with many stories and memories being shared and enjoyed! It was wonderful to see so many members once again after such a long period. ‘I am so glad I decided to come, it was such fun catching up with so many people from all those years ago! The lunch was totally delicious and the arrangements perfect! Please pass on my thanks for a splendid day.’
FUTURE REUNIONS More reunions are planned for 2022 though in the current circumstances, details are still to be finalised.
OBITUARY 2019 Jane de Falbe (Marriott, 1943) Jennifer Gason (1960) 2020 Ann Humphries (Smyth, 1954) 2021 Sibella Bees (Abel, 1958) Marigold Freeman-Attwood (Philips, 1941) Anne-Marie Gane (Former Staff, 2017) Ann Inskip (Davies, 1943) Mary Ellen McEuen (Higginson, 1962) Anna McNeill (Fogg-Elliot, 1957) Elizabeth Russell (Mynors, 1957)
ADVANCE NOTICE OF AGM 2022 TUESDAY 1ST MARCH 2022. Venue/Zoom to be confirmed. 27
FONDLY REMEMBERED Audrey Mabel Harrison (Hird DH 1938)
Audrey was born in March 1921 in Rhu, Scotland, the eldest of two daughters of Norman L Hird (General Manager of the Union Bank of Scotland, later The Bank of Scotland) and his wife Mabel. Audrey went to Downe House in 1934, her sister Sylvia followed her there. She led an idyllic childhood in Scotland and at school in Berkshire she was fully involved in all aspects of school life. She played lacrosse for the 1st team, was a key member of the cricket 1st XI, excelled at music and maths and proudly gained the much sought after Music colours. She was Head Senior in her final year leaving Downe a term later than intended due to a serious medical situation which forced her to miss what should have been her final term. Undeterred and recovered she returned to complete her education and reinforce a strong relationship with the school and Miss Willis that lasted beyond school not just with her but also with her parents. On leaving Downe at the end of 1938 she went to study Music at The Royal Academy of Music in London. Her time at The Academy was interrupted as war broke out and her parents insisted she return to Scotland. During the war she worked for The Union Bank of Scotland in a branch in the Bridge of Allan replacing the men called up for duty. She was fully involved in the war effort within the local community be it on fire warden duty as the bombers came in at night, organizing the Red Cross effort or coordinating the Girl Guiding groups in the area Post war, with many of her peers deceased, she returned to the Academy. She graduated in the Summer of 1950, over 7 years after she had expected with her world and future life very altered. Music continued to be her life. She played in orchestras (clarinet), was an accompanist on piano at numerous concerts in London, often at the lunch time and evening concerts in St Martins-in-the Field and taught music privately. Outside of music she completed a secretarial course, being a decade older than most of the others, a geriatric as she called herself, but undeterred, she carried on determined
to overcome the impacts of War on her life. She took up a secretarial position in London and it was at work she met her husband William (always known as Bill). She was married in March 1957, the start of a devoted union that lasted until Bill’s early death in 2010. They moved to Sussex in 1962 and she remained there for the rest of her life. Audrey had three children, Malcolm, Sheila and Rosemary, six grand children and missed out by months from becoming a great grand mother. Downe was to play a part through her long life. Aside from being a pupil herself in the 1930’s, she was a parent of two more pupils, Sheila Harrison (DH 1982) and Rosemary Biggs (Harrison DH 1984) but more recently as the loving grandparent to Emily Biggs (DH 2019) and Georgia Biggs (Upper Sixth). Her close association with the school was as strong at her death as in her teenage years. She had visited the school several times in the last 7 years and marveled that in spite of the many changes, old buildings removed, new ones appearing, faces changing over the years, that the spirit of Downe and Olive Willis (who her parents were friends with) had remained intact. She always remembered from her own time the cosy atmosphere created by Olive Willis who used to say goodnight to the girls bringing her dogs along with her. She frequently recalled how as pupils the aim was to ensure they could all stand on their own two feet, a trait she was glad the school seemed to maintain across her century of life. She retained a strong interest in the school right up to the abrupt end of her life. It was as important to her in 2021 as it seemed to be from her final school report as Head Senior written by Olive Willis “Audrey shows in all that she does that she has the best interests of the school at heart, and she has inspired a feeling of great confidence in her judgment and quiet imperturbability”.
In Memoriam WE REGRET TO ANNOUNCE THE NAMES OF THE FOLLOWING ALUMNAE WHO HAVE SADLY PASSED AWAY. BRIDGET CONNELL (FLETCHER DH 1946) MARY ELLEN MCEUEN (HIGGINSON DH 1962) ANNA MCNEILL (FOGG-ELLIOT DH 1957) JOANNA THOMAS (HARBEN DH 1948) JENNIFER WALLINGER (CLARE-LEES DH 1949) 28
A truly remarkable person, pupil, parent and grandparent. A direct link with a current pupil back to the founder of Downe House, an encyclopedia of precise stories of Downe, of the War, an array of recollections accurate in detail to her last days, spanning a century of extraordinary events and remarkable change not to mention 19 Prime Ministers, attending the coronation of King George, living as a young adult through World War II, her fathers involvement with advising Churchill which she witnessed first hand, a life sandwiched between Spanish Flu and the covid Pandemic (neither of which she succumbed to) with Downe weaving its way through her own 100 years of life. She was unique, talented, resilient, proud and seemingly indestructible. She never stood still, she was instrumental in running the business her husband set up in Sussex,
…unique, talented, resilient, proud and seemingly indestructible…
she had a lifelong passion of the outdoors be it skiing in Scotland or Switzerland before War tore life apart, her young life devoted to helping others, a passion for gardening, a loving mother and grandmother and through all this she never left her music behind playing in the evenings at her grand piano as her children were trying to sleep! Only giving up when her hands could not cope with the keys. She had an energy and enthusiasm that defied her age, sharp witted to the final hours, she made an impression on everyone that met her, her life was simply quite extraordinary and she leaves a huge hole in the lives of her friends and family. The end of an era but a treasure trove of a century of stories. Written by Audrey’s family
Save the dates THU
10 YEAR REUNION FOR THE CLASS OF 2011
MAY
West 4th Kitchen in Parsons Green 6.30pm–8.30pm Open to all alumnae who are the class of 2011
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Stay connected To stay in the loop with alumnae news, future events and career opportunities through the DH LINKS programme, make sure you details are kept up to date at www.foundation.downehouse.net or email foundation@downehouse.net If you update your details by 28th February 2022 you’ll be automatically entered into our prize draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher. A winner will be announced in April 2022.
FUTURE MAGAZINE CONTENT
5 YEAR REUNION FOR THE CLASSES OF 2016 & 2017 MICHAELMAS TERM 2022 Date to be confirmed
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We love hearing your stories and celebrating in the successes of our global alumnae community. If you’d like to share your own personal or professional story and would be interested in featuring in the next edition of Cloisters, please contact us at foundation@downehouse.net
Upcoming Events Taking Place at Downe House FRI 17 JUNE
HOME COUNTIES REGIONAL REUNION QUIZ NIGHT
6PM–10PM
OPEN TO ALL ALUMNAE
SAT 25–SUN 26 JUNE
FOUNDER’S WEEKEND
SAT 2 JULY 2PM–5PM
OPEN TO ALL ALUMNAE
20 & 25 YEAR REUNION OPEN TO ALL ALUMNAE FROM THE CLASSES OF 1995, 1996, 2000 AND 2001 31
Scotland Regional Reunion
Held with the kind permission of the Duchess of Argyll
Wednesday 27 April 2022 10:30am to 2:30pm
TICKET PRICE: £35:00 Includes a welcome reception in the private apartments, tour of the house, guide book, two course lunch with wine and an opportunity to explore the magnificent gardens RSVP BY FRIDAY 25 MARCH Limited spaces available, so please book early to avoid disappointment Contact Lady Peto foundation@downehouse.net or 01635 204797 A separate letter will be sent to you to confirm your place with payment details INVERARAY CASTLE Inveraray, Argyll PA32 8XE www.inveraray-castle.com
Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 9JJ T: 01635 204797 E: foundation@downehouse.net www.downehouse.net Downe House School
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