Old Wits Through The Decades King Edward’s has a rich history of inspiring pupils to achieve and fulfil their potential. Our pupils go on to lead extraordinary lives all over the world, carrying our values with them. Old Wits have many great stories to tell, and their experiences illustrate how education influences what we become. In this special feature, we share the stories of four alumna, who studied with us at very different times. From the 1950s to the 2010s, they explain how King Edward’s shaped their lives.
Mrs Lesley Syme 1952 to 1959
The Queen Mother planting a tree, 1958
Mrs Lesley Syme (née Williamson) joined King Edward’s when the School became co-educational in 1952. Here she recounts her experiences as one of the first 38 girls and remembers a special royal visit in 1958. I was living with my grandparents in Surbiton when I was offered a place at King Edward’s at the age of 11. It would be my first time away from home, but I don’t remember feeling nervous. The fact that I was one of the first girls didn’t seem significant. In those days we simply did as we were told. We travelled to the School by coach and stopped for a picnic at Wimbledon Common. We arrived and were given our dormitories: mine was Magnolia. I remember there was a painted pixie frieze on the top floor of the Junior House. It was there for many years afterwards. Later I’d move up to Queens’ House.
The same tree outside the Science Block, 2020
Our uniform was a grey skirt and blazer, light blue blouse and hat and in the Summer Term we wore coloured striped dresses. We collected everything in a large initialed bag and were given our School number; mine was 324. Our House Mother worked in the basement and was in charge of the laundry, uniforms and general running of Queen Mary House. Miss Lily, a biology teacher, lived on the top floor and kept a close eye on us. I really enjoyed games at King Edward’s. There was a swimming pool in those days that was only used in the summer. In the winter it was boarded over and became the gym. I swam and played tennis for the school, taking part in matches at Bedales and the Naval School at Hindhead. In 1958 the Queen Mother visited King Edward’s to open the Science Block. I remember it vividly. We all lined up outside the School and she had lunch with us in the dining room, sitting on the stage with the Headmaster, Mr Humphreys. We had steak which was a real treat! When I was 15, I had an accident playing rounders which caused me to lose the sight in one eye. The experience shaped my life in a positive way, as having spent time in hospital I decided to train as a nurse. I studied at King’s College Hospital and went on to work in emergency medicine. I live in Chichester now and have 2 children and 3 grandchildren. My years at King Edward’s taught me to be self-reliant and above all to be fair. That was part of the School’s ethos. My message to today’s pupils would be to make the most of their time and take every opportunity. My education gave me a very good grounding and prepared me well for adulthood. 10
