The Newsletter of the Old Girls’ Association
No. 3 Autumn 2013
Happy Birthday To Us! – 100 Years Whilst rummaging through the archives, searching for material to display at a recent Open Morning, we discovered that the Old Girls’ Association was founded on September 16th, 1913 - 100 years ago!
A Minutes Book (part of which is reproduced above) informed us that the Association had an elected committee, which planned annual meetings with the goal of keeping girls connected to the School. The headmistress and two recent leavers were required to be on the committee in order to connect the interests of different generations. There was an annual membership fee, which contributed to the growing number of social events; they organised dances, picnics and sporting fixtures, with more and more girls becoming involved each year. The membership was increased in order to fund multiple charity projects. The money was used to support local families, help the relief effort in Belgium during the war and to care for children injured when working in the factories. One movement also saw the money used to buy wool to knit blankets for Serbian children during the war. Closer to home, the funds were also used to provide refreshments after sporting fixtures and to fund an annual tennis tournament between former and current pupils. It was also decided that the girls would have an OGA blazer and follow rules which were noted in their minutes book. At our regular OGA Committee meeting in September, we raised a toast to the Old Girls' Association on her 100th birthday! Ruth Parker
For Staff Too, Those Were The Days!!! If my memories are correct, it was the year 1957 when I had a series of minor misadventures that caused great amusement in the Staff Room. I had not long been at the High School and I had already made friends with the Art Teacher, Bronwen Roberts, who in those days was very slim and elegant and smoked the occasional cigarette using a long-stemmed holder. I rented a garage in Castledine Street from a very fearsome lady governor known to all as ‘Mrs. D’. One day I left my car in the garage, walked through the back School entrance, and soon discovered that I had left an important set of corrected exam papers in the car. To my horror I couldn’t find the garage key. Miss Andrews, the then Headmistress and a lady to be treated with great respect, had to have these papers the same day. I consulted my friend Bronwen and we decided that there was nothing for it but to take the garage door off its hinges. A car was standing outside the next garage and I hung my jacket on one if its handles before we set to work. Mission accomplished, the papers retrieved and the door back on its hinges, I looked around for my jacket and found that the next-door car had been driven off with my jacket still on its handle. Most fortunately it fell off a little way down the road. It was also the year of the bicycle affair. I often came to School on my rather posh Raleigh bike, which I left propped up against the School wall outside the Rokeby entrance. One day during the dinner hour I needed to go to the bank. I took my bike and left it outside the bank. Coming out, and being very short of time I grabbed the bike and rode it rapidly back to School. At four o’clock I went to get it and was puzzled to find that the only bike outside Rokeby was a very elderly ‘sit-upand-beg’ affair with a basket in front and a purple velvet seat cover. It slowly dawned on me that I must have taken it by mistake in my haste to get back to School. Next morning I went sheepishly to the Police Station and claimed back my own bike, which had fortunately been handed in. The fatherly officer looked at the two bikes and said,
“Well, young lady, you must have been drunk at the time!”. It must have been a bit later when we invested in one of those new-fangled tape recorders and French tapes. The beginners’ course was excellent, and the Upper Thirds were soon finding their way around an imaginary French town and buying croissants in the bakery. But I remember one occasion when I must have pressed the wrong button and the tape unwound itself and caused havoc in the lesson.
Those were the days! Today Bronwen and I share a house in Dolgellau. No longer, at 95 and 90 respectively, able to get around much. We are content to read, watch TV and play with our beloved dog Brith. From our front windows we have wonderful views of Cader Idris – that is, when it is not veiled in cloud! Mary Chipperfield Modern Languages Teacher (1955 – 1977)
Ruth Griffiths The Old Girls’ Association Committee is losing one of its long-standing members and it is with mixed emotions that we say goodbye to her. Ruth Griffiths, formerly Miss Goodwin, first joined the Modern Languages Department of Loughborough High School in 1955 and from that time she has always been interested in the Old Girls’ Association. Later in her career when she rejoined the staff, Ruth became more involved as the staff representative on the Committee. She was particularly active in encouraging sixth formers to join the Association and she worked hard in her quest to swell the membership. She adopted a very practical “hands on” approach towards the recruitment of new members by speaking at morning assemblies about the Association and visiting forms to talk to students and collect subscriptions. On the occasions when Old Girls were invited to call in to the School for coffee when the Annual Fair came to Loughborough, Ruth would be at the helm opening the building and helping to prepare the refreshments. She also became heavily involved working on the Old Girls’ Newsletter. While the production of the early Newsletter in the 1950s can be attributed to the hard work of “Woody” (Miss Woodward Secretary to the Headmistress)
Ruth and her grandson. Ruth, in collaboration with Betty Mackley, updated and developed the publication considerably. Ruth has witnessed many changes during her thirty-five years as a member of the Committee. She has given a lot of time and energy to its work and the Committee recognises and appreciates her contribution. During my recent discussion with her she acknowledged she has gained a great deal of enjoyment by being involved with the Association and valued having had the opportunity to meet and work with so many people. We trust Ruth will continue to join us in future activities. She will always be very welcome. Jane A Matthews
In Memory of Eileen Toone
It is with much sadness we announce the death of Eileen Toone (was Faulkes), a well-known Former Pupil, who died on the 1st August 2013 at the age of 82 years. Eileen had strong connections with the School for a substantial number of years as a pupil and later when she joined the teaching staff in the PE She was also a committed Department. member of the Old Girls’ Association Committee. She will be sadly missed by her family and friends. We asked her husband to write a few words for us...
Eileen had a wonderful ability to make friends; we have received a large number of letters and the theme running through them, is that Eileen’s friendship was a gift which was treasured. She attended a local primary school, and then took up a scholarship at Loughborough High School. Her time as a pupil at the school was one of supreme happiness. Though never coming top she always did well academically and was a popular form member, an excellent gymnast and a fine hockey
the event Eileen most desired happened – she was offered a position at Loughborough High School. She thoroughly enjoyed teaching there and was most adept at dealing with difficult and uncooperative pupils. So much so that I recall overhearing that, “Eileen had worked her usual miracle” in respect of one particularly obstreperous girl, but – how can you describe a miracle as “usual”?
player – becoming captain of the school team and ever present in the Leicestershire Schools side. Eileen studied to be a PE teacher at Chelsea College of Physical Education in Eastbourne and after taking up a few positions elsewhere in the country,
40 Year Reunion IV class, announcing that we were to get our TB jabs that day - we continued the joke through Art class, excusing ourselves one at a time and returning with red biro marks and a few stories of fainting. A creative lot, we were.
We were able to track down 45 members of our class, who travelled in from New York, Colorado, Sussex, Devon, Somerset, London and Birmingham, with just a few still residing locally. The weekend's events began with a welcoming school tour, followed by a great evening party at Tina Adcock’s (now Morley) home and a picnic on Sunday lunchtime. As we revisited our classrooms, anecdotes poured forth. The time we hid in the cupboards in the back of Lower V to harass Mrs Hitchman, only to have Miss Hadley, our headmistress arrive to teach that day’s scripture lesson; the time when Miss Westcott played an April Fool’s joke on her Lower
As we entered the Music School, one of our better musicians pried open the lid of the piano and hit that sequence of notes - the one that we recognized as “Our Father by whose servant...”. We sang in unison, no stumbling over words here, and then, with a glib smile, we repeated our special verse. It was the first time most of us had sung “Five Hundred Years Enduring” The acoustical excellence of the room inspired us to launch into that favourite of the carol service “Three Kings from Persian Lands Afar” Melody and descant soared above and all those drills from Hotch, I mean Miss Griffith, came to fruition. In that spine-tingling moment, we were perfect.
Eileen’s popularity was highlighted at our wedding which took place during this time. Typically Eileen had planned a very quiet wedding but when I entered the church at Quorn, it was packed – it seemed that half the High School pupils were there, & more arrived as I waited. In the fullness of time Elizabeth and then Richard were born; Eileen’s joy was complete and she concentrated on life as a wife and mother, a job which I consider she did extremely well. In later life, Eileen bore the afflictions of illness with a stoic courage and fortitude which amazed me and filled me with respect and admiration.
Drinks by the Thames We were fortunate to have such a delightful, sunny evening for our reunion in Putney in June; quite a number of us were enjoying our drinks on the balcony, with its attractive view across the river and even a glimpse of Wembley Stadium, far to the northwest. There were a number of boats to be seen, several practising purposefully for the forthcoming Henley Regatta and some in more leisurely mode, just enjoying a perfect evening out on the river. Altogether there were about seventy of us gathered there, including several guests, with a good cross-section of ages , enjoying the tasty nibbles being brought round. Glass in hand, we were happily renewing acquaintances and making new ones; there was sharing of reflections on our school careers, some of life’s achievements and disappointments and even a few spirited discussions! We agreed it had been a lively, interesting and enjoyable evening and our thanks are due to the staff who worked hard to make it so successful.
For those of our class who had conflicting engagements and those who we might reach through this newsletter, mark your calendars for the next reunion sometime in 2015. “Now We Are Six-ty” with apologies to A.A.Milne Angela Donini (was Goodacre)
20 year reunion
Jill Whitworth Johnson
You are invited to
A Celebration of Christmas 10 year reunion
on Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd December at 7pm Please request a ticket(s) by emailing b.lomas@leshigh.org or by writing to the address below, clearly stating your name, address, contact telephone number and crucially, the date you wish to attend.
25 year reunion
The School Secretary, Loughborough High School, Burton Walks, Loughborough, LE112DU.
News of Former Pupils The School has recently welcomed back 3 former pupils as members of staff. Dr Clare Burnett (was Wynn; 1990-1997) joins LHS as Head of Careers, Radhika Mistry (1997-2004) joins the Maths Department and Ellie Rees (20012008) is now the ICT Technician and also teaches in the Psychology Department.
Recently we were honoured to welcome back to LES Doreen Edwards (was Brookman) and her husband Bill. They are both now 93, she an Old Girl and he an Old Loughburian. Doreen started at Fairfield in 1926, leaving the High School in 1936. They visited with their son, David, who is also an OL and it was their grandson Jack, who is in the Upper Sixth at LGS, who organised the visit for them. Numerous cousins / siblings also attended the Schools at some point or another, so the Endowed Schools are certainly in their blood! They really were a lovely couple and we were so pleased to have met them and be able to show them around the Schools. Gemma Keatch (was Breakwell; 1996-2001) wrote to tell us, "I got married on 18th May at Wollaton Hall in Nottingham. I met my Canadian husband when we were both travelling in Australia and after some long-distance dating, I moved over to live in Canada back in 2010, but we decided to have our wedding in England (in ‘Batman’s castle’ as our Canadian friends called it!). Three other former pupils were with us on the day - Emma Kirkham, Charlie Osborne, and Naomi Wollacott. Sadly I missed our 10 year reunion in June as I had to go back to work after all the wedding and honeymoon travel!
Ellie, Claire and Radhika.
Emily, Charlie, Naomi and Gemma.
Doreen and Bill Edwards with their son, David.
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Jessie Long (was Holmes) on July 31st this year, aged 101. Many of you, we know, enjoyed reading about her life and her memories of LHS in the 1920s, in the last issue of Cloisters. We feel so lucky and priviledged to have been given the opportunity to meet Jessie and record her memories. She was such a vibrant and interesting woman who truly embodied the phrase ‘young at heart’. Jessie died peacefully after a short illness.
Interview with Rachel Parris Former pupil Rachel Parris is making a name for herself on the UK comedy circuit and as an actress on stage and screen. We are extremely excited to announce that she has agreed to speak at the Loughborough Dinner 2014 and hope you will join us for what promises to be a great evening (see the enclosed invite). We caught up with Rachel to find out more about her career and her memories of life at LHS. House: Fearon! Mighty Mighty Fearon! (I was House Captain!) Memorable teachers: Miss Weaver and Mrs Cheesman had a huge influence on me; Ms Cortazzi and Miss Wassell; Mrs Armstrong. School achievements: winning the first Dickens Prize for Drama, playing Mrs Hunstanton (in Oscar Wilde's A Woman of No Importance) in House Drama, winning the Music and English prizes at 6th Form. Further Education: BA in Music and an MA in Acting Do you feel that your time at LHS influenced the path you have taken since? Without a doubt. Being given the opportunity to act in Shakespeare at the age of 14 (Rachel played Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream), and also doing classical and jazz concerts from 11 or 12, meant I had the whole of my time at school to figure out what I loved doing, and to practise it, so that by the time I went to university I was already determined to be a performer. Do you have any stand out memories of lessons or teachers? Mrs Armstrong taught me history on and off throughout my 7 years; she was so inspiring. I especially recall her showing us part of the final episode of BlackAdder during our lessons on WW2; I love not just that she chose to show us some comedy but that she trusted us enough to believe we would feel the poignancy of it, and we did.
So, you do some acting, some musical comedy - how would you actually describe yourself? I’d probably call myself an actress first (most recently Rachel has starred in The IT Crowd on Channel 4), but it is comedy and improv that has been the most successful thing recently. People often ask what is meant by ‘musical comedy’ - it's really just being funny using music, usually singing funny songs, (not always – Bill Bailey doesn’t write songs as much as he presents observational comedy about different bits of music that we know…). You've done the Edinburgh Fringe for 8 years, so what was different about this year? It was my first solo tour and it felt much scarier and more pressured than before. My show was called The Commission, as it was about being commissioned by TV companies, record labels, education boards etc., to write songs and jingles for specific purposes. Comedy can be quite a lonely business, and never more so than at Edinburgh when the show you’ve been working on for a year, and paid for, and done PR and marketing for, is up for open criticism – that first day’s show I was very nearly sick - I've never been so nervous in my life. But thankfully it all paid off, and it went really well. It pretty much sold out every day, which was amazing. Now to write the ‘difficult” second show! Are you working on any specific projects right now? Yes, I’m writing and filming a song about falling in love on YouTube, in association with Com Comedy, I’m filming some comedy sketches with fellow comedians Helen Arney and Anna Morris and I’m also performing regularly with my improv group, Austentatious; we will be on a UK tour from February onwards. I’ll be doing The Commission in London in October/November, at Leicester Comedy Festival in February, and later in the year, at the Glasgow and Brighton Fringes. I’ll also be doing my regular gigs – a few a week around London and the UK.
You have chosen a career path which is quite unusual, and especially so for an LHS girl! Have you met much resistance along the way, either due to your gender or your background? Good question! There is a lot to talk about there but basically, I think there still is a bias towards men in the industry, especially in the more traditional bits of the circuit, but the situation is improving very very quickly. Either in spite of , or because of that bias, I’ve found there is a strong sort of sisterhood within comedy – I feel very supported by all the female comedians I know (and loads of male ones too!). What advice would you give to young women wanting to get into comedy? Be kind to yourself…don’t look at what everyone else is doing – just try to focus on your own path and what material and gigs make you happy – there’s no hurry and no right way. And remember, no-one (including me) is doing as well as they pretend to be on Facebook! You can find out more about Rachel and view her gig and performance dates by visiting her website www.rachelparris.com, follow her on Twitter @iamrachelparris or Facebook 'Rachel Parris’. Laura Dickinson
Rowena Limb
Future Events
Former Pupil and School Governor Rowena Limb (was Kellam) attended LHS between 1978 and 1985 and became a governor in June 2012. Her two children are currently pupils at LES. After a Geography degree at Cambridge, Rowena joined the Civil Service as a management trainee and is still there! Although she has remained with the same employer, she has worked in many places and on many projects; she started in an inner city benefit office, moved onto working in skills developing early teacher appraisal systems and a qualification for new headteachers - and then changed direction (back towards Geography) working on housing, planning and transport. Looking back, she believes it is hard to separate the influence of home and school; both taught her to do her best and aim for what she wanted whilst remembering others. When asked about her best memories of school, Rowena talks of hours and hours on the hockey pitch, watching and performing in the tableaux and S level Geography lessons in Lower 6th – challenging study but with no exams that year! Unsurprisingly, given that she is now a governor of the school, Rowena took on several key roles during her time at LHS; she was a Prefect, the Voluntary Service Unit chairperson, Burton Secretary and Hockey Captain and also, that most important and sought after of positions - Flower Monitor! Among the teachers whom Rowena particularly remembered was Miss Coe (English), since she managed to teach her to enjoy getting under the surface of poetry and literature. Miss Finch (Geography) also deserves a mention for not only putting the idea of Cambridge into her head, but getting her there. We asked her to answer a few questions for us... Now that we know a bit about you Rowena, tell us why you decided to become a governor. Encouragement from friends and a tangible
LHS Staff News For many of us, our teachers are the people we remember most clearly from our time at school. They often inspired us, sometimes scared us but always left an impression! A number of LHS staff left this year for pastures new: Megan Starkings has retired, after many years as a physicist and head of years 7 and 8. She will be much missed, not least because I have a strong suspicion that she will have had contact at some point in their school career with virtually every student currently in the school and many of you former pupils. Lea Toone also retired this year; he had already tried retiring once before, from a previous role, but assures us that this time he really means it! Ilanah Dance is looking forward to a retirement free of being ‘badgered’ by girls (she is famous for playing a badger in every staff pantomime) after contributing so much to the school. Beverley Lott, who will, I know be busy in her retirement and whose company I and many colleagues will very much miss. She has given so many girls her wise counsel both in her role as teacher of French and also as head of careers, and we will miss her a great deal. She has also been a much valued, enthusiastic member of the OGA Committee. Other staff moving on to new schools are Liam Thornton, who left the history department for the lure of a full-time role, Anne Robinson left her part time role in the biology department to spend more time with her family, Katherine Kroon, who returned to her original career as an engineer
February
way to be part of the School’s continuing success – I have brought my family up close by and my daughter and son are now pupils. It felt time to give something back. Involvement with the Old Girls was another valuable option; I had an opportunity to speak to Year 13 girls recently; I encouraged them to stay in touch with school, think about the next generation and be prepared to give something back – however little. Can you explain what your role entails? I became a governor in June 2012 and as a co-opted governor can serve for an initial 5 year term. I am still learning, but governors are both directors of the company and trustees of the charity. Ultimately we are responsible in law and to the charity commission for the effective running of the schools – ensuring that current pupils get the best education possible and that future pupils have the chance to benefit from the Endowed Schools. As a former pupil, parent and governor, what is your impression of the High School today? I remain impressed at how the School can retain its original ethos of providing excellent education for young women with a number of traditions remaining the same, and yet be equally up to date with its approach to education and personal development. I’d encourage any former pupils who have not been back for a while to get in touch for a visit or just to find out what is happening in their favourite area – sport, music or a subject. I am amazed that people do remember you – even when you were just one of those many in red and white stripes…. Janice Riddle following some hefty persuasion by Rolls Royce, Alex Cooper, who has moved with his family to the Middle East, and Joanna Mayfield, who moves after 10 very successful years as head of PE to a role as head of PSHCRE closer to home.
Saturday 1st LES Oxbridge Dinner at St Hugh's College, Oxford.
March Saturday 22nd Loughborough Dinner with speaker Rachel Parris. There is also likely to be a reunion event in the North East this month: date TBC The Class of '74 reunion is likely to take place this month: date TBC.
May There is likely to be a South West lunch this month: date TBC.
June Saturday 14th Class of '04 10 year reunion.
Sunday 29th Alfresco Concert & Headmaster's Garden Party. Drinks by the Thames at the London Rowing Club will take place this month: date TBC.
July Friday 11th - Sunday 13th Rugby for Robbie & Jake event. For more details on any of these events, please email
events@lesdev.org or call
Hannah Wyatt 01509 638920
Gwen Byrom (Headmistress)
For extra event photos, correspondence and more related content, which we were unable to fit into this issue, please visit
www.olaoga.co.uk
Class of ’69 We would love to hear from former pupils who left LHS in 1969, as we are hoping to organise a reunion next year! Please contact us by email: events@lesdev.org or by writing to: The Development Office, Loughborough Endowed Schools, Burton Walks, Loughborough LE11 2DU.
Cloisters Correspondence Memories of Miss Gray and other members of staff I have just received the newsletter, I do like the modern, revamped look...I remember dear Miss Gray so well. She was a true educator in the sense that she would 'draw out' of you stuff that you didn't know that you knew! She was tiny, and would sit on a desk swinging her legs whilst talking. She used to have my class after music with a teacher called Hotch (Miss Margaret Griffiths) who could be sarcastic and somewhat sharp with us. Miss Gray would have to calm us down before teaching us anything! Janet Grant (was Child; 1960-65) Hello, greetings from Melbourne Australia! The new format is interesting and will, I am sure, encourage memories from old girls. For myself, lo and behold, someone I recognised appeared before my eyes as I stared at the photo of Miss Gray, my form mistress in the upper fifth over fifty years ago. This previously lost image of Miss Gray in a neat jacket was standing, clear as day, before me, in Australia, thousands of miles away! I remember Miss Gray as a kind teacher, passionate about geography. Julia Bryans, (was Bevan)
Could you contribute to the
newsletter?
Memories, a book review, tales of travels, career choices, opinion pieces…whatever you have to say, we want to hear it! Contact the Newsletter Team: Laura Dickinson, Jenny Woods and Janice Riddle Please direct any comments or contributions to: Laura Dickinson Email: oganews@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 07734 176284 or 01509 889682 or Write: 114 Main Street, Willoughby on the Wolds, Leics. LE12 6SZ To change the way you receive the newsletter, contact the Secretary, Jenny Woods lhsogasec@gmx.com