I25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

FARNBOROUGH HILL OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER 2014 - 2015

President Maria O’Connor

maria@profsports.com

Vice President Niamh Hills

niamhhills1989@hotmail.com

Membership Secretary Juliana Luxton

jluxton@yahoo.com

Newsletter Secretary Gill Chapman

chapmangil@aol.com

Treasurer Christina Wagstaff (Moore)

christina.wagstaff@hotmail.co.uk

Headmistress Sarah Buckle

HM@farnborough-hill.org.uk

The Committee

Other Committee Members

Helen Williams (Attridge), Anna Payne (Bowyer), Niamh O’Connor,

Sarah Bunch, Natasha Adams, Eleanor Roberts, Sophie Wort,

Sara Davison, Elizabeth Nash, Cathy Dales

Honorary members: Ann Berry (Tristram), Mary-Rose Murphy

L-R: Ellie Roberts, Becky Doyle, Gill Chapman, Niamh Hills, Sophie Wort,

Christina Wagstaff (Moore)

Front cover: 125 Year Reunion - how many staff members? Answer: inside back cover.

Events Secretary Vacant

(Interim Secretary - Becky Doyle

doyle.becky@hotmail.co.uk)

Community

Representative Sister Veronica Rennie (RCE)

Staff Representative Clare Duffin

(Director of Admissions)

admissions@farnborough-hill.org.uk

Welcome to the 2015 Newsletter. It is hard to believe

that another year has passed by so quickly.

Our FHOGA database is rapidly growing and now

stands at 3,000 including 1,500 email addresses. Email

is a great way to keep you up to date. If you think we

might not already have your email address, please drop

a line to: FHOGA@farnborough-hill.org.uk. Equally,

if you know of anyone who is not yet a member or is

not receiving information from us, do ask them to get in touch.

Our reunion in September was a huge success, with over 400 Old Girls spanning eight

decades present, along with sixty current and former members of staff. It was a fantastic

celebration of the 125 years of Farnborough Hill and great to see so many of you there.

Thanks go once again to Gill Chapman for all her efforts.

Many people in previous years have asked about bringing families to our reunions so we

are trying out a slightly different format this year. We are offering Old Girls the chance

to bring family along – children, parents, grandparents, husbands, partners etc. However,

we will still be able to accommodate groups of Old Girls; do let us know if you have an

important anniversary. We will be using the Eventbrite ticket system this year to make it

easier for you to purchase your tickets online for the reunion and other events that

FHOGA organise.

We are absolutely delighted to tell you that last year’s Old Girls’ Scholar, Millie Free-

man, has been appointed as Head Girl from September 2015. This demonstrates firstly

how valuable the scholarships are and secondly how effective the selection process is.

Congratulations to Millie from all of us!

None of this work could take place without the efforts of the FHOGA Committee and I

would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of them for the time and

commitment that they give to FHOGA. We are actively seeking new members for the

committee, so if you live locally and would like to get involved, please do get in touch.

A quick reminder that we have our very own

Facebook group – Farnborough Hill Old Girls’

Association with almost 1000 names. Don’t

forget to join to be kept in the loop with all the

latest news and event updates.

I hope you enjoy the newsletter this year. A big

thank you goes to Gill Chapman for all her

hard work in pulling this together. Please con-

tinue to send us your news and suggestions.

We are always keen to hear from you.

Maria O'Connor

President’s Report

FARNBOROUGH HILL OLD GIRLS' ASSOCIATION

REUNION & FAMILY

FUN DAY Saturday 12th September 2015

12.30 - 5.00 Welcome Drinks, BBQ lunch, Treasure Hunt,

Potted Sports, Raffle, Tug of War, Cash Bar, Ice Cream, Thanksgiving Service

£16 per person - £8.00 for children aged 5-16 Under 5s free

Family members of all ages are welcome

Tickets can be ordered online using Eventbrite Email Christina Wagstaff for the link: fhoga@farnborough-hill.org.uk

or send a cheque payable to FHOGA c/o Farnborough Hill, Farnborough, GU14 8AT

including a return address, maiden name and year of leaving

Ticket deadline: 31st July

Any profit made will go towards the Scholarship Fund

The celebration of the 125 Anniversary of the Sisters

coming to Farnborough was highlighted at every opportunity during the year. It was

launched in May to commemorate the enrolment of the first pupil. A cake with 125 can-

dles was cut for the staff and each pupil was given a cupcake. There was also a helium

balloon race. Hundreds of green and purple balloons were released: one for each mem-

ber of the school community. It was a

splendid sight.

The long awaited School Inspection even-

tually happened in the Easter Term. The

written and verbal reports were all

'excellent'. In recognition of the great com-

mitment of all of the staff, the Board of

Governors gave staff a free day with tickets

for the “Jersey Boys” in the Piccadilly The-

atre on 23 April. We were delighted to be

invited to share this special “Thank You”

and we all thoroughly enjoyed the day.

The school continues to invite and entertain us on 21 November. We always renew our

vows at the mass and it is very special for us. This year, the day also marked the launch-

ing of the anniversary book, “From Hillside to Farnborough Hill”.

The Old Girls' Reunion was a great success. It was lovely to meet so many girls, many

of whom we had not seen since they left school. Three Sisters were unable to be present,

so a book was provided by the Old Girls' Committee for each of Srs Teresa Hawkins,

Rosemary Alexander and Mary Dawson and Old Girls were encouraged to write a com-

ment, which they did willingly. The Sisters were absolutely delighted with them and

love to share them with their visitors.

Community News

Sister Veronica Rennie with (L-R) Trina Walsh, Penny Comerford (Bull), Deirdre

Thomas (White) all 1974 and Sister Josephine Shannon with Oonaugh Alexander 1982

We were invited to join Old

Girls singing carols again on 18

December, this time in the

Grand Salon. It was a fitting

introduction to Christmas.

Pope Francis declared this year

to be a special celebration of

Consecrated Life in the Church.

The Benedictine Monks of Dou-

ai Abbey are also celebrating

their 400th Anniversary by a se-

ries of monthly lectures between

Spring 2015 and February 2016.

Under the title 'Living Joyfully', the rich variety of Religious Life in the Church is re-

flected both in a traditional and a more modern way. We were at the first lecture given

by Fr. John Dickson SDB on the history and charism of the Salesians. It was excellent.

The Association of Senior Religious organises many activities during the year. Sr Mon-

ica Mannion and I went on a tour of the BBC; it was most interesting. Four of us were

able to attend the Annual General Meeting last year in Bournemouth, lasting four days,

led by Fr. Timothy Radcliffe O.P.; we had read some of his books, and his talks were

inspirational.

Sister Patricia Wright has settled

happily in “St Augustine's”. She

comes to Farnborough Hill quite of-

ten and joins our Community for

special occasions. Sister Teresa

Hawkins is in Heathfield. She enjoys

our visits and indeed the visits of

many of her friends. Sister Eileen

Grant is also in Heathfield and begin-

ning to get involved in the life of the

Parish.

We love to see Old Girls. If you are

in the vicinity of Orchard Rise, you

are always welcome to visit.

Sister Josephine Shannon

Message from Mother Alexander

I was very sad not to be able to join you at the 125th Anniversary Reunion in September.

Nothing would have given me greater pleasure than to share in the joy that I later heard

all about. Imagine my surprise when I received the book containing good wishes and

fond memories from so many of you! I was absolutely delighted and regularly show it to

my visitors. Thank you so much for thinking of me, as I was of you. God bless you all!

Rosemary Alexander (former Headmistress)

L-R Srs Philomena McDonnell, Veronica Ren-

nie, Josephine Shannon, Monica Mannion

Message from Sister Dawson

A very sincere and heartfelt, "Thank you" to those of you

who wrote messages to me in my "Book of Memories" -

and a fond "hello" to all of you whom I knew as pupils all

those years ago. I have very happy memories of my years

in Farnborough Hill.

On returning to Ireland, I went 'back to school' to pursue

further studies! I then served as a full-time prison chaplain

in Dublin for eight years, a challenging but wonderful ex-

perience. Our roles often extended beyond the strictly spir-

itual to include not only pastoral care but also addressing

issues of injustice and helping in the process of rehabilitation involving contact with

prisoners' families. Strange as it may seem, I loved every minute of prison ministry.

Since then, I have been privileged to work in a Counselling Centre in a disadvantaged

area of inner city Dublin quietly offering low-cost counselling to the poor.

I am sure that all of you have also experienced changes in your lives and I hope that my

few lines find you happy and well. I can assure you of one thing that has not changed

for me - I have prayed for you all and will continue to do so.

Mary Dawson (former Headmistress)

Old Girls’ Scholar 2014-15

My name is Amelia Freeman and I joined the school

in September 2009. I am studying English Litera-

ture, Philosophy and Ethics, History and Psycholo-

gy A levels, with the intention of studying English

Literature at university and pursuing a career in

writing, such as journalism or publishing.

Being a member of the Sixth Form has been amaz-

ing so far. I was lucky enough to represent Farnbor-

ough Hill recently in the Finals Day of the Schools

National Debating Competition at the Oxford Union

Debating Chamber. We did not win but it was a

fantastic experience.

I am delighted to tell you that I have been voted

Head Girl from September. I am looking forward to

working closely with both staff and pupils through-

out the school. I also felt very privileged to be helping at the Old Girls' Reunion and

preparing tea for so many visitors. There was such a buzz from all the Old Girls who

were so pleased to be back in school.

Thank you so much for choosing me as the Old Girls' Scholar. I feel truly honoured and

intend to do my very best so that you will be proud of me.

Report from the Headmistress Each year seems to pass quicker than the last and so I can hardly believe that I am once

again writing for the FHOGA Newsletter! Our former students are very important to us

as you are an essential part of our

whole school community. If you

have not visited your ‘old school’

recently I hope you will be able to

attend our next FHOGA Reunion,

or call in next time you are in the

area.

We have continued to celebrate

the school’s 125th anniversary

year, running from May 2014 until

May 2015. The publication of our

very special book “From Hillside

to Farnborough Hill: 125 years of

the RCE in Farnborough” has been

a highlight and all who have seen and read the book agree it is a wonderful tribute to all

those who attended and worked at the school over the years. I hope you will buy your

own copy and enjoy having your memory jogged!

Other highlights have been the

FHOGA Reunion and the open-air

Mass of the Holy Spirit in Septem-

ber, when we also helped Father To-

ny Sultana to celebrate his 40th anni-

versary of becoming a priest. Our

125th Anniversary Ball in November

saw the Sports Hall transformed into

an unrecognisable, glittering venue.

Nearly 300 parents, governors, staff

and guests enjoyed the delicious din-

ner followed by dancing until mid-

night. We really must hold a Ball

more frequently as the last one was in 1989 - perhaps you attended that one!

The past year has also been a very sad one. Following the death of David Bell, our

Head Groundsman, in April the whole school community was shaken again with the

sudden death of much loved Physics teacher Mr Rob Schofield (pictured opp at Open

Morning) aged just 26, in a road traffic accident on his way to work in June. Although

he had only been at Farnborough Hill since September, the girls had taken him to their

hearts. His fun-loving nature, his talent for teaching and pastoral care and his inspiring

Christian beliefs had made a huge impact on them, and his colleagues. It was an ex-

tremely difficult time in school for us all but the way everyone supported each other was

extremely comforting and, ultimate-

ly, uplifting. I was immensely proud

of all the staff and the girls who real-

ly did demonstrate our caring Chris-

tian ideals to the full at that time.

We continue to keep the families

and friends of David and Rob in our

prayers and hope you will too.

On the academic front, GSCE and A

Level results last summer were once

again outstanding. The headline for

A level results was the remarkable

26% of A* grades achieved by our students compared to the national average of 8%.

100% A* in Physics and Further Mathematics further bucked the trend and we were

very proud of Paloma and her History teachers (pictured below) when she was awarded

the prestigious Frampton Prize by the Royal Historical Society for achieving the highest

History marks in the country! The GCSE girls also did exceptionally well and achieved

56% of results at A* or A, with an amazing 52 girls (over half the year group) gaining

A*/A in 6 or more of their subjects.

The teaching staff are now getting

prepared to deliver the changed spec-

ifications at GCSE and A level next

year; frequent change in education is

something we have all had to get

used to!

Extracurricular activities as well as

academic study, continue to keep our

students busy. Music is as strong as

ever under the direction of Mrs Ka-

ren Phillips, ably assisted by Dr Ian

Taylor and Mr Stuart McSweeney, with hundreds of girls taking part in numerous

choirs, bands, groups and ensembles. St. Cecilia’s, the new music suite is certainly be-

ing put to good use. You might have seen some of the girls – in their striped blazers –

singing on the BBC’s Songs of Praise recently! One highlight of the musical year is the

Choral Concert and the standard reached in the recent Baroque Festival was amazing.

The Choir are now looking forward to their Tour to Tuscany in July. Drama produc-

tions are another highlight and the recent ‘Back to the Land’ saw the audiences in the

Theatre on the Hill enthralled by this wonderful wartime piece. Indeed, many of the

more senior members of the audience remarked on how accurate and true to the life the

girls’ portrayal of the time had been. Success in Debating and Public Speaking, Young

Enterprise, Duke of Edinburgh awards and many other activities confirm that Farnbor-

ough Hill remains focused on so much more than just academic results.

We continue to do very well in a wide variety of sports, winning many District and Re-

gional competitions each year. Netball, cross-country and badminton have been particu-

larly strong and we are eagerly awaiting the completion of our floodlit all-weather hock-

ey pitch in time for next season.

Retreat week was extremely successful this year. We are very grateful to Miss Sheila

Farmer, our Chaplain, who has a great talent for devising tasks and activities that stretch

and challenge the girls to think about their spiritual journey and reflect on how they

wish their lives to be shaped. One tangible outcome was an array of colourfully painted

masks (above) all illustrating something about the person who painted them. On anoth-

er occasion we welcomed ‘Empathy Action’ into school. This saw St Joseph's turned

into a simulated ‘slum’ whilst geographers from different year groups worked against

the clock to fight for survival each day against a backdrop of poverty and health issues.

Other events saw the Year 7s (First Form) enjoy a Harry Potter themed evening and the

Year 10s (Fourth Form) take part in a ‘building resilience’ day to help them develop

strategies for dealing with any setbacks they might face in the future.

We are always keen to broaden our students’ horizons and overseas trips certainly con-

tribute to that. The Sixth Form Expedition to Malawai last July was a great success

with 23 girls (and 4 staff) leaving their ‘comfort zone’ for three weeks and experiencing

a very different environment. Meeting and working with local people gave them an

unforgettable experience. Plans are now underway for the next expedition, this time to

Southern India in 2016. Two groups went to the USA at Easter: the ski trip to the east

coast and a combined geography and

computing trip (pictured left) to the west

coast. Once again, a great time was had

by all. The next trip to leave will be the

2015 Sports Tour to Sri Lanka; the girls

are very fortunate to have the opportuni-

ty to visit such amazing destinations!

Each year we have to bid a fond farewell

to members of staff who either move on

to pastures new or decide the time is

right to retire. Last year was no excep-

tion as Mrs Laura Craven retired after 17

years at Farnborough Hill as an English

teacher and Head of Year and Miss Karen Gibson (Head of Year and PE) returned to

her native Ireland after 13 years. Our Bursar, Commander Tony Woolston also retired

after 14 years of excellent service at the helm. I have no doubt that many of you remem-

ber these staff fondly and we wish them all the very best for the future.

Best wishes,

Sarah Buckle (Headmistress)

Reviews about the Special Anniversary Book

‘From Hillside to Farnborough Hill:

125 years of RCE in Farnborough’

I’m not a great fan of coffee table books. For a start you need a coffee table and I’m

more a bookshelf sort of person, and then there’s the business of it being all pictures and

I’m a word girl myself. That said, this book had to be in coffee table format. How could

you do justice to the Hill without lots of lovely photographs, and how to tell the story

without plenty of words?

The two Lauras, Craven and Evans-Jones, have collaborated seamlessly on the text. I

think LE-J focused on the early history which forms the first 30 or so pages and LC and

her contributors on the bulk of the anecdotal material, but it’s impossible to see the join.

The history of house and order are knitted neatly together in the early chapters, and

when the narrative gets on to the school’s association with the building, the stories just

pour out.

The book is broadly chronological,

but so many boxes and sidebars give

overviews of aspects of Hill life

over the years; drama, sport, uni-

form are given their own focus, and

there are plenty of contributions

directly from students, both famous

and not, to bring the story to life.

It’s the stories from the Community

which are the most revealing and

resonant. Their lives of service are

given full credit and respect and their

presence is almost tangible.

The photographs are, I am forced to say, spectacular. The mix of informal snapshots

with glossy professional plates gives a real feel of the place, and shows exactly why

Jackie Thomas always said that if she could get prospective parents up the drive she felt

the school would sell itself. The faces, and there are so many from so many eras, are the

faces of happy girls and women. It’s charming to see the Sisters we know so well as

young women, and to revisit the changing face of the school.

It’s a great book, and a real testament to the people who put it together, to the girls who

studied here, to their parents who trusted them to the school, to the Sisters whose school

it celebrates, and most of all to the Hill itself. Jo Russell (former Head of English)

Time passes and people change, yet these memories and experiences have lived on and

repeated themselves from one generation to the next. There were so many occasions

where you could say, “Oh yes… I remember that!” or “We did that too!" Huge thanks

should go to Mrs Craven and Mrs Evans-Jones for giving us such a wonderful reminder

of how special Farnborough Hill is to us all. Rachel Wong 2012

L-R: Laura Evans-Jones, Sarah Buckle, and

Laura Craven

I was most impressed by the thorough research carried out about the early years and I

liked the way comments from the pupils were written in parallel with the history of the

school. I also enjoyed revisiting so many memories and had not fully realised how much

Mother Alexander had done through the 60s to improve and raise the status of the

school. Sister Veronica Rennie

Pictures and a quote to wet your appetite...

‘As a precaution, however, mattresses were spread on

the floor of the music practice rooms in the cellars, and

during air raids, girls would retreat there until the all-

clear sounded. If the alarm came at night, Sr Hawkins,

in charge of the younger girls’ dormitory, instructed the

girls to grab onto one another’s nightgowns in a line

with the lead girl holding onto hers so that they could

make their way

quickly and safely

through the dark-

ened building.

“Like elephants”

was they way she

described it later.

Girls had to bring pillows and eiderdowns with

them, and try to sleep where they could, but Sr

Hawkins remembers that they never complained nor

used the interrupted nights as an excuse not to work.

“It was a tough time, but the girls were wonderful”

is how she remembers it. They all became expert at

listening for the sounds of German engines and dis-

tinguishing them from those of the British planes.’

Read the book to find out….

Who were Sally and Sue?

What is buried under the High Altar?

Where was Hillside?

How to get a Deportment Colour?

What colour was the original school uni-

form?

Where is the most haunted part of the

school?

Copies of ‘From Hillside to Farnborough

Hill’ can be purchased at £45 per copy.

Details of how to order a copy can be found

on the home page of the school website

http://www.farnborough-hill.org.uk

Old Girls Giving Career Guidance

I was excited to be asked to give a careers talk to pupils at Farnborough Hill. I currently

work for the RSPCA in Exotics and Wildlife Trade. Speaking about careers in Biologi-

cal Sciences is important to me, as there is a wide variety of career choices available. At

school, I was steered towards subjects needed for Veterinary Science, which was the

most obvious option for me to work with animals. However, I struggled with A Level

Maths and I was also more inclined towards working with wild animals so I chose to do

a degree in Zoology, followed by an MSc in Wild Animal Biology.

I was extremely pleased that around 30 girls from a range of year groups gave up their

lunch time to attend. I gave a PowerPoint presentation of 20 minutes leaving time for

questions. These varied from specific queries about my work to more general enquiries

about subjects and grades needed to study Biological Sciences and opportunities for

voluntary work. I also tried to reassure them that even if they took a wrong turn, with

determination they could achieve their desired goal. It was clear that there were some

extremely keen and interested students and I felt that my visit had been valuable towards

making their career choices. Nicola White (Cunningham) 1998

Recently, I spent a very enjoyable few hours back in the Upper Sixth Common Room

conducting mock interviews for girls due to take their A levels. There was a range of

interests from Criminology to PPE but all were about to embark on college life. My co-

interviewer and I are both practising solicitors so it was a rare treat to come back to

school and share our experience with the Sixth Formers. Some were more confident than

others but everyone took the evening seriously and, I hope, gained something from the

opportunity to practise their interview skills. None of them had had a formal interview

before and as a Graduate Recruitment Partner I could tell them what employers look for

and how important things like eye contact and smiling are to convey enthusiasm! The

interviewers enjoyed the evening as much as the girls. It was good to catch up with staff

and Old Girls and to share memories. We all agreed it felt very naughty to be walking

up the main staircase! I hope to go back next year to repeat the experience and would

encourage others too. It only takes a few hours

and the benefit is tangible. Sarah Turner 1988

As Head of Careers at Farnborough Hill I am

aware of how invaluable the Old Girls are in giv-

ing lunch-time talks, speaking at our Careers

Evenings and participating in our Interview

Technique Evenings. First hand information is so

important and we are always keen to hear about

the career experiences of our Old Girls. If you

would be happy to share your experiences with

us and have time to spare please drop me an

email to a.barker@farnborough-hill.org.uk.

Alexandra Barker

Phoebe Young 2010 speaking at Careers Evening

Drama on the Hill by Davina Robinson

This year’s school production was

‘Back to the Land’ (pictured right)

by Do Shaw: a poignant, nostalgic

and touching play about the lives

of a group of Land Girls during

WW2,with moments of hilarity

coupled with tears. We were hon-

oured to have some ‘real’ Land

Girls attend and they thought we

captured the era perfectly – which

is a tribute to the great staff and

student teams that assist with the

shows. This was a community

play which allowed editing and addition of comic moments which meant that I could

adapt the piece to suit our talented students. I choose shows that will complement the

strengths of our girls and this play did just that.

I have been Director of Drama for fifteen years now and every year the girls rise to the

challenges presented to them. I often forget I am working with students as I expect such

a high level of commitment and professionalism which they deliver in spades! That

said, we also have great fun, and memories of rehearsals and performances are moments

to treasure. Here are a few that come to mind:

The Sound of Music – thirty-two ‘nuns’ running down the hill for a photo call.

The Canterbury Riders – Dancing cabbages! (pictured below)

Alice in Wonderland – Huge amounts of jam tarts being consumed on and off stage!

The Wizard of Oz – Millions of Munchkins and Ozians in stripy blazers.

Epsom Downs – Astroturf covering the entirety of the Theatre on the Hill.

The Witches - Transforming thirty girls into bald witches.

If you enjoyed Drama at Farnborough Hill, you will have immersed yourself in the pro-

ductions and activities on offer and that is still the case for many dedicated and talented

students. The facilities have improved

greatly. We continue to use the main hall for

musical productions but the ‘Old’ Gym has

now become the ‘New’ Theatre on The Hill.

If you haven’t seen it you should; it is a

huge, versatile and super state-of-the-art

performance and teaching space. One other

addition of which we are hugely proud is the

Radio Station – F’Hill Radio (get it?) from

which we transmit six times a week before

school and lunchtimes to all classrooms.

The Sixth Form are in charge of show con-

tent, including music and many exciting

guest interviews with Sandi Tosvig, Richard

Dimbleby and our very own Alex Danson to name a few.

Farnborough Hill is often referred to as a family and I was pleasantly surprised to dis-

cover that my teacher at secondary school had been a pupil at the Hill and excelled at

Drama. Paula Margetson (Price) inspired me to pursue my love of theatre and I hope

that in my time at Farnborough Hill I have done the same for many of the girls I have

worked with. I would be honoured to think that was the case.

Drama Reviewed by Old Girls

Every year I took part in the school production, working my way up from a ‘down and

out’ in 'Bugsy Malone', to Alice in ‘Alice In Wonderland’ (pictured below, although

this was Kathryn Morris’ night as Alice). The best time of every year was ‘show week’

in March, and the Sunday rehearsals leading up to it! Eating Dominos pizza on the

Cloister Lawns, having my hair pulled, and twisted and sprayed by Miss Andrews at-

tempting to make us look like boys. These were just some of the reasons that made me

audition every year, and why I cried the entire way through my final bow in Upper

Sixth after an eventful run of ‘The Sound of Music’! From the age of 13, I knew I want-

ed to be Drama Captain and then living the dream made my Upper Sixth year so incred-

ible. I had the opportunity to work with students from years 7 - 9 in Drama Club who

were equally as keen as I was which

was amazing. I was also able to

work closely with the Hill's incredi-

ble Drama teachers, Mrs Robinson

and Mrs Peilow. By the end of my

seven years at the Hill I considered

them as friends. I will always ad-

mire and be so grateful to them

both. Drama has meant so much to

me that I couldn’t be kept away,

and returned to watch this year's

production of ‘Back to the Land’ and shared the pride each actress felt during their

bows and the sadness felt by the Upper Sixth having to say goodbye. Jenny Grace 2014

Drama can open your eyes to a thousand different subjects and disciplines from Politics

to History to Design and beyond, and Farnborough Hill does this superbly well and rec-

ognises how important the subject can be for so many students. It is the perfect environ-

ment for young people to nurture their skills and experiment with new ideas in a sup-

portive space with encouraging and passionate teachers. The school hugely encouraged

my own love of Drama and gave me the confidence to move forward to study it at uni-

versity. Beyond this, I utilise the drama skills learnt from school in my current job and I

would not be the same person without them! So thank you! Lucy Sparks 2010

All these years on, I'm lucky enough to have a fabulous group of FH friends and when

we look back on how we got here our memories invariably take us to that black box

studio with its countryside views, cracking up over some rude joke in Shakespeare or

wandering off on some far flung tangent. Guiding, educating and encouraging us was

the indomitable Fraz (as Mrs Robinson was so affectionately known); a lady whose pas-

sion for theatre and knowledge of the form never failed to bring us back to the task in

hand. That task wasn't just getting through our A level, it was a chance to be silly, to

explore old plays, devise new ones and realise ultimately that theatre will always be a

place where we should experiment and try to make a little sense of the world we live in.

For these realisations, I'll always be grateful. What's more, Fraz opened my eyes to the

many career options in theatre - seeing it as the living, breathing industry that it is. Be-

ing an actor or director is one glorious thing but what about the technicians, the stage

managers, the producers, the accountants, the marketing team and so on. It's this round-

ed exploration of the theatre industry that eventually led me to where I am today. I'm a

fundraiser, working behind the scenes to do my bit towards ensuring there's enough

money to let the creative types work their magic. V icki Grace 2006

Music on the Hill by Karen Phillips

Music has always played an important part in school life at Farnborough Hill. Services

in the Chapel, Concerts and musical productions have kept students and staff out of mis-

chief. Staff weddings, important anniversaries and poignant musical tributes at memorial

services will be etched in the memories of many. Some events have changed and some

have remained a tradition. Who remembers the practice rota pinned up in the ‘Music

Cells’ near Maggie’s Tuck Shop where several pianos were mysteriously located, Bene-

diction on Friday evenings or Chapel Choir boarders having to find a voice on Sunday

mornings for an 8.00am Mass? These days have long since gone but you will see how

musical life has evolved from the original traditions if you read on.

Mass of the Holy Spirit was celebrated outside in September and we were blessed with

warm sunshine. Neighbours sat in their gardens and listened to the service courtesy of

the fantastic sound system and on the strength of this, some came up to school the fol-

lowing week to a fund-raising concert given by Rushmoor Male Voice Choir and our

own Choir in aid of the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice.

Our new Music Suite, St Cecilia’s,

was opened in April 2014 and has

been used for several Musical Soi-

rees. How wonderful to use this

beautiful recital room for intimate

Chamber Concerts and also having

the opportunity to record these con-

certs using state-of-the-art equipment

installed in the Recording Studio

which also links to the Chapel. We

recorded a recent concert raising

money for our 6th Choir Tour to

Tuscany in July and the high quali-

ty CDs produced are now available.

Music teaching has been trans-

formed by the installation of the 16 Mac computers in St Cecilia’s. Girls can now create

compositions using software such as Sibelius, Cubase and the younger students love

using Garageband! As a result, A Level Music Technology is becoming a popular

choice for those destined to read music at university in conjunction with the traditional

Current student, Sarah Gammer playing at the

Informal Music Evening in St Cecelia’s

course. But M1, the old mu-

sic room, is still in use. The

interactive white board en-

hances the teaching but live

music, singing, class bands

and samba drumming can

usually be heard very clearly

every day!

The Advent Carol Service

still takes place every year as

does the Christmas Celebra-

tion and there is a Senior

Citizens’ Christmas Party in

the Grand Salon with season-

al entertainment. This Autumn Term some of the Junior Choir took part in a live broad-

cast of ‘Songs of Praise’ on Remembrance Sunday in Aldershot Garrison Church, and as

a consequence, the singers were invited to film and record a number of hymns which

have been included in subsequent episodes of ‘Songs of Praise’. Those stripy blazers

were very noticeable!

The Senior Choir has been privileged to sing Mass in Westminster Cathedral each year

(see picture above). The Swing Band and Jazz Quartets have been busy with gigs in

school (the party on the Hill in June is a favourite!) and out of school – the Jazz Club in

Ascot ‘Jagz’ invites the Band and friends to entertain for an evening. The Choral Con-

cert has been a tradition for many years and continues to flourish – we had a Choir of

125 to participate in a ‘Baroque Festival’ on April 25th this year. Plans are already shap-

ing up to take the Farnborough Hill Orchestra on Tour in 2017 so the Music Depart-

ment, run this year for the first time by three full-time Music Staff, continues to thrive.

Music Reviewed by Old Girls

My 7 years at Farnborough Hill are filled with happy memories of music-making. Ka-

ren Phillips encourages and inspires girls from first year through to the Sixth Form to

channel their creativity into music. From early in the morning with the flute and recorder

groups, to last thing at night with Choral Concert rehearsals, she uses her contagious

energy, enthusiasm and entertaining jokes, to compel girls and visitors alike to partake

in musical activities on the Hill. I had the privilege of being involved with the choirs,

orchestras and other ensembles throughout my time at the school, studying Music at A

level and then through to university. Without Karen’s encouragement, I would never

have had the confidence to pursue my passion. It is thanks to Karen that the 'Hill' is alive

with the sound of music, as are the girls who pass through its doors. Niamh Hills 2007

Kazza P was instrumental (!) in making my seven years at FH the best years of my life

thus far, and that is in no small part down to her compassion, patience, wit and love for

her students and her craft. I was lucky enough to go on two Italian choir tours under her

direction,. I will never forget her resilience and humour in the face of hordes of shriek-

ing teenagers, completely wired on strong Italian coffee, as we waited to go on stage in

Siena. Lizzie Nash 2010

Being involved with the

Music Department at

Farnborough Hill was a

unique experience that I

will never forget - from

'Whose pigs are these?' to

'Mr Sandman' to Mozart's

Requiem. Who could

forget Kazza P, known

for her interesting filing

system, her knack of al-

ways producing food at

the opportune moment, and her uncanny ability to

make Donna Nobis fun at 5.30pm on a Friday!

Bethan Tyler 2013

125th Anniversary Reunion

On 13th September 2014, 460 Old Girls and staff members returned to Farnborough Hill

to celebrate 125 years of the school. The success of the day was down to so many peo-

ple. Thanks must go to: the impressive number of Old Girls for coming, all of our talent-

ed musicians, our versatile accompanists - Clare Woodham and Catherine Evans, RPE

Events/ Royle Photography for their superb formal photographs, members of the Sixth

Form for serving drinks and staff members for giving tours, and being so supportive.

Congratulations go to the Old Girls’

Scholars, both past and present, for

raising £1157 at the Reunion for the

Old Girls' Scholarship Fund. They

provided many of the fabulous prizes

and did a superb job of selling them on

the day. Many thanks also to the other

Old Girls for their raffle donations and

of course for buying tickets. We are

also extremely grateful for the gener-

ous donations received on the day to-

wards the Scholarship Fund.

Reunion Reviews by Old Girls

As the day grew closer I became increasingly apprehensive. It had been 50 years! I

wouldn’t recognise anyone, yet I rather longed to go back and see the old place and how

it has changed. I almost chickened out, but having received a comforting email telling

me who from my year was intending to be there, I stuck with it and went. I arrived to

join a sea of women searching for their name badges, carried on towards the refectory

and then a voice called my name from the throng, the only person I had remained in

Old Girl Scholars, Millie Freeman and Anna

Nicholas 2011 with Gill Chapman

Lake Garda Choir Tour 2013

contact with. “Quick,” she said,

“they are doing your year now!”

An urgent kiss 'hello' and I went to

join a group about to be photo-

graphed. I peered at their name

labels and faint recollections came

to me. Yes, these were folk I had

known! After tea and a brief time

to catch up, we were taken on a

tour of the school. So many chang-

es, yet still so many memories

were stirred during that short tour.

The service in Chapel was some-

thing I was most looking forward to. It was there, all those years ago, my faith took root

and refused to be shaken even after all the places I’ve travelled and the joy and sadness

I’ve experienced since. It was a very special place and I was able to thank God for

where it had all started. I was rather disappointed that the mass of women no longer

maintained the hushed reverence for the Chapel that had so influenced our time at the

school, but I suppose that Jesus didn’t get much of that in his lifetime either!

Elizabeth Ashenden (Semmons) 1964

It was oddly reassuring, seeing for the first time in 35 years the familiar patterned fa-

çade of the old building; like meeting again with a dear friend. Through the wide open

entrance into the cool marbled hallway, stepping over the threshold of intangible remi-

niscences, strangely everything seemed unchanged: St Anthony with his three lilies and

blue painted Christ Child, the statue of the Sacred Heart with His upturned palms, just

where I last saw Him, and the red candle light reflecting in the mirrored doors to the

Library, a corridor where once each uncomfortable creak of shoe leather on boards

could be heard. Yet on that September afternoon, the length reverberated with a great

deal of noise, where once we never would have imagined speaking above a whisper!

The excitement was palpable. Over 400 ladies gathered together on the lawns, joyful at

seeing their old friends and teachers. The refectory tables were laden with fine foods,

everything so meticulously planned and organised for the afternoon, to accommodate

the multitude. The polished shine of the once forbidden staircase invited us upstairs to

discover the boarding rooms now turned to teaching rooms. The infirmary staircase still

winds up in the silence but for the

cooing of the pigeons and the creak-

ing of the cistern, and beyond the

dusty panes extends the green of the

perfectly kept grounds. The old

school has retained its hallowed

quality and the strains of the beauti-

ful Chapel Choir evoke the early joy

of singing, pure and ethereal. Lottie

Horsman 1979 now sings with Zur-

ich Opera and sang 'Habanera' from

Carmen for us on the day

It was my first ever Old Girls' Reun-

ion - 30 years exactly since I left. I

was not prepared for the wonderful

feeling of being welcomed back to

what felt like a deeply loving family.

I especially enjoyed the opportunity

to catch up with my very dear friend

Emma, with whom I had lost contact

for nearly 18 years. Our friendship

has been rekindled and for that I am

so grateful. The opportunity to chat

with old friends was at the heart of

the day. Everything was perfect: the

food, the space and time to sit and

chat, the time to reflect and give

thanks in the Chapel, the tour of the

school's facilities and, finally, the concert. This was a showpiece for Old Girls to perform

to an appreciative audience of fellow Farnborough Hillians. I had agreed to play my cello

- little realising that I would be following a professional opera singer! What a wealth of

talent was on display. It was utterly joyful to find myself singing songs from my child-

hood in a choir which spanned six decades from Farnborough Hill. The experience was

enhanced by the sparkling, encouraging and ever-smiling Karen Phillips who had con-

ducted me when I was a pupil. It was like being in a fabulous time warp standing at the

back of the Chapel with familiar faces and voices around me - magical stuff!

Hilary Harber (Rattray) 1984

Joy: a deep feeling of happiness and contentment. I am certain this is the very best way to

describe the 125th Celebration for many of us. The fabulous hugging and greeting old

friends was a huge emotional rollercoaster for all of us and thoughts of the reunion con-

tinue to bring me joy, as I connected once again with the most precious friends I have

ever had. For the past 30 years my children have had to listen to memories that I stored

about my times and friends at Farnborough Hill, and watch me giggle to myself while I

would fondly think of all the fun we had. It happens to most of us; our busy lives take

over and, sadly, the most important things take a back seat. Nothing could have brought

more elation to my soul than

meeting my friends last year.

After 32 years, we picked up

exactly where we left off, as if

no time had passed. We

laughed like school girls,

laughing at humour that only

your best friend understands!

Hold on tight to that most

blessed gift: true friendship that

we often only make at school.

Nurture it and make time for it.

Jane Malone (Oliver) 1982

Class of 2008

Sally Newcombe, Sara Carnduff (Murphy) and Jane

Malone (Oliver) all 1982

The girls who left in 1982 had the

biggest turnout (24) (pictured

right) followed by 1987 (19) and

then 2011 (18).

There was a sense of excitement,

like the first day back after the

summer holidays, as I made my

way back up the famous hill sur-

rounded by Old Girls from years

gone by. We gathered on the

Cloister Lawn, spotting familiar

faces and catching up with old

friends over a nice glass of punch.

Mrs Berry made us feel quickly at home when she did a roll call in decades! We started

to rediscover the school in our old year group, reminiscing in the Drama Studio and

visiting the new Music Suite, with awe and a small sense of envy of the current students

who get to enjoy it. Singing in the tribune again was wonderful and during the service

we listened to memories of Old Girls decade by decade, hearing the experiences of

women who were living at the Hill during the war, through the swinging sixties and

seventies. Although experiences differed, there was a sense of fun and love for Farnbor-

ough Hill that ran deep throughout. Anita Paterson (Cresswell) 2006

It was lovely seeing old friends and it really hit home how much the school meant to

everyone regardless of their interests or age. It was lovely to join with people who had

the same memories and experiences as me but up to 50 years beforehand. It was also

heartening to see that the atmosphere and strong community feel hasn't changed at all!

Sarah Doyle 2011

What a great success it was yesterday! It was such a delight to see so many Old Girls

from across the generations. There was a real connection between them and what a tal-

ented, confident and vibrant group of women! It all

made me feel very proud of the past and the present.

Elizabeth McCormack (former Headmistress) pic-

tured with Colonel Walker (Latin teacher, now in

his 94th year)

While celebrating 125 years of Farnborough Hill as

a Catholic Girls' School, in the Thanksgiving Ser-

vice we gave thanks to the Lord for the unreserved

dedication and loving support of the Religious of

Christian Education Order over the years, for their

guidance and leadership, and that of all the school's

Headmistresses and teachers, as they work to devel-

op happy, confident and responsible members of

society; we asked God to guide our girls that they

may uphold throughout their lives the strong Chris-

tian ethos of Farnborough Hill.

Mary Fear Hill 1950

Our oldest girls attending were three

ninety-year olds.

(L to R Lady Sylvia, Mary Rose and

Sister Patricia) Read on...

Sister Patricia Wright

1942

The 125th Reunion was a truly memo-

rable occasion, and a great credit to all

who organised it. It was such a joy to

meet up with cherished school friends

whom one had not seen for years, and

to talk about our school days. We

were all so fortunate to be able to stay together for so many years, and not have to leave

to go off to a Sixth Form College and break off our friendships. Recalling our school

days was a great way of forgetting just how old we are!

Mary Rose Murphy 1942

Farnborough Hill Old Girls, you all have a responsibility as ambassadors for the school

to uphold its good name. Farnborough Hill has a strong tradition for treating girls as

individuals and turning them into confident and caring members of the community. Un-

der Mother Horan's guidance, I developed a deep loyalty and even today I feel it is still

important not to let the school down. I was blessed to make many strong friendships

whilst I was at Farnborough Hill and I wish to thank the Old Girls' Association and the

Community for the love they have shown me over many, many years. I am very happy

in my new home, Maryfield Convent in Hook, and always pleased to receive visitors.

Lady Sylvia Wilkinson (Gater) 1939

Lady Sylvia was 13 when war broke out and she remembers being sent by boat alone to

meet her parents who were in Singapore at the time. Her father was a Professor of Biolo-

gy at the University of Singapore. Some older girls looked

after her on the long voyage and she was eventually reunited

with her parents, but her most vivid memory is of how she

managed to escape some time later with her mother to return

to England. The Governor of Singapore held a dinner party

and the captain of a Dutch ship became aware that Sylvia's

mother could speak fluent Dutch. This earned her and her

daughter a passage home as her mother was needed as an

interpreter. Sadly, her father was held in a prisoner-of-war

camp but was later reunited with his family in England after

the war. Lady Sylvia remembers modelling as a young girl

and several times for the front cover of the very fashionable

Vogue Magazine. On one occasion, she remembers wearing a

bright yellow plastic raincoat and having bottles

of water poured over her. She has done sterling

work for St John Ambulance over the years as

have many of her family, including her father-in-

law who was Lord Mayor of London. She is pic-

tured here being presented with the Certificate of

Freedom of the City of London in recognition of

her service.

Old Girls’ Stories

Newspaper headlines Jan 1946

‘Threw Pupils to Safety’

Twelve Farnborough families gave thanks today for the courage of a 22-year-old kinder-

garten schoolteacher. Miss Mary Rose Murphy had just left the Cove Junior Council

School to escort 12 children - none more than seven years old - across the road to their

dinners when she heard a plane. ‘I saw it heading straight for us,’ she told me. ‘The chil-

dren were rooted to the ground in terror. I picked up those nearest to me two at a time,

and literally threw them across the road. Just as I was starting to hustle the rest of them

across, the plane crashed only a dozen feet from me. Wreckage flew in all directions and

one or two of the children were cut or slightly burned. But I saw that they were safe and

so I rushed to the nearest telephone and summoned the police and fire brigade. It was a

frightening moment but I had my job to do. I thought only of the children.’

It was a miracle that the pilot was the only casualty. He was one of Britain's leading test-

pilots flying from the Royal Aeronautical Establishment in Farnborough when the en-

gine caught fire.

Ann Tomline (James) 1961

I was a contemporary of Anne Robinson. I remember the feasts we had the day before

All Souls Day. Each form was given an area of the dining room and we made barri-

cades with blankets and shawls. Food was ordered from Fortnum and Mason but some

girls asked their family to send food. Nuns and staff were invited to call into our dens

for refreshments. On Halloween, sixth formers walked the cloisters dressed in sheets and

clanking chains when I was a junior. I was really scared. I can also remember hiding

with two other girls to see the Empress Eugenie appear and stitch her tapestry. Some-

times we would leave a needle and thread in it ourselves. Another thing I remember was

that it didn't matter how rich or poor you were, we all supported each other. We all had

the same amount of money for tuck and I remember Mother Mostyn waiting by the tuck

shop and she would say, 'Can you spare a few pennies for the poor sailors?'

There are so many memories I have of my time at Farnborough. I was a sickly child and

spent a lot of time in the sick bay. I remember how kind Mother Rennie was to me. I

will never regret the education and the social graces that Farnborough Hill taught me.

Anne-Lies van Overbeek 1961

When I was at Farnborough Hill I had a rabbit called Peter! I bought him in a pet shop

and Reverend Mother gave me permission to keep it. I missed my animals at home in

the Netherlands so much. The farmer at the bottom of the drive made a cage for me.

I was the first and the last, I think, to have an animal in the boarding house!

Alix Ramage-Hayes (Ramage) 1971

St. John's Sports Day 1970 took place at a weekend near

the end of the summer term. The four boarding houses

were St. John's, St. Teresa's, St. Peter's and St. James' and

each took on an activity. John's was a House Sports Day,

but it was a fun one, including a flower pot stepping race

when the first years (Jenny Pinard (Ilett)1970 remembers

doing this!) would move the flower pots for the competing

nuns. There were also sack races, 3-legged, egg and spoon

and blindfolded ice cream eating - a junior girl fed a senior

girl a cone - very messy! There was also a Talent Competi-

tion, a Music concert and a Fête, I think? The boarders'

houses were paired with the day-girls' houses for at least

some of them so they shared the organisation. The day-girl's houses were St. Au-

gustine's, St. Paul's, St. Catherine's and St. Joseph's. I always thought it a shame that the

house names changed when the school became completely Day. It is always nice to

keep the history and traditions of a school - but then I don't like the new black stripe in

the blazer either! My first Farnborough blazer cost 9 guineas from Dickins & Jones - I

remember the price because it was the first time I had ever heard of anything priced in

guineas! It was 1964. I was 10 years old and easily impressed!

These photographs

were taken by Sue

Mash (Lewis)1975:

St John’s Sports Day

with Sister Dawson

and Sister Mannion

gamely stepping on

flower pots (left) and

Jackie Ison (Beale)

and Isobel Chilton

(Sheehan) enjoying

the boarders’ sum-

mer picnic which

was followed by a

sing-song with gui-

tars (right)

Nicky Dunsford (Johnson) 1982

In September 1975 I remember being dropped off by my parents to start as a boarder. I

was in Duke's Dorm with four others: Ailish O'Kelly, Sue Payne, Beatrice Roe, and Fio-

na Ottewell. Sister McDonnell was in charge of us! There were only fourteen boarders

in the 1975 intake. My parents helped me to

unpack and make my bed, then they announced

that they were leaving, and I burst into tears,

full of fear and horror, that I was being left in

this place with complete strangers at the tender

age of 11, not to return home for at least two

weeks (it makes me emotional even now, to

remember my feelings of terror at that point!)

However, Sister McDonnell helped us all to

settle in, and was an absolute darling. I have

such fond memories of her, and I instantly

bonded with my fellow room-mates, and have

never looked back. That night, we were told off

for talking after 'lights out'. And that set the

scene for the next five years!

L-R top: Anita Smith (Le Cornu), Beatrice Harris (Roe), Siobhan Coote, Ailish O'Kelly,

Jane Novak (Butler), Nicky Dunford (Johnson). Middle: Sheila Hill, Sarah Jones (Cole),

Fiona Ottewell , Kate Harding, Susan Payne. Front: Sarah Cloherty, Gail Dawson, Sis-

ter McDonnell, Nicola Elkins, Jane Davis (Neilson).

I remember the sound of the pigeons cooing early in the morning from Peter’s Dorm, the

cold in the winter and the rattling sash windows. The walk-in cupboard became the late

night revision room in our dressing gowns after lights out! The view from that dorm was

always breath-taking, especially the morning mist at the bottom of the hill on an other-

wise clear, crisp winter morning.

There were picnics in the grounds, midnight feasts in the Gym and Sunday morning

Chapel Choir practices before mass. I was incredibly proud to be in the Chapel Choir

and also to have been a part of the fabulous album that we made. As an 11-16 year old, I

took the building for granted, and imagined that all boarding schools were like this. I

appreciate Farnborough Hill so much more now, and realise how privileged I was to be

educated there. I had to leave at end of the 5th Form, when the boarding facility closed

down and although I was really sad to leave, 12/14 of us have remained in close contact.

Mid-life Challenge by Jane Sellen 1982

Thirty was no problem. Forty was a breeze. But I approached my fiftieth birthday in

August 2014 with a deep sense of dread, in part because I was facing it alone after a

painful divorce and also because it coincided with the departure for college of my

youngest child, the end of funding for my job of six years, and the point at which I had

spent more of my life in California than I had in England.

Clearly, this called for a pilgrimage.

I knew people who had walked from Mexico

to Canada on the wild and rugged Pacific

Crest Trail. I knew others who had cycled

across the US from the Atlantic to the Pacif-

ic. But I also knew my limits, and anyway it

was England I longed for. So I hatched the

plan to walk the length of England, starting in

my home county of Hampshire and ending at

the Scottish border. Even I can walk from

pub to pub, I reasoned.

Choosing the route was easy. I needed to

reach my sister’s house in Leicester for my

fiftieth birthday party, and I planned to com-

plete the last 250 miles to the Scottish border

along the Pennine Way, the grandfather of long distance trails. I chose Southampton as

my starting point out of nostalgia for all those train rides to school from Fleet. And so, in

late July 2014, I loaded my backpack and

started my journey, walking from South-

ampton to Winchester along the Itchen

Way. I took the Thames Path to Oxford,

then followed endless canals through the

Midlands via Banbury, Rugby, Leicester

and Derby. I stayed at hostels, B&Bs and

with kindly friends and family along the

way, walking about fifteen miles a day,

stopping at pubs and teashops, and meet-

ing up with friends who joined me for

segments of the journey.

The pleasant, easy stroll along rivers and

canals took a dramatic turn once I reached

the Peak District, north of Derby. Climbing Kinder Scout at the start of the Pennine Way

in a howling gale and thick fog, I started to question my ability to finish what I had start-

ed. By the time I crossed the bleak moorlands of Bronte Country, I had broken the third

metatarsal in my left foot, and my boots were destroyed along with my morale. At last,

after days slogging alone across endless peat bogs in the grimmest of weather, I reached

the lovely Yorkshire Dales, where the sun came out and the weather stayed warm and

dry all the way to Scotland. Even better, I met up with my friend Nancy from California

who kept me company on the trail for a week.

If I could relive any period of my life unamended, it would be those two months, with

all of the companionship, laughter, and yes, tears. I learned so much that I will take with

me forever - my physical limits and capabilities for example, and how to manage my

terrible sense of direction. I experienced the intensity of the simplest of pleasures – a

cup of tea and a hot bath at the end of the day, watching the blackberries ripen as I

walked north and then gathering bucketfuls of them, sheltering from a downpour in a

cosy pub, meeting up with friends after spending days alone. Above all, I learned that if

Library in a phone box in Hampshire

with Lizzie Craig(Hickey)1982

Jane in North Yorkshire

there is something you want to do, then you

should do it in this lifetime. People will come on

board to cheer and support you.

The final score? Miles walked: 512 in 37 days,

the last 200 on a broken foot.

Walking companions: 7. I planned to walk alone

but was delighted when friends and Old Girls,

Lizzie Weiser (Nolan)1982, Lizzie Craig

(Hickey)1982 and sister Liz Everson (Sellen)

1979 joined me for various sections.

Level of fascination by passing locals on hear-

ing of my walking plans: minimal. I got mostly

blank stares like they'd misheard or they thought I'd gone mad.

Sheer delight at spending day after day walking through the English countryside: im-

measurable!

Isabel Cowdry (Berry) 1986

My family found these old photographs when rummaging through the loft recently and I

thought it was quite funny to compare the fifth form one to the Upper Sixth. It is amaz-

ing what two years and home clothes can do! Notice the following staff on the front row

too: Mrs Hales, Mrs Willcocks, Mrs Anscombe, Mrs McDonald, Miss Bolt, Mrs Berry

Rachel Kneen (Adams) 2006 It is almost ten years since we left!

L-R Top: Jade Lehec Watson, Tamara Bond,

Angharad Nicholas Podger, Lena Hameed, Na-

talie Whittell, Katie Naerger. Middle: Amiirah

Joommun, Helen Sampson, Gina Bray, Harriet

Hemming-Keen (Keen), Tamsin Roberts, Hattie

Seaton, Cristina Belcher, Lydia Mourad, Char-

lotte Booker. Bottom: Fiona Chapman, Rachel

Kneen (Adams), Vicky Grace, Mrs Hales, Anita

Paterson (Cresswell), India Lee, Alicia Moghta-

der, Tamsin Yates

Jane reaches the Scottish border

Old Girls’ News Sheila White (Sim) 1950

We celebrated our Diamond Wedding in April 2014 with a

lunch party for family and friends then at the weekend we

took our large family to Center Parcs at Longleat. There were

thirty two of us: our five children, their spouses and our six-

teen grandchildren.

Maggie Cooper (Colleen Ryan) 1955

My swansong, when I made my last journey for the FHOGA

reunion in September 2012, must be my finale. I attended the AGM and gifted the music

originals of the Joseph Wardale Chapel Choir manuscripts written during the 1950s to

the School Archives. However, on Saturday 6th October 2012, I was invited to take part

in the sung Mass in Westminster Cathedral as guest lady tenor with the Farnborough Hill

Choir. Having been a member of the Chapel and school choirs from 1950-55, this has to

be a first for a Farnborough Hill Old Girl! And as a student of Dr Wardale, he surely

was reading the musical notes on the page with me, on this day.

Reunion for Old Girls leaving in 1983

Thirty-one years after leaving Farnborough Hill our little group of dear friends met up

for an annual reunion in Wassenaar, the Netherlands. Susie Gates (James), fabulous

hostess and domestic goddess,

received at her home: Helen

Lechanoine (Byrne), Lizzy Low-

don , Charlotte Ohri (Burke),

Charlotte Ridgwell (Brown) and

Angela Spelman. The weekend

was spent catching up with all

our news, riding bikes to Leiden,

eating out in a beach restaurant in

Noordwijk as the weather was

glorious and attending a flower-

arranging session as you can see

in the photograph.

Claire Khaliq (Broderick) 1983

I live in Dubai with my husband, daughter and son, and teach Physics at Latifa School

for Girls. Our students are predominantly Emirati, but we are a British Curriculum

school. I have been living in Dubai for the last ten years and before that spent several

years in Pakistan, working firstly as an engineer and later as a teacher. Unfortunately, I

usually visit the UK in the school summer holidays, which has meant that I have not

been able to attend any of the Old Girls events.

Hannah Arbuthnott 2010

I have been a keen writer from a young age and spent a

lot of time and energy on my creative writing assignments

whilst at Farnborough Hill. I was encouraged by all of my

English teachers, particularly Dr Russell, who was often

bombarded with my manuscripts; her honest critiques and

advice were always very much appreciated. Some of my

classmates also read my work, and were incredibly sup-

portive. I wrote my first novel aged twelve, continued to

write more novels, short stories and poetry, and nine years

later I am now a published author on Kindle. I currently

have fifteen books on Amazon: three of them fantasy/

romance novels, and the remaining twelve children's

books. I also run a company called Lily Pad Books, which

specialises in writing personalised children's books as

gifts for special occasions. Writing is a huge part of my life, and all the encouragement I

have received from friends, family and teachers alike has given me the confidence to

take on the world of publishing with both hands. For more information on my latest

books, and for details of the services Lily Pad Books provides, visit my website; han-

nahlily.wix.com/books

Karen Hatt

(Miles) 1982 who was in-

vited to a

Buckingham

Palace Gar-

den Party in

recognition

of her work

with a tri-

service mili-

tary unit in-

vestigating

air accidents.

Caroline Miles 2001 who married Matt

Gould on July 5 2014. She works as a

Chartered Town Planning Consultant in

Winchester.

Sarah Johnson 2003 who finished her

PhD in Medieval Musicology at Cam-

bridge and is currently a Teaching Fellow

at Bristol University.

Claire Hunter-Smith 2003 who married

Ben Durrant in July 2014 and works as a

Marketing Officer for British International

Schools in Vietnam.

Rhiannon Davies 2005 who married Sam-

uel Carpenter on May 14 2014 and is just

finishing her PhD in Swansea on the ef-

fects of antenatal exercise on the cardio-

vascular and autonomic nervous system.

We send our congratulations to:

She is pictured

here with Har-

riet Stevens,

Katherine An-

deregg and

Caitriona Ben-

nett.

Gabi Brock

2005 who mar-

ried Josh Dale

to become Gabi

Brock-Dale on

September 20 2014. She works as a Medi-

cal Secretary in Guildford.

Anita Pat-

erson

(Cresswell)

2006 who

produced

her first

child, Ale-

na, on July

2 2014.

Felicity Gilbert 2007 who graduated in

Medicine from Newcastle and has been

working as an Emergency Medicine Doctor

in Brisbane. She is thoroughly enjoying the

opportunity to travel.

Grace Huxford 2007 who completed her

PhD at Warwick and will be lecturing in

20th Century History at Bristol University

from September.

Gemma Hooper 2007 who married Joshua

Gaskin on No-

vember 21 2014

and is a project

manager for

Market Research

in Newbury.

Christina Wag-

staff (Moore)

2007 who was

awarded her

Gold D of E by the

Duke of Edinburgh

at St James' Palace

She has been an

Air Cadet instruc-

tor at 1349 Woking

Squadron for 4

years.

Claire Danson

2007 who has

qualified to take

part in the Europe-

an Games in Gene-

va in July for the 25 to 29 Age Group Cate-

gory in Triathlon. She is currently teaching

in Hook and lov-

ing it.

Emma Green

2008 who gradu-

ated from the

Royal Veterinary

College in Lon-

don and is cur-

rently on a PDSA

Graduate Scheme

at the Pet Aid

Hospital in New-

castle. She entered

her puppy, Mer-

lin, into Crufts

this year and came

3rd in the Welsh Springer Puppy Category.

Hannah Cooney 2008 who completed her

Batchelor of Medicine and Surgery

(MBChB) at Birmingham with a research

year (BMedSci).

Katie Tyler 2009 who qualified as a Vet-

erinary Surgeon from Nottingham Univer-

sity and is now practising at Ashworth's

Veterinary Group (Cove, Sandhurst and

Farnborough).

Frankie Wray 2010 who graduated as a

Master of Physics with Astrophysics from

the University of Manchester. She now has

Old Girls

Sonia Rolt (South) 1935

Dorothy Auden (Charlton) 1936

Solveig Orozco (O'Hea) 1950

Rosemary Brown 1954

Frances Ripper (Charlton) 1942

Monica Stretton 1933

Barbara Bundis (Conroy) 1952

Muriel Dawson (Abbot) 1936

Noel Finney (Montgomery) 1933

Shirley Hawes 1951

Sarah Frances Dowd (Stanbrook) 1983

Jane Lemon MBE (Scrase-Dickins) 1947

Matthew, son of Anna Markopoulos (Bell)

1965

Staff members

Sister Rose Patricia McHugh

Dorothy Lacey

Sheila McIntyre’s husband, John

Anne Fawkner-Corbett’s husband, John

a graduate position as an Electric Propul-

sion Engineer in the Space Department at

QinetiQ, Farnborough.

Hannah Patel 2010 who completed her

MChem at Durham and is now doing a

PhD in Biomedical Science at Oxford.

Answer: 20 I think!

Newspaper tribute to Sonia Rolt (South) 1935:

Grande Dame of Britain’s Canals

Sonia was born in New York to British parents in 1919. Orphaned while young, she

attended Farnborough Hill Convent before training as an actress at the London Theatre

Studio. Under the Second World War's directed Labour scheme, Sonia worked in a fac-

tory wiring bombers until a flatmate saw a Ministry of Transport advertisement for

women to transport goods along the Grand Union Canal. Along with two friends, Sonia

put up with vermin, heavy manual labour and dust, as they towed steel and aluminium

from London to Birmingham. With her husband-to-be, Tom Rolt, she lobbied the gov-

ernment for better working conditions, especially after the canals were nationalised in

1951. Tom was a founder of the Inland Wa-

terways Association and Sonia became Vice

President of the Waterways Trust; she went

on to become known as the Grande Dame of

Britain's Waterways, campaigning for their

preservation and for a wider appreciation of

the industrial revolution and its heritage. She

was also a committee member of the Society

for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and

worked with the Institute of Structural Engi-

neers' History Study Group. Through that role, she advised on the restoration of HMS

Warrior and Isambard Kingdom Brunel's famous SS Great Britain. Sonia was appointed

an OBE in 2011 for services to heritage and industrial archaeology. Her books include

‘A Canal People’ and ‘The Photographs of Robert Longdon’.

We send our deepest sympathies to the families of the fol-

lowing for their loss:

Balloon Race for the 125th Anniversary Celebrations

email: fhoga@farnborough-hill.org.uk

visit the school website: www.farnborough-hill.org.uk

for news about Farnborough Hill, links to the school facebook and twitter accounts

and a link to the Old Girls’ page,