Alumni - Noticeboard

Welsh Reunions

Welsh Reunions are planned in both South and North Wales

South Wales Reunion

Details of the 2009 Reunion will be posted shortly.

South Wales representatives - Mrs Eira Rowley and Mrs Rhiannon Jones

Last year's venue - The Bear Hotel, Cowbridge

North Wales Reunion

Thursday 24th September 2009 at The Royal Oak, Welshpool

This will be the 70th anniversary of the evacuation of the school from Ashford to Powis Castle. Plans are already underway to make this a very special occasion.

Further details will be posted shortly.

North Wales representative - Helen Jones

Obituaries

HAZEL GUTTRIDGE

(Mrs Murray-White)

Died February 2008

at school 1933-37

SUSAN JENNIFER CASTLE

(Mrs David Baker)

13 April 1937 -14 June 2006

Sue was born in Singapore but the family returned to England on one of the last passenger ships just before World War II, and at some point, moved to Park Avenue, Staines, where my family also lived. By then Sue’s brother John had arrived. 

Sue started at WGS as a day girl, but became a boarder when her father was posted to Germany as Economic Adviser  to the British High  Commission.

We all face the odd problem in our lives, but Sue seemed to have more than her fair share throughout her life.  Sue suffered severe tonsillitis when she was taking her O levels, sitting some exams in isolation as she was infectious (or is it contagious – I never know which is which!).  Although not academic, she got by in the difficult circumstances and the dreaded tonsils were later removed.  I remember visiting her in a strange little cottage hospital in Hampton where she was very lonely as she had had no visitors. 

Sue suffered with a bad back which was exacerbated by a fall whilst skiing during her teen years and later it transpired that she had rheumatoid arthritis and this was a tremendous trial for her throughout her life.   Two major back operations failed but she pursued treatment of various kinds to keep it fairly tolerable.  She made huge efforts for special occasions, subsiding into miserable pain and migraines afterwards.

When Sue left WGS she was sent to finishing school in Switzerland, which she very much enjoyed.   She then went to Leicester College of Art and studied design, specialising in lingerie.  For some reason she did not finish her course, but took a job with Kayser Bonder and then Taylor Wood, both well known lingerie companies.

She met David Baker at a party and they married in Goring-by-Sea near her parent’s home as, by then, they were living at High Salvington.  Sue and David had two children, Susannah and Richard.   She was immensely proud of their achievements and also of her grandchildren, Alexander and Isabel.   She was very funny in her efforts to anglicise her American grandchildren.  How about a Marks and Sparks check school dress worn by Isabel in an American school?  How she loved their visits and her trips to New Jersey.  She was also so happy when Richard was married in a civil ceremony early in 2006 and it was a great sadness that she couldn’t be with him and Lina when they had a grand white wedding ceremony in Lithuania in August 2006.

Sue’s great talent lay in design and colour although she had drawing skills as well.  She could conjure up beautiful clothes out of almost nothing.  She loved flower arranging and belonged to Beaconsfield Flower Arrangers’ Club.  Pink was her favourite colour which she used in  floral arrangements in her home, both fresh and silk, but from three feet I would defy you to know the difference.

Only two months before her death, in April 2006, with enormous help from David, Sue was my witness at my wedding.  She chatted to so many people, talking of the future and never looking back.  

Sue showed incredible courage and dignity through the terrible cancer which started several years ago.  In the last year of her life the disease had spread to her liver and spine and she was told in August 2005 that she had three months to live.   With enormous support from David, the local hospice and Marie Curie nurses she defied it and lived a further ten months, strengthened by her faith in God to the end.     The Vicar of Hedgerley was a great support and visited her as did many friends and relations.   She was loved by all who knew her and one friend at the funeral told me Sue was one of the most beautiful women she had known.   How Sue would have laughed but she did have a great aura about her.  I feel honoured to have been her oldest friend and to have been able to pay tribute to her at her funeral.

It was lovely to have Ann Jones (Mrs Johnson), Judy Walley (Mrs ?Lewis), Julia Pritchett (Mrs ?) and Jennifer Millward (Mrs Tiptaft) at the beautiful Hedgerley church which was decorated in Sue’s favourite colours and flowers, - pink Ballerina roses and white lilies.   The doctors and nurses who had looked after her so wonderfully were also present as was all her family, apart from her mother.  She was laid to rest in the little wooded churchyard amidst much sadness, but great love.

Our gentle, caring Sue was a shining example of the qualities of our school motto – Wisdom, Gentleness and Strength. 

                                                                       Margaret Olver (Mrs Thompson)

VALERIE LEE

(Mrs Newman)

Valerie Lee (Mrs. Newman) died on Monday 26 May 2008, after being diagnosed with a disease which in turn affected her heart.  A stroke was suffered early in the morning and she passed away at 6pm on the same day.

Valerie, leaves behind, her husband Michael, two daughters, Merilyn (and Richard) and Coralie (and Steve) and two grandchildren Henry and Sarah.

Valerie devoted her life to serving others, being a school teacher, Guides, Church Worker, Missionary Service, Husband, Mother and Granny.   

We will all miss her.  

The Newman Family