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Alumni - News
The Stained Glass Window By Sally Cattell
Published by Athena Press in Twickenham under her married name The Stained Glass Window is Sally Macdougald’s first novel. Set in the Thames Valley and Tasmania, a large part of the storyline deals favourably in remembering the school’s history and how it is now. Ashford, Laleham, Staines and the Thames feature and the cover is of Laleham Church, with the said “stained glass window” still in existence. It tells of a middle age couple who move from Laleham to Tasmania ostensibly to be with their daughter, at the time of the Port Arthur massacre; death, teenage love, handsome farmers; changes in the Anglican church; Catholicism; independence; returning to Laleham;- it is all there.
Copies are available through www.athenapress.com and www.amazon.co.uk also any bookshop will order it through Gardeners, in the UK and Ingram’s in the USA.
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Sandra Vandersluis gets married
SANDRA VANDERSLUIS married Mike Long on Thursday, 30th October 2008, at Ravens Ait on the River Thames, near Kingston, Surrey. Sandra looked very elegant in her taupe suit and matching hat. Among a large party of friends, a fun table was shared by some of her schoolfriends CHRIS SHEARMAN (Mrs Baker), BONNIE BANTOCK (Mrs Emms), ANN BARTLETT (Mrs. Smith)
................................. Mini Reunion Year Group 1956-63
In fact, talking played a large part in the day as we reminisced about special events, dinners, the staff and the dorms. Everyone had a story to tell and it was a really happy occasion. The reunion was arranged to coincide with Gill Robert’s (Mrs Smithers) visit from South Africa and we were also delighted to welcome Leslie Williams (Mrs Pion) from her home in France. On leaving we all agreed to keep in touch and hopefully meet again when we reach 65. Sincere thanks to Janetta Evans (Mrs Williams) who organised the event and was responsible for contacting everyone.
Angela Griffiths (Mrs Taylor)
Those present were
.............................. Powis Castle
............................. Golf - The Tassie 2004
2007 This year our St. David’s team comprised Irene Ephgrave (Brien) playing with Jill Swainson and Ruth Stillie (Hartley) and myself. We had a thoroughly enojoyable day at St. George’s Hill on 28th June and finished 16th out of 37 competing schools, the clear winners being St. Helen’s, Northwood. Once again, our grateful thanks go to the Old Girls Association for very kindly paying our entrance fee.
Pat Powell (Wallace)
2008 The OGA very kindly paid for a team from St David’s to enter the Tassie, played this year at St George’s Hill, in June. Our team comprised IRENE EPHGRAVE (Mrs Brien) playing with VICKIE KENDALL (Mrs Macdonald), JILL SWAINSON and myself. Jill very bravely agreed to make up the team although she had recently lost her father; then, as she was driving to the tournament her car broke down! She managed to get a lift home and drove to St Georges in another car just in time to compete. Although our first team finished with a very respectable score, I am afraid Jill and I had a few problems, especially with one particular bunker, so our team score was near the bottom. We have every hope of doing considerably better in 2009. Pat Powell (Wallace)
...................... Rosemary Lyford in My Fair Lady
I naturally made the most of my Welsh connection, mentioning my time at Ashford in the programme notes and hoping that some ‘Old Girls’ might get in touch and I wasn’t disappointed. During rehearsals we went out for several company meals including a visit to Gannets, a lovely bistro in the town. We took over the upstairs room, the walls of which were adorned with many black and white landscapes. I was sitting facing the wall, busy in conversation, when my eyes glanced upwards and I stopped in mid sentence, there on the wall was a sketch of the School! I asked the owner why it was there, to be told that her daughter LISA MILDON (Mrs Standring) had been at Ashford between 1980-85, small world! I knew through EIRA JAMES (Mrs Rowley) that Morwenna Evans was living in Aberystwyth and though she had spent most of her life living and working in Ealing, we had not met since we left school in the 1950s. I spent a very pleasant evening with her during the rehearsal period, then, when Eira and her husband John came up to stay with her, we all spent an enjoyable day together and all three of them came to see the show in the evening. A few days after the show opened I had a letter from ELAINE EDWARDS (Mrs English) saying that her sister-in-law MARY EDWARDS (Mrs Watkin) had been to see the show with a party from Abermule WI. I phoned her and drove over to Newtown for a delightful lunch with Elaine and her husband Peter. We were joined by Mary and also visited HELEN JONES at the Blue Bell for coffee before Lunch. Having had a lovely mini reunion I returned to Aberystwyth with a bag full of veggie goodies from Elaine and Peter’s garden. One night after the performance I had a visit from JEAN THOMAS (Mrs Moelwyn-Hughes) a surprise for both of us, as Jean had no idea that I was in the show. We had not seen each other since I was a student at the Guildhall School of Music and drama and she was at the Royal Academy of Music. She has a new husband of two years, Ifan, who works at the University and they live only ten minutes walk away from the theatre. The following week, after Jean had visited Cardiff for the Eisteddfod, we spent the day together catching up on forty-eight years. I was surprised that I had any voice left for that evening’s performance. One Sunday I went to visit my cousin JULIE JOHNSTON-JONES (Mrs De Ville) at her Abbeyfield flat in Brecon and spent a great afternoon with her. We had not seen each other for fifteen years so there was much catching up to do, although we keep in touch by phone. One of the highlights of my trip to Wales was a visit to Powis Castle. I had heard so many stories about the evacuation there during the Second World War, mainly from EMILY ELLIS and also from the wonderful article in last year’s newsletter. Looking around it was difficult to imagine it as the home of the WGS and yes, I did manage to find the photographs of the school ( in the bird room) and the beautiful slate plaque commemorating the school’s sojourn there. I was also contacted by other OGs including BARBARA TILSLEY and MARGARET JONES (Mrs Davies). All in all I thoroughly enjoyed my two months stay in Aberystwyth (despite the weather) and also playing in such an iconic musical at the Arts Centre Theatre.
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Diana Sabatini's London Tube Rambles "I love exploring new places and discovering quirky things, also walking in the country. The problem is that I don’t enjoy driving. When I turned 60 the solution arrived in the shape of a Freedom Pass. I began to have a lot of fun seeing how far I could go with it on the London Underground ...."
To find out just how far Diana went click here
........................... Kate Lloyd appointed Lord Mayor of Cardiff
If you have any News or photographs please send them to Ann Smith click here
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