D.R. West's Memorial Service

[Alexandra Thrift]

Thankyou Mrs C. I was starting to panic !

Miss West's Memorial service (and Founder's Day) Application form now available on CHA website "Events".
See Mrs C.'s previous post for link.

Later edit: As I seem to have accidently started a new thread, here is the link to CHA Events

http://www.chassociation.org/news/index.php#363

Maybe it's a good idea to have a "Miss West Memorial Service" thread.

[Angela Woodford]

I've received an invitation already by snail mail, which is amazing.

Who else is coming? I hope lots of Old Girls!

I wonder who has planned the service.

Munch

[Katharine]

I have also had the snail mail invite and am trying to work out the logistics of it. Mother's 90th birthday celebrations are now scheduled for 30th - her birthday is 15th. That would have taken priority!

My problems include that my usual covers at work cannot work that weekend - one is in Spain then, another's daughter is getting married on 15th and the third is a retired priest who doesn't work on the railway on Sundays!

I don't think I can do there and back in one day.

[midget]

I know I can't get there and back in a day, so won't be there. In any case we will be going to a wedding in Horsham in December, so 2 visits in one year will be enough.

Maggie

[Euterpe13]

I won't be going either - only get back from abroad the day before, and have to be at work on the Monday.

[kerrensimmonds]

There seem to have been some 'gaps' in the invitations issued....I thought they were going to all members of the CHA (male and female) but apparently labels were only printed for Hertford OGs of 'Miss West's era'. Does not look as if even staff have been invited - and now I learn of at least two OG's of Miss West's era who have not had invitations.
I reiterate that everyone IS invited - and this weekend I am sending out invitations to Miss West's family members and friends - as well as to Hertford staff.
I hope that it will be a good occasion. Adrian Bawtree (OB and CH Organist) was detailed by the HM to organise the service - he's been liaising with a number of people including yours truly. I can tell you that Carolynn is reading one lesson (the other will be the Senior Grecian) and that Jo Yates (now Precentor of Leeds) is doing the prayers. Elaine is doing a solo. Won't give anything else away....don't want to spoil it!
But there should be a lot of people there.. so please pass the word round? Hoping to get a decent choir, too, to join Schola Cantorum (or maybe the whole Chapel Choir).
There is at least one party staying in the Travelodge at Billingshurst on the Sunday night.. and another group meeting up beforehand in a pub in Horsham (Carolynn... if you are looking in here, will be in touch on that. Nearly forgot!).
Please check that your contemporaries and friends have had the invitation (or have looked at the CHA website!) and encourage them to sign up.

Kerren

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Hi Kerren

Thanks for all your hard work, and I'm sorry that I won't be able to be with everyone on the day.

Just a thought re music - have any Hertford OB Organists been approached? I don't know whether Cathy would be interested, but it occured to me that it would be rather nice if one of DR's girls were to play. The only reason I singled out Cathy is that I know that she still plays (with bells on ), and have no idea about Bun, Deborah, and, er, can't think of anyone else.

xx

Caroline

[kerrensimmonds]

Cathy is not interested in doing anything to commemorate Miss West.....
Given that Adrian was given the job of organising the Service, and he is the regular organist, it seemed a bit 'rude' to ask if any OG's could play (though I think that Sue - Evans - is going to be there, she and Adrian do not see eye to eye so she probably wouldn't want to play, anyway). I did ask if protocol would allow us to invite Miss Taverner to take a part in the service - the reply came back that of course we could invite her to ATTEND... but it ended there!
At the end of the day this is deliberately a joint School/OB event (I think its time the children of today got to know a bit more about Hertford....) so I am happy to leave Adrian at his organ (NOW NOW JR!).
Given your interest, Caroline.. I am wondering if we might be allowed to record the service? I will ask - but one problem is that it is at the end of only the first week back of the autumn term, and that week includes St. Matthew's Day, so people are already indicating that they are going to be very busy. One reason for getting the service organised now, and the service sheets printed during the summer holiday (they are going to be 'glossy', as befits the occasion. None of these crumpled photocopied efforts).

[Angela Woodford]

Why the Senior Grecian? Nothing to do with the DR years. Can't this service be done exclusively by US? There are many of us School Readers.

Munch

[kerrensimmonds]

See message to Caroline re it deliberately being a joint School/OB event
Kerren

[Angela Woodford]

I can't see that it can be a joint event!

The guys didn't even know the name "DR"! We were a separate establishment, and if the Hertford chapel still existed, we'd be there.

Just or unjust; depends on how she she treated you - we all remember her in our own way. I particularly understand Catherine Ennis' wish not to commemorate her. There are many Organ Girls, as well as School Readers. I'm so pleased that Elaine is to sing. Miss Taverner never gave any attention to girls with potential voices.

This is a chance to have a Hertford day.

Munch

[kerrensimmonds]

This is PRECISELY about bringing Hertford into the school of today. Those of us who are producing the booklet of DRW's FD Addresses are going to be giving a copy to any current pupil who attends the service and who is interested in the history of the Foundation. Miss West herself wanted us to move away from the 'exclusivity' of Hertford, which we did when the OGA became a corporate member of the CH Club and we became a more integral part of the CH 'family'. I have no problems at all with her Memorial Service - which is after all being hosted and paid for by the school - being attended and supported by both Blues and Old Blues. Blues will later be looking at her memorial plaque in Chapel (it is to be dedicated during the Memorial Service) and I am pleased to think that some of the current generation will be there at her service, to learn about us and about her.

[Angela Woodford]

Miss West herself wanted us to move away from the 'exclusivity' of Hertford,

Then why, dear Kerren, did we have virtually nothing to do with Horsham? Why didn't she instigate some sort of contact between us? If DR determined on some course of action, it happened. Why did she say that her girls regarded the boys as "callow youths"? I honestly can't believe this. Hertford and Horsham were separate institutions. Things now sound terrific! but in the days of DR were strictly apartheid.

Therefore I'm in favour of the Memorial Service using as many of DR's "swans" as possible. Or even those of us who weren't swans.

Munch

[kerrensimmonds]

It was about five years after the merger - so early 1990's - that Miss West wrote to OG's via the annual Newsletter to suggest that the time had come to disband the OGA and 'move on'.

[Angela Woodford]

It was about five years after the merger - so early 1990's - that Miss West wrote to OG's via the annual Newsletter to suggest that the time had come to disband the OGA and 'move on'.

Shame that this shift in her opinions didn't happen way earlier. Too late for us and those of us that were gender-restricted before!

Five years after the merger! Honestly.