D.R. West's Memorial Service

Jenny Pardington · Post by **Jenny Pardington** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:15 am

Thanks for your lovely welcomes - I can see that I'll be visiting this forum frequently to read the reminiscences and comments, and perhaps make some of my own from time to time.

I have forgotten so much about my time at CH that it's good to have my memory jogged. Yes, I do now vaguely remember the Foundation Hymn pasted in HA&M! But I think most of my school reports said I should concentrate better.......

Somewhere in the loft is the old, very battered "small case" (with 5.16 crossed out and 8.23 inserted) stuffed with letters exchanged with friends in the holidays and during my frequent absences to care for a sick stepmother. Maybe I'll get them out and start a new thread if there's anything worth sharing?

I should have added to my first post that with hindsight I realised that DR was very good to me. I was a difficult child with a lot of baggage, disliked by many of the staff and rarely without an Order or Disorder. I was terrified of DR, but she lent me books, gave me clothes to wear in the holidays and a coat when I left. I just had to attend the Memorial Service as my own tribute to her.

Angela Woodford · Post by **Angela Woodford** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:00 am

Jenny Pardington wrote:Somewhere in the loft is the old, very battered "small case" (with 5.16 crossed out and 8.23 inserted) stuffed with letters exchanged with friends in the holidays and during my frequent absences to care for a sick stepmother. Maybe I'll get them out and start a new thread if there's anything worth sharing?

I should have added to my first post that with hindsight I realised that DR was very good to me. I was a difficult child with a lot of baggage, disliked by many of the staff and rarely without an Order or Disorder. I was terrified of DR, but she lent me books, gave me clothes to wear in the holidays and a coat when I left. I just had to attend the Memorial Service as my own tribute to her.

Yes, welcome Jenny!

If you look at the thread "New Girl" amazingly some of us have vivid memories of the attache case, purchased to specified measurements and used for needlework during the term.

Please, please fetch down your own letter-stuffed attache case from your loft if you can bear revisiting those memories!

I have been impressed that DR was generous in a material way to a couple of girls - but, at the risk of upsetting those who do have positive memories of her - single woman , good salary, accommodation provided, didn't need to and in fact couldn't cook - so a Christian woman should be generous. What I, and many others, wanted and needed from her was communication and encouragement; not possible.

DR cared little for material things, so it's significant for me that she should be generous in that way.

But I shouldn't dwell on my memories which are negative. I had a wonderful day on Sunday.

Munch

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:05 am

Jenny Pardington wrote:I should have added to my first post that with hindsight I realised that DR was very good to me. I was a difficult child with a lot of baggage, disliked by many of the staff and rarely without an Order or Disorder. I was terrified of DR, but she lent me books, gave me clothes to wear in the holidays and a coat when I left. I just had to attend the Memorial Service as my own tribute to her.

Welcome back, Jenny. There is plenty to read here! We have all learnt a lot about life in the other place for one thing!

I think there are many people who know of the quiet ways she could give help. This was hidden most of the time behind the bluff exterior. I am convinced she intended the best but there were times when she was stuck in her Edwardian upbringing and life in the 60s was not what she understood.

I was one of a large group (about 12) who gained our DofE Gold Awards at the same time. One Sunday in the UVI Classroom, we all filled in the forms for inviting our parents/guests to Buckingham Palace. NOBODY thought to invite DR - not even the twins who only had the one set of parents to invite between them! We failed her that day, but in her sense of honour she could not either add her name to someone's form or ask somebody to do it. I still feel ashamed about that, as it was due to her we got the Award.

Angela Woodford · Post by **Angela Woodford** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:23 am

Was there a Memorial for Miss Morrison?

If there was it must have been during the many years that I've been out of touch with CH!

Foureyes · Post by **Foureyes** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:00 am

A report on Miss West's Memorial Service is on the CHA Web Page.

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:13 am

There was a memorial for Jean Morrison. It was held as an Evensong on the Old Blues Day (June?) following her death. Again there was a joint Blue/Old Blue choir, and I think that Elizabeth Cairncross gave the address. Richard Poulton had given the address at her funeral in Bengeo, the previous January.

icomefromalanddownunder · Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:26 am

kerrensimmonds wrote:The book of Founder's Day Addresses was handed out f.o.c. to anyone in uniform who attended the service - and will be placed now in the Museum etc. etc. There are copies left over, which we are now going to sell in order to swell the money which is now being collected in advance of the launch of a formal DR West Memorial Fund. If you know of anyone (e.g. at CH) who would like a copy but who was not able to be at the Service then do drop me a PM and I will do the necessary!
Kerren

Oh yes please Kerren. I have no idea whether you kindly/serendipitously sent me the two years of greatest interest to me for typing, but I have been waiting with baited breath for a chance to read the rest of the addresses.

xx

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:18 am

Caroline.. I sent you a PM asking for your address so that I could send you the book....
Have you got it (the PM, I mean?!)
Kerren

icomefromalanddownunder · Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:58 am

kerrensimmonds wrote:Caroline.. I sent you a PM asking for your address so that I could send you the book....
Have you got it (the PM, I mean?!)
Kerren

I have now - reply coming right up.

xx

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:25 am

all done!

Alexandra Thrift · Post by **Alexandra Thrift** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:37 pm

Just a quick Hello to everyone......(including Caroline down under

)......

Many thanks to Kerren , CHA and all those who helped to make the service so lovely........ There must be a mention to the Horsham choirmaster ( what's his name ? ) who was so sensitive and sincere and who managed ,in such a short space of time, to get our temporary choir singing quite beautifully. Actually it was very moving to be part of a choir that included past and present students....I do hope that the present day students felt that too. It was lovely to have deep ,male voices singing behind me (and they looked great in their uniforms )....... I never imagined I would sing in a CH choir with a row of BOYS behind me...... I couldn't help chuckling when I thought of Miss West's misgivings about the lethal cocktail of male and female

When I was at CH the Foundation Hymn was regularly sung...well,at least on Founder's Day and I'm fairly certain, at our leaving service. I like the first two lines of the last verse " Brothers , best with righteous living etc"...not that I've been especially righteous

....but I like those lines anyway.Sad to hear that Carmen (or Votum) is no longer sung....really??

More about the service and the afternoon......Carolynn Gold (Newbury) read beautifully of course and the Old Blue who sat next to me (I don't know her name ) was at CH (I am guessing)in the fifties but her voice was still fabulous.....effortlessly sight reading and hitting EVERY top soprano note with POWER (just as I would have liked to have done

).....who was this mystery angel ?

Elaine sounded lovely...... and Joanna Yates said she would try to post her
contribution on the web as it wasn't printed in the order of service.

After the service,in the Court Room,it was a lovely surprise to see and talk to Katharine Hills ( after 42 years ) and to discover she is not the "giant" of my memory ( I was 12 and she was 18 and DR 's monitress !) even if she does still have those huge blue eyes !

Deborah Bowers looked practically identical to the last time I saw her in Sixes dayroom.She told me that after a 13 year break as a doctor, she retrained and is now a consultant paediatrician in Whitehaven (Cumbria).Great to see her.She is trying to "find" Josephine MacNamara from her year in Sixes and would be grateful for any leads.

For Caroline and other ex-sixes reading here....apart from Munch,I also chatted to Julia Page. ......and contemporaries from other houses included my friend and ally at school ,Susan Robinson (Boggett 1s).Sorry about anyone I haven't mentioned.....

I am very pleased that there is to be a D.R. West Memorial Fund and would be interested to know more.

Welcome to the forum Jenny . Munch has already posted some photos that her father took of the school (as slides) and had languished in storage for years,on another thread. I think it's a great idea to start another thread with your loft rediscoveries ! D.R was sometimes kind to me (taking me out to tea with a group of girls who had no visitors on Long Sat , for example ).....her comments on my final report (which I still have ) were really nice (considering I had a bit of a reputation!). "Wildone"aka Rosemarie Linskill (Gaye) had family circumstances similar to your own,when she was at CH and has written on another thread about how DR secretly bought her clothes for the school trip to France.

Fond wishes to everyone,
Alexandra xx

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 6:21 pm

You were sitting next to Diana Awdry, I think Alex....(YES.. she is the daughter in law of Thomas the Tank Engine's inventor....).
It was great to see everyone - and yes the person who directed the Choir was Bruce Grindlay, Director of Music.
I am relieved that it is all over, and I am delighted that we were able to do Miss West proud. I think that we have now managed to endorse her important position in the 20C history of the Foundation. The memorial plaque in Chapel will carry that forward.
I have been given a CD of the service and would be prepared to copy it - for a small sum which I will donate to the Memorial Fund once we can get it off the ground. Anyone interested should PM me for details?
Kerren

Jenny Pardington · Post by **Jenny Pardington** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:33 pm

kerrensimmonds wrote:I have been given a CD of the service and would be prepared to copy it - for a small sum which I will donate to the Memorial Fund once we can get it off the ground. Anyone interested should PM me for details?
Kerren

I'd love a CD to hear that wonderful singing again. Tried to PM you by clicking the button but this didn't work for some reason......

Jenny Pardington · Post by **Jenny Pardington** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:46 pm

On the way home I sat with Claire Latham, Diana Scott and someone whose name I didn't catch. We all overlapped at school to some extent, though I didn't remember any of them.

However, in my little case I've found my diary for 1960, the year I left, and lo! Part of the entry for 11 June reads:

"Drama Soc. Claire Latham came." Once again, memory fails to enlighten me why this was significant, but she must have made an impact!

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:52 pm

Hello Jennifer!
This is my welcome to you on the Forum!
You need to go to a post which I have made (e.g. this one?) and at the bottom click on the PM button. That should take you to an opportunity to take you to the private messaging system through the Forum. I won't give you my e mail address here because if I did there would be 'bounders' out there who would latch on to it and flood me with spam or viruses or both.....
If you still have problems, then contact the CHA office (Wendy Killner). She can give you my phone numbers, address, etc. etc.
Looking forward to hearing from you
Kerren

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D.R. West's Memorial Service

MEMORIAL SERVICE