The Rochester 2018 Alumni Newsletter Welcome to the 2018 RGS Alumni Association Newsletter!

You’ll notice that the newsletter has received another facelift this year, and we have been delighted to work with the School, and most notably a current student, to bring you this year’s news from the School and the Alumni Association members.

Thank you to those of you who have kept in touch this year; we are always delighted to hear from you, and enjoy reading news from alumni and your associates. As always, we warmly invite all of our members and friends of the school to join us for the AGM and Annual Lunch on Saturday 17th November 2018 to see friends, share memories and see the school. It is always wonderful to see old friends and classmates reconnect and to hear about and see our school as it is today. By popular request we have looked into a different and cheaper format for our 2018 Alumni Lunch. Part of the request was to be able to spend more time chatting during lunch. As a result we are experimenting with a buffet lunch (instead of a sit down, catered lunch) which will be cheaper and should allow people to mingle and chat. A booking form for the lunch can be found at the end of this newsletter or attached to this email. You can print or copy as many as you like, so why not pass one to a friend? A membership form is also included so that you can encourage friends from school days to join us and stay in touch all year round.

Now that we are electronic, we encourage you to share the newsletter with others. In light of GDPR we are sure you have been inundated with GDPR information and we too must tell you about GDPR. We of course take the security of your personal data seriously. We securely retain only name, time at RGS and contact details of members for our own purposes. If you wish to update your details or be removed from our mailing list at any point please contact us on [email protected] at which point we will permanently delete your details.

This year’s newsletter features lots of news and information from 2017 and 2018 so far, but we are always open to contributions. If you feel inspired while you read this edition, please do not hesitate to contact us with ideas for next year’s content. If you have news or photographs you’d like to share, or any other questions, you can contact the Committee through all the usual channels, and Ann (Chairman) and Avril’s (Treasurer and Membership Secretary) details are at the end of the newsletter. In addition, you can email us at [email protected] or on twitter @RGSKentAlumni. Happy reading! With our warm regards, The Alumni Association Committee AGM and Annual Lunch 2018

The Alumni Association invite you and your school friends to join us for our AGM, a tour and then lunch at the school on Saturday 17th November 2018.

Our annual lunch reunites ‘Old Girls’ (and boys!), and offers an opportu- nity to catch up and hear about the school today. By popular request we have looked into a different and cheaper format for our 2018 Alumni Lunch. Part of the request was to be able to spend more time chatting during lunch. As a result we are experimenting with a buffet lunch (instead of a sit down, catered lunch) which will be cheaper and should allow people to mingle and chat. As a result, no menu is included on these pages, but we would ask that you note any dietary requirements clearly on your booking form to ensure that we cater for all.

Note that we also hold our AGM before the lunch, and we warmly invite all to attend this to hear about our activities in 2017/18 and plans for the future. Mem- bers are reminded that they are entitled to vote on any matters raised at this meeting.

Following this, as in previous years, we will enjoy lunch together, an update on school life, and the annual raffle. Dona- tions of prizes on the day are appreci- ated. Why not contact friends from your year and organise a reunion? If you cannot join us for the whole day, please feel free to just come to the lunch. To attend, please complete the form at the end of this newsletter.

Don’t forget your camera or your purse! We would love to see and share your pic- tures of the lunch. Bring your camera along and send us any pictures with sug- gested captions afterwards; we will in- clude as many as we can in next year’s newsletter. Details of the current students who were awarded the Alumni prizes last year are included in this newsletter. We ask all those who attend the lunch to con- tribute £1 to the fund for the Alumni Award as explained in the piece.

Timetable for the Day : 10.30am Registration. 11.00am Tour of the school for the Class of 1998. Conversation time for those who wish to catch up with friends. 12.00pm AGM 1.00pm Lunch 2.30pm School update from the Executive Officers. More time for conversation. School songs. 4 – 4.30pm Carriages. The Alumni Award

The Alumni Award is for current RGS students, founded to celebrate the many ways in which RGS girls and boys serve others (“Service not Self ”). This year, the Alumni Award was given to Jasneet Samrai.

The Award is a beautiful trophy (pictured) which is given annually. As the trophy remains in school, it is accom- panied by a gift voucher. This is funded by voluntary donations of £1 from those who attend the annual Alumni lunch.

The Butterfield Cup

This year’s recipient of the Butterfield Cup was Afraah Ansar, awarded for “Commitment to School”.

New Alumni Student Links

We welcome our newest Alumni Student Links Yasmin Ahmed and Arwen Pike to be the pathway that keeps RGS students from former and current years connected. Arwen and Yasmin both joined the school in 2012 as part of seven Hildegard and are now in year twelve as of 2017. They are also on this year’s Executive Team with Arwen as Communications and Yasmin as Community officer. For their year group and others who show interest, their connections with the Alumni can facilitate many resources such as advice and even oppor- tunities from people who have experience in work and around the world, as well as smaller things such as career guidance and tips on life after education. These two passionate classmates reach out to the year as a whole and work to keep them connected with the Alumni and with each other. 130 Years of RGS

This 9th May 2018 marked 130 years since The Rochester Grammar School was founded, following the Endowed Schools Act of 1969 which allowed Charitable Trustees such as the Bridge wardens to donate money towards edu- cation. Since this time, the school has under- gone many developments, including new uni- form and school building, but the school spirit of thirst for education still soars.

The Foundation Ceremony Paper The original Foundation Paper listing the first for the establishment of the official Gover- School, found within the time nors, 9th May capsule unearthed in 1989 1888

The Foundation Ceremony programme for the School, Wednesday 9th May 1988 Minutes of the AGM 2017 Apologies

Gwynn Bassan, Angela Watson, Pat Boyle, Sheena Florance, Elaine Gardiner, Penny Fenn- Clark, June Woollett, Jennifer Goldsmith.

Minutes of the last meeting were included in last newsletter. Sheena Florence and Gwen Pope’s names misrecorded [apologies from the editor]. Chairman’s Report

This has been another interesting year. The committee has worked hard to improve our links with the school and Miss Tasker has started to work on a number of new initiatives. We are losing one of our long standing committee members - Pam Baldock - she has moved fur- ther away – and we’d like to thank her for all her help and support, in hope that she’ll continue to call in on our meetings if she is in the area.

We’d like to thank Sarah Earle, our Alumni representative on the Advisory Board, for representing us so well for a number of years. We are at present looking for a replacement.

We’d like to thank Pat Stevens for her hard work with the School Link Database, an ongoing piece of work.

This year, with the help and expertise of Christie Ransom, we have improved our social media communications via twitter and face book and we’re working on the website. The RGS Alumni twitter account currently has 237 followers, and the facebook group 1146 members.

I’d like to thank Avril for all her hard work in helping to put the 2017 newsletter together, we missed Christie’s expertise this year due to illness.

Thank you to our members for contributing more memorabilia. Unfortunately we have not had a response to our offer to advertise any Alumni or family businesses in the newsletter.

In order to encourage our school leavers to become members of the Alumni Association we are offering a £10 membership for 5 years. We hope this is a more attractive price for an 18 year old. The recipient of our Alumni Award (Service not Self) will receive a £25 gift and £10 paid for a 5year membership.

Our Life Membership has remained the same for a number of years. We have decided that we need to raise it from £25 to £30 from 1st January 2018. Via the newsletter we asked for any com- ments from life members by 1st September 2017, no comments were received so we now need to vote on this proposal. Proposed by Avril Noble, seconded by Sarah Earle. Vote carried unani- mously. If anyone would like to join us on the committee you would be most welcome. I’d like to thank you all for your support and the committee for their hard work. Ann West, Chairman Treasurer’s Report

The income for last year was £988 (this included monies from the AGM meal, the annual raffle, subscriptions and donations, though the latter are low – we would love more members to replen- ish this). Unfortunately this income did not cover the cost of the AGM lunch and expenses but the shortfall wasn’t much. The balance of funds at the end of the year was £4705.13.

We could not achieve this without the school, who contribute considerably to the cost of process- ing and posting the newsletter. Email has helped with the cost of communications, but we are not always informed when addresses change.

We would like more email addresses to further decrease costs of postage. 250 paper copies of the newsletter were posted last year (distributed to 600+ people, so this is a significant reduction in costs by using email).

The cost of the lunch has stayed the same for some years; one member asked whether it should be increased to £30 in line with the RMSOWA lunch. There have been previous complaints about the cost of the lunch, hence decision to reduce this cost for 2017 and this is partly behind the deci- sion to have two tier pricing for members and new members.

Database update

In the newsletter each year we include a questionnaire for the building of the school contact data- base. We hope to continue to expand this in the future, cataloguing the experience of alumni for the use of the school. The school questioned its current staff in this way and found a great source of ideas and experience, and so Pat Stevens has been working with the school to do the same for alumni. The questionnaire has been redesigned this year to reflect this and all alumni are encour- aged to complete and return this.

The database is being used by the school and all information is held securely and only accessed by staff who work in Careers or HE who will then perhaps contact you in the case that students need particular guidance or advice. Over the years some alumni have also visited the school to speak to students with particular interests (e.g. enthusing students in the field of surveying, working with legal professionals for UCAS support, medicine, engineering and business coaching).

We are particularly pursuing information from recent leavers who are at or have recently left uni- versity, or are in the early stages of their career, to offer advice to current students who are explor- ing their options post-16/18. We have benefitted from this in the past, including strengthening Pat’s connection with Trinidad and Tobago!

Pat circulated copies of the form for those present to complete.

Ann and those present thanked Pat for her hard work on this, as the school is very grateful. Report from the school (delivered by Lauren Tasker in Gwynn Bassan’s absence)

Apologies from Gwynn Bassan for absence due to the Holcombe Grammar Open Event. It has been a busy year!

RGS once again enjoyed record breaking results from the students, especially given changes to the curriculum. At Key Stage 5 (Sixth Form) there were 78% A*-B grades, or 81% A8-B including International Baccalaureate equivalent scores. Y12 AS levels were 62% A*-B grades. Year 11 achieved 100% 5 A*-C grades (including grade 4+ in Eng/Ma) and 94.58% 5 A*-C grades (including 5+ in Eng/Ma) at GCSE. At GCSE, grades were 66% A*/A over- all. The school is very pleased with these results.

There has been a change of leadership with two new roles for women. Clare Brinklow is now Head of School and Jo Wadey is now Vice Principal.

Music continues to be a big part of the school life, including the Autumn Concert which pre- sented choirs (including NChant), orchestra, the string quartet, as did the Carol Service at the Cathedral and the Founders Day service. Prizegiving celebrated the results of senior students, and enjoyed a speech from Katie Tasker who is an alumna and is now working as a successful finance and wealth manager in Lon- don. This provided a good role model for current students and they enjoy hearing from women who have left RGS and gone on to great things. Katie spoke about pursuing your ambitions and the need to work hard to do this.

RGS has raised over £10,000 for charities, largely organised and driven by students. Own clothes days, the Poppy appeal, House Charity events and the annual charity dance produc- tion Flair (last year raising £4,000 for Dementia UK). Founders’ Day raised nearly £2000 for Refuge UK.

There continues to be a wide range of extra-curricular activities, trips and events for current students, including STEM club, first place for KS3 and KS4 teams at the Rotary Club Tech- nology Tournament, the annual school production Little Shop of Horrors, a Trinity Guild- hall award for students in drama, Duke of Edinburgh Award, and the Year 11 ‘unwind’ trip (ice skating and to the cinema) during a potentially stressful year. The RGS young musician of the year was Emma Spence, who is a member of the string quartet. A number of students went to hear Tim Peake speak, Year 7 have visited Port Lympne Zoo and a local panto- mime, and there has been a Classics trip to Rome and a Languages exchange trip to Ber- lin. Staff give up their time to support these activities, including at evenings and weekends.

RGS continues to enjoy sporting success and for the seventh year running RGS won the Dis- trict Athletics Competition. The Y10/11 team achieved 9 first place medals out of possible 13 events, and one student won three gold medals. Two girls also enjoyed spectacular suc- cess with first place in long jump and discus at the Kent Athletics championships. The school also maintains regular sports clubs including football, netball and tag rugby, and girls enjoy a wide range of sports in PE lessons. Founders’ Day was a great day, with the usual service, lunch and fete, followed by the Founders’ Day Ball. This was part of the Term 6 events, including Sports, House Arts and Olympiad days, which comprise an annual festival of celebration and House competition. There has been an increase in the number of students who are travelling to the school from . The school has increased its published admissions number by one form to respond to increased demand.

Ann West added that Alumni are welcome to attend school events by contacting Jennifer Ryan at the school. Information regarding these is on the school newsletters available on their site and sent to alumni by email.

The Butterfield Cup continues to be awarded annually.

Any Other Business

Ann explained that recruitment for the lunch is a continual struggle each year and there was some feeling that it is an awful lot of work invested for such a small number. We need 30 people in attendance to ensure that it is viable (and not too expensive). Ann ex- plained that it is not so much the work, but the worry about numbers and the need to chase responses. General feeling from those in attendance was that it is an event they would like to continue to attend. There are some transportation concerns as the school is not easily situated for public transport, so perhaps an alternative venue should be ex- plored. There are other challenges associated with this including needing to pay for a venue, which would increase the cost. Others do feel that they like to come to the school. This has been an historical problem. When we meet might be a consideration, but changing the month in the past has not improved this situation. The Alumni Asso- ciation does not get much choice regarding this due to the school calendar, and efforts have been made to ensure people are made aware earlier by email now. The ideal would be to have one person per year group who would act as a contact and would communi- cate with others in their year who might like to attend.

Members present asked whether we have a website. The information for this has been sent to the school and there has been slow progress. Feeling was that having a website would be useful to find information about events.

It was suggested that it would be interesting to include a feature on the history of the school houses in a future newsletter. Barbara Letchford’s health continues to deteriorate, but Ann has been to visit. She en- joyed the visit and sends her love to all, and Ann has brought a photo of her from June to the lunch today.

Members present thanked Ann and the committee for the day, including the current stu- dents who gave their time to be here.

The meeting closed at 1pm.

Life at RGS in the 1950s

Eightieth birthdays fall this year for the ‘Class of ‘49’. The group recently celebrated this signifi- cant anniversary with a lively lunch at ‘Ye Arrow’, which we all knew as the back of the King’s Head. Memories of our years at RGS flowed thick and fast.

We joined Rochester Grammar School in 1949, just four years after the end of the Second World War. Miss Butterfield and the School had finally settled into the handsome red/orange brick building in Road after war-time wanderings and temporary accommodation. Many of our number are only too aware of the effect on family relationships of their being the small child left cosily at home with Mum, while Dad went off to war and older siblings were evacuated with their schools, albeit running the gamut of possible Nazi invasion of Kent and being ‘bombed out’. As our class excitedly prepared for entry into RGS with the prospect of an excellent education, older brothers and sisters felt they had been sent away from home to experience good, bad or in- different treatment by host families in the countryside and deprived of the opportunity to ‘pass the scholarship’ with the privilege of being taught at a grammar school.

Form 1S sat down at their desks in their new classroom in September 1949, with its view of Ravensworth’s turret through the window, watching in horror our form teacher’s habit of pulling down her eyes, twiddling her hair and taking aim with a blackboard rubber. We were the first year group at the school, when all pupils entered via the eleven plus test, as opposed to the mix- ture of scholarship and fee-paying pupils in past years. Some long-standing teachers found the transition difficult and made no bones about comparing ‘genteel’ and ‘working class’ accents and behaviour. “How now, brown cow” had to be proclaimed with pure vowels.

We sat in our new uniforms, square-necked blouses that buttoned uncomfortably at the back and navy-blue tunics, purchased from ‘Leonards of Rochester’at seemingly greater expense than other Towns suppliers. Home-made blouses were discouraged, and if anyone arrived with a collared blouse, (like those worn at Chatham County Grammar School), the Headmistress, (referred to by boys at the Maths School as ‘the dreaded Butt’), sent for the mother, ordering her to find a dressmaker to make the necessary alterations. The winter was to bring about the hated, compulsory thick lisle ‘Rose Brown’ stockings, (yes – held up by suspenders sown onto liberty- bodices). The legs of our navy bloomers had to be pulled down to overlap the stocking tops, in order that we should not catch cold in the Medway draughts. There were frequent snap inspec- tions to ensure that each pupil was carrying out this rule. Post war austerity was still very much the order of the day, with rationing of clothes and shoes as well as food and families had to save and struggle to provide the correct blouses, lisle stockings and three pairs of shoes per pupil (outdoor shoes, house (indoor ) shoes and gym shoes. One of our number who had a sojourn at Grammar School, returned in green uniform, being allowed to wear it until it wore out. The rest of us were envious.

Our First Year progressed, with admonitions for sliding down banisters, swinging on heavy iron gates and creeping around disused air-raid shelters. We interpreted teachers’ or mistresses’ (as they were called) remarks; recognising kindness, approval, displeasure or sarcasm. We learnt in the case of a particular teacher, well-known for her good influence on our development, yet held in considerable awe, that if she called you by your name - you were fine; if she called you ‘dear’ – that was alright; if she called you ‘darling’ – things were getting dangerous; if she said ‘Come here, sweetheart’ – your knees trembled. In domestic science lessons we survived hand-sewing our aprons and caps and progressed to treadle sewing machines and basic cooking. If you couldn’t thread your cotton onto a sewing machine or if your pastry got too wet, you had to sit and contemplate this sad state of affairs for hours on end, without being told how you could learn from the mistake. An enthusiastic demon- stration of passing in hockey resulted in a broken nose, (it’s still crooked). Someone’s report stated that a hapless class member had ‘not yet gained control of her arms and legs’. 1953 brought the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. We were marched to the cinema at the bot- tom of Star Hill to see the film, in colour. A professional performance of ‘The Queen and Mr Shakespeare’ was rehearsed and presented. It also brought the Rochester Cathedral appeal for renovation funds. Each class set about fund raising with enthusiasm. Our class of 49 decided on a jumble sale, collecting an amazing variety of items including a hand-turned mangle. On the day of the sale Headmistress and Caretaker surveyed a long queue down the road, took con- trol of customer entry, sternly admitting impatient shoppers in tens, who ran to our carefully laid out stalls in the school hall The venture raised £49. The Bishop came to congratulate us on our great effort for the cathedral. The amount would have been £1,300 in today’s money. Yvonne Atkinson, who was to become Senior Prefect, contributes her special memories from the second year (Year 8) to A Levels:

“In 1950 we began German lessons, with an inspirational teacher. She arranged for us to have penfriends from a school in Burscheid near Cologne. At Easter 1954 we went to visit our pen- friends, travelling by ferry from to Ostend and then by train to Cologne. Our penfriends’ families made us very welcome. I remember sleeping in a cosy bed with feather mattress and duvet. On Easter Sunday I took part in my first ever Easter egg hunt in the gardens of Hilde- gard’s parents, aunts and grandparents. I found chocolate and hand-painted hard-boiled eggs, which I saved for packed lunches during visits to Cologne, Bonn, Wuppertal, Altenberg and Schloss Brṹll. During the following summer our penfriends came to stay with our families, visit- ing London, Kew Gardens, Hampton Court, Windsor Castle and Cambridge. At this time many fathers and uncles of our penfriends remained in prisoner of war camps. Due to our Ger- man teacher’s wonderful example and initiative, many of us are still in touch with our pen- friends and have revisited Burscheid as a group.

Each year, a school trip was organised to Wimbledon. In 1954, after finishing our GCE O Lev- els, I remember watching several matches, declaring my favourite player to be Ken Rosewall. We were lucky to get standing room in the Centre Court for the men’s final and watched Drob- ney beat Rosewall.

From 1954-1956 I studied Zoology and Botany for A Level. Under a motivating teacher I learnt to make slides and dissect earthworms, dogfish, frogs and rabbits. I undertook teacher training and my love for Zoology amd Botany confirmed my resolve to teach Biology and pass on my knowledge and skills to the young people I taught at Upbury Manor School in Gillingham.” It’s strange how memories of octogenarians enjoying a good lunch revolve around the bizarre, humorous, even negative memories of school life, although all are totally aware of and thankful for the wonderful experiences we enjoyed at RGS through hard work, revelling in literature, ex- periencing feelings and insights through languages, marvelling at the wonders of mathematics and science, losing ourselves in art, music and drama and extending ourselves to the full in sport, (or not).

Thank you Rochester Grammar School. Sub Umbra Alarum Tuarum. Pat Stevens Audrey Roberts

Former RGS French Teacher, Mum, Grandma and good friend to many

Audrey Elizabeth Roberts sadly passed away in April this year, aged 90. She taught at Roches- ter Grammar School from 1954 until 1989, with a break of a few years to start a family. She was born on 20th June 1927 to Daisy and Harry Bainbridge in Sheffield. She had an older sister Dorothy who had sleeping sickness and Daisy and Harry knew that they were going to lose Dorothy. Dorothy named her baby sister Audrey. Audrey’s Dad, Harry, was an engine driver. During the Second World War whilst Audrey was at school, Daisy and Harry didn’t want her to be evacuated and so on the days when there were air raids, her Mum opened up her front room for the teacher and the local children so that the children could still be taught. Audrey one day went on a school trip to the seaside and her Dad was the engine driver. She was so very proud of him. Audrey did well at Sheffield City Grammar School where she became Head Girl. Audrey was always a year ahead of her age group because she was so bright and went on to uni- versity where she also loved many sports. She was very good at fencing, played goalkeeper in hockey, enjoyed athletics but she did also study! In the autumn of 1945 Audrey went and stud- ied at the University of Lyon in France, and later at Sheffield University. She arrived in Lyon in the early hours after delays in her journey from Sheffield and her correspondents had gone home so she spoke to some gendarmes who escorted her to her host family in Place Bellecour. Aud- rey’s friendship between herself and her correspondent Jacqueline, and their two families has continued through the generations to this day. Audrey was a very adventurous young lady and at one time bivouacked with friends on the beach at Marseilles. Audrey gained her degree with honours at Sheffield University in Latin and in French which she later went on to teach. At the University French Club Audrey met her future husband Derek, who also became a teacher. They both loved ball room dancing and rambling in the nearby Peak District. Audrey spent her teacher training years in Willesden and then got a job at Roch- ester Grammar School, eventually becoming Head of Foreign Languages. Before their children, Alan and Janet, were born Audrey and Derek took their Morris Minor “Bluebell’ on an aeroplane from to Le Touquet for a couple of holidays in France, touring around Brittany. (Yes - a car on an aeroplane!) One of the places that they visited was Lander- neau in Southern Brittany and they named their family home after that town. Landerneau, the family home, was built in 1955 on a plot of land which was part of an apple orchard Derek and Audrey found in Foxendown Lane, where Audrey lived until 2012 when she moved into her bungalow in Orchard Drive, Meopham. After the children were born Audrey taught part-time at Cobham Hall, teaching Latin and French, then returned to teach at Rochester Grammar School where she stayed until she retired. Audrey was popular with pupils and colleagues alike and taught and inspired many children. At Rochester Grammar School Audrey, together with Peter Green of the Maths School, organ- ised the French school exchange to Montauban where she visited the families and their English exchange pupils ensuring everyone was happy. As a Mum Audrey was great, she never told her children off but would explain why things should or should not be done. She was always supportive, never judgmental and that was not just for her children but also her pupils, friends and colleagues. A colleague of Audrey’s has written about her….’It has been some years since I met her, but brief encounters were always a pleasure. Audrey was always ready with a word of encourage- ment when needed……Audrey was possessed of a tranquillity which made life easier for those around her and for her pupils…..Her interaction with me more than forty years ago made my life easier at a difficult time.’ Another colleague wrote….’An amazing lady. So warm and friendly ’ and a former pupil wrote “She was such a wonderful person. Her gentle nature and caring attitude helped me then and for years after. Rest in peace my dear teacher”. Audrey and her family shared many happy long summer holidays touring in Western Europe and introduced her children to other cultures; those trips were always fun. The door was always open for the children’s friends who were certain of a cuppa and made welcome. People just loved chatting to Audrey, she had so many things to talk about and she always made people feel at ease. Audrey was always there for her children and when she had grandchildren she went to all the sports days, school plays, productions and concerts and had many holidays with the families - on the Isle of Wight, in Derbyshire, Lanzarote, Sorrento and also Iceland, which she loved. At the grand age of eighty-one Audrey climbed the crater of Mount Vesuvius – she certainly packed a lot into her life. Ever active and looking for new experiences, when she was sixty Audrey learnt to swim and at sixty-three joined the Meopham Tennis Club. After her husband passed away in 2002 Audrey started going on cruises and especially enjoyed cruising in the Norwegian Fjords, Iceland and around the Baltic. Whilst in her eighties Audrey did a Religious Studies course at Cambridge University, and gained top marks in her Open University GCSE Spanish, to enable her to talk to one of her grandsons who also enjoyed Spanish. She also embraced the IT world with an ipad and communicated by email with her friends. At the age of eighty-six she did a speed awareness course as she didn’t want points on her driving licence! Audrey always maintained a fit, healthy diet, and was still reading nutri- tion books well into her eighties. She enjoyed going to the opera and ballets, enjoyed yoga, a glass of wine, and joined the Hotel Chocolat Tasting Club. She also loved her pet fish and was previously devoted to the family cats and dogs and various other animals. Audrey enjoyed do- ing French crosswords and always carried a French crossword book in her handbag. She also adored Jacques Tati films, particularly Monsieur Hulot and for a number of years was a key member of Meopham’s French Club. In June last year Audrey had a wonderful day with the family celebrating her 90th birthday. Most years of her life Audrey spent a few days in Paris with her friend Jacqueline, which was made much easier by the arrival of the Eurostar, and her last trip to Paris was in October last year. Other than inspiring her pupils, Audrey’s love for France and her adventurous travelling spirit has been passed on to her children and grandchildren. Audrey was a proud member of the RGS Alumni and very happy that her grandaughter, Je- mima, became a pupil at RGS. She was also a proud member of the Sheffield University Alumni, her last visit there being in 2015 when the university asked her all about what it was like to study there in her day. Audrey’s passing has saddened everyone who knew and loved her but though she will be missed always, this lovely lady will never be forgotten. Jean Harris (née Walker) 24/6/1929 – 27/11/2017

Jean Walker was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire in 1929. Her family moved to Gillingham, when she was six years old, in search of work. She resided for the rest of her life in the Medway towns.

Early in World War 2 she won a scholarship to Rochester Grammar School for Girls and came home from being evacuated to Wrens Warren in the Ashdown Forest to take up her place in September 1940. The headmistress at the time was Miss Butterfield. Jean told many stories of school life during the war; sharing classes with other schools in the area and being taken into “the tunnels” at Fort Pitt when the air raid sirens rang.

Following her General Schools Exams in 1945 she under- took and apprenticeship as a tracer at Woodfields in . Jean was happily married to Don Harris from 1953 until Jean at RGS she was widowed in 1997. She was always immensely proud to be an “RGS Old Girl” and was invited to serve as a parent governor for a period. Both of her daughters, Julie and Jill, attended RGS, which added to her pride in the school.

Jean’s passion to help people led her into teaching adult lit- eracy and to working with adults with learning difficulties for several years.

After Don’s death, Jean volunteered at Wisdom Hospice and ran an annual Macmillan Coffee Morning to raise funds for Cancer Support in his memory. She had a pas- sion for learning and loved quizzes and reading; she joined University of the Third Age; went to writing groups and a book club; craft groups; Borstara; senior keep fit and loved to make cakes, preserves and jams. She was an active and committed member of St John Fisher’s RC Church in Rochester.

As a very keen “Old Girl” of RGS, Jean attended annual events without fail and in her eighties even embraced tech- nology, enjoying the emailed newsletters from the RGS Jean on her 88th birthday Alumni Association.

Jean loved life to the full; had many friends and enjoyed her independence until her sudden death in November 2017. She is greatly missed. Alison Jane Sonnex 29/8/1963 - 12/4/2018

Alison passed away suddenly while on holiday in Egypt with her husband, Clive. Alison attended Rochester Girls Grammar School from 1974 till 1981, where we met and be- came best friends in our first year. She was always very good at languages and took A’ levels in French, German, and English Literature. Because she was very intelligent, she had been bumped up a year in , so she wasn’t eighteen in time for the start of the university year in 1981. She spent that summer working at a cafe in Canada, then got a job at Chatham dockyards, but the following year she joined me at Leicester University where she earned her degree in Modern Languages. As part of her studies, she spent a year in Sicily teaching English as a foreign language, and after graduating she spent two years in Japan doing the same, fol- lowed by a year teaching in Malaysia. When she returned to she took her Masters de- gree in Education, then worked as a teacher in Carlisle until 1995 when she was offered a job teaching French, German and Italian at Dane Court Grammar School in . She also became the school’s Coordinator of Special Educational Needs (SENCO). She met her hus- band, Clive, and they settled in . Alison was always laughing about something and was great fun to be around. She loved adven- ture, travelling, pub quizzes, at which she excelled, and her cats. She was a caring person, al- ways ready with the perfect gift or treat. She will be greatly missed by Clive, her three step- daughters (who were really like daughters to her), her grandchildren, her mum Gwen, brother Ashley, and an infinite number of friends and colleagues whose lives were made so much better for having had her in them. We shall always remember how lucky we were to have known her. Rest In Peace, Alison.

Alison`s great friend Gloria, a friend for 20years and a teacher colleague at Dane Court Grammar school:

Ali was my family down here. We were very different in many ways but our friendship worked.

There isn`t a cream tea in Kent we haven`t eaten and pub lunches were our speciality. You would have found us on the Ferry across the Mersey, driving around the Great Orme in Llandudno, a whirlpool in Tallinn, a river cruise in Chester, the beach in Goa sitting next to a herd of cows, making human shadows on the Good- win Sands, driving back from Brugge with a flat tyre, soaked in the Czech Republic, on a bus trip in Cyprus that only went out of town but hadn`t told us it was not going back, in the dug-out at Real Madrid, watching Mama Mia in Spanish, sleeping in the same room once slept in by William Hague at the British Embassy in Norway, going back to a hotel in Ibiza at 10pm when everyone else was going out (we knew how to live), catching fish in Portugal and at Heathrow missing a flight to see Steph having saved for over a year to go. Penny Fenn Clark I have been advised of the sad news that Penny Fenn Clark died on 25th May 2018. Penny was 71 and attended RGGS from 1958 until the summer of 1966, when she left to commence training as a physiotherapist at Kings College Hospital. I have spoken to her sister Sue Wallace, who also attended RGGS, and we talked about Penny and how amazing she was. She was funny, kind, had an incredible memory and to me seemed fearless in the way she tackled life. I will always treasure the won- derful RGGS vignettes she wrote for many publications of our News Letter.

Her sister Sue will write a piece for publication, but she is devastated by the loss of her sister and will need time.

Penny will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Our thoughts and condolences are with the friends and family of those we have lost this past year. RGS Alumni Annual Lunch 2018 Local Hotel Information Holiday Inn, Rochester- Chatham, Maidstone Road, Chatham, Kent, ME5 9SF Phone; 0871 9069 www.holidayinn.co,/Rochester/Hotels Average nightly rate £62.50 With breakfast £74.20

Bridgewood Manor Hotel Near Bluebell Hill, Walderslade Woods, Chatham, ME5 9AX Phone:01634 201333 Google: Bridgewood Manor Hotel, Maidstone Average nightly rate £109

King’s Head . Rochester 58, High Street, Rochester,, ME1 1LD Phone: 01634 880568 www.kingsheadrochester.co.uk Budget bedrooms available

The Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel 16 High Street, Rochester, ME1 1PX Phone: 01634 819245 Google: The Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel, Rochester Nightly rate: £45

Gordon House Hotel 91, High Street, Rochester, ME1 1LY Phone: 01634 831000 www.booking.com/Gordon House Hotel Nightly rate. 2 guests £74

Premier Inns Google: Premier Inns in Kent

Rochester Hotel Medway Valley Leisure Park, Chariot Way, Strood, ME2 2SS Phone: 0871 527 8938 Nightly rate from £37

Gillingham Park Business Park Hotel The Honorable Pilot Will Adams Way, Gillingham, Kent ME8 6BX Phone: 0871 527 8416 Nightly rate from £29.80

Chatham / Gillingham (Victory Pier) Hotel Blake Avenue, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1GB Phone: 0871527 9510 Reservation for Alumni Lunch 17th November 2018

Please join us for a delicious buffet lunch and the opportunity to catch up with friends.

Number of tickets required ...... totalling £...... (Tickets are £20 per head, with a reduced rate of £18 for Alumni Association members)

Please make cheques payable to Rochester Grammar School Old Girls’ Association (RGSOGA) and send them with your reservation form to: Deadline for making a reservation is Mrs Sarah Earle, 1st November 2018 62 Kingfisher Drive, (Please ring 01322 423413 if you , Kent, have a problem with this date) DA9 9RT 01322 423413 [email protected]

Current Name & Address ......

......

Maiden Name ......

School Years ......

Telephone Number ......

E-mail Address ......

Please state clearly any dietary requirements for the buffet (including allergies, intolerances or vegetarian/ vegan preference): ...... ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Seating for the lunch will be informal this year, enabling you to sit with friends.

I shall be coming to the AGM Yes / No

It would help us keep costs down if you would include a stamped, addressed envelope for your tickets when you return this form. Thank you.

There are members of the Alumni who no longer drive and who would be grateful for a lift to the lunch. If you are prepared to offer a lift, or if you would like a lift, please tick the appropriate box below. I should be happy to offer a lift. I should like a lift. I need wheelchair access.

Please bring your own wine or preferred libation. RGS Alumni Questionnaire for Support of the School and Students 2018-2019 The Alumni Data base, giving details of former RGS pupils who agree to advise and be consulted by current students, continues to grow, with welcome additions by Alumni who have left university re- cently and are launching themselves into careers.

Please join the database this year and lend your rich resource of knowledge, expertise, experience and interests to enrich the outlook and future future of current students.

Completed forms should be sent to Pat Stevens: Email: [email protected] Address: 19, Culverlands Close, Green Lane, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 3AG

Name and School Dates ......

Telephone Number ......

E-mail Address ...... QUALIFICATIONS

WORK YOU HAVE DONE

INTERESTS, HOBBIES AND ENTHUSIASMS

SKILLS YOU HAVE DEVELOPED

HAVE YOU CONTACTS WITH ANY FIRMS OR ORGANISATIONS WHICH MIGHT OFFER

WORK-EXPERIENCE OR WORK-SHADOWING FOR AN RGS STUDENT? PLEASE GIVE DETAILS

Please continue overleaf or on separate sheets if desired. Many Thanks. Member Details and Profile Please fill in this little profile for us - we know that there are people out there trying to contact their old school friends and they are really interested to hear how you are faring. If you are willing for the information to be published and shared with other members of the Alumni Association, please com- plete the form below and return it to:

Mrs Avril Noble, 176 City Way, Rochester, Kent, ME1 2AU or why not e-mail me at avrilno- [email protected]

Surname: ...... First Name(s): ...... Current Address: ...... School Years: ...... Maiden Name: ...... Telephone Number: ...... E-mail Address: ......

What did you do when you left school? ......

What have you done since then e.g. work, family, interests, travels......

What are your thoughts about school, what “events” have stayed in your memory? ...... Don’t stop here if you have more to tell, just carry on overleaf. Rochester Grammar School Alumni Membership Enrolment Form

Surname ...... First Name(s) ...... Address ...... …...... School Years ...... Maiden Name ...... Telephone Number ...... E-mail Address ......

Life Membership: £30 – cheque made payable to RGSOGA please

We know that there are alumni out there trying to con- tact their old school friends. Unfortunately, due to the Data Protection Act, we cannot give out your personal information without your permission. However, if you are willing for your details to be shared with other members of the Alumni Association, please indicate here:

I am happy for you to pass on my details to Alumni trying to get in touch with me: Yes / No

Signature ...... Date ......

Please return to: Mrs Avril Noble, 176 City Way, Rochester, Kent, ME1 2AU Phone: 01634 849032 E-mail: [email protected] The Rochester Grammar School

The Rochester Grammar School Maidstone Road Rochester Kent ME1 3BY

Telephone: +44 (0) 1634 843 049 Facisimile: +44 (0) 1634 818 340 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.rochestergrammar.medway.sch.uk

Chairman Treasurer and Membership Secretary Mrs Ann West Mrs Avril Noble

273 Walderslade Road 176 City Way Chatham Rochester Kent Kent ME5 0HN ME1 2AU

Telephone: 01634 864 163 Telephone: 01634 849 032 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]