April reunions

Class of 1955-65 and class of 1975-85

On Friday 8th April 2022, we were delighted to welcome back the class of 1955-65 from both Fan Court Boys and Claremont Girls. Taking place in the Great Room the atmosphere was buoyant and there was tea, cake and sandwiches aplenty. There was also an opportunity to tour the school with our resident historian and fellow alumni Pamela Rider. For many attendees it was one of the first opportunities they’ve had to come back since they left Claremont Girls School. Traditionally the Fan Court and Claremont reunions were held on different days and at different locations. However, we wanted to create a more integrated day and we think it was a great success. The archive display proved popular with the inclusion of the Vox Leonis, which we withdrew from the Surrey History Centre, for the special occasion. The Vox Leonis (The Voice Of The Lion) was a studentmade termly book that every student at Fan Court had to contribute to, whether it was a story, a drawing or factual review. It is a treasure trove of memories and we hope to display more at future events.

The following day, on Saturday 9th April, we hosted our second larger reunion of the class of 1976-85. This was a well-attended day and we were delighted to have people travel in from all over the country and the world, with the furthest being Susan from Kenya! The feel of the day was very joyous with the inner hall packed with people. We started the day with tea and coffee in the Great Room and class photos on the steps. We then moved into the familiar Joyce Grenfell Centre (JGC) for a buffet lunch and more opportunities to reminisce. Thank you to William Brierly for addressing the reunion with his usual humour and for helping us cut and serve the cake. The highlight of the day for many people was the opportunity to free roam within the Mansion. We heard plenty of laughter as the old metal lift was ridden up and down the building and alumni returned to their old classrooms and boarding dorms. The archival display also offered a chance for people to spot themselves in school photos as well as helping us identify familiar faces. For both reunions we wanted to open the day up to those who couldn’t travel to be with us in person. This was a new venture and something we would like to continue. We initially sent our remote guests a postcard, a teabag and a copy of their school record card (where available) and invited them to dial in on the day via video chat. On the day, we had iPads with different class year groupings set up in rooms and the in-person alumni could visit a room and say hello. This worked remarkably well, thank you to our ever-helpful IT department as well as the alumni who dialled in to use this new format.

Both days would not have been possible without the help of our alumni community. You all pulled together to help us contact new people, match up maiden and married names and took it upon yourselves to message and call each other. It was your enthusiasm and commitment to the school that made both days possible. We are grateful for such a well-connected and welcoming alumni community that is growing stronger every year.