Medbury School
Play the Game
History in the making Farewell to last member of founding family
Brian and Joan Bidwill in the Medbury dining room.
As we rapidly approach Medbury’s Centenary, we
Joan Buena Bidwill (nee Chennells) 1928 - 2021.
are in a period within the School’s history with drive-
Daughter of Medbury’s founding Headmaster, Eric
through pick ups for remote learning packs, novel
Chennells and wife, Bea.
multimedia pieces being produced by students in
When Joan was born in 1928, Medbury was a thriving
response to remote learning tasks, and a variety of other unique situations that have been covered in this edition of ‘Play the Game’. It is important to acknowledge and capture these moments in history as they happen and to acknowledge other significant moments that have occurred along the way - the previous Polio pandemic, World War II, the Great Depression, the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. The Year 5s are currently working on capturing the current COVID pandemic for future generations to gain an understanding of how this has impacted on life as a Medbury student. If you attended Medbury at a significant point in history
family school with more than 50 boys – both Day boys and Boarders. So it was in this busy school with staff and boys that Joan grew up. “Mum had a wonderful childhood at Medbury in the large grounds, fishing in the Wairarapa stream, climbing trees and playing with her beloved Buckle, the Scottish Terrier,” Joan’s children said in their speech at her funeral. These were the depression years and she is said to have remembered many hungry, unemployed men coming up the drive at Medbury asking for food and work and Eric and Bea always supplied both.
within Christchurch, New Zealand, or throughout
Joan’s secondary school years were also those of
the world, please email us centenary@medbury.
WW2. When Joan left school, she intended to go
school.nz or write and share your story to Moments
either to Art School or do nursing but, as was often
in History, Medbury School, PO Box 29006, Riccarton,
the case in those days, the family needed her help
Christchurch 8440.
and she became an integral part of the daily routine
Such moments are so important to capture by those who were there and who had the opportunity to meet other significant members of the Medbury
of Medbury as the much loved Miss Joan. The boys all adored her and she has had lots of visits or letters from them over the years.
family. In this edition of ‘Play the Game’ we mourn
After a whirlwind six week courtship, Brian Bidwell
Joan Bidwell’s recent passing and acknowledge the
turned up at Medbury with a box of very average
significant contribution she made to Medbury and
Prunus plums, to propose to Joan and they married
throughout her life.
on 16 May 1953, just before the Queen’s Coronation
We also acknowledge and celebrate the significant contribution of Mike Dormer, former Medbury Board
and received more than 20 coronation tea and coffee sets!
Member, Parent to Pete (1985 - 1989) and Ben (1986 -
The Chennells provided a very inclusive family
1991), and Grandparent to Max (8E) and Edgar (4B)
environment – there were many ‘widows, waifs and
through the eyes of former Medbury Headmaster,
strays’ welcomed by them and treated as relatives.
David Brooke.
This is an approach that Joan applied throughout her life, welcoming everyone.
Elizabeth Macpherson Centenary Events Manager 62
