LOCAL NEWS JOY CARTER BA, BSC. LONG-TIME HERNE BAY RESIDENT TURNS 96 Much loved former Epsom Girls’ Grammar School maths and science teacher and Herne Bay resident Joy Carter recently celebrated her 96th birthday. “Miss Carter” came into my life in 1951 as my Fourth Form Mistress and maths teacher at Epsom Girls’ Grammar School. She had returned to the school after her OE, having previously taught there from 1945 - 1949. Our class soon developed huge respect and affection for her. Many of us met her again at our 50-year class reunion in 2000. In the 16 years since then, a group of that 1951 class has met every January for lunch in her beautiful garden. Some of her science students also meet with her regularly. Joy’s career at EGGS began in 1945, teaching maths and science. She also kept the flower beds tidy and attractive with help from student volunteers at lunchtimes. In 1961 she was the first woman to be awarded a Woolf Fisher Travel Award to study overseas. The following year she was appointed Deputy Head Mistress, a position she held until her youthful retirement in 1973. She was active in the Girl Guide movement and continued this for many years in her retirement. She enjoyed overseas travel, croquet, cycling, and for 45 years arranged flowers at her church, All Saints Church, Ponsonby. Joy belongs to the Camellia Society and has a long association with Eden Gardens.
L to R: Annie Webster, Joce Glucina, Joy Carter and Beverley Morris; Back: Gill Marris, Noeline Creighton, Shona McElroy and Jill Bater
Imagine my surprise when I retired and went to my first meeting of Ponsonby U3A to find a face I knew well - Joy Carter. It was fitting that she celebrated her 96th birthday on Friday 10 February this year by attending the regular monthly U3A meeting. Joy is one of only three current members who was at the inaugural U3A meeting in 1994. She joined the U3A Local History Special Interest group which started that day. Her love of gardening inspired her to start a garden group, Green Fingers, which she convened for over 22 years until last December. During her time with U3A she has been president, a trustee, and an active committee member.
she bought from her parents. Later in 1958 she sold half of her land to her sister and brother-in-law Ngawini and Tom Smallfield (also U3A members since the inaugural meeting) where they built their home, raised four children and lived next to Joy until early last year. Joy’s nephew Murray Smallfield and family hosted a garden party celebration on Saturday 11 February, bringing together people from different areas of her life - family, U3A friends and EGGS old girls.
For many years she hosted an annual garden party for members in her beautiful Clifton Road garden. She has lived there since the mid 1940s in what was originally the gardener’s cottage of her parents’ large home 'Craigmore' in Argyle Street.
It was a glorious day and guests sat in the shade of trees and gazebos, met new people, caught up with old friends, enjoyed a drink and food, and a few energetic younger people played croquet.
The property on several acres of land also boasted a creamery and horse stables. The woodshed, a glasshouse and a well are still sitting at the back of her property which
Every flower deserves its day in the sun and Friday 10 and Saturday 11 February were PN Joy’s days. (NOELINE CREIGHTON) F
ROY WARD PLAYS QUENTIN CRISP AT BASEMENT After an acclaimed 2013 season, Roy Ward (Brokenwood Mysteries, Shortland Street) returns to the Basement Theatre with Resident Alien, bringing gay icon Quentin Crisp back to life once more. The intimate Basement Studio becomes Crisp’s iconic New York apartment - his dressing room, his stage, the space where the audience is immersed in his world. Basement Theatre invites theatre-goers to: “Come upstairs to Quentin Crisp’s famously filthy New York apartment, where England’s stately old homo is waiting to tell you how to be happy." From Princess Diana to mass murder, Margaret Thatcher to oral sex, to Oscar Wilde and the secret of never having your heart broken, the 90-year-old Professor of Style shares his unique vision of the world and his very personal recipe for self-fulfilment, "Never try to keep up with the Joneses, drag them down to your level - it’s cheaper.” Ward’s 2013 season of Resident Alien was the first solo performance of his career - he is a former Associate Director of Auckland Theatre Company. "Ward’s portrayal of the ageing and palsied gay icon displayed Crisp’s wit and charm without sympathy but with true devotion to character and history." - Sharu Delilkan, Theatrescenes. F PN Resident Alien, 21 March - 1 April at www.basementtheatre.co.nz
32 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2017
PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)