e-Roedeanian Spring 2018

The Roedeanian Spring 2018

Developments at Roedean 2018

Roedean’s Festival Celebrating Women

University Challenge as part of the School’s Academic Week

Students dressing up as their favourite characters for World Book Day

The School’s spring production of Oliver!

Alumnae Events

Kealey Harding (left, and her daughter) (Belcher, No.1, 1985-87) revisit to the School

USA and Canada reunion lunch

Lindsay Faberij de Jonge and Sally Griffiths reunion in New York City

OR Christmas drinks, London

Pitch Perfect appeal reception at Grace Belgravia, London

Introduction We have returned to Roedean for the summer term to be greeted by glorious weather. The School is looking beautiful, with wonderfully manicured lawns and beds planted with lovely spring flowers. The Grounds Staff and the Estates Team deserve great credit for their hard work to make sure the School was fully ready for the start of term. I hope many members of our wider community of ORs and former staff will visit us on Roedean Day on Saturday 23 June to also enjoy the grounds and (fingers crossed!) fine weather.

Over the holidays a USA & Canada OR reunion lunch took place in Manhattan on Saturday 24 March. I know this event was greatly enjoyed by all who attended. It is our hope that many more reunions and events will take place across the UK and the globe in the years ahead. If you would like to arrange a reunion (or an informal get-together) for Roedeanians in your area, please do contact Mark Taylor or a member of his team in the Alumnae Office. They will be delighted to help with arrangements and, if possible, a representative from School will attend to give an update on recent developments and future plans at Roedean.

I must mention that this week’s return to School involved a special visit from over fifty students and teachers from Roedean South Africa, who came to us on Tuesday 17 April as part of a cultural tour of England. Our girls gave them an incredibly warm welcome, and I was delighted to see how quickly our visitors settled in. The joint Chapel Service was a lovely occasion, and it was a privilege to share handshaking with them. I hope that this will be the start of a strong and renewed relationship between our two schools.

Contents School Highlights

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OR News

6-8

Dates for your Diary

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Obituaries 9

I also look forward to strengthening the bond between the School and its wider community. To that end, I very much look forward to welcoming many of you back for Roedean Day in June.

With best wishes Oliver Blond Headmaster

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School Highlights Fantastic University Successes!

Congratulations to five Roedean students who have received offers from Oxford and Cambridge. It is increasingly difficult to win places at the most competitive universities, so Melanie (Natural Sciences at Newnham College, Cambridge), Georgina (Medicine at Christ Church College, Oxford), Sharon (Economics at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge), Emily (Chemistry at St Edmund Hall, Oxford), and Yian (Mathematics at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge) all deserve huge congratulations. We are also delighted that Martha has been offered a highly-contested place to study Medicine at King’s College London.

Furthermore, it is wonderfully positive that so many of the Year 13 students have received achievable offers from their chosen universities (with Durham, Edinburgh, King’s College London, University College London, and Warwick the most popular), for a diverse

range of courses, including Law, Architecture, Politics and International Relations, Sound Engineering, Physics with Astrophysics, Wine Business, Computer Science, Graphic Design, Criminology, and Art Foundation.

Good luck, and well done to the whole year group!

Burns Night

Movie Magic Gala Concert – what a show!

The School hosted a fantastic Burns Supper on Friday 26 January.

The evening was a traditional celebration of the life and works of Robert Burns, as well as raising money for the School’s Pitch Perfect appeal.

Guests donned their finest tartan and were welcomed to the event in the Old Ref by traditional piping.

After drinks and a lively game of Heads and Tails, everyone enjoyed a traditional Burns Supper of Scotch Broth, Haggis, Neeps and Tatties, and Cranachan. The piper led the procession carrying the haggis into the room, and speeches, toasts and poems throughout the evening included the Selkirk Grace, the Address to the Haggis, a Toast to the Lassies, and a Reply on Behalf of the Lassies. The evening ended with beautiful Scottish music performed by some of the School’s finest musicians. Everyone enjoyed the evening immensely and we hope this will become an annual event at the School.

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On 23 of February, students, parents and staff alike were treated to a brilliant evening of entertainment from start to finish. The concert positively crammed glitz and glam into its wonderfully-informative programme. Upon arrival at a transformed Centenary Hall, we were invited to climb aboard the Hogwarts Express and be transported on a whistlestop tour of exotic and magical cinematic locations, from Springfield, Oregon (home of a certain yellow family), via the finger-clicking West Side, the tempest-tossed Caribbean, to somewhere over the rainbow, arriving ultimately in the alpine peaks of The Sound of Music. Presiding over everything were the School’s resident maestros, Mr Rous, Ms Bartlette, and Ms Fewkes. Roll on next year!

3 new partnerships at Roedean!

During the week of the 22 January, the School launched three new exciting partnerships. The first was the opening of the Roedean Academy, which brings together 35 girls in Years 10-11 from Roedean, Blatchington Mill, and Longhill, for a four-week enrichment programme, designed to take them beyond what is covered in their taught curriculum. Each week at Roedean, the girls will have a masterclass on a specific subject for an hour. The second launch was that of the formal partnership with Deepdene School, and a celebration of its 70th year. And finally the third was of Roedean Moira House which took place on its Open Day. We look forward to working together, and sharing our passion for educating young women and preparing them to make a difference in the world.

Roedean’s Festival Celebrating Women To mark International Women’s Day and 100 Years of Votes for Women, Roedean was proud to hold a Festival Celebrating Women on Thursday 8 March. The School was delighted to welcome a diverse group of speakers to the event, all women, including 3 ORs, who addressed the students on topics ranging from film-making and activism to Indian textiles, and from being a pilot and fashion to animal rights.

To hear from speakers who are at the forefront of their fields was exciting, enlightening, and, most of all, empowering.

We are delighted that the day was a great success.

‘It was inspiring to see so many women thriving in every field and speaking so passionately about it. From STEM to Indian textiles, there was something for everyone and I even found myself engaging with subjects I knew nothing about prior to the talk. Virginia McKenna spoke about the importance of individual power to make a difference, especially in her personal experiences which saved many orphaned and injured animals. We then heard from Dame Mary Archer who, having entered a male dominated subject, gave me advice that I will personally implement as I also go on to a degree in Chemistry. I then went to a talk that was completely different and yet probably my favourite of the day, despite having no experience in it. I went into Jasleen Kandhari’s talk about Indian Textiles with no preconceptions, but I came out wanting to be as passionate about my own research as she was about hers. It was truly impressive to see so many powerful women enjoying their subjects and disregarding all stereotypes in order to achieve their goals, despite the challenges our gender may still face.’ Emily T

‘Sarah Begum is an amazing speaker and I really enjoyed her speech. Everything she said was so genuine and inspiring. It was also an interesting experience to hear someone sharing their days in the Amazon. It was both educational and entertaining, and I am definitely motivated to protect the environment and different cultures, and to push myself out of my comfort zone.’ Chelsea Y ‘The talk by Gabrielle Rowles and Lisa was inspiring and has really changed my opinion about how to act in a resilient manner.’ Lara P

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OR News Clare Boyd

Clare Pooley

(No.1, 1987 – 91)

(No.4, 1982 – 87)

Clare’s debut novel Little Liar is a heart-in-yourmouth psychological thriller about the people we choose to trust and the secrets we keep behind closed doors.

Published in December 2017, The Sober Diaries is the bravely honest story of a year in Clare’s life. A year that started with her quitting booze and then being given the devastating diagnosis of breast cancer.

By the end of the year she is booze-free and cancer-free, she no longer has a wine belly, is two stone lighter and has a life that is so much richer, healthier and more rewarding than ever before. She has a happier family and a more positive outlook. The Sober Diaries is an upbeat, funny and positive look at how to live life to the full.

When a child’s scream pierces the night, Gemma’s neighbour does what anyone would do: she calls the police. She wants to make sure that Rosie, the little girl next door, is safe.

Gemma knows she hasn’t done anything wrong, but the more she fights to defend the family she loves, the more her flawless life begins to crumble around her. Is the carefully guarded secret she’s been keeping suddenly in danger of breaking free? Distraught and terrified, Gemma doesn’t know where to turn. The only thing she knows is that her daughter’s life is in danger.

Abadesi Osunsade (No.2, 2004 – 06) Since launching her career advancement community, Hustle Crew, in autumn 2016, Abadesi has helped thousands of 20-somethings get jobs in tech or progress their careers. In her book ‘Dream Big Hustle Hard’ she outlines how she navigated the industry with zero coding skills and won roles at major tech players including Amazon and Groupon. Each chapter contains anecdotes, activities and frameworks which will give ambitious individuals the motivation and tools they need to maximise their potential in a competitive career landscape.

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Angela Lawley-Wakelin (Gordon, No.3, 1975 – 79) Teenagers in a seaside town enjoying their last summer before tragedy splits them forever. Best friends, Sam and Kieran, are entranced by the same girl ‘Lori’ - but when calamitous events challenge the friendship, Kieran flees with Moony, a waitress from the local café. Sam feels compelled to save Moony from Kieran’s brutality but does he see her as a substitute for Lori? Or is he falling for her? Angela’s feature film ‘Seamonsters’ is now available to watch on Amazon Prime. Angela started her career as a stage manager at the Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington. She trained as an editor and moved into Producing for TV Commercials and music videos. She started Orange Trousers Ltd in 2006.

SEAMONSTERS is her first film: “I dreamed about making films since I was 8 years old. I finally achieved this dream in 2011 at the grand old age of 50! Never give up with your dreams. Now I have to work out how to make the next one!”

OR News Anabela Chan (No.1, 1995 – 2003) Anabela is an award-winning jewelery designer and artist. Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Rita Ora, Selma Hayek and Camile Cabello amongst other global stars have all graced red carpet events wearing her enchanting, statement pieces. With awards from Vogue Talents and The British Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council, Anabela was named

by Harpers Bazaar UK as ’The Jewelry Designer you need to know now’. Her unique jewels and objets d’art are presented at some of the most exclusive gallery boutiques in the world including Christie’s London and Land Crawford Hong Kong.

Roedean Arrow Trophy by Caroline Bowen (No.1, 1990-98) On Friday 13 October 2017, a team of nine Old Roedeanians met at Port Solent to take our 40ft race yacht across the Solent after dark, to Cowes, on the Isle of Wight. It was Roedean’s third time of entering the Arrow Trophy, and in twenty four years we are the only girls’ school to have entered more than once, and so we were well remembered!

One of our crew members had never sailed before and four had never raced, but they were confidently coached, and quickly picked it up. We knew the day was going to be

tough but the light winds and our first full crew meant for the first time we weren’t at a disadvantage to the other more established and experienced teams. As Saturday’s racing progressed we found our rhythm, and moved towards the front of the fleet. By the fourth race of the day we were all flagging a little, but the crew decided a round of tea would rectify this. It worked its magic and the crew’s hard work was rewarded with us being in first place as we rounded the top mark. We ultimately finished second, leaving us elated for the festivities yet to follow that evening. After a speedy turn around in port, with waterproofs quickly swapped for cocktail dresses, we assembled ready for the Pangbourne Yacht Club pontoon drinks party.

Sunday’s sailing was marginally more sedate but, despite racing hard, we couldn’t quite match our performance from the previous day. When the final results came in for the weekend, we were thrilled to discover that this year marked the School’s best performance to date, coming fourth in the Charterhouse Bowl (out of twenty) and placing eighth overall out of twenty four. All this was achieved despite most of the crew having never met or sailed together, or in some cases sailed at all! It was a true testament to the Roedean spirit and a fantastic experience.

If you would like to add your business to the Roedeanian Directory, or your book to the virtual bookshop on the Roedean Community Network, please contact Harriet on alumnae@roedean.co.uk

Get in touch If you would like to arrange a visit to Roedean, or would like help arranging a reunion, please get in touch with Mark, Grace, or Harriet in the Alumnae Office on alumnae@roedean.co.uk or by calling 01273 667398.

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OR News Cecilia Robinson Former member of staff Cecilia Robinson, often known as Bobby, was delighted to receive her Past and Present Roedean Calendar, which features a photo of herself teaching girls to play cricket in 1955. Cecilia was appointed to teach PE at Roedean in May 1949. She was initially employed to help out in the PE department for half a term but stayed for 32 years. She was a teacher, Head of Department, Assistant Housemistress in House 4, and then Housemistress in Junior House for 13 years. Cecilia also toured Australia with the England Women’s Cricket Team, of which she was Vice-Captain for two seasons, 1947/49, and played for England in 1963.

I remember Bobby, she was an amazing house mistress and a great cricket player.

She also had a gorgeous Labrador called Islay.

Even though I spent far too much time outside her office, I have so many fond memories of Junior House and she was an amazing House Mistress, strict but very fair! Her passion for sport and especially cricket encouraged many of us.

Junior House was a happy start to my time at the school and this is down to her leadership.

Sarah Thompson (Button, No.4, 1969 – 79)

Bobby was my head of house in junior school and taught me cricket too. She was an amazing teacher, great to see her enjoying the calendar.

Olivya Oulton (No.2, 1976 – 82)

Dates for your Diary – 2018 Saturday 5 May 4.30 pm

Brighton Festival Fringe Concert Roedean Chapel, Brighton To book go to: https://roedean.ticketsolve.com/ shows/873580027

Thursday 17 May 6.30 – 8.30 pm

Scotland OR Reunion Edinburgh

Saturday 23 June 10 am – 4 pm

Roedean Day Roedean School (Our annual reunion day)

Thursday 6 September 12 – 3 pm

Old Roedeanians’ London Lunch The Royal Thames Yacht Club, Knightsbridge

Friday 28 September 4.20 – 6 pm

Founders’ Day Roedean Chapel

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For more information and booking, please contact Grace: glc@roedean.co.uk You can also call us on 01273 667398

Pitch Perfect will transform our facilities for sport. It will cost £2 million. We urgently need your help to raise £500,000 in donations to complete this fantastic project.

Over £220,000 has been given or pledged so far. This is very encouraging, but we do need more support. If you would like to support this project by naming your own ‘pitch plot’, having your own bench at the pitch, and/ or joining the School’s 1885 Society, please contact Mark Taylor on mta@roedean.co.uk or on 01273 667588.

It is easy to support the School’s Pitch Perfect appeal by donating online. We are hugely grateful for every gift, large and small.

Obituaries Sonia Wild Bićanić (Wild, No.3, 1933 – 38) Sonia was born in 1920 in Kenley near London. From the ages of 11 to 18 she attended Roedean. At the beginning of World War II she enrolled in the ATS where she attained the rank of Senior Commander working with the Army Education Corps. During the war she met and married the Croat Rudolf Bićanić, and they moved to Zagreb, where she lived since.

She studied at Zagreb University, at which she later taught English language, literature and social background. She gained her DPhil at Oxford. In 2001 she was awarded an OBE for “her work in helping to bring England and Croatia closer together in the cultural field”.

Sonia wrote three books, her memoirs Two Lines of Life, British Travellers in Dalmatia 1757-1935, and A Story of Zagreb through its Parks, Gardens and Personalities. She lived in Zagreb, Croatia, where she died in December 2017.

Barbara Calder (Brydone, No.2, 1936 – 41) A taste for the high seas ran in her blood. Born in 1924, Barbara Brydone was descended from the naval doctor who had — without a telescope — first spied the French fleet before Trafalgar. Nelson took action on receiving the signal from James Marr Brydone. His grandson bore his name, became a doctor and with his wife, Mary, had three daughters; Barbara was the only one to enjoy sailing her father’s boat, Chinkara, along the southcoast. “The sea has held a lure and a challenge for me ever since,” she said.

Barbara attended Roedean, and while at School volunteered to be part of the group of 40 girls evacuated from wartime England to Windsor, Nova Scotia. Returning home, she joined the Wrens and, after a stint as a motorbike dispatch rider, was sent to drive lorries in Machrihanish in Argyll. At Alston Hall, her aunt’s house in Devon, she was introduced by a cousin to Norman Calder, a Scottish doctor.

The attraction was instant; they married six months later, settling in a granite house in Aberdeen. While her three sons were at boarding school, Barbara became a Sea Ranger, feeling naturally more at home with

fishermen and seafarers than the genteel ladies of Aberdeen. “I don’t have antlers,” she would remark in response to being addressed as “dear”. In 1967, after obtaining her Yachtmasters’ Certificate (Barbara was the only woman in her class of 20, and the only one to pass), Barbara became the chairman of the Sail Training Association in north Scotland. Whatever the event, Calder was never fazed. She sailed nearly 3,000 miles a year and captained the first all-female crew in the Tall Ships race.

Barbara’s family had strong links to Roedean, with both her sisters, Alison (No.2, 1935-41) and Susan (No.2 1938-44) having attended, as well as Alison’s daughter, Judith Haworth (Graham, No.2, 1966-68). Barbara Calder, died on January 27, 2018, aged 93.

If you would like to write a tribute to fellow ORs that have recently passed away, please do get in touch with Harriet via hdb@roedean.co.uk. A list of ORs and former staff who have passed away during this school year is available by visiting www.roedean.co.uk/remembrance.

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The watercolour is by Sarah Madeleine Martineau, a pupil when the school was based at Lewes Crescent.

She was at the school from 1887-1890.

roedean.co.uk Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 5RQ Tel: +44(0)1273 667500 Registered Charity 307063