Non Nobis October 2015

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ISSUE 24 | AUTUMN 2015 - NON NOBIS

Nobis

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ST CATHERINE’S ASSOCIATION

CAREERING BACK TO ST CAT’S

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DIARY DATES 2015-2016 NOVEMBER Wed 18 Fri 27

19.30 – 21.00 St Catherine’s Presents . . .

Isabel Hardman 19.30 – 22.00 St Catherine’s Day Gala Concert (Parents only or listen via live stream)

CAREERS FORUM

DECEMBER Sat 5

19.30 – 23.00 PTA Christmas Dinner Dance

Tue 8 Wed 9

14.00 – 15.00 (Tues), 9.30 – 10.45 (Wed) Prep School Nativity Performance

Thur 17

19.00 – 20.30 Association Carols by Candlelight, Chapel (All welcome)

FEBRUARY Wed 10 Thur 11 Fri 12

19.00 - 22.00 Senior School Production - The Best Christmas Present in the World

Thur 25

Alumnae and Prospective Parents Reception, Grosvenor House Hotel, Dubai

Fri 26

20.00 – 22.00 4th Form Parents’ Supper

Mon 29

19.30 – 22.00 Woodwind & Brass Sectional Concert, Auditorium

MARCH Sat 5

19.30 – 22.30 St Catherine’s Association Choir Concert, Holy Trinity Church, Guildford

Wed 9

19.30 – 21.30 St Catherine’s Presents…

Mona Siddiqui

Mon 14

19.30 – 22.00 Chamber Music Concert

Wed 23

18.00 – 19.00 Alumnae Drinks Reception prior to House Singing

APRIL Thur 28

19.30 – 22.00 Senior School Summer Concert, Auditorium

Sat 30Sun 1

Association 1916-2016 Centenary Tour of the Somme Battlefield

MAY Sat 7

10.30 – 13.00 PTA May Fair

Fri 27

19.30 – 22.00 Rock & Jazz Concert, Auditorium

JUNE Fri 17

11.00 – 16.30 1970’s Alumnae Reunion

Fri 17

19.00 – 21.30 Middle School Concert

To book tickets for St Catherine’s Presents, either visit the School website (www.stcatherines.info/st-catherinespresents) or contact the Foundation Office on 01483 899692 or association@stcatherines.info.

PROSPECTIVE PARENTS’ EVENTS 2016 Senior School Thursday 28th January Wednesday 9th March Prep School Friday 5th February Tuesday 1st March

Friday 29th April Thursday 16th June Thursday 28th April Friday 10th June Reception 4+ entry only

Senior School Registrar - Judy Corben 01483 899 609 | judy.corben@stcatherines.info Prep School Registrar - Sally Manhire 01483 899 665 | prepadmissions@stcatherines.info

BIENNIAL CAREERS FORUM 2015 Over 300 girls in the Fifth and Sixth forms attended the St Catherine’s Careers Forum on Tuesday 6th October. Thanks to you – the St Catherine’s community of parents and alumnae - we were able to invite to the event 50 individuals to offer the girls the benefit of their experience. Working within organisations such as Deloitte, BBC, Sony, John Lewis, Microsoft, CMS Cameron McKenna LLP, UBS and Action Against Hunger, they were well-placed to advise students on potential careers. Once again the Association proved its worth!

We know that the range of career opportunities available to ambitious young women has never been greater, but at the same time the job market is intensely competitive. Therefore, it has never been more important to ensure that our girls have the best possible careers information in order to make choices regarding higher education and long term career options. In addition to traditional forms of careers information, we believe that contacts currently working in areas of potential interest can be a valuable source of impartial advice.

The evening began with a talk from Mr James Rust, father of Izzy Rust (L6). A specialist in executive recruitment and one of the founding partner of Leithwaite, he was able to highlight key issues that the girls will need to address, such as differentiating themselves from other highly qualified candidates. The girls then had the opportunity to talk to panellists in the sports hall before attending two panel sessions, which they chose from a range of different career sectors, including Medicine, Engineering, Business, Charity, Law and the Media.

Thank you to all of our speakers for giving up their evening and sharing their expertise with the girls. It was much appreciated.

Frontcover: (back row) Stephanie Landymore (2004), Sarah Healy (2007), Harriet Ellison (2010) (middle row) Polly Miller (1988), Charlotte Flammiger (2010) (front row) Georgie Bruinvels (2007), Sarah David (2009), Vanessa Fairfield (2007) “Thank you so much for asking me back as a speaker on Tuesday. It was a pleasure to meet the girls and I hope inspire a few of them to work in our fantastic and unusual industry!”

Rosie Townshend (2009) - Theatre and Film “It was a pleasure talking to the girls. Our group had lots of really good questions and all the girls I spoke to were delightful. I’d be very happy to help at the next forum.”

Mrs Horan, current parent - Law “I really hope that the girls found the evening useful. Well done for organising such a great event!”

Louise Aldwinckle, current parent - Business & Finance “Thanks so much for having me back! It was a great event and I really hope the girls enjoyed it. It will have been very useful for them! It was very well organised. ” Carly Brown (2009) - Media/Broadcasting

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END OF TERM LECTURE THE SUMMER 2015 END OF TERM LECTURE was given by Prep School mother and Architect, Tracy Meller, currently an Associate Partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, an architectural company working on iconic projects worldwide such as the Cheesegrater in London and T4 at Madrid Airport.

Tracy had changed her mind about studying for a degree in Medicine after visiting her sister, who was already studying Architecture at university, and seeing all the fun she was having. We learned that there are a variety of routes into Architecture, which do not necessarily involve studying both Physics and Maths at A level.

Tracy explained the process of creating and developing a building from a simple brief.

We were able to see the initial drawings of one of her past projects, Mossbourne Community Academy in London, and how the project progressed all the way through to the completed building. We were given a detailed insight into the considerations taken into account during the design process.

At Mossbourne Community Academy, for instance, particular thought was given to the shape of the building - in order to block out the noise from the busy railway tracks behind the site - and other design features reduced the opportunities for bullying.

The lecture was engaging and gave us a greater understanding of a profession that has such a significant impact on our daily lives.

NEW TRADITION FOR U3 ON SUNDAY 13th SEPTEMBER A NEW TRADITION was established by the Association. The new Upper Three girls were welcomed to the School and, to mark the start of their time in the Senior School, they were asked to sign the new Association Record Book. The book will be stored in the archive and brought out each year for the new girls to sign. We hope that in years to come when the girls return for alumnae reunions, they will be able to find their names in the Record Book and remember the excitement they felt as they started Senior School and joined the St Catherine’s Association for life.

WOMEN IN ENGINEERING DAY ON MONDAY 22nd JUNE, LOWER 4 celebrated Women in Engineering Day. Dr Kathleen Puech, Head of Physics at St Catherine’s, wanted to banish any stereotypes the girls might have of engineers and encourage more of them to consider studying Engineering at university. To help her in this endeavour, two of our alumnae, Lottie MacNair (2012) and Hannah Church (2009), came back to talk about the engineering courses they are currently studying at Bristol and Cambridge.

Lottie, who is studying Engineering Design, explained the differences between the three main sections of engineering: civil, aerospace, and mechanical. She talked about her work placements, all of which sounded very different from the girls’ perception of engineering.

Hannah Church, who is studying General Engineering and the only girl in her college reading Engineering, described an industry dominated by men and said that there were great opportunities for women in this career sector. She talked about her course and how she enjoyed spending time on the construction site in a helmet and yellow jacket! Hannah was also very impressed with the houses the Lower 4 girls had designed and built that day based on a brief to withstand flooding and heavy rainfall.

It was an enjoyable and interesting day and the two alumnae inspired many of the girls to consider engineering as a career choice.

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CELEBRATION OF THE ‘GIFT OF MUSIC’ WE WERE SURPRISED AND ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED to be approached by Mrs Evelyn Greaves at the end of the Spring Term this year with a generous offer to donate her three-manual organ to the school. Evelyn Greaves was a latecomer to the organ, having studied the piano in her teenage years. Her natural talent for playing the organ was recognised when she achieved distinctions in the four highest grades of ABRSM examinations. Evelyn is passionate about introducing young people to organ studies but also wishes to remind those of a more mature age that it is never too late to consider taking up the organ.

On Friday 2nd October, over 80 guests attended a concert in the Prep School Hall to celebrate the inauguration of the new three-manual Vincent Woodstock organ with a special recital by renowned organist Dr. Jennifer Bate and Mrs Greaves.

They performed a wide selection of music, spanning many musical periods, and demonstrated with great skill the broad capabilities of this organ. Among the pieces played during the evening was ‘Festal Fanfare’, composed by Dr. Bate, performed for the first time on the new organ, and dedicated to Mrs Greaves.

The evening was a great success. Since the inauguration, senior girls have been able to explore the breadth of the organ in their regular practice sessions and lessons to deepen their understanding of the instrument. Many of the younger pupils have also expressed a wish to learn to play the organ in the future.

St Catherine’s School would like to thank Mr Vincent Woodstock, the organ builder who moved it to the Prep School Hall, Dr. Jennifer Bate and, in particular, Mrs Evelyn Greaves for her generous gift, which will make organ playing more accessible for young women at St Catherine’s.

Matthew Greenfield, Director of Music at St Catherine’s School, said: “This is an extraordinarily generous gift from Mrs Greaves that will benefit generations of girls for the future. When they first saw and heard it played, the looks of amazement on the faces of the Prep School girls spoke volumes. The organ will be an inspiration to many a budding musician as we encourage more girls of all ages to learn to play this king of instruments.”

“As a guest at the recital on Friday, may I say how very much I enjoyed the evening. Everything was to the highest possible standard, from the programme to the catering. The music from Dr Jennifer Bate and Evelyn Greaves was outstanding and showed off the organ beautifully . I was honoured to be included in the guest list.”

Carina Moffat, Organist, St Andrew’s Church in Oxshott.

Mrs Evelyn Greaves with Professor Greaves

THE ORGAN ACADEMY THE 12th JENNIFER BATE ORGAN ACADEMY will be held at St Catherine’s School from Wednesday 13th to Sunday 17th April 2016.

This is a wonderful opportunity for young women organists, aged 1321, to develop their all-round musicianship. For further information, please contact Geoffrey Field, JBOA Course Director, Telephone 01483 899647 or email geoff.field@stcatherines.info.

We are delighted to announce that the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation has chosen to support the Jennifer Bate Organ Academy with a grant of £20,000. They are thrilled to support the young organists of the future in developing their skills within such a prestigious residential programme and will specifically provide funding for bursary places at the Academy over the next four years.

PREP SCHOOL FUNDRAISING FOR NEPAL ON SUNDAY 20th SEPTEMBER, OVER 150 GIRLS, parents and staff from the Prep School took part in a sponsored 5km Nepal Flag Race, organised by Jane Cowx, Director of Sport, to raise funds to help the people of Nepal rebuild their livelihoods following the devastating earthquake which struck in April this year. Over £1000 was raised for Community Action Nepal (CAN). CAN is using specialist staff who have considerable experience in designing rural development in post-earthquake zones to work with the mountain people of Nepal.

Naomi Bartholomew, Headmistress of the Prep School, said: “It was wonderful to see so many families taking part in this event. Girls, parents, staff and siblings walking, jogging and running to raise funds for CAN which is such an important charity. We made links with AGE Nepal, a special needs school in Kathmandu, two years ago and were shocked by the news of the earthquakes that hit Nepal earlier this year. We decided that we had to help those in the rural mountain areas as they continue to rebuild their lives.”

Lakshmi, aged seven, said: “I was really excited running with my sister and my friends.

I was very proud of my mum finishing the 5 km too! I am so pleased that by running I have been able to raise money for the children of Nepal.”

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ST CATHERINE’S Presents...

ON 18th JUNE 2015, FOLLOWING A VISIT TO AUSCHWITZ Concentration Camp with the Holocaust Education Trust, two of our Sixth Form students, Megan Crane and Tope Mayomi, invited Holocaust survivor Rudi Oppenheimer to speak about the moving and powerful story of his family’s survival: their escape from Berlin, their deportation from Amsterdam and their experiences in the notorious Bergen-Belsen death camp in Germany.

His speech, together with the question & answer session at the end, gave the audience a deeper understanding of the events surrounding the Holocaust and an appreciation that everyone was an individual with their own experiences and stories to tell.

Those attending the evening also had the opportunity to purchase a copy of ‘From Belsen to Buckingham Palace’ by Rudi’s bother, Paul Oppenheimer.

The event was moving and particularly pertinent with 2015 marking the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Bergen Belsen. The opportunity to hear a survivor’s account of the Holocaust first hand was an unforgettable experience for which we are extremely grateful.

COMING UP ...

ISABEL HARDMAN - WEDNESDAY 18th NOVEMBER 2015 AT 7.30PM Isabel Hardman will present ‘2015: The Year of Topsy-Turvy Politics’ on Wednesday 18th November at 7.30pm. Assistant Editor of The Spectator and Presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Week in Westminster, she writes political columns for The Times and Sunday Times. She appears regularly on the Andrew Marr Show, the Today programme and Newsnight, and we are proud that she is a former pupil. Tickets are available from http:// politicsatstcats.bpt.me or call 0800 4118881.

PROFESSOR MONA SIDDIQUI -WEDNESDAY 9th MARCH 2016 AT 7.30PM Professor Mona Siddiqui will be giving her lecture on Wednesday 9th March 2016 at 7.30pm. Mona Siddiqui joined the University of Edinburgh’s Divinity School in December 2011 as the first Muslim Chair in Islamic and Interreligious Studies. She talks regularly on issues of faith and ethics in society. A regular commentator in print and broadcasting media, and a frequent contributor to Thought for the Day for BBC Radio 4, she also chairs the BBC’s Religious Advisory Committee.

Details for both lectures are available on the School website.

Tickets for Association members and their friends will cost £10 for each event. Tickets will be in demand. For those of you who are 6th Form parents, please note that these will be 6th Form Lectures and seats have been reserved for all 6th Form students.

BALLET MASTERCLASS BY PRIMA BALLERINA

IN APRIL, PIETRA MELLO-PITMAN (2001) returned to School to run a Dance Masterclass with 20 girls from both the Prep and Senior Schools. Pietra has danced with the Royal Ballet for many years and now runs her own dance production company. She bought a little of the magic of the Royal Ballet and the life of a prima ballerina to the St Catherine’s Dance School, not only teaching the girls an extract from the opening sequence of Swan Lake but also bringing the headpiece she wore and allowing them to try it for size.

There was much excitement with girls agreeing - “It was an incredible experience and I learnt so much in such a short time.”

Pietra too enjoyed the her return to St Cat’s: “I wanted to tell you what a wonderful time I had and how much I enjoyed working with the girls and that I would love to do it again!”

This year Pietra has toured the globe with her production INALA with dancers of the Royal Ballet, Rambert Dance Company and musicians from the grammy award winning, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. She is now working on a new production Beleza. Look out for it!

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THOSE WERE THE DAYS…

ON FRIDAY 19th JUNE we were delighted to welcome back over 65 alumnae and one member of staff for the 1960s Reunion. We were particularly pleased that a number of alumnae had made the effort to travel from overseas to meet up with their friends at the Reunion. We had guests from Canada, USA, Switzerland and Spain as well as the four corners of the UK. It was a beautiful sunny day and our guests were able to roam the grounds between the day’s planned activities. It was a very happy, noisy day and a first return visit to St Catherine’s for many of our guests. Coffee in the Lower Atrium of the Anniversary Halls was followed by a Chapel service led by Rev Dr Benji McNair Scott on the theme of ‘thanksgiving’. We subsequently returned to the Anniversary Halls where drinks were served in the Upper Atrium and alumnae were given the chance to admire the GCSE and A Level Art and Textiles displays.

There were many comments on ‘how much things have changed since our day’ and how many would love to be able to come back to school now. A buffet lunch was served in the Sports Hall and our archivists, Richard and Rosemary Chrisptophers, put on an excellent display of items from the 1960’s. Display boards showing the history of the school from 1885 to today were also very popular. Our guests were given tours of the School by current pupils who were amused by many a tale of 1960’s exploits – particularly in boarding! We came back together for a final time to enjoy afternoon tea.

Thank you for organising such a brilliant day. You all made us feel very welcome and really looked after us so well, striking a perfect balance between showing us the school and giving us space to talk.

We very much look forward to welcoming back Leavers and Staff of the 1970’s next year on Friday 17th June 2016. Please put the date in your diary now. It would be great to have at least 70 from the 70’s!

CLASS OF 1985 Lindsey Alan writes: “On 28th June the Class of 1985 met for a reunion at the Inn on the Lake in Godalming to celebrate 30 years since leaving St Catherine's. We contacted as many old girls as we could and in the end 20 of us spent a very pleasant afternoon reminiscing and catching up. It's amazing how many of us still live in the area and there are already plans to meet up again. The Association were very supportive and helped us contact those we had lost touch with. Their contribution was much appreciated by all.”

The School and all its facilities were so impressive, but even more impressive was the ethos and the atmosphere. The girls were so quietly self-assured in all they did, and helpful and naturally courteous to us “oldies” as we went around. I was wishing I had granddaughters to send there, or maybe that I could return to school and do some of the wonderful art and craft, drama or sport that they do - or eat lunch there every day! It was also very special to return to the Chapel where I was confirmed, and where my faith began.

Jill Paton Walsh (1962) Congratulations and thank you for a wonderful day out at St Catherine’s yesterday. Looking around at us all in Chapel I realized how we are getting to be the oldest of the old. Not quite, but close.

It is always lovely to see where friendships have grown. We go through our lives and have this moment to reconnect, each on our own life’s journey. Thank you for your part in making that possible.

Aggie Murch (1961) Thank you so much for the lovely day we Old Girls spent on Friday. It was a great opportunity to meet up with some familiar faces, but more importantly those who I had lost contact with. We have all exchanged details, and plan to meet up together soon with some of our peers who for various reasons were not able to make it on Friday.

Fran Nowlan (1969)

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ASSOCIATION BATTLEFIELDS TRIP TO WATERLOO 19th – 20th SEPTEMBER 2015 2015 MARKS THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY of the Battle of Waterloo and to commemorate this very special anniversary, the St Catherine’s Association organised a trip to the battlefields of Waterloo. Thirty -seven Association members (comprising current and former parents, governors, staff, alumnae and friends) left St Catherine’s at 7.00am on Saturday 19th September and travelled to Waterloo in Belgium.

Despite few people knowing each other prior to setting off, there was a friendly and comradely atmosphere all weekend with lots of laughter, despite the sombre subject of our visit.

This year we were delighted to have the tour led by Graeme Cooper, one of the country’s leading experts on Waterloo, who has led parties to the battlefields for over 20 years. Throughout the weekend Graeme acted as an encyclopaedia of information, answering all our questions on the battle as well as the events leading up to it. On the first day we went up the Lion Mound to get an overview of the battlefield before walking around it the following day to get the soldiers viewpoint.

Many sites were visited over the course of the weekend including the new Visitor Centre and Panorama at the Lion Mound, which boasted a wonderful 3D film of the battle and the largest mural in Europe depicting the battle. Also on the itinerary were Wellington’s Crossroads, Picton’s Lane, the Royal Chapel, Wellington’s Headquarters and Hougoumont Farm and Chapel, the ground Wellington deemed most important.

A wreath was laid on behalf of the St Catherine’s Association at the Peace Memorial at Hougoumont Farm. The wreath bearers were Jackie Bolton (1986) and James O’Gorman-Lalor, a current parent.

The weekend was thought provoking, informative, enjoyable and will live in everyone’s memory for a long time, especially the ducking under the barbed wire fence to visit what is left of the house where Wellington decided that Waterloo would be the spot to fight Napoleon and defend Brussels.

Next year we are marking the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of The Somme with a visit on Saturday 30th April – Sunday 1st May 2016.

Details can be found on the enclosed flyer. Book your space early (www.stcatherines.info/association-trip) as this will be a popular trip led by Andy Thompson.

NORTH EAST REGIONAL REUNION IN DURHAM ON THE 17th JUNE, CLAIRE WYLLIE, Head of Sixth Form, Sophia Ridley, Head of Classics, and Dawn Pilkington, Association Director, travelled to Durham to meet with alumnae living in the North East. Whiskey River wine bar in Durham was the perfect venue for the drinks and canapé reception attended by 13 of our alumnae, many of whom are currently studying at Durham University. The evening was a great success and alumnae expressed their appreciation for the Association coming to them as it is often hard to get back to school.

As staff, Claire and Sophia are Durham alumnae themselves. Some of the girls enjoyed taking them to see their old colleges, Trevelyan and Hatfield respectively, and hearing about their time as students.

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WORKING WITH THE PAST

Interview with Rosemary and Richard Christophers – our volunteer School Archivists

Does the School feel very different today?

IF YOU HAVE BEEN TO A SCHOOL REUNION within the past few years, you may well have had the opportunity to pore over old school magazines, laugh at your younger self in old school photos and remember uniforms from times gone by. This is all thanks to the School Archivists, Rosemary and Richard, who trawl tirelessly through the School’s memorabilia to help you re-live your days at St Catherine’s.

They spoke to Fran Flammiger, the Association Events Officer, about their work.

Richard: The girls seem terribly confident and competent. It amazes me. I’m quite a feminist.

Rosemary: It’s a totally different place.

It seems a very happy school and everyone has a great sense of purpose with great results in all fields. It was just after the war when I was a pupil here and facilities were poor with not much money around.

What is the School Archive for?

How did you come to be the School Archivists?

Richard: Rosemary had been enrolled by her father as a life-long member of the former Old Girls’ Association and saw an ad in one of the Non Nobis newsletters saying that the school wanted help. Janet Allen had the archive organised in boxes and had catalogued them, having taken advice from Surrey History Centre. Elisabeth Reed, an Old Girl and a Governor with a mother, aunt and daughters who were former pupils, had acquired a lot of material and had also ‘rescued’ a lot from the Bursar’s Department. That’s is how it all began.

Rosemary: I asked if Richard could come along too and for the first few years we worked in West House where the Archives were in one of the bedrooms. I like delving into the past and finding out about people.

Richard: I keep the cataloguing going.

What about your previous careers?

Rosemary: We’re both retired – sort of – but Richard still works one day a week for the British Library. One of my first jobs, having trained as a librarian at North-Western

Rosemary: It’s for the whole school community. There is so much interest in tracing families. Alice, the Head, is very supportive and there is hardly an aspect of school life that she doesn’t send to us. The Archive can give current girls a sense of history.

What projects have you been working on currently?

Polytechnic, was to sort out the library in what is now the Foundation Office. This was in 1965. Miss Stoner wrote to me because she knew I was training as a librarian. I was brought up in ‘The Cottage’ at the back of St Cat’s and was well known to the School.

Richard came along and helped. Having finished at Poly, I became a lending librarian at Woking Library and had a variety of posts there until 1975. I then left to have my elder daughter. I returned to work for eleven years at Guildford County School and left in 2001.

Richard went to the RGS and after Oxford University studied Librarianship at UCL. Soon afterwards he joined the British Museum Library and has been there ever since.

Richard: When I first retired in 1995 I stayed at the Library and catalogued the GK Chesterton manuscripts. Having done that I worked on Lawrence Olivier’s papers, Terence Rattigan’s and Ronald Harwood’s who won an Oscar for the screenplay of The Pianist. I also took a six-month project investigating whether the library had any items that had been forcibly removed from Jews during the Nazi period.

I worked on Laurie Lee’s papers and Wendy Cope’s, who has visited St Catherine’s. I am presently working on Antonia Fraser’s papers in my one-day-a-week at the British Library.

Richard: We’ve been working on projects to do with the Chapel, Science, Boarding and the Roll of Honour from WW1. This is most fascinating. We investigated who is on it and their stories. We followed the girls, then went through the School Magazines, identifying their families and their schools. One brother played cricket with Ernest Shackleton!

What about the future?

Rosemary: Well, we are planning to bring the Archive alive with more changing displays for the girls to see.

Richard: Digitalisation is the future where you won’t see the real thing but an image on a screen. More is coming in digital form in both sound and vision. Of course, we’ll need to think about succession planning…

If St Catherine’s tragically burned down tomorrow what would you try to save?

Richard: The ashes from the tragic fire of 1907 caused by the ligtening and the photo of Mrs Russell Baker surveying the damage.

Rosemary: I love the big register of early pupils’ names and the log book from 1885 onwards about school life.

Rosemary starting at St Catherine’s 1948

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THE CHAPEL FUND REACHES £106,000

THANK YOU SO MUCH

The generosity of the School community past and present has been incredible. The Governors and Headmistresses offer their sincere thanks to the Association community for supporting the organ restoration and the Chapel repairs.

Willis organ by providing bursary support for the Jennifer Bate Organ Academy. This is a residential programme that runs annually at St Catherine’s School.

THE CHAPEL FUND £106,000 raised with contributions from across the School Community.

The Revd Canon Dr Nicholas Thistlethwaite, Sub Dean of Guildford Cathedral and Chaplain to the Queen, visited especially to see and play our rare organ.

THE BURSARY FUND WHAT GREATER GIFT THAN THE GIFT OF EDUCATION?

PLANS FOR THE RESTORATION We have now appointed an organ restoration expert, Andrew Cooper & Sons, to complete the major overhaul of the 1899 Willis & Sons organ. This work is desperately needed. The organ has been silenced during many a hymn as the ‘sticky D’ interrupts the organists! Whilst this has been a test of the girls’ ability to hold a tune without musical accompaniment, we must raise the remaining £44,000 required to complete the restoration. This is scheduled to begin in the New Year and will take around four months to complete.

Staff have also been inspired to support the Fund with a sponsored bike ride from Bramley to Brighton, 40 miles along the old railway line. A germ of an idea from Sam in the Catering team ultimately raised £2,000.

We are particularly grateful for the local support for The Chapel Fund from the Bramley Parochial Church Council and the Bramley Village Fete Association 2015.

In the summer of this year, scaffolding went up to establish the extent of the roof repairs needed and the state of the stained glass windows.

OUR CHAPEL - UNIQUE AND VERY SPECIAL We are especially touched to have received support for The Chapel Fund from the Pilgrim Trust and from The Surrey Historic Buildings Trust in recognition of the historic importance of the Willis organ and the Charles Eamer Kempe stained glass windows respectively.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation has also chosen to support by giving young women the opportunity to learn on the

ADD YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP US CARE FOR OUR CHAPEL Do consider joining the community of support. If you would like to donate or perhaps sponsor a value in the wheel window, or ‘Sponsor a Sound’, you can do so online, via bank transfer or by cheque. Go online to www.stcatherines.info/The-Chapel-Fund.

Your donation, whatever the amount, will be gratefully received and will help us to reach our target and care for the Chapel. All those who have supported The Chapel Fund will be invited to a special celebratory concert ‘Top of the Stops’ in the Autumn of 2016.

Thank you.

Throughout the history of St Catherine’s the School has provided academic excellence for families with very restricted financial means by giving bursaries to talented young women. Individual and collective generosity ensures that outstanding but financially disadvantaged girls can gain a first class education and be given the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

Gifts to the Bursary Fund give girls the chance to explore and extend their talents.

Alumna Andrea, Class of 2012 and now studying Medicine at Liverpool University, says of her bursary place: “St Catherine’s gave me everything I have now. It taught me how to learn and how to think. As a Science student the lab facilities allowed me to experiment constantly and explore concepts practically. At St Catherine’s my potential was drawn out and I was encouraged to believe in myself.”

Donations to The Bursary Fund contribute not just to one child’s education but to the social diversity of St Catherine’s, to the School community as a whole, and can influence the social mobility of future generations. However, without an endowment to support our bursary students, we need to raise more funds to transform lives and raise aspirations.

34 people giving £500 each could fund a child’s education for a year.

17 people giving £1,000 each could fund a child’s education for a year.

Would you consider supporting bursary students through The Bursary Fund?

Contact Pippa Carte, Development Director on 01483 899754 or at pippa.carte@stcatherines.info

w ww. s t c a t h e r i n e s . i n fo What do you consider to be the advantages of a single-sex education?

Girls thrive in this environment where they do not need to be selfconscious or judged by what they wear or how they look.

INSPIRING TEACHER THIS ISSUE OF NON NOBIS LAUNCHES A NEW SERIES of articles featuring Q&A interviews with current or former staff of St Catherine’s.

In this issue we begin with Jean Arrick, Head of Psychology at St Catherine’s Senior School.

As well as teaching psychology, many of you may also remember Mrs Arrick from your Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or Charities Board activities.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the Newbury area - the Hampshire/Berkshire border.

What is your earliest memory?

I remember falling off a trike when I was four and going to hospital with a cut leg.

Did you enjoy your own education?

Yes. I went to Newbury Girls Grammar school.

I was very involved with extra-curricular activities and enjoyed my lessons. I had some inspirational teachers.

What led you to study and subsequently teach psychology?

Initially, I applied for Medicine, but then I was drawn to Psychology because of my interest in understanding people and their behaviour.

Do you believe that extra-curricular activities enrich the experience of school life or hinder study?

I think that extra-curricular activities are a huge benefit to the girls’ well-rounded development.

What would you say is unique about St Catherine’s compared to other schools?

St. Catherine’s has hard-working, friendly staff and a competitive, dynamic student body. It is constantly changing and being improved, both in the fabric of the school and the activities and curriculum provided.

How would you characterise the ‘spirit’ of St Catherine’s?

Dynamic, but supportive.

If there is one piece of advice you would pass on to the girls as they leave St Catherine’s, what would it be?

Work hard, play hard!

A big thank you to Mrs Arrick for inspiring so many girls.

What do you consider to be the most rewarding aspect of your job?

I love seeing the girls get excited about Psychology and then being interested enough to take it on to university level.

DID MRS ARRICK TEACH YOU? Did she inspire you to take Psychology at university? Share your memories of Mrs Arrick and how she may have influenced you by contacting us at association@stcatherines.info

Three things we might not know about you?

1. I was Mayor of Haslemere for a year.

2. I lived in Hong Kong for 10 years and taught at Heep Yunn School.

3. I have three adult children in their 30s - two sons and a daughter. One son is soon to be married!

Which teacher would you like us to feature and thank in the next edition of Non Nobis?

Who has made an impact on you and your time at St Catherine’s, or influenced you in your subsequent career choice? Let us know at association@stcatherines.info

VAUGHAN SETS HER SIGHTS ON VIDAUBAN TAMSIN VAUGHAN (2012) WRITES: Having taken a gap year working for an international dressage rider, I knew that I wanted to keep improving my own riding skills. I chose to do a maths degree at Portsmouth that would allow me to ride my horse every day alongside studying for my degree. After another hard-working year, both at university and with my riding, I was thrilled to be selected for the Great Britain Young Riders' Prime Squad for the under 21 dressage. I continued to go to squad trials throughout the winter and was selected to ride for the GB under 21 at Addington International in March 2015. I was very pleased with my placings of 6th, 9th and 11th and I am now delighted to have been selected onto the long list for the GB European team competing in Vidauban, France, in July of this year. It has been a long struggle but one that has been completely worth it to have the honour of riding with the Union Jack on my jacket - I hope with many more times to come!

Tamsin on her horse Cash

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U19 LACROSSE WORLD CUP THE U19 LACROSSE WORLD CUP was held in Edinburgh during the last two weeks of July and our Sports Department were proud to announce that 13 alumnae and current pupils had been selected to represent England, Scotland and Wales.

Chloe Carruthers and the Canadian captain on a promotional photo shoot in Edinburgh

England Team: Alice Cranwell (2014), Nancy Day (2014), Zoe Parker (2015) and Matilda Shires (2016).

Scotland Team: Chloe Carruthers (2014), Lucy Cran (2014), Nathalie Manser (2016) and Isla Scott (2017).

Wales Team: Polly Brooks (2015), Alys Cowx (2016), Lauren Hirst (2016), Arabella Pearson (2015) and Annabel Williams (2015).

With Scotland hosting the championships, it was a particular honour for Chloe Carruthers to be chosen as Captain of the Scottish team.

A large contingent of St Catherine’s parents, alumnae and current staff travelled to Edinburgh to support the girls and looked very fetching in the stands wearing their St Catherine’s supporters bright orange t-shirts!

The girls certainly appreciated their support from the side-lines.

The home teams played extremely well and got through the group stages to the quarter finals.

The England Bronze medal match against Australia was always going to be close.

The St Catherine’s National Lacrosse competitors

In their group match the England v Australia game now holds the record for the longest international match in history! England played so well but in the end they lost with the final score at 13-14 5OT. The England team was drawn to play against Wales in their quarter final match. They won the game and went on to play the USA team in the semi-final, who subsequently won, which meant England would now be playing for the bronze medal against Australia.

Scotland lost their quarter final to Japan, which resulted in Wales playing against Scotland and vying for 8th and 9th place. Wales won the match, placing them 8th overall and Scotland 9th.

Vic Alexandra and the St Catherine’s Bronze medal winners

Alice Cranwell writes: “We had been training with gold in sight and Australia had never won anything less than silver in a World Championships, so both teams had so much so fight for. As we stepped out onto the pitch, we knew we had everything to play for and we were playing together for the last time as a team. For some of us, three years of training, three tours, countless squad weekends and gruelling fitness tests, all counted towards the next 60 minutes. As the final whistle blew, there was a roar from the crowd as everyone realised that we had beaten Australia 10-9 and had won an historic bronze medal. The highs and lows of the last two weeks had just been erased.

It was all about our team, our achievement, our year, our time.”

Well done to England for winning the bronze medal.

JESS RIDES TO VICTORY JESS CAMPBELL (2010) WRITES: I was incredibly lucky to have the honour of representing Great Britain at the Student Riders’ World Finals in Palm Beach, Florida over New Year. On 27th December 2014 the three-man British team, made up of Lauren Innes, Lottie Kennedy and myself, together with individual rider Steph Gunn, flew out to Palm Beach. We had high hopes but no idea what an incredible competition we were about to have! We have the generous support of the British Equestrian Federation so we felt very professional at the airport!

It was over 25 degrees in Palm Beach and competing in this sort of heat was a shock to the system after December in the UK! The venue was absolutely amazing. There were palm trees everywhere and huge, beautiful arenas.

The British team were in the Gold League against fifteen other nations from around the world including the Irish, the Germans (who we were

between ourselves and the Irish team. Great Britain had dominated though and pipped Ireland, the 2013 World Champions, for the top spot, with the Belgians completing the podium with bronze.

When it was announced that we had won the Gold, we couldn’t quite believe it!! It topped off an incredible week of competition, sunshine and amazing company perfectly.

determined to beat after narrowly losing to them in the European Champs in Osnabruk in October!), the Spanish and the USA. A formidable draw…

The competition commenced with two days of dressage, which is up to Prix St George level, followed by two days of show jumping up to 1.40m. Both disciplines proved a challenge for all nations. At the prize giving we knew it would be a close competition

To cap it all, we were also declared the winners of the President’s Cup for heading the year’s rankings. A perfect end to a fantastic year for Team GB Student Riders.

The whole team would like to say a massive thank you to our sponsors, The Royal Veterinary College (Jess), Birmingham University (Lottie) and Harper Adams University (Steph), as well as the British Equestrian Federation for their enthusiastic support.

ANOTHER INTERESTING ENQUIRY WE HAD AN ENQUIRY FROM RICHARD MERRIMAN, Headmaster of Foremarke Hall School in Derbyshire, Repton’s Preparatory School. He is the great-greatnephew of Joseph Merriman, or as Richard called him ‘Joe’, first Headmaster of Cranleigh School and one of the founding fathers of St Catherine’s. Richard has been researching his family history for twenty years and his initial enquiry was to see if there was any sign of Joseph Merriman’s three daughters having been educated at the School. We could not find any evidence of this so it is likely that they were educated at home but other strands of the family history began to appear and we invited Richard to view the School Archives and take a tour of St Catherine’s. He was intrigued by Joe’s long paper on girls’ education which appears in the large volume that chronicles the School’s history. The window in the Chapel commemorating Joe and his portrait which hangs by the entrance to the Chapel were also of great interest. We had, with some difficulty, identified the painter of the portrait as Frank William Warwick Topham. This was further evidenced by a similar portrait at Cranleigh School by the same artist, who, it transpired, had lived in Ewhurst. An interesting afternoon and a most appreciative guest who is a direct link to the origins of the School.

Ann Thompson (1948)

ST CAT’S IN AUSTRALIA FIONA THOMAS, FORMER DEPUTY HEAD OF THE PREP SCHOOL, is hosting a reunion at St Catherine’s School in Toorak, Melbourne, on Friday 6th November. She will host another reunion in Sydney at the end of January. More details to follow. Do please contact Fiona on fmt@eoci.info if you would like to attend these events.

FIONA VISITED ANN THOMPSON IN CANBERRA AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER Ann and her sister Barbara were boarders in Musgrave House until they moved to Australia in 1947. Ann was a highly regarded Music teacher in Canberra and won several awards for achieving successful results with her pupils. These certificates are displayed on the walls of her home alongside a painting of St Catherine’s School. The Foundation Office sent an archive photo of her year group, as well as a report from the 1946 School Magazine detailing a concert in which she played the clarinet and piano. She immediately recalled the pieces she had played and started humming Mozart and Bach! She loved her time at St Catherine’s and has fond memories of her friends, her time in boarding and, of course, her favourite music lessons.

FIONA MET UP WITH KIRSTEN MAYCOCK IN ADELAIDE IN OCTOBER

PAPERLESS NON NOBIS Following our article in the May issue, I would like to thank those who got in touch to request Non Nobis in an electronic format or continue to receive it as a hard copy. If you are a Leaver from 2000 onwards and have received a hard copy we would love to hear from you to add your email address to our records.

For the second phase of our commitment to minimising the School’s environmental footprint, any members of the Association who live overseas will automatically receive the May 2016 Non Nobis (Issue 25) by email, unless you specifically request a hard copy.

Could all other Non Nobis readers please let us know if you would prefer to receive an electronic version of this publication in future. In the short term we will continue to mail you a hard copy unless we hear from you. Please email us at association@stcatherines.info

STUART HENSHALL CONGRATULATIONS TO STU, our Acoustic and Rock Guitar teacher, for winning a place on the recent Great British Bake Off. Stu has always been a massive fan of the show and it gave him the chance to have the ultimate fan experience being in the tent, meeting the queen of baking and hanging out with Mel and Sue. “It might not have gone my way on the weekend but I am immensely proud of being one of the final 12 from two months of auditions and beating the tens of thousands who apply to get in the tent. “ Since his Great British Bake Off challenge, he has gone on to receive a gold disc for his work on The Prodigy’s latest album “The Day is my Enemy” which featured two tracks he helped to write and produce. It came out at the end of March and debuted at Number One in the UK album charts, and went top 10 in 11 countries.

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Kirsten Maycock with Fiona Thomas

Kirsten is an ex Prep School member of staff (2010 leaver) and the only Association member in South Australia. Now working part time at St Dominic’s School, Kirsten is enjoying life in Adelaide with her husband Nigel and their two daughters, Alice (7) and Olive (3).

Non Nobis Domine!

Not unto us, O Lord, The praise or glory be...

The opening of the school hymn Rudyard Kipling