From 'determined and unapologetic' at Wycombe Abbey to award-winning actress on stage and screen
Seniors offer inspiration. By Jo Duncan, Headmistress.
Development and Seniors Office: strengthening the bond between the School and Seniors.
Fun, friendship and philanthropy: the Seniors Consultative Committee.
In conversation with Mrs Patricia Thompson, CBE.
Starting drama at Wycombe Abbey, Natalie Simpson has compiled an impressive body of work on stage and screen.
Celebrating 50 years of Junior House, Seniors share their memories.
The legacy of Dorothy Lamb - is Classics still relevant?
Inspiring pupils for the future, at the Careers Seminar.
Dress to impress: an updated uniform.
One year on - our youngest Seniors reflect on life outside School.
Circle Notes: alumnae updates.
Obituaries: memories of departed Seniors.
School Shop - now buy Wycombe Abbey mechandise online.
Dr Jessica Venner, our new Archivist, on the importance of the School's historical documents.
The inspiration for FROM THE HEADMISTRESS
our young women
Last year was particularly busy for meeting with our Seniors community and it was a pleasure to have alumnae from across the globe visit the Wycombe Abbey campus for various events and tours.
I joined a lively and well-attended Seniors drinks reception in London in November 2023, and I was fortunate to travel to Hong Kong to attend a reception for Seniors at Soho House Hong Kong in December, returning just in time for the Carol Service. We had beautiful weather for Seniors Day in June 2024, when almost 100 women returned to campus, including the Class of 2004 to celebrate their 20th reunion. Wycombe Abbey Seniors are wonderful storytellers and they filled these gatherings with their memories of friendship and cherished moments.
You may have seen our stellar 2024 public examination results, ranking us in the top ten of all UK schools for both GCSE and A level results. These are testament to the world class academic education on offer at Wycombe Abbey. Our aim is to also offer the best pastoral and boarding provision in all its forms, ensuring the happiness, security and wellbeing of each pupil.
We made significant progress on our Strategic Direction 20202025. The renovations in the Performing Arts Centre are now complete and planning permission for the Innovation and Design Centre (IDC) and the new Custodians’ Lodge have both been submitted. A new Director of Development, Robin Sharp, joined the Development and Seniors Office in February 2024 and fundraising for the IDC has commenced. We will seek philanthropic support from our Seniors community for these and other projects.
The change in the UK government means significant challenges for the independent school sector with the addition of VAT to school fees, amongst other things. However, Governing Council is proactively preparing to address these changes. I am delighted to report that pupil numbers remain strong, and we are planning so that we can continue to uphold the exceptional standard of a Wycombe Abbey education in the years to come.
Fundraising for bursaries remains a priority so that we can continue to offer talented young women the opportunity to study at our School. With VAT added to fees from January 2025, we are now seeing an increase in bursary applications beyond what was anticipated. This demonstrates the need for further provisions and we are deeply grateful for the ongoing support of our community in this crucial endeavour.
The Wycombe Abbey family of schools continues to grow and connect, with the opening of Wycombe Abbey Cairo East in September 2025. During the Summer Term, Cat Hoyle, Housemistress of Rubens, joined Wycombe Abbey Hangzhou for the term, and Max Fielden, Assistant Headmaster from Wycombe Abbey Changzhou, spent three weeks with us here in High Wycombe, getting to know the School, visiting lessons and immersing himself in the Wycombe Abbey community.
As Summer Term came to a close, we said goodbye to our Chaplain, the Revd Penny Nash and farewell to a number of colleagues, some of whom retired while others left to pursue new opportunities near and far. Dove Day, a gorgeous Saturday in June, brought the entire School community together. Parents, pupils and their siblings enjoyed time together, which culminated with The Glenn Miller Band performing as they did 80 years ago when US troops were stationed at Wycombe Abbey.
In a new initiative, the 2025 Seniors Day will be celebrated as part of Dove Day. We hope this will encourage many of you to visit the campus with your families, not only to reminisce about your time at Wycombe Abbey but also to participate in the life of School today. We are an extraordinary community, and our Seniors are the embodiment of the mission and values that bind us together.
There is much to look forward to in the year ahead and I trust that you will enjoy reading Circles, the new Seniors Supplement. This publication reflects the energy, creativity and drive of our network of Seniors who inspire our community of young women to follow in their footsteps. Seniors are essential to our future: we are committed to nurturing and improving our engagement with you throughout the year ahead.
Our aim is to find new ways of connecting, learning more about you and, hopefully, involving you in activities with the current School community.
Jo Duncan MA (St Andrews), PGCE (Cantab) Headmistress
A
lthough you will be reading this in winter, as I write, it’s August 2024. It’s 27 degrees in High Wycombe, but it feels twice that in my office, which sits in the Abbey on the first floor. Despite the calm that envelopes Wycombe Abbey at this time of year, the Seniors and Development Office has had a bustling summer.
The School, though serene, is not the same without the vibrant voices of our pupils and the spirited and self-assured energy of youth. Wycombe Abbey puts the pupils, the teachers and the staff at the heart of everything we do, recognising and cherishing the unique experiences that make the School an exceptional place.
As an alumna of a girls’ boarding school, I have an affinity for Wycombe Abbey and its Seniors. Educated at the Emma Willard School, I was offered opportunities for achievement and failure in equal measure in a place of safety, and this commonality of experience affords me a unique understanding of the need to embrace and protect values that focus on young women and their potential. I hope my work underpins similar opportunities for Wycombe Abbey pupils.
It may sound like a cliché, but my Emma Willard experience was indeed the making of me. The school provided a stable environment for me and my classmates, that allowed us to grow, thrive and pursue our ambitions in a way I had only dreamed of. For this reason, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead the Wycombe Abbey Seniors programme. I intend to strengthen the School’s connection with Seniors through publications like the Seniors Supplement and The Dove in order to enhance and expand opportunities to reconnect, enjoy
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
each other’s company and participate in the Wycombe Abbey community at large. You are a small community of extraordinarily interesting and accomplished women scattered across the globe who share a remarkable experience. We hope to strengthen your bonds to each other, the School, and our pupils, fostering a sense of shared experiences and belonging.
When I arrived in February 2024, the team was led by an incredible interim Director, Mrs Fiona Kirk. It was a privilege and a pleasure to follow her. I am grateful to her for her efforts to build a culture of philanthropy at Wycombe Abbey and her leadership of the Seniors programme. I also appreciate the Seniors Consultative Committee’s warm welcome and support as I navigated this new and exciting opportunity.
In this publication, you’ll read about the Seniors Drinks and the DoveBowerman Afternoon Tea that will have taken place in September. There is much to look forward to in the Spring and Summer Terms, particularly the launch of a new fundraising event to celebrate World Book Day in March. Not only will teachers and pupils dress as their favourite literary characters,
Bringing the Wycombe Abbey community together
Strengthening the bond between the School and Seniors is our priority in 2025, and we'd love your support.
As an alumna of a girls’ boarding school myself, I have a natural affinity for Wycombe Abbey and its Seniors.”
but we aim to bring the entire Wycombe Abbey community together to celebrate reading, our love of books and lifelong learning. We look forward to highlighting the Seniors community when we hear from those of you who are writers and authors. The funds we raise will support the Junior Library, soon to be known as the Hall Library, in recognition and celebration of Lady Cynthia Hall, Wycombe Abbey’s Headmistress from 2007 to 2013. I am personally very excited about these events and hope you will join us in this celebration!
We will host Seniors Day this year on Dove Day, hoping that even more Seniors and their families will join the pupils, their parents and siblings for a School-wide celebration of Wycombe Abbey. The day will begin with a chapel service led by our new School Chaplain, Padre Paul Stanaway. After Chapel, the fête will begin! Please join us for the festivities that mark the end of the 2024/2025 academic year.
Almost 25 years ago, I started my career in alumni relations and development at a girls’ boarding school in the United States, the Madeira School. I then spent the last 20 years in higher education. Joining Wycombe Abbey has allowed me to come full circle with this career path. It has taken me most of my adult life to recognise that we are at our happiest, most fulfilled and most productive when our values are reflected in our work. The Seniors and Development Office will do everything in our power to underpin Wycombe Abbey’s vision and the values we hold dear.
We are charged with strengthening and growing affinity and investment, and your support is crucial in this. I am excited and energised to be part of the Wycombe Abbey community, and look forward to shaping this journey with you for the year ahead and beyond.
n behalf of the Seniors Consultative Committee (SCC), I would like to extend a warm welcome to the 2024 Clarence Leavers as they join this Seniors community. I am proud to work with the Seniors and Development Office to promote and support the wide variety of engagement activities in which Seniors are involved, from social events to careers forums.
It is our hope that alumnae of all ages will take advantage of the many opportunities that strengthen our community and the bond we all share. I would like to thank my fellow committee members for their ideas and guidance last year, and many thanks to the School and their support of Seniors events and programmes, including this edition of the Seniors Supplement.
The SCC benefits from a breadth of skills and expertise while seeking to represent Seniors of all class years, wherever they are in the world. Alongside our favourite social and traditional activities such as the Seniors Carol Service and the autumn drinks in London, there are an increasing number of ways that Seniors are
involved in the community. More than 400 Seniors are registered on the Alumnae-Pupil Mentoring Programme, offering advice and support to current pupils and alumnae. Others provide work placements or talk at careers events, such as the Sixth Form ‘Future Ready’ fair.
If you have not done so, please register on the Seniors Connect website wycomeabbeyseniors.com. This will provide you with an easy way to get in touch with us and find out what we have planned for the year ahead and to indicate whether you would like to get involved with any of the events or initiatives.
A highlight for me this year was the Seniors Day in June, our thanks go to the Seniors and Development team who organised the event. The sun shone and we all enjoyed catching up and touring the School. Thank you to Jo Duncan and all the staff and girls who attended the event and who enabled visits to boarding houses and demonstrations of the new golf simulator in the Sports Centre.
The Seniors network is an amazing group of people. We encourage providing ideas and information that could benefit Seniors through fun, friendship and philanthropy. Please think about what we could do for you, let us know and get involved.
Through this unique community, I hope that we will carry on supporting our fellow Seniors, current girls and charitable endeavours just as the first leavers did, and continue to be proud of the School, each other and our education.
It is our hope that alumnae of all ages will take advantage of the many opportunities that strengthen our community and the bond we all share.”
The end of the School year often brings about change, and last year we said farewell to a number of Wycombe Abbey staff, some of whom had worked here for many years, and will be well known to the Seniors community.
To read the goodbyes to staff leavers in the Gazette, please scan the QR code. We wish them all the best for their future endeavours.
Welcoming the Class of 2024 to the Seniors Community
In Conversation with the Headmistress
Headmistress Jo Duncan talks to Mrs Patricia Thompson, CBE (C88, Campbell, 1958) about her charitable foundation and time at Wycombe Abbey.
The Thompson Family Charitable Trust, founded in 1985 and one of the largest charitable foundations in the United Kingdom, has donated to medical, educational, social, and artistic projects as well as charities. Your extraordinary charitable work has been recognised with a CBE. Can you share with me what inspires your philanthropy?
The Trust has been going for almost 40 years now and it has always given me and my late husband such pleasure to give back. We have three Trustees, including me, who all volunteer their time. We don’t have big expenses, and all the income generated is given to the causes we support. We always look at a charity’s overheads and meet with those who represent the charity before we donate to them. Good stewardship is so important, and we want to ensure any charity we give to is well run.
There is no shortage of causes to support; how do you determine what to support? What impact do you hope to have with your philanthropic investments?
Some charities have been with us for years and others are more recent. The Trust receives many requests for support and decisions are made through personal connections and recommendations. At the start, in the first year when we had some money to spend, if people were very excited and told us how wonderful it was to receive the funds they stayed on the list.
We are involved in supporting two new, exciting projects: the neuro-developmental wing of the Children’s Hospital at Addenbrookes in Cambridge, and helping St Paul’s Cathedral with introducing boarding for girls who are choristers. People we already had connections with came to us about the St Paul’s project – it’s the personal links that inform our choices.
You have remained connected to Wycombe Abbey, why is that? Why is Wycombe Abbey a philanthropic priority?
I was at Wycombe Abbey from 1952–1957. I feel very lucky to have been educated there so it was an obvious
choice to support it. The Thompson Family Charitable Trust’s philanthropic donation was specifically channelled towards the renovation of Big School, and it looks fantastic now. We have supported all our children’s and grandchildren’s schools because they are worthwhile and familiar causes.
What is your favourite memory of your school days? Your favourite subject? Teacher?
My favourite memory is Wycombe Abbey’s Diamond Jubilee in 1956. The celebrations went on all weekend. My favourite subject was History. I don’t have a favourite period, just not too modern. Miss Stoker was a great teacher and a wonderful storyteller, so I really enjoyed her lessons.
Have you stayed in touch with your Wycombe Abbey friends?
Yes, although in many cases it is through Christmas cards as I’m busy with my projects; some of my Wycombe contemporaries live far away now and others are in ill health. I remember that we had a big ceremony when we were leaving School and the Circle was the contact you had with others, but the Circle gets smaller as you get older.
We are celebrating World Book Day and Wycombe Abbey’s libraries on 6 March 2025. We will also be having our first Giving Day seeking philanthropic funding for our libraries. Would you share with me your favourite book while at Wycombe Abbey?
I love books. There was only one library at Wycombe Abbey during my time and it wasn’t a space where I spent time reading. I was in Campbell House and did a lot of my reading there. My favourite book at School was Hawaii by James A Michener. I enjoy historical fiction, and I also read a lot on business matters. We support several initiatives including the National Literacy Trust and The Queen’s Reading Room.
Is there a piece of advice you might like to share with our pupils and Seniors?
Be true to yourself however others may try and make you do otherwise. Stay strong and make your own decisions.
INT E RVIE W TH
A CLASS ACT
Inspired by drama while at Wycombe Abbey, Natalie Simpson (C257, Airlie, 2008) has compiled an impressive body of work on stage and screen. Interview by Katrin Roskelly (C151, Pitt, 1982).
Natalie discovered her love of acting while at Wycombe Abbey
Natalie was born and raised in Nigeria before joining Wycombe Abbey at the age of 11. She had a passion for acting from a young age and went on to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, graduating in 2015.
From there she worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing Cordelia in King Lear, Guideria in Cymbeline, and Ophelia in Hamlet all in one season! She has won both an Ian Charleson Award for best Classical Performance under 30, and a BroadwayWorld UK Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her other stage credits include several stints at the National Theatre in Three Sisters and Jack Absolute Flies Again, productions at the Hampstead Theatre and sword fighting in Boudica at The Globe.
Her television work includes playing Phaedre in season four of Amazon Prime’s Outlander, and more recently, DS Helen Morgan in season two of ITV’s Trigger Point. Natalie enjoys an eclectic career that also spans audiobooks, video games, audio and radio, winning her an AudioFile’s Earphones Award for her narration of Queen Charlotte, the Bridgerton spin-off. She is currently living in London and about to start work on season three of Trigger Point Wycombe Abbey achievements: Drama Officer in 2007, Won the Emma Wolukwa Wanambwa Trophy, Airlie House Tennis Captain
Can you give us a brief outline of your career and life since leaving Wycombe Abbey? Acting was something that I always wanted to do. In my final year at UCL, where I studied French and Italian, I was awarded a place for post-graduate studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).
Before starting at LAMDA, I was fortunate enough to secure some work experience with a casting director called Jeremy Zimmermann. On the last day of my internship, I asked if I might audition for one of the parts as practice: my take was sent to the producers and that’s how I got my first role! I deferred my place at drama school to take that part. At LAMDA I was spotted and signed by my agent, Saskia Mulder, at The Artists Partnership, whom I have now been with for ten years. I’ve always been keen to try different things so my career so far has included: theatre, TV, film, audiobooks, video games, radio, audio dramas and motion capture.
What role did Wycombe Abbey play in preparing you for the future?
The School helped me follow my passion for LAMDA Speech and Drama. Miss Livesey encouraged me to join the National Youth Theatre (NYT), which was a pivotal moment because, for the first time in my life, I was with ‘my tribe’, like-minded people. Also, when I was at School, the LAMDA Speech and Drama Gold Examiner, said, 'you really should do this and take this seriously' which encouraged me to pursue an acting career and apply to drama school.
Both of these experiences spurred me on, fostering my self-belief and motivation to follow my dream.
Since leaving School, I have kept keep in touch with Miss Livesey and am also still in contact with Mrs Mason, an English teacher.
What were your passions and interests at Wycombe Abbey?
Writing was a real passion at School. The teachers were supportive and encouraging of our dreams and creativity. I enjoyed writing children’s books and have a memory of writing my autobiography. I am still in touch with Madame Routh, my French teacher, and Mrs Vernon, my Drama teacher who continue to support me and have visited my shows.
School also inspired my love for tennis and I was Airlie Tennis Captain.
Which of your achievements to date have made you most proud?
Winning the Ian Charleson Award. The awards, run by the Sunday Times and the National Theatre, reward the best classical stage performances in Britain by an actor under the age of 30. Receiving this validation so early on in my career was a real highlight.
I’m also really proud of my running hobby! I’m currently training for an ultramarathon next spring and will hopefully complete a triathlon the following year.
What has given you most pleasure in your professional and personal life?
Playing the role of Blodwynn in Boudica, alongside Gina McKee (a childhood idol) at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2017, was inspiring. She is so hard-working, and it was a real privilege to work with her.
Physically demanding, the role also gave me the opportunity to develop broadsword fighting skills!
Given my Nigerian heritage, the role of Nne Chukwu in the 2019 National Theatre production of Three Sisters was especially poignant for me and my family. Set in the 1960s during the Nigerian civil war the production felt very close to home, and given that my mother was a nurse during the civil war it felt as if life was coming full circle.
Owning my own home makes me very happy. A tangible result of my professional journey to date in a creative profession, it reminds me that I am supporting myself. It’s something I can count on, of which I am very proud.
I have also found joy in growing into myself and finding my place in the world: embracing who I am, finding my tribe and choosing a profession which continues to provide fulfilment.
My love of music definitely stems from my Wycombe Abbey days and has helped me through some difficult times recently.”
Is there something from your career which reflects your personal values and what you wanted to achieve in life?
I am drawn to roles which explore the human condition, human emotion and mental health.
As part of the preparation for the role of Ophelia in the 2016 RSC production of Hamlet and in order to ground the role in reality, I spoke to the mental health charity, MIND, which empowers people to understand their mental health. It’s important to shine a light on experiences and humanise them, and the insights helped me understand how best to do the role justice.
Audiobooks are important to me. Often the last voice before bedtime, I enjoyed them as a child as they provided an escape.
What do you enjoy most about being an actor?
Actors are paid to be someone else. In my experience, the most exciting thing about acting is the opportunity and joy of discovering the other; choosing and stepping into a role that is far away from who you are; from the life that you live.
One of the most fun parts of my job is the travel! For my first professional movie, I was flown to Curaçao in the Caribbean: I spent my days on set, and my evenings jet skiing on the beach. It was bliss!
What challenges have you faced during your career?
It’s definitely a tough career: it’s important to find the personal and internal motivation to continue in the face of rejections along the way. That’s the way that things go – somewhere amongst the ‘no’s’ there will be the ‘yes’, so you’ve got to be resilient
Another challenge is to retain my privacy. I’m a private person doing a public job, and I have learned to become comfortable walking the line between being seen and being hidden.
I’ve also had to handle the absence of stability and reliability: I’ve missed weddings and family occasions because of work and it can be hard not knowing when the next pay cheque will come in. I’ve learned you have to embrace uncertainty: let go and accept the lack of control.
What does success mean to you?
I am so pleased that you asked this question. At drama school I was guided to define success early on, ensuring an achievable goal so that you can hit the target. My definition of success at that time was to be living the life that I wanted whilst supporting myself.
To me, success also means peace. As a creative you have high highs and low lows so it is incredibly important to embrace the happy moments. Life is a marathon not a sprint and there will be peaks and troughs along the way.
Who or what have been your sources of inspiration to date?
I have really drawn inspiration from looking at other actors who have come before me; seeing how they have navigated things and held themselves. In particular, those that I have worked with, like Tanya Moodie who was on my RADA audition panel.
Playing the role of Blodwynn in Boudica
A few years later, she played Gertrude to my Ophelia in the RSC production of Hamlet, which was a real ‘pinch me’ moment. She is one of the actors that I really look up to in this industry; self-possessed and hard-working, whose career has been something to behold.
Older actresses also inspire me – how forceful and strong they are in an industry which isn’t traditionally kind.
Another actor I look up to is Jeroen Willems. He was so kind to me on my first job and took me under his wing. He unfortunately passed a few weeks after filming finished, but I will always remember how he helped me get over my shyness on set.
What advice would you give your younger self?
The first thing I would do is to say a massive thank you to my younger self for being so determined, so unapologetically herself and not folding.
The advice I would give my headstrong, unapologetic younger self would be to be even bolder and braver. Let go of what others think, it means nothing, what will be most influential will be those who embrace you. When dreams feel so out of reach, I would remind her that ‘this too shall pass’ and that life is so much bigger than school or university. There is so much more time.
Can you tell us more about your favourite play/ TV series to date?
My heart lies in telling real stories where people talk to each other, looking at what everyday people experience.
The last scene of the movie Call Me By Your Name is a good example. It continues to inspire me with the father’s advice to his son: ‘Love wholeheartedly, live fully, allow yourself to fully embrace life and not be scared’.
What does the future hold?
I really enjoyed playing a Detective Sergeant in season two of Trigger Point. ITV has just announced season three, so very much looking forward to starting that.
Do you have a favourite memory from School?
I remember my friends and I experiencing real heartache at the death of our icon at the time, Heath Ledger, an actor known for his tremendous sensitivity.
You have been involved in the Alumnae-Pupil Mentoring Programme for four years. What has this meant for you?
I have former mentees from Wycombe Abbey and LAMDA and we are still in touch through our Whatsapp group. I wish I had been given the opportunity to have a mentor at that age, so, being there for them makes me so happy.
What do you think makes the Wycombe Abbey Seniors community special?
There is something about the shared Wycombe Abbey experience common to all Seniors that transcends age and background. There is often an openness between members that enables a quick understanding and easy ability to build relationships with each other.
Are you still in touch with any fellow Seniors? Rachel (C257, Pitt, 2008) and I have been friends for 23 years. Her son, Felix, is my godson.
Natalie in crime drama Trigger Point
A Passion for Drama Continues
as Pupils Bend and Snap for Legally Blonde
The stage at Wycombe Abbey turned pink for the triumphant story of Elle Woods' unlikely legal rise.
Doing a musical at Wycombe Abbey is one of the most fun, albeit stressful, experiences you can have, especially a musical like Legally Blonde. We started rehearsals in September 2023 and spent the next few months learning the songs. It is hard to think all the way back to then, as it feels like we have known the lyrics all of our lives. Thanks to Mr Reid and Mr Pattenden’s patience and consistent enthusiasm, it was easy to be excited for each Monday evening.
Once we started staging the numbers, the difficulties with double casting and having to say the lines in unison and somehow fit two people into a space for one became clear. However, after getting used to it, it became hilarious and was a good way to make the long rehearsals even more enjoyable. I think our favourite number was Positive, mainly due to Miss Lavender’s amazing choreography and the glowing positivity of the other Delta Nus. Although, and I think the entire cast would agree, Alice singing Blood in the Water was a smash success every time we rehearsed it. When the set and costumes arrived, it started to feel real. Somehow, we managed to fit an entire pink
palace onto the stage, and everyone immediately took turns going onto the balcony.
The final week of rehearsal was a blur of adrenaline and long hours. We got to work with a mixture of pupil, teacher and professional musicians, who were all so amazing and really brought the show to life.
The cast really pulled together as a team during the show, it was so nice to bond with younger girls. Our closeness really showed through during the performance weekend. Doing four shows in three days was extremely intense but being able to perform to all of our family, friends, and teachers made the entire experience truly rewarding.
The performances were hugely successful, with some girls coming to all four. Every night was perfect, and
every member of the audience seemed enthralled, especially Mr Woods, who we could tell found the entire thing very funny. Walking down the corridor on Monday morning, you could hear people humming the songs to themselves all around.
This was our final musical at Wycombe Abbey, and although the performances have finished, the friendships and memories we made will stay with the entire cast even after we leave School. Thank you to Mr Harrington, Miss Jones, Miss Lavender, Mr Grace, Mr Reid, Mr Pattenden, Miss Lansley-Davies, Mr Molyneaux and the entire cast for putting in so much effort to make the musical as magical as it was.
Madeleine and Judea (LVI Drama Prefects 2023-2024)
Celebrating 50 years of Junior House
Five decades on from its inception in 1973/1974, Kat Slade (Campbell, 1980), Elizabeth 'Holly' Kenny (Holloway, C143, Pitt, 1980) and some of their contemporaries share memories of the first Junior House.
The Start of Something New
On 19 September 1973, 15 girls aged 11 arrived as founding members of the new Junior House. Accommodation had been set up for us in two dormitories and a dayroom, under the care of Sister Iris Baxter, Sister Sonia Johnston and Miss Penelope Flawn. At that time, the normal intake for Wycombe Abbey was mainly Lower Fourth, with additions in Upper Fourth, but the School felt there was an opportunity for change.
Fiona Robinson (Johnston, C145, Barry, 1980), who is Sister Johnston’s daughter and Sister Baxter’s goddaughter, explains the origins of the idea: 'Junior House was Sister Baxter’s brainchild. I remember her saying that she felt it was a bit of a shock for a young girl to be thrown into the deep end of a Senior School with mixed age dorms and have to sink or swim. She wanted "to create a more gentle environment, in which younger pupils could join Wycombe Abbey and get used to being in a Senior School." '
At the same time, Wycombe Abbey recognised that they were missing out on potential pupils who might go to other schools with provision for the younger pupils. Sister Baxter discussed the idea with the then Headmistress, Miss Fisher, who approved the project.
Consequently, in 1973, a select number of applicants were given the opportunity to sit the 11+. This group included girls whose parents were abroad, families that had established connections with Wycombe Abbey, or girls who had applied for the year above but were too young or had some gaps in their academic knowledge. Upon passing the exam, they were able to join.
At that time, the normal intake for Wycombe Abbey was mainly Lower Fourth, with additions in Upper Fourth, but the School felt there was an opportunity for change.”
This new cohort became known as the Upper Third and enjoyed a purpose-built classroom opposite the Music School. Miss Farr, Barry’s Housemistress, (later the Headmistress of Downe House), was class teacher. We were taught by subject teachers in the classroom, but moved around the School to the arts and science blocks. For any girls coming from small village primaries, the size of the School was quite daunting, but the variety and challenges of the curriculum kept everyone busy.
'My best memories were building models of the Aswan Dam, doing cave paintings on the walls of the Undercroft Library and I was lucky enough to go to a poetry reading by Ted Hughes,' says Kat Slade.
We weren’t taught lacrosse that year, but spent a lot of time doing gymnastics; the girls who excelled were asked to put on a well-attended display for Speech Day. We were also given the opportunity to try out for Under 13 school netball and swimming teams alongside the Lower Fourth. There was a definite feeling of not wanting to let the bigger girls down, but they were kind and it was lovely to have friends in the year above when we moved up. Hopefully we passed this sense of inclusion on to the next class of Upper Thirds.
MISS FISHER
Miss Fisher was our Headmistress for just one term before she left, but she made an indelible impression on all of us, not least because she was so tall, and, being 11 years old, the majority of us were still quite short.
'Our view of Miss Fisher was one of pure terror,' remembers Tania Phillips (Gammon, C141, Wendover, 1980). 'Being caught by Miss Fisher in Chapel playing conkers was incredibly scary!'
Holly explains: 'The real thrill of playing conkers in Chapel wasn’t winning or losing – it was getting away with it! One day we leapt up, conkers safely back in our Sunday suit pockets, and poured out of Side Chapel’s little door ready for freedom! But it didn’t work out that way. Miss Fisher had heard us playing and was waiting for us on our exit. To this day I have no idea how Miss Fisher could have made it to that side door before we did. She must have sprinted round the outside of Chapel like no Headmistress before or since. On a good day she was intimidating, but that day she was positively terrifying… I will never forget the look in her eye – worse than all the detentions put together.'
The following week, Junior House were banished to sit upstairs at the back of the Choir gallery, where no-one could see or hear us.
Discipline was tough. It seems archaic now, but on Sundays we had to wear dresses and could only listen to music if it was classical or read books if they were classical literature. Trousers were only allowed on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. Tania recalls: 'I was caught reading Snoopy during Silent Reading on a Sunday, when we were only allowed to read Classics. It makes me laugh in retrospect, but it was quite humiliating at the time. The person in charge held the book up so everyone could see!'
Sue Rae (C145, Pitt, 1980) remembers the contents of her drawers being tipped on her bed because she was 'so messy'. However, Sister Baxter was universally kind to us, and Suzy Lovegrove (Watson, C145, Rubens, 1980) remembers putting on an end-of-year entertainment for her as a thank you, which included a cringingly awful rendition of Engelbert Humperdink’s Spanish Eyes!
FRIENDSHIPS
When we first arrived, we found a girl our age, Fiona, Sister Johnston’s daughter. Although she was still at Godstowe at the time, she was allowed to play with us at weekends and became a great friend and soon an honorary member of Junior House.
Tania explains what she gained by being in Junior House. 'As I was one of the youngest, I definitely needed to be nurtured in a small house before going into a big school. Wycombe Abbey was very overwhelming so it felt safe and homely being in Junior House under Sister Baxter. It was a good introduction and transition going into the big school. I was very shy so it was really nice meeting all the lovely girls to begin with, making friendships before going into the different houses.'
As I was one of the youngest, I definitely needed to be nurtured in a small house before going into a big school.”
It’s hard to put a value on how much it meant to start Senior School with friends in every house already, a grasp of how boarding feels, and what may or may not be particularly challenging. In addition, we’d already met our future ‘Housemothers’, been invited to tea and a look round, in my case without any grown-ups present. Everyone was so natural and friendly – but uh-oh! What a LOT of corridors in the Abbey – would we ever be seen again?!
Sister Baxter in uniform, as she was for subsequent Junior
THE LEGACY OF
DOROTHY LAMB
Dorothy Lamb (Rubens, 1906) broke into the male-dominated study of Classics, and what she began continues at Wycombe Abbey today.
By Charlie Pemberton, Teacher of
Classics.
The excavation at Phylakopi on Melos, 1904
hat did the Romans do for us?’ I asked this question to my UIII class during their first Latin lesson at Wycombe Abbey this year. A slide appeared with photographs of a sewer, a toilet, and a thermostat, prompting pupils to guess that the Romans invented plumbing and heating. ‘Without the Romans, how chilly and smelly would the T Block be right now?’ (cue a mixture of laughter and ‘eew!’s).
‘What did the Romans do for us?’ is another way of asking ‘Why should we study Classics?’. Aside from infrastructural developments, the Romans are renowned for their military supremacy. According to Virgil, the most famous Roman author, the Roman mission was ‘to war down the proud’, debellare superbos. The Romans conquered many nations and expanded their empire so far and wide that it seemed ‘endless’ (imperium sine fine, also Virgil). Violence was their mode de vie: they built amphitheatres to watch gladiators fight to the death as a form of entertainment!
Blood and gore. The belligerence of the Romans has been my subject’s USP for schoolchildren for centuries. By schoolchildren, of course I mostly mean schoolboys: the history of formal education for girls is shockingly recent, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century. By then, Classics had long been established as a hyper-masculine subject, not only because of the Romans’ warmongering tendencies, but because of the complexity of the Latin language: learning Latin grammar demanded an academic rigour that was deemed far too strenuous for the female brain.
The legacy of Classical studies is overwhelmingly male dominated. This then begs the question: why
should we, as girls and women, study Classics? I believe that one answer lies within the story of a Wycombe Abbey Senior.
As you all know, Wycombe Abbey was founded in 1896 by Frances Dove, who was on a mission to provide girls with an exemplary boarding education to rival that of their male peers. Perhaps less well known is that, even in its early days, Wycombe Abbey placed a strong emphasis on girls learning Classics. Pupils studied Latin from the start and then picked up Greek at age 15. Fast forward to today, and our UIIIs get to study Latin and Greek concurrently by the end of the second term as part of their core curriculum! Indeed, Classics at Wycombe Abbey is stronger than ever.
It was likely Wycombe Abbey’s exceptional investment in Classics that attracted Dorothy Lamb to join us in 1905 for her final year of school. We know very little about this Senior’s time here, but our records tell us that she was in Rubens and her translation of several lines from Virgil’s Aeneid was featured in the November 1905 edition of our Gazette. It was praised for its supreme fluency despite containing a few grammatical errors. You will find similar appraisals in our feedback to A level pupils who are currently learning to strike a delicate balance between accuracy and fluency when translating Latin and Greek poetry into English.
Lamb went on to read Classics at Newnham College, University of Cambridge, another trailblazing institution of female education founded in the late nineteenth century. Lamb studied under Jane Harrison, an illustrious scholar whose pioneering research into ancient Greek religion remains on university syllabuses to this day.
While at Newnham, Lamb won the Creighton Memorial Prize for an outstanding essay, received a Travelling Scholarship which led to a burgeoning interest in the archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean, and gained a place at the British School at Athens to catalogue terracotta figurines at the Acropolis Museum. Some of our pupils visited the newly refurbished Acropolis Museum on a school trip to Greece last October and may have seen some of the figurines originally catalogued by Dorothy.
Lamb’s catalogue project took her beyond Athens to Paris, where she visited the Louvre to compare and expand her case studies. While at the British School at Athens, she also became involved in an excavation on the Greek island of Melos. She was one of the first British women to partake in a British field project in Greece. One of her fellow excavation team members was a man named John Percival Droop. In 1915, Droop published his feelings about ‘mixed’ archaeological digs: ‘Of a mixed dig however I have seen something, and it is an experiment that I would be reluctant to try again; I would grant if need be that women are admirably fitted for the work, yet I would uphold that they should undertake it by themselves.’
The dig on Melos with Lamb appears to have been the only ‘mixed’ excavation Droop attended, so his request that women participate only ‘if need be’ and ‘by themselves’ was almost certainly aimed at Lamb and her assistant, Lilian Tennant. Despite the advances in female education which enabled Lamb to study Classics at Cambridge and conduct research at the British School at Athens, the blood, sweat and tears of archaeological fieldwork was still considered too unbecoming for women.
Much has changed for the better since 1915. Many female professors now direct their own archaeological excavations. As of 2022, the British School at Athens and the British School at Rome both have female directors for the first time in the institutions’ history. That said, and I speak from personal experience, Classical Archaeology remains a male-dominated subject, and excavations remain male-dominated environments. There is a long way to go before this field feels remotely equal.
Lamb finished her catalogue of terracotta figurines in 1912, and it was ready to be published by Cambridge University Press in 1914, during which time she
Lamb’s catalogue project took her beyond Athens to Paris, where she visited the Louvre to compare and expand her case studies.”
Archaic terracotta figurine in the Acropolis Museum
Wycombe Abbey Greece Trip 2023
held a prestigious fellowship at Bryn Mawr College in the United States. But due to the outbreak of World War I and the death of her editor in 1916 due to battle wounds, the catalogue’s publication was delayed until 1921. By then, Lamb’s Classical career had been necessarily sidelined: during the war, she became an assistant in the Ministry of National Service (1916–1918) and Ministry of Food (1918–1920), for which she received an MBE in 1918. She then became secretary to the London Committee Supreme Economic Council.
Classics is rarely a vocational subject choice, but the discipline’s breadth – we cover language, literature, history, art and archaeology, philosophy – attracts the widest range of thinkers. My A level Latin and Greek classes comprise mathematicians who are attracted to the code-breaking aspect of Greek and Latin translation; modern linguists who benefit from the challenging logic of Greek and Latin grammar; modern art historians who want to study the ancient artefacts that inspired Renaissance artists; and polymaths who simply love how much there is to learn from studying the ancient world. Some of my A level pupils will go on to study Classics at university, and a few may even choose to pursue the subject at postgraduate level. What is certain is that all of them chose my subjects because they loved them, whether they relished the academic rigour of learning Greek and Latin grammar, or because they became fascinated by the similarities and differences between ancient civilisations and our own. Despite her career changing direction, Dorothy Lamb’s passion for Classics never truly ceased. She published her own translations of surviving Greek and
Roman letters in 1930 and even peer-reviewed a book by her former professor, Jane Harrison, in 1926. Like Lamb, my pupils will always be classicists, no matter what careers they pursue after their studies.
This brings me back to the original question: ‘why should we, as girls and women, study Classics?’ Thanks to Dorothy Lamb, to her teachers and professors, and to all female classicists and archaeologists who came after her, I get to say, ‘why shouldn’t we?’ Every single day, I stand up in a classroom, as a female Classics teacher, and teach my subject to girls who will never have to worry that their gender will prevent them from learning Latin and Greek or from going on an archaeological dig. They get to love Classics, and I get to share my love for Classics with them.
Charlie Pemberton
Charlie joined the Classics Department at Wycombe Abbey in September 2023. Like Dorothy Lamb, Charlie read Classics at Newnham College, University of Cambridge, where she too received the Creighton Memorial Prize and Travel Scholarships to the Mediterranean. She used one of these scholarships to attend the British School at Rome. Charlie has also taken part in an excavation in rural Italy and has written for the Bryn Mawr Classical Review
Special thanks to Hannah Smith, Wycombe Abbey Librarian, for finding the photos for this article.
Charlie digging up a theatre at Interamna Lirenas as part of a University of Cambridge excavation project, August 2017
SENIORS
40 Years On
The Class of 1984 Reunion was a tremendous success. By Clare Slater (C157, Cloister, 1984).
How did this reunion come about? It was the invitation from Wycombe Abbey Seniors to attend the September drinks in Covent Garden that started the ball rolling. As Circle Secretary, I was asked to rally the troops and encourage members of my Circle to come along.
One person responded saying ‘I’m guessing you’re organising 40 years on.’ I wasn’t, but she gave me the idea. Seven of my year group turned up to the Seniors drinks and were very enthusiastic about the prospect of a reunion so, my fellow Circle Secretary, Amanda Cavanagh (Bright, C155, Cloister, 1984), and I put on our detective hats and some serious sleuthing began!
The first thing we did was compile a list of our year group from memory and using a 2013 Seniors booklet. Not everyone had become a Senior and, when we left Wycombe Abbey in 1984, we didn’t have email or mobile phones – we wrote handwritten letters, so it wasn’t as easy to keep in touch as it is now. Through LinkedIn, Facebook and friends who were still in touch with others, we managed to track down 81 out of 86 people who had ever been in our year.
After a couple of months’ preparation, the big day finally arrived.
CIRCLES
It was heart-warming to see people walking through the door and being met with beaming smiles from old friends, some of whom they hadn’t seen for 40 years. We all looked the same, apart from a few more wrinkles but, just in case, we had name badges. Any sense of apprehension dissipated as soon as people saw so many familiar faces.
The Ivy Soho Brasserie was the perfect venue with its central location and lovely private room. We enjoyed a welcome drink, followed by canapés and bowl food – though I think most people did more chatting than eating! The room was buzzing with such a warm and convivial atmosphere. Our final number of attendees was 54 – a great turnout, given that many were travelling or living abroad.
We enjoyed browsing through the items people brought to display on the photo and memorabilia table. One person had even managed to dig out an old school boater and we were lucky to have books and photos contributed by the School Archivist, Dr Jessica
Venner. My Fair Lady, our Clarence play (which my brother recorded on his old Olympus video camera from the back of Big School), was shown on the screen, causing much amusement. The background music was a Spotify playlist covering the Billboard top 50 songs for 1979–1984. It’s amazing how music can bring the memories flooding back, such as jumping off the steps outside Cloister House study to the soundtrack of Fame! Our event photographer captured the atmosphere perfectly and afterwards I shared the photos and the playlist with everyone, including those who couldn’t make it, so people could add their favourites.
A year group at Wycombe Abbey has an undeniable bond. Whether you were friends at School or not, there is a connection simply because you have shared experiences. The reunion enabled everyone to reconnect with old friends as well as making new ones. It was just the start of a conversation. One person discovered she had been living five miles away from a Wycombe Abbey classmate for the last 24 years!
The reunion enabled everyone to reconnect with old friends as well as making new ones”
Now that everyone is in touch again, people are already arranging smaller get-togethers. Hopefully the contact list, Facebook and WhatsApp groups we have set up will help to make these meetings a regular occurrence.
We were very grateful for the support from the School and the Seniors Office. It was wonderful to welcome Jo Duncan, Headmistress, and Kellyn Caldwell, Development Officer, to the event. Jo and I both made a brief speech before we played a recording of In Fide Vade. To my surprise, everyone joined in! We weren’t word perfect, but between all of us, we managed to remember the lyrics. Tea and coffee were served, together with the amazing cake Amanda made: a fruit cake with our Clarence photo on top. It was a work of art and delicious!
If your class has a big anniversary coming up and you would like to see old friends again, then why not help arrange a reunion? The effort is so rewarding, and you can make life easier by working as a team and with the Seniors Office, which provides support. We couldn’t have done it without them, and Amanda and I are happy to give you some tips as well.
To quote the song 40 Years On (which we used to sing at the end of every term), don’t ‘look back and forgetfully wonder what you were like in your work and your play;’ instead, reach out to old friends and get together to reminisce.
The ringing in my ears today is a testament to the energy in the room and a very good time had by all!”
Seniors London Drinks Reception
A
fantastic event, in Covent Garden, saw Seniors and current School staff
gather to share memories.
We were delighted to see so many attend the Seniors London Drinks reception in Covent Garden on Thursday 19 September. It was a wonderful evening where Seniors of all ages enjoyed the chance to reconnect with School friends and meet new ones.
We were pleased to be joined by staff from the School, including Jo Duncan, Headmistress, Emily Boswell, Deputy Head of Academic and Jacky Tidbury, Director of Sixth Form.
They offered an insight into Wycombe Abbey life today, as alumnae shared memories of their time at School and chatted about their lives now.
Some of our most recent Seniors from the Class of 2024 joined us and three Honorary Seniors who are wellknown amongst the School community, Mrs Sue Jenkins, Mrs Liz Peers and Mrs Violaine Ludwick, attended as well.
Many thanks to the members of the Seniors Consultative Committee who were there encouraging connection within our community and seeking your feedback as to how we can do more engagement in the future.
As one Senior shared, ‘Many thanks for another hugely successful Seniors event in London. The ringing in my ears today is testament to the energy in the room and a very good time had by all! I’m looking forward to the next one already!’
The Society is named after two of Wycombe Abbey’s original philanthropists, Dame Frances Dove and Elsie Bowerman.”
DoveBowerman Society Afternoon Tea
Time well spent recognising the remarkable contribution of Wycombe Abbey alumnae in womens' education and legacies.
Wycombe Abbey’s DoveBowerman Society recognises those who demonstrate the ultimate commitment to the School by leaving a legacy gift. The Society is named after two of Wycombe Abbey’s original philanthropists, Dame Frances Dove and Elsie Bowerman. Both were pioneers in women’s education and laid the foundation for supporting the continued education of young women at Wycombe Abbey.
To honour the commitment of the Dove-Bowerman Society members, Headmistress Jo Duncan hosted an afternoon tea at the Corinthia Hotel on Thursday 19 September. Attendees comprised of members of the Society (including current parents and Seniors), members of the Seniors Consultative Committee, and current staff.
Jo spoke on the importance of philanthropic investment in girls’ education and the impact it has on current and future pupils. She also presented excerpts from archival materials from Elsie Bowerman’s time at Wycombe Abbey, which included writings from Dame Frances Dove.
Everyone enjoyed sharing stories about their time at Wycombe Abbey and describing memories of traditions that still hold true today.
We plan to make this an annual event, so please contact the Seniors and Development Office if you would like to learn more.
20 Year Reunion Celebration: A Trip Down Memory Lane
The Class of 2004 reunion featured teddies, tunes, and retail therapy in the School Shop.
Our 20-year Wycombe Abbey reunion was nothing short of magical. The day kicked off at the School as part of the larger Seniors Day festivities. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and drinks, followed by nostalgic tours of the Houses. A visit to the School Shop added a touch of fun to the day, and it was fabulous to see familiar places and faces. It was also delightful to see a number of staff from our school days who had made the effort to attend as well!
In the afternoon, we gathered for a dedicated drinks reception in Fisher Library, featuring custom 2004 cupcakes and adorable Seniors teddies as gifts, which added a personal and whimsical touch to the event.
The evening saw us moving to a private room at The Phene in London, where more 2004 Seniors joined in the celebration. The drinks and conversations flowed effortlessly against a backdrop of a fun, yet slightly cringe-worthy, slideshow of photos from our time at Wycombe Abbey, while noughties tunes played through the speakers.
Many of us travelled from nearby, while others came from as far as the US and France to join in the celebration. It was a fantastic day filled with reminiscing: a perfect tribute to our shared memories and lifelong friendships. Here’s to the class of 2004 and many more reunions to come!
Tracy Bjelland (C235, Campbell, 2004)
Seniors Carol Service 2024
A special event celebrating all that we share.
By Padre Paul Stanaway, Wycombe Abbey Chaplain.
The first term at Wycombe Abbey has been a busy adventure with plenty to learn and even more to do. The most exciting part, which should come as no surprise, has been the people. In New Zealand, where I am originally from, there is a Māori proverb that goes, ‘He aha te mea nui o te ao?’ What is the most important thing in the world? ‘He tangata, he tangata, he tangata!’ It is the people, the people, the people.
When it came to the Seniors Carol Service, I was able to see the vibrancy of the people that make up our community. As Chaplain, the most important part of any Christmas is Jesus. Jesus has a habit of creating happy communities and this recent Seniors Carol Service helped me reflect on the fact that the history of Wycombe Abbey leans on His truth. As important and forming as schooling is when we are young, most of us leave it behind. For many of our
When it came to the Seniors Carol Service, I was able to see the vibrancy of the people that make up our community.”
Seniors though, Wycombe Abbey was not a temporal moment: it is clearly a community of past and present members, with mutual affection shared between the generations. There was a delight in the singing of our carols (particularly the Charterhouse Carol), an attentiveness to the readings and prayers, and a human connection that was visible both in the service and over the mince pies and mulled wine which followed.
I greatly enjoyed meeting many Seniors of Wycombe Abbey, both those recently left and others with a little more history to share. I saw genuine enjoyment in teachers and former pupils catching up and there was an equal amount of joy in chatting with current parents who were able to attend. I congratulate the ones who were able to do so and fondly embarrass their daughters after their spectacular musical performance; hey, it’s a parental duty!
The Seniors Carol Service is an example of what makes Wycombe Abbey special. We know that learning and grades are one thing, and the collegiality of staff another. Both are central for any school. But what was the most important thing I saw this Christmas time at Wycombe Abbey? Past and present, it was the people.
Wycombe Abbey is a lovely community, and it is the people that make it so. I derive equal enjoyment from my teaching, pastoral support and rapport with other colleagues. Thank you all for welcoming me to the School and for much of the year, your home.
Far East yet Close to Home
Seniors met at cocktail receptions in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Wycombe Abbey Hong Kong Foundation Cocktail Reception
On 10 October 2024, the Wycombe Abbey Hong Kong Foundation hosted a delightful cocktail reception for alumnae at the Ladies’ Recreation Club in Hong Kong. This event provided a wonderful opportunity for Seniors who are in Hong Kong to reconnect and forge new relationships across various year groups. Attendees were introduced to Ms Robin Sharp, the
new Director of Development, who shared insights into the current activities at Wycombe Abbey and discussed exciting plans for the future. The evening was marked by lively conversations and a shared sense of community, making it a memorable occasion for all.
Robin Sharp writes: It was a privilege to visit Hong Kong and Singapore on behalf of the School. Not only did we have a wonderful time meeting with Seniors in these fabulously vibrant cities, but I also had the opportunity to spend time with some of our Wycombe Abbey parents, who care deeply about the School and the connections to the global Seniors’ community.
We are grateful to Charmaine Lee Hew (C205, Cloisters, 1997), our host, and everyone who joined us, some with partners in tow, for the reception. It was such a treat to hear how the Wycombe Abbey experience and the community it creates carries into the lives of our Hong Kong-based alumnae. I would also like to extend my thanks to Dr Angela Chow (C240, Butler, 2005) and her husband, Professor Andrew Kuk, for treating me and several Seniors to a late-night hot pot dinner after the gathering at the LRC. Despite having been travelling to Hong Kong for work and pleasure for over 20 years, this was my first time trying hot pot! I enjoyed every bite; the company and conversation were fascinating. It was also the first time in over 20 years that I was out until 2:00am – anywhere in the world! Angela, Andrew and their delightful daughters, Zara and Isla, also invited me to brunch at the Hong Kong Cricket Club the following day where I got to spend some more time with their Seniors social circle. I was made to feel so incredibly welcome by everyone in Hong Kong and we are very excited for our office to continue to build on the enthusiastic community of Seniors who make this vibrant and energetic city their home.
It was such a treat to hear how the Wycombe Abbey experience and the community it creates carries into the lives of our Hong Kong-based alumnae.”
We are so fortunate that Wycombe Abbey continues to bring Seniors together to celebrate community and connection.
Cocktail Reception at St Regis, Singapore
On 17 October 2024, the St Regis in Singapore buzzed with energy as Senior Stephanie Cheah (C170, Campbell, 1989) hosted a cocktail reception in honour of Jo Duncan, Headmistress, visiting from the UK.
The event brought together a vibrant mix of Seniors, prospective pupils, their families, and Robin Sharp, Director of Development.
Guests enjoyed an evening filled with engaging discussions and networking, fostering a sense of camaraderie among attendees. The gathering not only celebrated the achievements of the Seniors but also strengthened connections within the Wycombe Abbey community.
Robin Sharp writes: The gathering, sponsored by Stephanie Cheah, mother of Seniors Annette (C364, Wendover, 2023) and Charlotte (C328, Wendover, 2019), was elegant and lively. We are so appreciative of Stephanie and her family’s continued support of our efforts. We had a marvellous time learning about the Seniors community in Singapore.
We had the good fortune to dine with Stephanie the following night where Jo and I tried the famous Chilli Crab for the first time and sampled some colourful and tasty local desserts in Singapore’s Chinatown. We were enjoying our evening so much that the
owners of the dessert establishment were having to close around us!
Jennifer Hung (C259, Pitt, 2008) graciously hosted a breakfast at her home in Singapore that offered an opportunity for prospective parents to meet with the Headmistress. On behalf of myself, Yael, and Jo, I want to thank all the Seniors and parents in Hong Kong and Singapore that made our October visits not only special but also informative. We are so fortunate that Wycombe Abbey continues to bring Seniors together to celebrate community and connection. Thank you for your hospitality and friendship.
One year on
Our youngest Seniors talk about life after 12 months beyond the School gates.
Harriat Bishop
(C356, Airlie, 2023)
Head of School 2022/2023
It is hard to comprehend that a year has passed since I left Wycombe Abbey. After seven years at School, my first year outside of its gates has been an exciting one that I have greatly enjoyed.
The year began with a fantastic summer, which involved celebrating the end of exams with friends and family. I was also grateful for the chance to volunteer as a ‘befriender’ with the West of England Centre for Inclusive Living. I then embarked on a new journey, starting my German and Spanish degree at Durham University. So far, my university experience has exceeded all of my expectations in terms of both academia and life in the city. I have enjoyed all aspects of College life, particularly playing lacrosse for the university. A highlight this year was our first College formal at Freshers’ Week, during which I met some of my closest friends and first discovered College traditions. I am looking forward to my second year, especially the Durham University Charity Fashion Show. This is Europe’s largest student-led fundraiser, and I recently gained an executive position on the Charity Team.
Wycombe Abbey has undoubtedly made me ‘future-ready’, as the Sixth Form team would describe it. It has equipped me with academic curiosity, resilience, and drive. Most importantly, however, it has provided me with a family that I will never lose, as this past year has proved. A new beginning can be daunting, but I found comfort knowing that I had Wycombe friends to rely on.
Leaving Wycombe Abbey further highlighted the strength of its community, and it is my greatest pleasure to be one of its members. I wish all of the current pupils and the Seniors community the best of luck with all their future endeavours.
Wycombe Abbey has undoubtedly made me ‘future-ready’, as the Sixth Form team would describe it.”
Pia Mathur
(C359, Campbell, 2023)
It seems unbelievable to me that a whole year has passed since leaving School – it feels like just yesterday that we were sitting in the House Eight kitchen in Clarence eating pesto pasta, rather than revising for our A levels (which, on the other hand, feel like a lifetime ago). I have had a brilliant year thus far, and it has been amazing seeing everyone do different things and have such a good time wherever they have gone.
After finishing School, I had a relaxing summer in London, with a few European destinations interspersed throughout with friends. I had been planning for a while on taking a gap year, so I searched for jobs to help me save up to travel later on in the year. I started working at Lululemon, and although it was overwhelming moving from the Wycombe Abbey bubble into the harsh world of retail, I had so much fun there. Certainly, it helped me realise how Wycombe Abbey had instilled in me so many skills that really helped me adjust quickly to a new job.
In January, I set off on my travels with just my backpack, very excited to explore the other side of the world! First, I flew to Australia for two months, visiting Perth and then spending some time travelling up the East coast between Sydney and Cairns. Going from -3 degrees in London to 37 degrees in
No matter where you go, there is always a Wycombe Abbey community looking out for you, which is the thing I am most grateful to School for.”
Perth required quite an adjustment, but it was a very welcome change. I have also developed a new appreciation for surfers – surfing is much more difficult than it looks, as I discovered just five minutes into my first lesson in Byron Bay (which thankfully, I survived). It was an incredible eight weeks, ticking so much off my bucket list.
I went skydiving over the Whitsunday Islands, which was more thrilling than words can articulate, and was able to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, which was breathtaking. One of my favourite moments was actually being able to see the Milky Way from one of the islands in Northern Queensland. There is hardly any light pollution, so you have a strikingly clear view of the stars. Meeting so many other young people in hostels was a lot of fun, though it did make me appreciate the comforts of my own bed back home.
After two months spending every day relaxing on the quiet beaches of small coastal towns, I was back to city life in Delhi, where I spent some time with family. Rose, one of my best friends from School, was also able to come during her Easter holidays, and we spent Holi, the festival of colour, together. We also went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, another thing to tick off the bucket list. My next destination was Singapore, with Ayla, followed by Vietnam, with Amelia, where I ate some of the best food of my life. Possibly the highlight of my whole gap year would be the Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam, which is a four-day motorbike tour of the Northern mountains. It was exhilarating to ride on bikes at speeds of over 100 km/h with the most gorgeous views I have ever seen. I am so grateful that I was able to spend over five months travelling. Although I had such a good time at Wycombe Abbey, it was amazing to be able to take a break from academia and spend an extended period of time just having fun and trying out so many new things. I learnt much about the world, and indeed about myself. It is a testament to the strength of my School friendships that I was able to spend time with so many different people experiencing the world together. At almost every point on my gap year, I had someone from Wycombe Abbey with me.
After spending the summer back at Lululemon, I am excited to be starting university soon at Jesus College, Oxford. I am really looking forward to getting back into academia and reconnecting with School friends who are already there. No matter where you go, there is always a Wycombe Abbey community looking out for you, which is the thing I am most grateful to the School for.
CIRCLE NOTES
Updates from alumni on personal and professional milestones.
CIRCLE 74
My news is that I am lucky to be in good health and still driving locally and gardening but it does take a lot longer these days. My daughter, Victoria, shares the farm house with me and works from an office in the building. I have lived here since 1963 and feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of Scotland. I have four greatgrandchildren but have yet to meet the one born in New Zealand this past December, who is a boy. So now I have two of each. I hope anyone left who remembers me from Butler House long ago is also happy and in reasonable health.
Elizabeth Budge (Darling, C74, Butler, 1949)
CIRCLE 88
Patricia Thompson, CBE (Henchley, C88, Campbell, 1958) wrote from Venice, during her 45th holiday at the same hotel, to say that she continues to be very busy with her business and charity commitments.
Cherry Aston (Wheeler) got in touch from Little Hampden in Buckinghamshire. She is still actively engaged with The Arts Society Chiltern and Chalfont (formerly the Chiltern Fine Arts Society), of which she was a founder member, and recently enjoyed a cultural tour to Budapest organised by them. Cherry is also a trustee of the Buckinghamshire Historic Churches Trust and a Parish Councillor.
She misses the black labrador she lost recently, but regularly looks after
and walks her daughter’s dog.
Janet Fluehr (Nicholas, C88 Shelburne, 1953) wrote from her home in the USA, saying: ‘Everyone describes Carmel as paradise, and it is!’ Not only located in a spectacular coastal scenery, it is alive with a Bach festival, the famous AT&T Pro-Am golf tournament and the antique car show Concours d’Elégance. Janet and her husband have enjoyed being in the travel industry, organising small tour groups of friends and travelling all over the world themselves, finally winding up the business with a safari trip to Botswana in their beloved Africa.
Photo shows James and Emma Sanders dressed up for Royal Ascot in 2022 for Emma’s first Royal Ascot visit (aged 12) – delayed for two years due to the Pandemic. Her mother made her dress. Peggy Harrison (née Stenhouse) was in Airlie from 1920–24 and my grandmother (father’s mother) Edith Harrison (née Tribe) was in Cloister – I don’t know the dates but she was born in 1884.
Joanna Sanders (Harrison, C88, Airlie, 1956)
Joanna Sanders cutting her 83rd birthday cake, made by grand-daughter Emma
James and Emma, ready for Ascot
CIRCLE 101
My husband Jim Blackburn died on 14 November after just three days in the hospital. Although he had some health problems, the end came suddenly after two emergency surgeries to try to stop internal bleeding. My sister Anne Boult (Collett, C78, Rubens, 1951) and niece Nicola Huish (Boult, C133, Rubens, 1976) have been a great support. Anne and I lost our brother Tony Collett in the summer, so it has been a hard two months.
Jim and I have been members of our church for 43 years. The choir even learned the hymn Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven to sing at the celebration of Jim’s life, which we sang at our wedding in 1981.
Bridget Blackburn (Collett, C101, Rubens, 1961)
CIRCLE 105
After leaving Wycombe Abbey in 1964, I studied maths at Cambridge. Since then I have lived and worked in Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea and England. I am now Chair of the United Nations Association for London and South East Region (www.unalaser.org) and part of Humanists International. Through these organisations, I am helping to find volunteers for Shanti Sewa Griha in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Shanti provides health camps around Nepal, providing a wide range of health care in Kathmandu and a school for 200 children who have either been orphaned or who live with disabilities or chronic illness. Shanti is home to around 50 people with disabilities and 75 orphaned children. Everyone at Shanti wants to practise their English, so they would love to welcome native English-speaking gap year volunteers to join other European volunteers already there, living in a volunteer hostel. The work would involve helping in the school and other activities. For more information contact trisha_rogers@yahoo.com.
Patricia Shepheard Rogers (C105, Campbell, 1964)
CIRCLE 111
My husband Tony and I are now living in an apartment in Cirencester. We are within five minutes of the beautiful centre of town with its market place and the imposing Parish Church of St John the Baptist. Tony has had a physical set back since developing sepsis after a routine operation, but he is now much more mobile and we are back going on holidays again. I continue to be very busy with my musical commitments, which include Cirencester Choral Society and playing violin in two orchestras and a regular
string quartet. My love of music definitely stems from my Wycombe Abbey days and has helped me through some difficult times recently. I remain relatively fit and am able to lead a monthly local walking group.
Liz Fleming (Lattimer, C111, Wendover, 1966)
CIRCLE 112
My husband, Scott, and I are still working, myself in Waitrose, and Scott at the Sheep in Stow-on-the-Wold, the Cotswold’s busiest village. It keeps us fit! We are grandparents to Sidonie’s daughter Gigi and another on the way, so life is fun!
Philippa Elliott (Hardman, C112, Barry, 1968)
CIRCLE 116
In 2019 I booked a long-service-leave trip on the Ghan, an iconic train ride which takes four days to travel from Darwin in the north of Australia to Adelaide in the south. Covid unfortunately changed my plans but finally in June this year I managed to make this wonderful journey. I saw
Anne Hutchinson’s School days
My love of music definitely stems from my Wycombe Abbey days and has helped me through some difficult times recently.”
LIZ FLEMING
magnificent gorges in Kathryn, the amazing Outback landscape and wildlife around Alice Springs, had dinner under the stars and rode a camel at the historic Telegraph Station and visited the underground opal mining town of Coober Pedy.
This will be my last year of children’s activities during the day as Charlotte will join the other four grandchildren at school next year. As they all live nearby, I have been very lucky to have been involved in all their pre-school clubs (gymnastics, swimming, ballet, trips to parks and play centres, gardening and museums). Now come the after-school activities!
Now that my granny flat has been built, I am happily living surrounded by a smaller number of my precious possessions. I have just found all my old reports and house circles!
Anne Hutchinson (King, C116, Rubens, 1969)
I have had a really busy year again, with a five-week examining tour to India last November and December. I was engaged for quite a number of local competitive music festivals in the spring of 2024 also. I enjoy the teaching element of festivals, and having the freedom of one’s personal style encouraged. There has been much travel within the UK and in Eire, as my elder son lives there with his family. Recently, I have returned from a fabulous road trip in a circular route from Yorkshire through France to north Italy, Munich, Passau and Salzkammergut, then slowly back home over four nights through north Germany and Belgium. I am lucky enough to have many generous friends in Europe with whom I can stay, which makes it all possible. But I am definitely cutting down on everything now, as my house and garden need me!
Christina Thomson Jones (Thomson, C116, Cloister, 1969)
I have had to leave the Bench in Suffolk and transfer to Buckinghamshire, so now sit in the Magistrates Court at High Wycombe, looking out over the Abbey grounds.”
DR PAMELA WRIGHT
CIRCLE 117
Members of Circle 117 continue with daily life, often including grandparenting. We are of an age when ill health can strike and sadly, we learned of two deaths in our year group during the last 12 months. First, we lost Beatrice Wall, who was not at Wycombe Abbey for long but still made firm friends; her obituary by Pippa Walker features in this issue of Circles. Then we learnt of the loss of Anne Smart (Noble, C116, Barry, 1969). Anne is remembered by people in our year group as warmhearted and gentle, characteristics that I imagine stood her in good stead when she later became a foster parent. She was also a committed activist on the environmental front. Both these losses remind us of the importance of friendship and respect for others. There is too much turmoil and violence in the world but there is still love and warmth, and our common history of being at Wycombe Abbey provides one of the bonds of friendship that we can treasure.
Elizabeth Breeze (C117, Rubens, 1969)
CIRCLE 120
I was a happy joint winner of the Sir David Willcocks Carol Composer Competition sponsored by The Bach Choir, who performed my carol at their concert on 11 December 2024 in the Cadogan Hall. My submission was Good Festival of Christian Cheer. This was very exciting, and it is good to be able to share a success.
The Reverend Barbara Steadman-Allen (C120, Shelburne, 1971)
CIRCLE 121
I stepped down as Chair of the Council of Queen’s College, London in December 2023. My timing couldn’t have been better given the new financial demands facing independent charity schools. I am now trying to wind down my two remaining editorial commitments. I saw Rachel Cunynghame (Baines, C120, Butler, 1971) at a Cotswolds church Christmas carol service. I continue to receive Barbara Steadman-Allen’s (C120, Shelburne, 1971) uplifting weekly ‘service sheets’ with accompanying YouTube singalong; this may be the answer for those of us whose local churches are struggling with diminishing congregations and facing closure in the future. My twin-sister, Caroline Banszky (While, C121, Airlie, 1971), and I continue to enjoy doing things together. Looking after my grandchildren, seeing friends, visiting exhibitions, my voluntary activities and daily exercise all keep me happy and contented.
Alison Gore-Randall (While, C121, Wendover, 1971)
CIRCLE 124
In March I had a milestone birthday party in London with dancing to a Latin band. It was wonderful to see Cary Hemphill (McMullen, C123, Campbell, 1972) who flew over from the States, and Virginia Purle (Rylatt). Although Sue Bennett (Herald) couldn’t join us for the party, I met up with her the previous day, and spoke with Susan Day (Powell) who lives up in Lincolnshire. So the event became quite a Campbell reunion!
Dr Pamela Griffiths (C124, Campbell, 1972)
CIRCLE 130
Another year is nearly over and I am delighted to be able to keep up to date with Seniors’ news. I have been living in Spain for some years now and the other day received my official Spanish pension! I decided to retire from teaching English at a nearby Academy, much to the sadness of staff and students. Now I am planning some weekend escapes that I have on the todo list, the first of these being with my daughter to visit friends and past work mates in Andorra. I hope to make the trip to a Seniors reunion in 2025. Hasta luego!
Sian Druce-Bennett (C130, Pitt, 1975)
CIRCLE 134
After 40 years in Colchester, Richard and I have upped stumps and moved to Flackwell Heath, in Buckinghamshire. The arrival of our granddaughter was the trigger to the move. I have had to leave the Bench in Suffolk and transfer to Buckinghamshire, so now sit in the Magistrates Court at High Wycombe,
Ginny, Cary and Pamela celebrating in London
looking out over the Abbey grounds. Dr Pamela Wright (Harper, C134, Butler, 1977)
CIRCLE 143
Upon leaving the inaugural Junior House, as featured elsewhere in Circles, Wycombe Abbey taught me that disaster can deliver unimaginable opportunity.
I have lived by this mantra ever since receiving the devastating punishment of having to clean all of Pitt House’s lacrosse boots. I hardly knew what lacrosse was (and certainly have no idea what terrible thing I did) but one of the first team players took pity on me, sat down and answered my gazillion questions about this curious stick and what it could do – including, enticingly, escaping Saturday classes! It went on to take me to Scotland, to meet the Queen Mother at a centenary match against St Leonards and Benenden, and later to America.
A graduate position in marketing subsequently led me into the corporate world. I loved the variety: with agency
work I could be extrusion blow moulding one day and signing Wendy’s as an ice-hockey team sponsor the next, while in-house I became Press Officer for the Lawn Tennis Association.
In a rash moment I married a flying doctor and moved to the Australian Outback. We joked that not even Julia had heard of Julia Creek, but I will never forget the welcome: these people, mostly on remote cattle/ sheep stations, had been waiting years for a doctor. They could conjure up a celebration out of nothing and lives were full of fun, dancing, kindness and friendships as well as drought and hardship.
And then that phone call: 'Where are you? Well, can you get to Beijing?'
I had worked alongside the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) before, and now came the Tour’s first event in China – exciting! We needed more people to clear the kangaroos from the bush runway than the plane could seat. This tiny cabin subsequently grew a lot larger, as did the number of countries I was lucky enough to operate in over those years. I particularly appreciated being flown back to Wimbledon ostensibly for work, but of course
Fiona Robinson and gang back together again
really to see my family and friends!
My mother’s ill health brought us back to my childhood home, a little fishing village in Corfu, but ultimately, I found myself at the University of the Sunshine Coast in eastern Australia, teaching international Communications and PR. Student attendance, I noted, was in direct inverse correlation to the quality of the surf!
The Covid years closed Australia and without international student income many of us lost our positions. The mantra I learned at school never left me and I used the time to requalify as a counsellor specialising in trauma and currently work for StandBy in the suicide bereavement space, a job I hope I’ll never have to leave.
You might imagine that distance and decades could have dimmed school friendships – but no! Fiona Robinson (Johnson, C145, Barry, 1980) has visited twice in 2024 alone, Anna Gadsden (Hilder, C145, Pitt, 1980) came over so we could celebrate being 60 together and Joy Tacon (C140, Pitt, 1978) even made it all the way out to Julia Creek! I’ve seen Carolyn Economides (Pitt) regularly in Athens, Sue Rae (C145, Pitt, 1980) in Corfu –and one year we gathered the entire UK-based Pitt cohort together for lunch in London.
It has been great fun catching up online with Junior House members Deborah Custance Baker (Bordass, C143, Barry, 1980), Kat Slade (Campbell, 1980), Suzy Lovegrove (Watson, Rubens), Tania Phillips (Gammon, C141, Wendover, 1979), Lucinda Lawrence (Marchessini, C143, Shelburne, 1980), Fiona Colthorpe (Royle, Airlie) and Kathy Shaw (Rubens, 1979).
Tim and I have been married for over 30 years and our boys Benj (27) and Jamie (22) are suddenly all grown up. Elizabeth “Holly” Kenny (Holloway, C143, Junior House 1974 and Pitt, 1977)
I recently launched a podcast with the theme of female empowerment, called She’s
just not that into you.”
RIHAN WILLIAMS
CIRCLE 194
We spent the last four years living in Lima (after Brussels) and are back in Paris and London this year, before moving to Bogotá in July 2025. The children (Tristan aged seven and Astrid aged five) are happily adapting to life in Paris. And I am very much looking forward to seeing Miriam Heard and Angelique Chrisafis here and to catching up with others in London. Alexandra Knapton (C194, Rubens, 1995)
CIRCLE 208
I am still teaching A level maths and have moved to teach at Peter Symonds College in Winchester this September. As a family we’ve been busy visiting friends on our holidays. Most recently we stayed with Hayley Azar (Wrobel, 1999) and enjoyed attending the 2024 Paris Olympics
Sarah Roberts (Crawshaw, C208, Campbell, 1998)
I am continuing to work as a surgeon in London and have opened my own minor surgery and women’s health clinic on Harley Street (www. themaryleboneclinic.co.uk). Work and two small children are keeping me nice and busy!
Rebecca Lewis (C208, Airlie, 1998)
CIRCLE 272
My husband Doug and I were thrilled to welcome our first child, a daughter we named Sienna, in March. A highlight of the summer was christening Sienna at St James’s Piccadilly – the same church in which we were married in 2022.
Melissa Swift (Bradley, C272, Airlie, 2010)
CIRCLE 284
I attended Wycombe Abbey from 2005 – 2010. I recently launched a podcast with the theme of female empowerment, called She’s just not that into you. If any Seniors would like to be interviewed as a guest on my podcast, I’d love to hear from them. Rhian Williams (C284, Campbell, 2012)
CIRCLE 296
I am thrilled to announce that on 14 September 2024, I married my partner Liam at a ceremony held in Cambridgeshire. It was lovely to have so many Wycombe Abbey girls (particularly from Airlie!) in attendance to celebrate our special day with us. Carina Chan (C296, Airlie, 2015)
CIRCLE 314
It feels surreal to be starting my Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at Harvard Business School now after over ten years in the UK. I am unbelievably grateful for everyone who has advised and supported me thus far, especially during three transformative years at L.E.K. Consulting and an incredible summer with His Majesty King Charles III’s Sustainable Markets Initiative.
I am excited to be able to learn from and contribute to the Harvard community. I know that the MBA application process can be daunting, so if any Wycombe Abbey Seniors are considering applying, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. And if you’re visiting Boston over the next two years, I’d love to see you!
Riva Kapoor (C314, Campbell, 2018)
Melissa Swift with husband Doug and daughter Sienna
CLASS OF 2016: AN UNFORGETTABLE TRIP
Rossanna Bassett (Airlie, 2016) received her Master’s degree from London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in 2023. In May 2024, while studying advanced Chinese in Beijing, she flew over 1,100 miles to Chengdu to spend the weekend with me, her former Chinese teacher at Wycombe Abbey. We visited the Jinsha archaeological site together and marvelled at the archaeological discoveries that impressed the world, tasted sweet and sour fish, stir-fried beef and other delicacies, and lingered in Du Fu Thatched Cottage and its garden. Rossanna easily read the famous poems of the Tang dynasty poet. Amazingly, she was also able to fluently translate Confucius quotations that were over 2,000 years old into today’s Chinese.
As we walked through the streets and alleys of Chengdu, she no longer followed me but led me!”
As we walked through the streets and alleys of Chengdu, she no longer followed but led me! Her beautiful Mandarin brought surprised praise from the locals.
During my time in China, I had hoped to take the opportunity to travel to Yunnan province with my husband. However, I had been unable to find a travel agency that would accept tourists over 70 years old. Rossanna helped me contact an agency in Lijiang. So it was that I, a Chinese teacher, spent a wonderful holiday in Yunnan with the help of my former Wycombe Abbey pupil, even ascending to 4,000 meters above sea level to visit Shangri-La.
A Chinese proverb has it that knowledge comes not only from reading thousands of books, but also from traveling thousands of miles: Rossanna did both, leaving her footprints in many cities and attractions in the north, south, east and west of China!
Regardless of the age difference, teacher and student have become friends. This is the joy and privilege of being a teacher. I celebrate Rosanna’s progress and firmly believe that she has a bright future!
Xiaoming Zhang, Honorary Senior, Teacher of Chinese, 2000–2017
OBITUARIES
Mrs Judy Goodland, Headmistress of Wycombe Abbey 1989 – 1998
Judy Goodland sadly passed away in February 2024 and she will be remembered for helping to modernise Wycombe Abbey without losing the virtues of the past. She transformed many areas of the School, overseeing the creation of New Clarence, Junior Library and the Language Laboratory. She also reconfigured Junior House to accommodate more girls, introduced the School’s first resident Chaplain and established the House Tutor system. Judy aimed to improve the physical comfort and collective wellbeing of her pupils. She was personally involved in many of the School’s extracurricular activities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, even launching an in-house junior version known as The Dove Award. Judy saw the importance of building links with the local community and became a Governor of a local primary school and she initiated the Sixth Form Management Conference with the Royal Grammar School High Wycombe, an event which continues today.
The School’s centenary year was expertly overseen by Judy and her staff and she was instrumental in the development of the new Music School, which now bears her name as The Goodland Music School.
Memories of Judy Goodland from our Seniors community
'One very special memory was our last night at school when, in traditional form, we were celebrating the end of an era with a few drinks (some sanctioned, some probably not!) and pretty much our whole year ended up outside Mrs Goodland’s house on the school grounds singing Hey Jude. We sang rounds and rounds of it until she opened her front door, but rather than telling us off she clapped and we all then ran off back to Clarence!'
Joanna Lewis (Rutter, C203, Rubens, 1997)
'Every year Judy arranged a mystery tour on the first weekend of the new school year. It was always to a fun venue, such as Thorpe Park or Chessington –there was always much excitement amongst the girls as to where we would be going. It was a wonderful idea for the new little ones on what was, for many, their first weekend in boarding school.
'Along with Gillian Clarke and Jackie Pope, I worked very closely with Judy and of course Andrew May (parent) in setting up the Sixth Form Management Conference, of which Judy was very supportive. She was very encouraging when I made the change from day staff to Housemistress and I very much appreciated her help and understanding.'
Ann Dobbs (Honorary Senior, Teacher of IT and Airlie Housemistress, 1985 – 2005)
'I will always remember how supportive and thoughtful Judy Goodland was during the process of my appointment as her successor. She was generous with invitations to school events and opportunities to meet staff, parents and students which contributed to a smooth transition. I managed to persuade her to return for Seniors events, and for several years she called in to see me on her way to Heathrow airport to collect her grandchildren when they flew in to visit. Having a smooth transition and a good relationship with one’s predecessor is a blessing that not all incoming Heads enjoy and I was most fortunate in that respect.'
'I remember Mrs Goodland as a very kind and warm headmistress, who seemed to care deeply about everyone in the School and staff. My father (Andrew May) worked with her on setting up the successful Sixth Form Management Conference with Harrow and then RGS High Wycombe. He always said that she was “tons of fun” with a great sense of humour – she became a good friend of both my parents, and they too remember her warmly.'
Olivia May (C199, Barry, 1996)
The portrait of Mrs Goodland which hangs in the School
'While I was a Governor, my husband, Joe, and I knew her well and we became friends. She was also brave – she had to cope with quite a sustained campaign opposing many of her innovations but she carried on.'
Elizabeth Butler-Sloss (C75, Butler, 1950)
'Judy Goodland interviewed me for the post of School Librarian, the first time the school had taken on a qualified library professional. I was impressed at that first meeting by her vision of what a Chartered Librarian could add to the range of services offered by the school, and she remained a stalwart supporter of the role of the libraries across the curriculum. In particular, she advocated establishing links with other schools, inter-library loans and a personalised service to staff and especially Sixth Form girls to source and provide (often quite obscure) material to further their specialist interests. Always encouraging, always willing to listen to new ideas, she was an ideal “boss” to whom one could present innovative possibilities and see them carried through to fruition.
'Apart from that departmental interest, she embodied the best principles of headship, being firm but fair in her approach to staff and girls alike.'
Fran Valiant (Honorary Senior, Librarian, 1995 –2007)
'I owe my career to Mrs Goodland. In February 1995 I went for an interview at Wycombe Abbey as a Physics teacher. Appointing me was a risk as I was completing my PGCE after spending ten years post-university running my own travel business. I also had a six-month-old baby. I remember Mrs Goodland asking me if I thought that I could teach Chemistry as well as Physics, although I only had O level Chemistry! I remember mumbling something about doing some Geochemistry in my Oxford Geology degree: fortunately for me Mrs Goodland was not a scientist, and I was appointed.
'Wycombe Abbey gave me every opportunity to build my career – later moving into boarding, then Sixth Form. leadership roles. I left Wycombe Abbey ten years after starting as a newly qualified teacher to take on the headship at St George’s in Ascot, which reassuringly was where Mrs Goodland had previously been Head.
'I have tried to emulate her confidence in taking a risk, trying to look beyond what is on paper when people apply for jobs. I have also tried to encourage teachers like she did, so much so that ten people who have worked for me have subsequently become Heads. I have no idea how many she inspired, but this is one who is incredibly grateful to her for taking a gamble on me.'
Caroline Jordan (Honorary Senior, Teacher of Science, Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Senior Housemistress and Housemistress of Cloister, 1995 – 2005)
Jane Hornblower
Head of Classics, 1978 – 2008
16 October 1948 – 4 April 2024
'Ifirst knew of Jane in the early 1970s at Oxford University, where we were both doing postgraduate degrees. Her doctoral thesis was on Hieronymus of Cardia, a Greek general and historian, and a contemporary of Alexander the Great. It was a work of meticulous scholarship, and was published as a monograph by the Oxford University Press in 1981. Years later, after a career in university administration, I applied to Wycombe Abbey to teach Classics, where Jane had already been Head of Department for ten years. I only had two years’ teaching experience, but I could not have had a more encouraging colleague or line manager.
'A natural academic and gifted scholar, with an acute mind and superb analytical skills, she was extremely supportive of the members of her department and led it for 30 years with great distinction. Teaching and fostering
an interest in Latin, Greek, Ancient History and later Classical Civilisation were her great strengths, and she enthusiastically organised activities such as Classics clubs and societies, Latin speaking competitions, attendance at Greek plays, and trips to Greece and Italy, especially Rome and Pompeii. Many girls will have happy memories of these trips, for example running races at Delphi and in the Circus Maximus.
'She was very egalitarian and always took her share of lower divisions, but the most able students in particular benefitted from her teaching, encouragement and erudite approach, and many went on to study Classics at university, particularly at Oxbridge, which is a wonderful legacy.
Jane retired in summer 2008 to her family home in Cumbria, where she worked tirelessly for the Victoria County History on the entry for Cumbria and, together with her son, she embraced the principles of agroforestry to enhance her property.
She had the type of incisive mind which cut straight to the heart of a matter and a keen sense of the absurd.”
'Unlike Hieronymus (who allegedly lived to the age of 104), Jane did not enjoy good health, especially in her later years, and passed away peacefully at the beginning of May 2024, aged 75, and mourned by her family, close friends and former colleagues. Her funeral took place in the village of Martindale in her beloved Cumbria.'
Genevieve Benfield (Honorary Senior, Teacher of Classics and Deputy Head, 1988 – 2008)
'Jane was a Tutor in Shelburne for many years. The girls loved her, not only as a Classics teacher but also because she really cared about the them. As a Housemistress, it was so wonderful to have such a dedicated member of staff attached to my House. She supported the Shelburne girls in all areas of school life, cheering on the sideline at Lacrosse inter-house competitions and at as many of the other events that took place. Always a sparkle in her eye, she made us all smile. She will be sadly missed by all those who knew her.' Sue Jenkins (Honorary Senior, Shelburne Housemistress)
'My memory of Mrs Hornblower was her rushing up to me in, for her, an unusually animated way to congratulate me on the solo I had done for the amazing Mrs Connet’s production of the Rutter Gloria, which we had just sung with a full orchestra to open the Lancaster Arts Centre. Normally quite reserved, she smiled happily and recognised the time that must have been required to put on such a performance and that she now understood why my Latin A level had not been going so well.
'Over and above this she was an enormously rewarding teacher, fair and extremely patient.'
Georgina Stourton (C163, Butler, 1987)
'From our first meeting, Jane amazed me as a Head of Department (HOD) and as a person. Classics is a broad subject. Her depth of knowledge in all its branches was awe-inspiring, yet she wore her scholarship lightly. As a HOD, she was nothing if not supportive and I looked forward to our department meetings to enjoy her urbanity and sparkling wit, as much as anything else. She once invited the department to spend the weekend at her beautiful Lakeland home and we were treated to her generous hospitality, her excellent cooking, and some engrossing conversations.
'She had the type of incisive mind which cut straight to the heart of a matter and a keen sense of the absurd. With a maverick’s disdain for convention and senseless regulations, she could be scathing indeed about some of the hoops we were expected to jump through and the unnecessary red-tape these entailed. She enjoyed flexing her creative muscles and once wrote and directed an entire comedy full of whacky humour and clever jokes which was performed by members of staff for the school end-of-term entertainment. Her pupils had confidence in her teaching and loved her for it. She maintained relations with many of them for years after they had left Wycombe Abbey. She was an inspiration to me and, without doubt, to many others. I will miss her.'
Adrienne Terblanche (Honorary Senior, Head of Classics, 2004 – 2014)
'I was very sad to read that Mrs Hornblower has died. She was such an inspiration to me and a big part of my life at Wycombe Abbey. Not only did she teach me Latin (class of three) and Ancient History (class of two) at A level, but I also studied Greek O level with her at the same time. Her advice not to go to a London university but somewhere more rural was spot on, and I had a very enjoyable time reading Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Bristol University.'
'I have very fond memories of Dr Hornblower, she was inspiring, patient with a quirky sense of humour. Dr Hornblower was very instrumental in guiding my path to read Classics at Oxford University, for which I owe her great gratitude.'
Alexandra Duff (C205, Shelburne, 1997)
Shirley Anne Walton
(Felkin, C79, Butler, 1952)
16 November 1934 – 15 June 2024
Anne was born in Vienna and fluent in German by the age of two. Shortly before the Anschluss, the family left Vienna for London and later the south coast of England. During the Second World War, Anne remembered seeing the Mulberry harbours floating offshore at the beach close to the family home in Bournemouth.
At the end of the war, Anne’s parents moved to Paris and Anne started boarding at Wycombe Abbey. She loved the school and many of her closest friendships were made there. She remained a member of the Seniors Consultative Committee until very recently.
It was also at Wycombe Abbey where Anne developed her life-long passion for cricket, as a spin bowler and captain of the School team.
Anne went to the USA in 1950 and in 1952/53 returned to London to be presented to the Queen Mother as a débutante.
Anne and Philip Boobbyer were married on 9 May 1959. They moved to Ealing and then Meopham, Kent. Anne had a great love of choral music, cooking, entertaining and playing tennis, as well as playing piano and organ at the church. The couple had four children and their daughter, Joanna Reiss (Boobbyer, C137, Butler, 1978), also attended Wycombe Abbey.
Anne trained as an accountant and worked for her husband and would travel whenever she could.
Widowed in 1984, she married Vivian Walton in 1986 and life as a farmer’s wife began. With retirement, the world became a much smaller place as Anne and Vivian travelled widely, until Vivian’s illness and eventual death in December 2017.
Anne saw out her final years in West Sussex with frequent visits from friends and family, and social and academic activities that were many and varied, including playing bridge, hosting lunch clubs and corresponding with friends around the world. She was a voracious reader, kept up with current affairs, had strong opinions on ’Bazball’ cricket, joined the University of the Third Age (U3A), tried her hand at Latin, and continued with choral singing and part-time accountancy. She leaves a large family and a group of extremely close and loyal friends.
David Boobbyer (son)
We would also like to thank Anne for her service to the the School through the SCC.
It was also at Wycombe Abbey where Anne developed her life-long passion for cricket, as a spin bowler and captain of the School team.”
Beatrice Perkins
(Wall, 1969)
9 May 1952 – 17 November 2023
Beatrice arrived at Wycombe Abbey from her home in Oporto in September 1968 and joined our final A level year in Clarence. Even under normal circumstances, joining one’s year group at such a late stage would have been challenging, but for Beatrice, it was incredibly difficult, particularly in her first term. She came to the UK from Portugal, she had never been to a boarding school before, and she left behind a special Portuguese boyfriend. Why her (very) English father and Norwegian and Portuguese mother sent her to Wycombe for her final A level year is a mystery, but I am delighted that they did.
I’ll also never understand why, in her first term, Beatrice was put in a two-bed room in Clarence with
me – possibly because we were both doing Maths. I regret to say that I was probably more than a little intolerant and unsympathetic as, due mainly to her homesickness, she sobbed throughout most nights. To my lasting surprise, Beatrice forgave me, and we became close friends. She kept in touch with me on her return to Portugal and we met up many times both in Oporto and London. Beatrice married Michael Perkins in Oporto in 1975 and the couple had four children together: Michael, Robert, Anna and Tom. I am privileged to be godmother to their lovely daughter Anna.
After leaving Wycombe Abbey, Beatrice went to university in Geneva to study Pedagogy. Returning to Oporto, she became an inspired and inspiring teacher of Mathematics, of Music and of English. At her funeral,
She often asked me for news of the many other friends she made while at Wycombe Abbey, some of whom are in the 1969 photograph.”
her second son Robert said: ‘For Mum, her teaching wasn’t just her job, it was a part of her nature. And it was more than teaching, she was a nurturer of people. She loved to see people making progress and always believed she could make it happen.’
Beatrice often recalled her admiration for her two Maths teachers at Wycombe Abbey – the ‘formidable’ Fitzy (Miss Fitzmaurice-Kelly) and the ‘wonderful’ Miss Britten. They inspired her to spend much of her teaching career teaching Maths. Again, in Robert’s words: ‘Mum loved Maths in a way almost no one does.’
She also loved language, constantly correcting her children’s grammar and pronunciation, as well as teaching English in a school in Oporto or at her home. Her love of music included playing and teaching the piano at her home. Robert remembers: ‘She was a far better pianist than she thought she was, and I used to sit mesmerised as she played the four or five pieces that were forever stored in her fingers.’
Beatrice loved people. She often asked me for news of the many other friends she made while at Wycombe Abbey, some of whom are in the 1969 photograph. She had so many friends from different phases of her life. At her funeral, the church in Oporto was full of family and friends, but also of those who she had met, or taught, or had worked with, for all of whom she was their ‘best friend’.
Very sadly for her family and many friends, Beatrice died in hospital in Oporto on 17 November 2023, after a few years of increasingly poor health. Rest in peace to a very good friend.
Pippa Walker (C117, Wendover, 1969)
Edith Cunningham
(MacDermott, C73, Pitt, 1948)
12 January 1930 – 19 April 2024
Edith Cunningham (MacDermott) was a very special person who gave much to life and lived it unselfishly and to the full. I count myself fortunate that she and I were lifelong friends from the day we arrived at Wycombe Abbey as part of the re-opening of the School in May 1946. Among the 170 girls there were six ‘returners’ who were Juniors when the school was taken over by the American Air Force in 1942. Neither Edith nor I had been at boarding school previously and aged 15 and 16 it was all strange, but the Juniors of 1942 were now Sixth Formers who knew all the rules and customs, and we all settled down amazingly quickly.
Edith and I took the view that unless something was expressly forbidden it was worth trying. This included climbing out onto the Abbey ramparts and walking round. Fortunately we weren’t discovered! We were in adjoining cubicles in the big Abbey dormitory and the rising bell was at 6:50am. One morning I was wakened before the bell by Edith singing ‘The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended.’ We were both Presbyterians and unfamiliar with Church of England service rituals. On the first Saturday of term the whole school took part in a service to reconsecrate the Chapel because the Americans had used it as a social centre and even as a courtroom for a murder trial. The officiating Bishop went round the aisles purging them liberally with hyssop dipped in water. Edith and I, at the end of a row, were also generously sprinkled and had great difficulty in suppressing our giggles.
There was no School Chaplain in those days so the local Vicar’s services were interspersed with visiting clergy of all ranks from all over the country. In this way we had many interesting preachers and were rarely bored.
We were in Pitt for the first term until the Outhouses reopened in September and we went up
to Campbell. We were surprised to find ourselves Monitors, but we had lots of fun in the ‘Mons’ room with tea parties on Sundays when we could invite friends from other houses or members of staff.
At this time, Edith’s father was a Law Lord in the House of Lords and lived in London, and would sometimes take both of us out on Visiting Days. I remember a lovely day walking along the tow path at Marlowe, musing about living in one of the lovely houses on the river and travelling to London by private boat.
Edith was less involved in School music and dramatic societies. She had previously had little teaching in Physics and Chemistry and none in Latin, and needed to matriculate in these subjects to get into Queen’s University Belfast to study medicine. With lots of hard work and very good tuition from Wycombe Abbey, Edith got the necessary ‘matric’.
At Queen’s, along with her medical course and a great social life, Edith took an active part in student affairs, becoming the first woman President of the Students’ Representative Council. Later in life she served on the University Senate for over ten years.
Edith managed to pursue her career as a GP along with bringing up a family of four delightful children. When husband Sam retired, she felt he needed a project and they started breeding angora goats. This progressed to visits to shows all over the UK, lots of angora wool and in time to Edith setting up a commercial knitting group. This group produced a quantity of lovely angora knitwear still treasured by friends at home and abroad.
Their two sons and two daughters have all gone on to successful careers and happy marriages, and are all now grandparents themselves. The eldest, AnnaLouise Shepherd was at Wycombe Abbey 1969-1974 in Campbell house.
Edith and Sam had a very happy marriage. Each of them was committed to their faith, both publicly and privately. When Edith died on 19 April 2024 they were only a few days short of their 69th wedding anniversary.
Maureen Strain (Ireland, C73, Campbell, 1948)
Judith Mary Sanderson
(Lainé, C95, Clarence, 1959)
6 May 1942 – 4 January 2024
Judith was born in 1942.
The youngest of three children, she spent a happy childhood with her two older brothers in Leatherhead, joining Clarence House at Wycombe Abbey in 1952.
Judith enjoyed the camaraderie of school life and made many friends with whom she continued to stay in touch right up to her death. Although the food made a lifelong impression – and not a good one – she later recalled plenty of happy moments playing cricket, lacrosse and tennis, sharing a dormitory, and trying (unsuccessfully) to learn ballroom dancing.
After leaving school, Judith trained as a nurse at Barts Hospital in London, before later joining British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) as a stewardess. It was during this period that she met Denis, who was to become her husband for 27 years. They
Judith was an extremely practical woman, yet beneath that pragmatic exterior lay a creative, adventurous and occasionally rebellious spirit.”
married in 1972, with their daughter Abigail being born two years later.
In 1985 Judith returned full time to nursing, and subsequently started a third career in medical research as a clinical coder for SmithKline Beecham and Novartis, then finally Cmed where she remained until retiring at the age of 73.
Judith was an extremely practical woman, yet beneath that pragmatic exterior lay a creative, adventurous and occasionally rebellious spirit. After her divorce in 1999, she resumed her travels whenever she could, sometimes alongside friends or her daughter but often as a solo traveller.
She learned how to cook pasta in Italy; took a cruise up the Nile and enjoyed a hot air balloon ride over Karnak; retraced her family history in Guernsey; rode camels in Morocco; and went on extended trips around India and South East Asia. She even visited Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands – during which trip she was typically unfazed despite ending up
in the middle of a military coup in Ecuador.
Back at home, cooking and gardening were among Judith’s great loves. She was a legendary dessert-maker and was also a talented and knowledgeable gardener. In later life she also returned to painting, setting up her spare room as a studio.
Judith remained active and fiercely independent until her illness overcame her in the last few months of her life. As well as a weekly stint volunteering in a local charity shop, she also had a profound interest in local history and volunteered as an occasional guide at Romsey Abbey and was a weekly volunteer at Mottisfont for nearly ten years.
She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in December 2023, and died with her daughter at her side six weeks later. She will be remembered as a loyal and generous friend, a much-loved sister and aunt, and a dearly beloved mother.
Abigail Sanderson (daughter)
Astrid Arnoldine May Nichols
(Hill, C79, Wendover, 1952)
19 September 1934 – 23 September 2024
Astrid attended Wycombe Abbey from 1947 to 1952. Initially she won an academic scholarship to the School and was moved up a year from her peers.
In addition to her studies, Astrid excelled at sports, in particular lacrosse and tennis. She made some lifelong friendships at Wycombe Abbey, including Val Wheeler (Statters, C75, Wendover, 1950) and Klara Turner (Kan, C79, Wendover, 1952), who all stayed in contact with each other for the next 77 years!
Upon leaving the School, instead of continuing to university, Astrid elected to start work, and joined the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, known today of course
She
had made a point of visiting every corner of the globe over the past 45 years.”
as HSBC. There she met her husbandto-be, Herbert (Nick) Nichols. They married in 1955, and subsequently Astrid gave up her banking career to raise a family.
However, in 1973 she returned to work, this time for the Ministry of Defence, where she remained for the next 30 years before her final retirement.
As well as being devoted to her family, Astrid had a keen love of travel, which continued even after Nick died in 2005. She had made a point of visiting every corner of the globe over the past 45 years.
She leaves behind a son and daughter, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Keith Nichols (son)
Wycombe Abbey 1st Team, Wendover 1951: back row L-R
Astrid Hill, Christine Inglis, Hilary Birley; middle row L-R
Sally Davies, unknown; front row Jennifer Oldiup
SCHOOL NEWS
From the House Blogs
Whether it's funfairs, concerts or engineering challenges, House Blogs show off the colourful lives our pupils lead.
Settling in at Junior House AUTUMN 2024
‘Junior House is such a lovely environment and made me feel welcome from the moment I arrived. From the fun activities, such as bowling and Ninja Warrior, to rushing early in the morning to get to Tutor Bases for registration, it is always a lovely time all round. Junior House can be a very chaotic environment, especially at Tuck and Phone Time, but in a good way! We always have a fun time together and I can’t wait to make more great memories.’
Teccla, Junior House
Airlie at the Funfair AUTUMN 2024
‘Our first Closed Weekend started off with a bang as the funfair came to Wycombe Abbey. Airlie girls enjoyed the rides and there was candyfloss aplenty. Our Resident Tutors were on hand with face painting and the catering team put on an amazing lunch. The British weather didn’t fail to send us some rain to finish off what had been a lovely day of fun in the sunshine.’
Mrs Garcia, Airlie House
The Kindness of Barry SPRING 2024
‘We believe that acts of kindness, both big and small, have the power to transform our living spaces into a haven of warmth and inclusivity. Whether it’s a smile shared in passing, a comforting word in a moment of need, or a helping hand extended without hesitation, these gestures of kindness are the lifeblood of our House spirit.’
Barry House Team
An Aurora of wellbeing, Butler
SUMMER 2024
‘In the spirit of wellbeing, we’ve also been making good use of our new aurora borealis projection lamp, and the Butler girls have enjoyed spending Detox Hour star-gazing together under a blanket in the drawing room when they need a few moments of calm. Little did we know we were to have an unexpected visit from the Northern Lights in real life, too!’
Miss Monteil, Butler House
Little did we know we were to have an unexpected visit from the Northern Lights in real life, too!”
Honesty from Cloister
SPRING
2024
'In February, it was our turn to lead the school for Chapel, considering the theme of honesty. Our Lower Sixth worked hard choosing a Bible passage and drawing out the message on being honest with oneself, and seeking to encourage others. For our House Anthem, we decided to sing Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson. This well-known song emphasises that, in order to make a change in the world, you must first take an honest look at your own self. The Cloister girls were fabulous – singing with great energy and even adding some well-received harmonies and choreography.'
Cloister House Team
Campbell reflections
SUMMER 2024
‘I am sure that everyone in my year at Campbell can agree with me when I say our time in this House together has been truly special. Regardless of whether we joined this community in LIV or UIV, we have lived together, worked together, laughed together, competed together, and grown up together.’
Rebecca, Campbell House
Pitt Sports Day champions
SUMMER 2024
‘On the penultimate day of term, Sports Day took place with the girls cheering each other on at full volume all day in the bright sunshine. The sportsmanship displayed both on and off the track was incredible to witness, with equal cheers for those in first place and those further down the line. In the end, we performed exceptionally well – a true testament to the House spirit on display.’
Pitt House Team
Bittersweet Rubens
SUMMER 2024
‘The first half of the Summer Term is always bittersweet. It is the point in the year when we say goodbye to our incredible UVI girls as they get ready to take their A levels before they leave the green grounds of Wycombe Abbey for the final time. I can imagine that the beauty of the grounds must suddenly be particularly present for the UVI in the Summer Term. I hope that they always remember how absolutely brilliant they were as Rubens girls and that they will always be connected to us by an invisible pink thread that is the Rubens sisterhood.’
Rubens House Team
Improbable engineering at Wendover
AUTUMN 2024
‘It has been lovely to see House families come together again following the long summer holiday. A Mrs Blunt highlight has been seeing the younger girls work in their families to design a bridge out of spaghetti and marshmallows to go over the school lake. I was blown away by their creations and it was great to see them work together in teams for the first time.’
Mrs Blunt, Wendover
Cricketing
success
for Shelburne
SUMMER 2024
'After retaining the Commendation Shield at the end of the Spring Term, Shelburne’s winning streak continued with a triumph at the Inter-House Cricket Competition. Having secured a place in the semi-finals from their performances in weekly House Games sessions, Shelburne won convincingly against Barry in the semi-finals before beating Rubens in the final. It was particularly great to see so many of our Fourth Form, the youngest girls in the House, representing us on the team. A huge congratulations to all involved!'
Shelburne House Team
Clarence London concert
SPRING 2024
‘Beyond the individual highlights, the Orchestral Concert showcased the incredible teamwork and spirit of the Wycombe Abbey Music Department – from the younger girls in the Sinfonia to us Clarence girls in Chamber Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra. For us, as graduating Clarence Girls, this concert wasn’t just a performance; it was a culmination of years spent immersed in the magic of music at Wycombe Abbey. The Music Department has been more than just a place to learn notes and scales; it’s been a haven for creativity, expression, and lifelong friendships.’
Megan, Clarence House
Scan to read more House Blogs
Please use the QR code to read more on the House News pages of the Wycombe Abbey website
Each Autumn Term, we are privileged to welcome a whole host of guest speakers to School for the annual Wycombe Abbey Careers Seminar.
Our aim is to equip pupils here to be ‘future ready’ by inspiring them with presentations from a wide variety of different professions. This November, we were delighted to be joined by 25 guest speakers – a mixture of Seniors, parents and local professionals, all of whom kindly volunteered their time to take part.
The event, which is compulsory for pupils in LV-LVI, takes place in the evening and pupils sign up for two different talks, after considering our extensive range of speaker biographies.
Prior to the sessions, our speakers and a group of staff hosts enjoyed the opportunity to network over a lovely meal in Big School before being whisked off to classrooms across the School by a variety of pupils elected to act as Speaker Assistants.
Our volunteers were invited to spend some time describing their own personal career journeys – the highs and the lows – and giving tips and advice to the girls before opening up the sessions to general discussion and Q&A.
Groups are kept very small (no more than 15 pupils per talk) to encourage girls to fully participate in the discussion sessions and make the most of the opportunity to pick their speakers’ brains! Many pupils comment on how inspiring the evening is, how much they appreciate ‘the personal feel when asking questions’ and that they enjoy ‘how interactive it is with smaller groups.
Inspiring Pupils to be Ready for the Future
At the Careers Seminar, Seniors, parents and local professionals provided insights and ideas about life after Wycombe Abbey.
Thank you to our Seniors who took part in the Careers Seminar
Professions presented during the evening ranged from investment banking to sports marketing; entrepreneurship to medicine; acting to engineering; fashion design to the Foreign Office; consultancy to journalism, and many other areas in between. There is truly something for everyone.
Our speakers enjoyed meeting each other, catching up with fellow Seniors and answering all the girls’ questions. One speaker remarked that ‘they were such an engaged and inspiring group, and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations!’
One of our pupils, Eloise (UV), is part of our new team of Careers Champions, an initiative launched this year to add more pupil voice to our careers programme.
She commented: ‘I thoroughly enjoyed attending this year’s Careers Seminar, hearing from two people in different fields – Audrey Bannister and Kate Davenport. Audrey currently works as Commercial Lead for Disneyland’s strategic planning. Although just knowing that she works at Disney would have been enough to capture my attention, I found that I was particularly drawn to how fast-paced and exciting her environment is. I was grateful to have an informal group Q&A session during the Careers Seminar to learn further about her career, and to receive a Snitchbranded lanyard that she kindly gifted each of us!
'In my second session, I heard from Kate Davenport, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Prague. I found it inspiring to hear her story, from a History degree at Cambridge to this role in the diplomatic service. For me, it was particularly rewarding to hear her experience as a diplomat in Kyiv, and I enjoyed seeing her captivating array of images which helped me picture a life as a diplomat.
'Both speakers were passionate about their work, making for a very insightful evening that has inspired me to do further research into these types of careers and fields.’
All in all, it was a hugely enjoyable and successful evening. We would like to thank the speakers involved once again for giving their time to support and inspire the next generation.
If you would like to be involved in future careers events, we are always looking for volunteers.
Please contact Becky Scott in the Careers Office by email scottb@ wycombeabbey.com or scan the QR Code
Dress to impress
This year has seen an updated uniform - the latest evolution of School clothing that has changed with the times.
The navy blue uniform at Wycombe Abbey is an important and cherished tradition, symbolic of the School’s heritage and values. This year we have commenced the roll-out of an updated uniform and we are excited to share this launch with you. As well as reviewing the changes, we look back at how the uniform has evolved throughout the years. We are sure that amongst the Seniors’ community, many of you will have your own recollections of uniform – good, bad and perhaps even ugly!
The aim of this uniform review was not a radical overhaul, but rather to amend and update the uniform, not only to match daily needs of the pupils but also to reflect the School’s commitment to evolving with the times. It was a comprehensive and consultative review, which took into consideration the views of the pupils and what they did and did not like about the current uniform.
Wearing a uniform fosters a sense of belonging and pride in the School community. It is also important that pupils understand that dressing appropriately can have a positive impact on themselves and those around them. When pupils wear their uniform, they know that whether they are in class, on a trip, taking part in a competition or on the sports field they are ambassadors of the School and have a responsibility to uphold its reputation.
Environmentally conscious suppliers
Two-year transition period for new uniform
Intelligent sizing system
GOING UP GOING DOWN
Fountain pens engraved with the owner’s name
Hair ribbons no more than 2.5 inches wide
Dark blue Mackintosh and Mackintosh Cap Online uniform purchasing Choice between skirts or trousers
One of the biggest changes is the re-introduction of a School badged blazer. Although the blazer itself has come and gone, the smart, formal look that it represents has been a stalwart of Wycombe Abbey uniform throughout the years: in 1948 boarders were expected to come with a ‘navy suit and white shirt’ and the 1986 uniform list comprised a ‘navy blue suit and a navy blue blazer with badge’. The blazer epitomises the conscientious and professional approach we aspire to bring to the educational environment.
A key highlight of the review was the pupils’ wish to retain House colour on the uniform. This is an indication of how much the House system means to the pupils and the loyalty it engenders. From 2024, as well as ties being in House colour, there will be a coordinating blazer pocket flash.
This House connection has been reflected throughout the years in different aspects of the uniform. In 1986, House ties were required and boarders were asked to purchase ‘1 x navy blue cloak, house colour lined hood (ankle length)’ as well as a swimming cap in house colour. In 1948 the hat-band indicated the house colour.
Today, one of our key priorities is that the uniform is practical and comfortable to wear, and we are delighted to now offer pupils the option between skirts or trousers, as well as the usual combinations of shirts, blouses, jumpers and seasonal adaptations. Beyond its functionality, uniform also teaches pupils to be well-presented, to dress appropriately and be respectful of cultural expectations. Current guidelines state that midriffs must never be on show, but over the years rules have relaxed a little on wrists and ankles! The ‘afternoon dresses’ of the 1920s had to be ‘as simple as possible’ with ‘pockets, and sleeves below [sic] the elbow’.
In the early 1900s, Ella Monkton (C30, Barry, 1917) remembers being measured for a tunic that ‘had to touch the ground all round’ and Sunday dresses that ‘had to cover collar bones and go over the wrists’.
Of course, as many Seniors will know, uniform is not only about the wearer but also those parents and guardians whose job it is to procure and finance the necessary equipment. Over a 100 years ago, new girls had to go to a cottage to kneel on the floor and ‘be measured for a tunic’. Some items on lists of yore
House tie
2 dozen pocket handkerchiefs with name marked in fullwarm white knickers
The House connection has been reflected through the years in different aspects of the uniform”
could be ‘procured at school’; some needed a trip to Len Smith’s of Twickenham; almost all required extensive naming with Cash’s tapes! But making this process as simple and economical as possible has always been part of the new term preparations for life at Wycombe Abbey: the kit list of 1925 stated that ‘new girls need not necessarily have new clothes, and the list is sent out early in order that parents may avoid unnecessary expense by preparing beforehand’.
This year, the School has switched to a supplier that has sustainability and ethical responsibility at the heart of what they do and – perhaps equally importantly –uniform can now be ordered online!
Nowhere is a sense of unity and confidence more important than on the sports field and whether you wore the 1940s ‘cotton frock designed for complete freedom of movement in summer games’ or the ‘ribbed games sweater’ of the 1980s, you will no doubt be delighted with the updated sports and PE kit for 2024, supplied by Serious Stuff (with not a ‘romper’ in sight!).
The new kit is not only designed to aid performance and offer protection from injury, but is also a symbol of collective effort and dedication –values that have underpinned the School’s sporting prowess throughout the years.
We look forward to seeing the new uniform in action as each year group progressively adopts it. Although there have been many changes to the uniform over the years, the enduring message that it brings is one of collective identity, unity and a strong sense of School spirit, which we are sure will prevail for many years to come.
Cloaks
Out of Office: A Seniors and Development Office UIV Residential Adventure
Joining pupils for camping, bushcraft and challenges demonstrated their incredible abilities. By
Kellyn Caldwell, Development Officer.
On a crisp morning in October, Robin Sharp, Director of Development, and I boarded a coach full of UIV pupils for their Autumn Term residential trip to Leicestershire. This out-of-office adventure stemmed from our departmental goal to engage directly with those at the heart of our mission: Wycombe Abbey pupils. The opportunity to learn and laugh alongside those who are impacted most by your philanthropy is essential to fuelling our purpose. With our activewear on, clipboards in hand, and disposable cameras at the ready, we began the first of two action-packed days. The first day started at Beaumanor Hall, a historical manor that organises outdoor activities to foster teamwork, trust and self-confidence. Every challenge brought to light how we can live the School’s ethos, as we demonstrated leadership, support and strength – both physical and mental!
Robin and I joined right in as we filed onto the buses, stayed in cabins and tents, enjoyed our meals together, and approached each new challenge with a shared enthusiasm. The first activity, the ‘Nightline’, was undoubtedly my most memorable. Wearing blackout goggles to restrict vision, the girls worked together to overcome any obstacle, from going around natural barriers, like trees and rocks, to crawling through tyres and under tarps. A few days of rain meant that the terrain was muddier than any of us expected. As you can imagine with a group of teenagers, the screaming transitioned to laughter as they relied on me and their teammates to talk them through the course with only a rope as a physical guide.
I won’t forget the shrieks of laughter when they took their goggles off and saw each other covered in mud and leaves. The clear purpose of the exercise was to teach us how to rely on each other to navigate the unknown, and the nervous girls I sent out had transformed into outgoing explorers by the end. I truly felt like I was a part of the team as we helped the pupils leave behind the rigour of school life and create lasting memories that I am sure all Seniors can reflect upon from their own time at Wycombe Abbey.
The rest of the day was filled with other exciting activities: a bushcraft session, archery, puzzles and other brain-testing conundrums. The high ropes course was the most anticipated, as it was a formidable maze that stood ten metres above the ground, leaving some to wish they had their ‘Nightline’ goggles back on. Not wishing to underestimate the
Determination and laughter featured on every obstacle
I won’t forget the shrieks of laughter when they took their goggles off and saw each other covered in mud and leaves.”
fearlessness of a Wycombe Abbey girl, I was still surprised that every pupil completed the course and went down the zipline. As staff, we could not help but join in the laughter as some pupils were so confident that they purposely let themselves fall off the ropes course just to see the cords catch them as they giggled and twirled high above their classmates staring up from the ground.
After experiencing a stormy night in the tents and cabins, we spent the second day in what felt like a completely different world: the National Space Centre. We ‘travelled to Mars’, learned about rocket science and admired the vast depths of the solar system. Although sitting in the comfortable recliners of the planetarium staring at the constellations was a welcome break by the end of this second day, everyone was still completely immersed in the
A day of science and exploration at the National Space Centre
presentation, and no one could resist joining in the communal ‘ooooohs’ and ‘ahhhhhhs’ as we admired the galaxy that shone above us. I greatly enjoyed explaining the significance of the Space Race and the Cold War to the pupils during their scavenger hunt around the Centre. It was an incredible opportunity to talk about historical events that they have not yet learned, and to experience the magic of teaching firsthand.
I reflect on this weekend as the greatest opportunity to support the power of education and to live out the ethos of Wycombe Abbey. As staff, we can only fully understand the vision by being immersed in and committed to what we do. As Seniors, I hope that you also take the opportunity to reminisce on the experiences you had outside of the classroom that shaped you into who you are today, and consider ways that you might also be able to engage with the School and other Seniors in person. A balance between being in and out of the office is undeniably important and there is a distinct joy in actively engaging with all members of our community.
In reflection, I would not describe ourselves as being ‘out of office’ for those two days. Instead, we could not have been more aligned with our jobs. We may have moved away from the desks, but our purpose remained the same: to connect with past and present pupils and advance the mission of the School by upholding excellence, trust, innovation and service. We look forward to more adventures and we hope that you will join us as we continue to build upon that mission.
New Spaces for the Arts to Flourish
A major redevelopment and refurbishment of the Performing Arts Centre was completed in August 2024.
By Mark Mackenzie Crooks, Bursar.
As many Seniors will recall, the Lancaster Arts Centre (LAC) was opened in 1987, providing the original theatre and supporting spaces. The Goodland Music School (GMS) was subsequently constructed in phases between 1995 and 1998 as an extension to the LAC and contains the Archer Recital Hall (ARH), music teaching rooms, practice rooms, staff facilities and offices.
As part of the extension works, a block of three staff flats (Brownlee Flats) was designed and constructed integrally to the Music School. Collectively, the LAC and GMS form the Performing Arts Centre, or PAC.
Since the original completion of the PAC, very little additional work has been carried out other than the odd coat of paint. It was not until the School engaged Walters and Cohen Architects in 2021 that a serious re-evaluation of the building was carried out in the context of the new Masterplan for the entire site. As was probably already evident to those who had used the building, it has a number of shortcomings, which were made more significant in the context of evolving pastoral and safeguarding guidance over the years. The most noticeable of these included a lack of a clearly defined entrance to the building, limited integration between departments due to complex internal routes, and an uninspiring central reception space, with no visual connection to the site context.
In addition to these shortcomings, the proposal to construct the new Innovation and Design Centre (IDC) behind the PAC meant that it was more important than ever to improve the routes through the building. The Abbey needed to be connected to the new IDC via a building that facilitated the journey.
As a result, Council agreed that it was necessary to undertake some significant enhancements to the PAC.
The School employed Walters and Cohen to help design a revised layout to address the issues above and, in summer 2023, works began to demolish parts of the building and reconfigure others to deliver a number of improvements, including:
● A central two-story atrium to be the new ‘heart’ of the building
● Refurbished classrooms with improved views
● The creation of new routes through the building
● Construction of a new recording studio
● Replacement of the seating in both the LAC and ARH auditoriums
● Brownlee Flats converted into academic spaces
This was major work and caused significant disruption for the full year of the project. However, with great forbearance from the Music Department (and the girls), the PAC remained operational during the works. Quiet times were arranged for important events such as exams and internal segregation of the working spaces from the ‘live’ pupil spaces was established. The project encountered a number of issues during the construction phase that delayed completion by a few months, but in August 2024 the team completed the works.
The new spaces have since received rave reviews from pupils, staff and visitors. We are fortunate to have these restored and improved spaces to take us forward into the next stage of the Masterplan. The works have not addressed all of the issues we would ultimately like to improve in the PAC, but in the meantime, we very much hope to welcome Seniors back to the School to see the improvements. We are sure you will be impressed!
The PAC building during and after the renovation work, and from the outside
School Shop
In 2023, we launched the School Shop on the Wycombe Abbey website, allowing everyone to view merchandise and place an order. This has been a great success; we hope you will visit our shop window at www. wycombeabbey.com/schoolshop very soon. As soon as you see something you like, please email or call the School Shop to order your Wycombe Abbey keep-sakes! From December 2024, the School
Shop will be moving to a new home in the Abbey building and we also say farewell to our wonderful, long-serving School Shop staff.
We know that many of you have fond memories of tuck and uniform fittings and that a visit to the shop has always been a high priority when you come back for Seniors events. We thank Julie, Kim, Debbie and Janet for all their amazing work in the shop and no doubt you will see them at events as Honorary Seniors.
The shop has always been situated in
Shop stalwarts Julie, Kim, Debbie and Janet
what was originally the gym courtyard and later became the Courtyard Café. It has been a hub of activity with girls popping in to purchase uniform, stationery, tuck and (as some of you might remember) the famous Wycombe Abbey chocolate teddies. The shop team has also had a hand in helping with revision, celebrating results and simply being available for a supportive chat when needed.
Julie Godsoe, School Shop Manager, says: ‘Now that the uniform and sports kit has moved online, my staff and I have felt, with heavy hearts, that it’s time to hang up our tape measures and move on.
'The shop has been an amazing place to work and I feel privileged to have met so many wonderful girls. From meeting them with their parents at their fitting, many being very nervous, to then watch them flourish over the years into confident young ladies. It has always been lovely to then see these girls when they come back to School for Seniors events. We shall miss you all very much.’
The Tote Bag, Framed Christmas Print, Mug Full of History and Emma Bridgewater Mug, all available at the Wycombe Abbey School Shop
M EETTHE STAFF
Dr Jessica Venner
Our new Archivist on the importance of the School's historical documents for contemporary research and learning.
Since arriving at Wycombe Abbey, I’ve been met with incredible warmth and generosity, and I am so grateful for the support I have received in settling in. As Wycombe Abbey’s new Archivist, I am excited about contributing to the preservation of the School’s rich heritage and collective memory.
Archives hold a special power – they are not only a repository for the past, but also a living resource that helps shape the identity and memory of both individuals and the community they are a part of. It is a privilege to be entrusted with safeguarding this legacy.
My journey to this role is rooted in my passion for history. With a doctorate in Classics, Ancient History, and Archaeology, and over a decade of experience working with museum and antiquarian book collections, I have always been fascinated by how the past informs the present.
Archiving allows me to combine my love for history with my dedication to ensuring that stories, artefacts, and records are preserved and made accessible for future generations. I’m thrilled to be able to bring this expertise to Wycombe Abbey.
The School’s archive is remarkable: filled with building plans, original artwork, correspondence, uniforms, photographs, and gazettes that go back to the school’s founding, there is no end to the wonders.
My primary aim is to make this collection more accessible, not only for outside researchers but, importantly, for teaching and support staff to integrate into the school’s educational framework.
Thus far, I have especially loved Seniors reaching out to us to request photographs from their time at Wycombe Abbey, either for genealogy projects, or simply to reminisce.
Finding all those hopeful young faces in the archive has been a most rewarding activity.
As part of Wycombe Abbey’s Digital Ambassadors
programme, I’m eager to modernise the archive using cutting-edge technology to increase accessibility and engagement. Through digital preservation and interactive exhibits, I aim to bring the archive to life in ways that will captivate the entire community, transforming it into a living, breathing and accessible resource that captures imaginations and facilitates opportunities for learning vital research skills.
Beyond my archival role, I look forward to supporting pupils’ personal and career development journeys, whether through guest talks in lessons, participating as a speaker at the Careers Seminar, hosting staff enrichment sessions, or mentoring students one-on-one about potential career paths. I am especially excited to share my passion for history with the pupils, offering fresh perspectives drawn from my ongoing experience as an active, affiliated academic, presenter, and soon-to-be-published nonfiction author.
It is my hope that the archive will serve as a dynamic tool that enriches students’ learning, encourages critical thinking, and brings history to life in meaningful and engaging ways for pupils past and present. I also hope that it will foster a strong sense of connection among the girls, helping them to feel a part of a long legacy of remarkable, influential, and intelligent women. I look forward to contributing to the rich tapestry of the school’s archive and community, and I hope that the archive may serve as a catalyst for transformative growth in our pupils’ educational journeys.
Should you wish to make an enquiry of your own, please request an enquiry form link by contacting: archive@wycombeabbey.com
The School’s archive is remarkable: filled with building plans, original artwork, correspondence, uniforms, photographs, and gazettes that go back to the School’s founding, there is no end to the wonders.”
Dr Venner shares two pieces among her favourites from the archives
This is an original drawing for the Chapel, previous to its construction. Dated July 1928, I think it is just too intricate and beautiful in its own right, aside from being an important historical item which tells us about the development of WA’s buildings.
The Togine Verse, a handmade book bound in vellum with hand-stitched details, hand-illustrated and coloured throughout, all created by a pupil named Liedler Togs. The writing is in calligraphy and the poetry is all original. It dates to 1911. Needless to say, she was an incredibly talented pupil and this is without date one of the most exceptional items that we have in the archive.
Your investment is not just a contribution, but a vital part of our ability to fund various projects, including bursary support and living and learning facilities.”
Making Wycombe Abbey a Philanthropic Priority
Since its inception, the School has benefitted from philanthropic investment from our dedicated community of past and present Seniors, Honorary Seniors, parents and friends. Past donations have played a significant role in our ability to progress our strategic vision and the School’s Master Plan. As a large endowment does not maintain the school, philanthropic support is ever more important in allowing us to continue to provide a unique, world class, future-focused education that allows each Wycombe Abbey pupil to flourish in her chosen path.
This past year, philanthropy has
allowed us to support means-tested bursaries, sponsor a worldwide maths competition, build a golf simulator and promote the positive mental health of our pupils and students through the online Wellbeing Hub. The parents of Clarence Leavers generously donated their deposits through the Clarence Leavers Appeal, which has supported bursaries and various projects this year.
Philanthropic investment has also allowed us to start imagining new buildings, including the Innovation and Design Centre, improved facilities, and a renewed campus that reflects the world class programme and provisions for which we are globally recognised. The future generosity of our parents,
Seniors and friends will allow us to unlock further opportunities that will benefit every pupil at Wycombe Abbey, including raising the level of support for means-tested bursaries and continuing development across our magnificent conservation-listed grounds.
In an environment where there are many requests for our support, Wycombe Abbey extends our heartfelt gratitude to those who make the School one of their philanthropic priorities. Your investment is not just a contribution, but a vital part of our ability to fund various projects, including bursary support and living and learning facilities. Please consider making Wycombe Abbey a priority this year, as your support is integral to our success.
To learn more about how to support the School, please visit: development. wycombeabbey.com/waystogive You can donate directly online from that webpage or, if you prefer, download a donation form which can be returned to the Seniors and Development Office, Wycombe Abbey, Frances Dove Way, High Wycombe HP11 1PE.
World Book Day has been a much-loved fixture in the School diary for many years. Pupils and staff alike relish the opportunity to celebrate the books that have shaped them, exploring characters, plots and themes through a series of events, competitions, and of course, costumes!
Books, reading and libraries are core to our identity at Wycombe Abbey. Not only are they the foundation for academic excellence, but they also offer sanctuaries for wellbeing, paths to personal growth, a means of engaging with our wider community and a portal to global culture and ideas. We know from talking to Seniors that books also play an important role in your lives beyond School.
For 2025, World Book Day will be more exciting than ever, as we mark the refurbishment of the Hall Library, formally Junior Library, and launch our first Giving Day, an interactive fundraising challenge that contributes to the School’s libraries.
What is a Giving Day?
You may be aware of Giving Days from other charities and educational institutions, but this will be the first
of its kind at Wycombe Abbey. Our inaugural Giving Day will run for 36 hours starting on 5 March and continuing through 6 March 2025, in order to encompass our global community and allow supporters from any time zone to take part.
During this online fundraising challenge, we will unite students, staff, parents, Seniors, Council, parents of alumnae, and former staff, both physically and virtually, to celebrate and fundraise in the spirit of all that is exceptional about Wycombe Abbey. Our community will be able to track progress against challenges, matched funding, participation and messages from donors across the globe – all in real time.
Philanthropic events happen all year round and are critical to ensuring the future of our School, but there is something particularly special about bringing everyone together, for one day, to create targeted and tangible impact. It is also inclusive, with no minimum gift amount – our strength is in what we can achieve as a collective, so any gift of any size will be meaningful and impactful.
The funding projects for the Giving Day will cover a range of areas across libraries and reading culture, including:
Wycombe Abbey's inaugural Giving Day, 6 March 2025
Our first Giving Day will take place in March 2025, and you can join in with fundraising, projects, stories and challenges.
● Super-curricular opportunities to develop as readers such as workshops with visiting authors and speakers.
● Growing pupils’ horizons as global citizens through expanding our collections of foreign language books, papers and periodicals.
● Enhancing the spaces of the libraries across campus as places of wellbeing by enhancing comfort, lighting and ambience.
● Reflecting the ever-evolving culture around libraries and reading through digital subscriptions, audiobooks and graphic novels.
We focus on these 'libraries of the future' and expand materials and spaces available to pupils to keep them at the forefront of an increasingly global and digital culture of reading.
Join us!
This is an exciting event for all of Wycombe Abbey and we do hope you will join us both in celebrating World Book Day and in our Giving Day fundraising challenge.
Please mark 5 and 6 March 2025 in your diary and keep an eye out for further information on events, projects and challenges over the coming months.
In the meantime, if books have shaped your life and career, or your days at School were a critical point in a lifelong love of reading, please do get in touch with your stories so we can share them. We would also love to hear from anyone who might consider setting up a matched fund or challenge goal to inspire the community to even greater participation.
Dove Day 2024
Wycombe Abbey celebrated the end of the academic year 2024 with Dove Day last June. Named after our founder, Dame Frances Dove, Dove Day is a special event that pupils, staff and parents have enjoyed and relished over the years. For Dove Day 2025, taking place on Saturday 21 June, we are combining it with Seniors Day and inviting all alumnae back to join in the festivities, including the 2025 Clarence Leavers.
Dove Day 2024 was particularly special because it marked the 80th anniversary of Glenn Miller’s visit to Wycombe Abbey during WWII, his last performance before his disappearance. We were delighted to host the Glenn Miller Orchestra for a memorable performance to acknowledge this.
The day began with a chapel service and the fête began soon after that. In the arena, we were treated to a wonderful gym and dance display that demonstrated incredible feats of athleticism and grace.
The ever-popular Dog Show followed with categories including waggiest tail and best trick. It was not just outside where the action was taking place; in Fisher Library, there were LAMDA performances, Duke of Edinburgh, Greenpower and the PE Department rowing challenge. There was also a special archive display featuring material from WWII when the School was requisitioned by the US Eighth Air Force, as well as Wycombe Abbey uniform through the ages in conjunction with the new uniform launch. In the Performing Arts Centre, GCSE and A level art adorned the walls for a wonderful exhibition of girls’ work.
We all look forward to welcoming Seniors back in June 2025 for what will be a memorable and exciting tradition that connects the entire School community.”
Before long, everyone moved to the House Marquees, which will now include a marquee for Seniors to host alumnae and their families. It is always splendid to see parents, pupils, and staff sitting together, enjoying their picnics, and listening to music by our talented musicians. After lunch, the Chair of Council, Peter Warren, took the stage to give a speech commending the hard work and resilience of pupils, staff, and parents that had been demonstrated over the last year.
We also heard from the Headmistress, Jo Duncan and the Head Girl Team. Mrs Duncan said, ‘Dove Day has quickly become one of my favourite days of the year and I think Dame Frances Dove herself would have been pleased with the genuine sense of joy, community and celebration that is evident.’
After the speeches, The Glenn Miller Orchestra delivered their performance, setting a vibrant tone for the evening. This was followed by an outstanding Review Show featuring a selection of this year’s drama and music performances.
We all look forward to welcoming Seniors back in June 2025 for what will be a memorable and exciting tradition that connects the entire School community. We will share more information on the event in the spring.
Upcoming events
Wycombe Abbey Orchestral Concert
Thursday 8 February 2025
- St Mary’s London
- 7:00pm-9:00pm
Seniors Day, now on Dove Day!
Saturday 22 June 2025
- Wycombe Abbey
- 10:00am-4:30pm
Seniors Connect
We are introducing a new format for Seniors Day that brings together our entire Wycombe Abbey community on Dove Day. Join us for the many Wycombe Abbey traditions as we celebrate the end of the academic year with House and Seniors marquees, a Chapel service, performances by pupils, a picnic lunch, and competitions.
Keep in touch and read the latest news and updates about Seniors’ activities and School events. Seniors’ Connect is the perfect way to reach out to the Seniors’ community. If you are part of a society, use the group tool to contact members.
Careers
● Find a mentor
● Post a job vacancy
● Search for positions
● Meet other people in your sector
● Support Seniors and pupils as a mentor
Events
● Register for upcoming events
● Share and view photos
Connect
● Search the Seniors directory
● Connect and message friends
● See other members in your Circle
● Search groups by country, region, city and university
Visit wycombeabbeyseniors.com to sign up.
As we look to host more Seniors events based on leaving year, location or career, we want to make sure you are invited. Please fill out the form using the QR code below or contact seniors@wycombeabbey.com to update your postal and email addresses so you don’t miss out on any events.
Set within our stunning 170-acre Buckinghamshire estate, Wycombe Abbey provides the ideal location for a wide range of events, photoshoots and location filming, and has an array of sports facilities are available for hire during the school holidays, including Heated Indoor Swimming Pool, Pitches, Dance Studio and Climbing Wall.
