Article: Gina Sternberg (Yr 10)
Tuesday 13th October saw the 50th anniversary reunion for the Class of 1959 with 23 ONLs attending. One of the ONLs, Frances Wilson née Golding, flew from her home in Tanzania especially to come to this event.
The reunion was a superb day for the ONLs who were delighted that they were made so welcome back at the school. The ONLs enjoyed a tour and a speech by the Headmistress in the morning. At the lunch the ONLs were reminiscing about old times and sharing their news. The afternoon left some time to explore the grounds, listen to some musical entertainment and have afternoon tea.
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The ONLs were very impressed with the additions to the school facilities, mainly the Performing Arts Centre and the swimming pool. Whilst they were at school, there was an outdoor swimming pool which they had used even when ‘it was freezing!’ However, they were pleased to see that the grounds remained the same as when they had spent their summer terms playing in the gardens of Canons.
Jennifer Roper née Turner remembered that she was ‘very lucky with all the opportunities’ she had at this school but commented that ‘now there are many more’. Ann Beaton recollected that she ‘had a wonderful time at school’ when Dame Kitty Anderson was Headmistress. The ONLs felt that the school has changed a great deal, both in the buildings and the atmosphere being more relaxed, but the ethos was still the same.
The event was a great success with some ONLs meeting classmates they had not seen since they had left in 1959.
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Photos: Zoe Ilivitsky (Yr 12) and RK