1885 - 2012

Newcastle upon Tyne

Church High School Alumnae

Spring Newsletter 2012

Cherry Blossom Orchard - Alnwick Gardens

Welcome to the Alumnae’s Spring 2012 Newsletter.

Just like every term, School has been extremely busy since the last edition. Our local and national press coverage continues to grow and this year, for the first time, we took part in the Jesmond Festival. The Junior School Samba Band and their accompanying Samba Dancers, led by our own Alumnae member, Brook Browne-Adams, opened the parade in true carnival style.

You can catch a short video clip on the website or on the new Newcastle upon Tyne Church High School Facebook pages.

As the June, half-term holiday approached, we were gripped with Jubilee fever and the girls painted pictures and posted off invitations to the Royal Family. Sadly, the Queen was unable to attend in person, but I am sure she will have enjoy the video that was made for her! I am also quite convinced that she would have been thoroughly entertained by the Infant Concert which had our audiences spell bound.

In the Senior School, we said our farewells to both the Year 11 students, who were off to begin their GCSE examinations and to the Year 13 girls, to sit their A Levels and then to venture on to the next phase of their lives. Two girls go straight into the world of work and the rest are off to University!

Thanks to the fantastic advice and guidance of our Heads of Sixth Form, every girl who wanted to go on to higher education was successful in gaining a place at either her first or second choice university. Good luck and best wishes to you all.!

Editor’s Note

Sarah Timney

he NCHS in the Press once again….

The Infant ‘Easter Egg Rolling Competition’

Emily Harrison (Year 7) pictured

following her success at the Northumberland U12 County Badminton Championships. Emily was the runner up in the Girls' Singles and Mixed Doubles and the winner with her partner in the Girls' doubles. A fantastic achievement at her first attempt.

Juniors visited The Sanctuary

Wildlife Centre in April 

Li le Red Riding Hood 

Site Manager, Gen an Qeku, with our  

environmentally friendly re‐cycling monitors. 

The official opening of our  

new ‘Astro turf’ playing courts 

The Harvest Fes val collec on 

went to The People’s Kitchen. 

Sarah Gourley was selected 

to represent Team GB in the 

Under 17 European Cadet 

Circuit. 

Sixth Formers take part in the BBC 

Free Thinking Fes val at The Sage, 

Gateshead 

Many of you have sent us materials to add to our ever-expanding archives.

Thank you so much for taking the time to sort these items out and package them off to us.

We are most grateful for anything connected with School—from photographs and old books, to bits of uniform and memorabilia. If possible, we will do our best to feature them in the Newsletter for all to see.

Mrs M Brown sent in a copy of the Jubilee 1885-1935 book. It is

inscribed with the name ‘Pat Coulson, July 1948 ’ on the inside

cover.

Pete Nicholson

contacted the Office via email with the offer of five old magazines from 1955

through until 1957. P. Davidson is the

name inside these editions and although we already had copies, these are in mint condition and include some wonderful adverts from the late 50s including this one.. An absolute classic! ‘Clydella - the classic school knicker’.

Shirley Baldry (née Lamb, Class of 1952)

found a copy of Issac Walton’s School Uniform requirements for her two daughters dating from 1972 along with two school fee accounts for her from 1948 and 1952. The tuition cost was £19 a term and dinners came in at £4 4shillings! The 2d. stamps are gorgeous.

Amanda Nicholas wrote from her home in the Canary Islands with a class photograph from 1951 that includes Miss Ferguson, a much loved Junior Form teacher. She says that she can’t remember all the names of the class but has had a very good try. Apologies for the wonky copy!

Back Row: left to right,

Amanda Nicholas, Patricia Wood, Pamela Nusenbaurm, Pamela ?, Jacqueline ?, Ana Scullard, Margaret Wilson, Susan D. Scott, Rosemary strange.

Second Row, l. to r,

Caroline Stamp, Janet ?, Janice Rogers, ?, Hillary ?, Dear Miss Ferguson,(our Geography teacher in the middle), Angela Brock, Diana Vincent, Hazel Crossland, Patricia Marley.

Front Row: l.to r,

Suzanna Latham, June Hargreaves, ?, Carol ?,

Amanda goes on to say that any old friends who see the photograph and would like to get in touch with her are most welcome and she has included her address for me to pass on. She is already in contact with Anthea and Jane Larkins, but would love to renew other old friendships too.

Primary Sources — first hand historical records! I recently had the opportunity to visit Alumnae member, Val Steele at her home. Val had been sorting through some shoe boxes in one of her cupboards and much to her surprise and to my joy, she unearthed some fascinating documents — letters that she had sent to her parents when she was an evacuee at Alnwick Castle.

Still in their envelopes, complete with George Vl stamps and bearing Alnwick postmarks, the letters were all written between 1942 and 1944.

Val has kindly agreed to me printing a few extracts from these intimate letters home and they give us a wonderful glimpse of what life was like for girls as young as eleven, living in the Castle during WW ll.

How are you feeling? I am alright. I got the parcel safely on Wednesday

the dress, the apron and the most welcome chocolate,

thank you very much. By the way ,I have

Hardly any Glucose left, in fact I probably won’t

have any left by the time you get this letter so

can you send me some as soon as possible, you were going to get a tin

from Boots.’

We went wood gathering, we all had to put on our aprons and gather as much wood as possible and then take it to the Boiler Room to dry. We are always discovering new passages all dark and creepy leading to the Prep Room or out into the Court yard (underground). Oh, by the way, I am very short of darning wool. Could you send me some more. I have put a bit in the envelope to show you the colour. Some more chocolate would be very welcome!!!! ( If possible)

‘’On November 5th (Guy Forks Night) as there

were no fireworks, in bed after our lights out,

we all sang songs, some songs low and some

high! We nearly raised the roof, all the

dormitories round about heard us. Matron came

in and gave us two warnings and then she came

in a third time and gave us all reports!!! Later

on, Miss Hare came in and said she would tell

Miss Mclaran (our Form Mistress) and leave it

to her , but she never told her yet.’’

My thanks to Val for these memories and we will feature more in the next

edition.

‘’How are things going at

home, I often imagine you

getting up and

frying the eggs and bacon.

You’ve no idea how much

‘being away from home’,

makes you appreciate h

ome

so much more.’’

’Do you remember the Common Room?

Anyway, it doesn’t matter if you cannot.

But there are some screens and behind

the screens there is the Grand Stair-

case. Of course we are not allowed up

there, but one day we went and ex-

plored bit on the quiet. There is a long

narrow corridor with about six doors at

the end and there is a heavenly marble

floor and statues with nothing on !’’

Alnwick Gardens Following the refurbishment of all the outside garden furniture — cleaned and re-varnished ready for the Spring — I am grateful to Amy Bates for this photograph of the Alumnae bench plus dedication plaque. Situated at the very top of the Ornamental Garden, the bench is near our Hydrangea plot and it all looks very smart and attractive now.

As a ‘Friend of the Gardens’, we often receive invitations to events up at Alnwick and this year was no exception. The Annual Cherry Blossom Dedication ceremony was held in

April on what can only have been described as ‘The’ wettest Saturday evening on record!

It simply poured from lunch-time right through until Sunday morning and many guests did not attempt the walk up to the orchard let alone participate in the lantern-floating on The Pond. However, we did and thoroughly enjoyed the dedication service and choral performances.

The entertainment was all on a Japanese theme with the Mungenkyo Taiko Drummers starting off the proceedings and a Japanese Shakahuchi accompaniment at the Pond where we were encouraged to write a message, attach it to our floating lantern and sail it away across the moonlit water. All very calming and pretty, but quite difficult to do whilst standing in 6cm of water and juggling an umbrella!

It was a miracle in itself that the candles stayed alight long enough to float anywhere.

Our thanks go, as always, to Her Grace, the Duchess of Northumberland, Helen Shepherd and Susan Broster and all the Alnwick Garden team for a lovely evening, despite the weather.

If you would like to take part in the ‘Blossom Watch’ do register at:

susan.broster@alnwickgarden.com.

or, better still, go and spend the day up at the Castle and Gardens in beautiful Northumberland. There is such a lot to see and do and plenty of places to purchase refreshments .

. 

 

 

 

Newcastle upon Tyne Church High Alumnae Annual Summer Dinner 2012

We are delighted to announce details of this year’s Alumnae Dinner to be held on Wednesday 27th June.

Once again, we will be hosting the event at Firenze of Jesmond.

This is a fabulous Italian restaurant on Osborne Road, just 5 minutes from School is situated above where the old Scout and Guide shop used to be at the top of Osborne Avenue. Jim has put together another wonderful menu this year with a wide variety of choices to suit everyone’s taste.

The evening will begin with an optional visit back into School for our annual GCSE and A Level Exhibition where you will have the opportunity to view some stunning creative work whilst enjoying a glass of wine and finger buffet. There will also be time for you to re-visit your old Form Rooms and take a look around your Alma Mater, before moving on to the restaurant for a reception glass of bubbly and the meal.

The Art Exhibition runs from 4:30 until 6:30pm in the Senior School

The Reception Drink at Firenze will be from 7:00pm and Dinner will be serve at 7:30pm

This is always a popular event and last year was no exception. If you would like to make a provisional reservation please contact Sarah Timney in the Alumnae Office on 0191 2814306 Ext. 218. If you are coming as part of a larger group or as a Year Reunion and require a special table reservation please let me have

details as soon as possible. The restaurant will do their very best to

accommodate us all!

Tickets are priced £25 each and include a reception drink, a three course dinner (see menu for choices) with coffee and a glass of House wine/soft drink to

accompany your meal.

Mixed Bruschetta to Share

To Include Vegetarian Options

Warmed Foccacia

Marinated Olives and Balsamic Dipping Oil

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Melonzana Di Parmigiana (v)

Roasted Aubergine Layered with Tomato and Basil Sauce Finished with Grated Parmesan

Leek and Blue Cheese Risotto (v)

Finished with Rocket and Parmesan

Rigatoni Toscana

Spiced Italian Sausage, Peppers and Onions in a rich Tomato Sauce with Chilli

Taglietelle Salmone

Smoked Salmon and Asparagus in a Cream Sauce with a Touch of Tomato

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Lemon and Lime Citrus Torte

Whipped Cream and Mixed Berries

Profiteroles

Dark Chocolate Drizzle and White Chocolate Dip

Firenze Eton Mess

Crushed Meringue, Mixed Berries and Whipped Cream

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Filter Coffee

Orange and Polenta Biscuits

 

We currently have the following items in 

stock. 

If you would like to  place an order please 

contact the Alumnae Office. 

 

NCHS Stationery

Green metallic £2.50

biro pens (Black ink only)

Writing pencils 30p

Small colouring £1

pencil wallets

Clear PVC Pencil case £1.50

Erasers 50p

Carry bags £2.00

NCHS Mugs £4.00

NCHS Archive Notelets £5.00

(12 cards & envelopes in box)

Old NCHS Recipe Book

(reprint) £5.00

News from Old Girls Claire McKenzie’s Mum, Carole, wrote to us -

We have some exciting news - Claire has been nominated for a BAFTA Scotland award for best original music in the 'new talent' section. She was nominated by the Royal Television Society after the film won Best Undergraduate Fiction in the Royal Television Society awards. She wrote the score for the short film, 'My First Spellbook' in her final year at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. We are thrilled and will keep fingers crossed on the 22nd March. You can see the nomination list on the BAFTA link below.

http://www.bafta.org/scotland/awards/new-talent-awards-nominations-in-2012,3168,BA.html

Sadly, Claire did not win the award but a BAFTA Nomination is really what counts!

Congratulations to Julia Lilley, (nee Malcolm, Class of 2004) on her recent marriage to Steve, whom she met whilst

attending Church High! Steve is a graphic designer and the couple now live in Hartford, Cambridgeshire. Julia says that the ceremony took place at Walton Hall and they spent their honeymoon cruising round the Caribbean. Well, someone has to!

Julia’s sister, Anna Malcolm, also attended the Junior School and I have very clear memories of her playing Alice in the L3 play at the end of her final year.

We are happy to have re-connected some old friends after many years apart—Barbara Burgess ( née Fraser) Class of 1952, with Gill Cooper-Smith. They are now after details of two other former pupils, Christine Bolam and Margaret Eastlick (née Browne).

Gill Hedworth has lost some old photographs. After spending an evening with other ‘Old Girls’, she could not find two photos from 1960 and 1964-65. She hoped that they may have been found and forwarded on to me but sadly not. Does anyone else possess these pictures that I might photocopy and pass on to Gill?

Sandy Harvey, Class of 1982, recently came for a visit back to School and she is anxious for news of her old friend, Joanna Walker who married in 1984 and became Mrs J Bushnell, last known living in Durham.

Susan Harrison and her brother, Elliott Burns, are researching their parents and wonder if anyone has any memories of their mother, HAZEL ELLIOTT ADAMSON, (25.02.1927) ? She attended Church High in the late 1930s and left in 1944. She always spoke very fondly of her time at School, Susan writes, especially when she was evacuated away to Alnwick Castle. Can anyone help, please?

Sandra Kendry, perhaps better remembered as PE Teacher, Sandra Barnett, in the early 1980s, has been back in touch. Still living in Dubai, she is now a Pastoral Director in a school out there and loving it! Her daughter, Kate, a former pupil, is in her third year at Nottingham doing Physiotherapy.

I wanted to forward some stunning coverage we have recently received in LUXE Magazine..

During February Half Term Sixth Form’s Katie Winter and Phoebe Elliott both volunteered to

be models for the magazine which produced a fashion spread on school prom fashion and

the photos are fantastic.

To take a look simply click on the link here and go to p44 – p50 for the shoot.

http://www.luxe-magazine.co.uk/archive/2012/LXissue15/pageflip.html

Anthea Pugliese , (née Pallister) Class of 1958

emailed from her computer in Princeton, Canada. Anthea was a pupil here from 1948 until 1958 and has many fond memories of the place. She had recently had a letter from her long-time friend, Hazel Hepburn (née Crossland) which included a photograph of the Class of 1960. Anthea and Hazel were in parallel Forms and have been friends since their days in Miss Davis class in 1947.

Anthea became a physiotherapist, training at the RVl before moving first to Durham and then to B.C.Canada in 1969. She is married with one daughter and two grand children and would love to be back in touch with any old classmates.

Congratulations to Christina Burge, (Class of 2005) on completing her MSc in Physics from Manchester and who has now, nearly submitted her PhD in Solar Physics. In April Christina had her first journal article published and her sister, Olivia, is understandably very proud. Thank you for passing on such good news and very well done to Christina!

Patricia Robertson– Glasgow is now back up in Newcastle and would love to hear from any friends from her time at school. She left in 1954. Pat is dividing her time between her home in Bath and her new residence in Jesmond. I have telephone and email contact details if anyone would like to meet up.

Finally, Patricia Duff (née Walker) sent in a photo of a recent gathering of Alumnae friends.

They are, l to r :

Back row – Sue Williams, Mary Mann, Carole Barnett, Alison Hallett, Elizabeth Wigham and Muriel Grey.

Front row — Mary Anne Taylorson,

Patricia Walker, June Donaldson and Margaret Tebbutt.

Thank you everyone!

LOST & FOUND.

Daphne Long ( nee Proom)

Daphne Proom was my English teacher during the late 60s and early 70’s . She retired from School due to poor health, but over time , through various grapevines, we learned that Daphne had married and was doing well. A few months ago I met up with Barbara Morden who had managed to renew contact -

‘’Sarah,

I attach a photo of Daphne and I when we met (very successfully) just before Christmas. I am afraid it isn’t too clear but it was all we could manage on the day! She is in good spirits – funny and very bright! We had a lovely day. . As you will remember, Daphne Proom taught English and History at Church High during my time there 1959-66. She had been such an influence and inspiration to me that I decided after some 40 years to make contact if possible, to thank and dedicate to her a copy of my recent book. So, just before Christmas, I set out to track her down. After a

tortuous search I eventually found her location, her telephone number, and there she was - Miss Proom (now Mrs Long) her voice strong and affirmative, remembering me at once. We just had to celebrate! So, with my husband, I travelled to her current nursing home in Riding Mill and we all enjoyed a festive lunch together at the local hostelry. We had such fun and laughter. Daphne has a wonderful memory and can bring to mind so many of my peer group as well as her colleagues over the decades. It is wonderful to have found her again –a real friend – and of course another visit is planned very soon ,

Barbara’’

Well, I am delighted to say that we too, in the Alumnae Department, have been in touch with Daphne and she is now on our Newsletter mailing list. If anyone would like to send her a message we will be delighted to pass it on as I know from first hand experience, what an impact she had on so many pupil’s lives and career choices.

The following members seem to have been misplaced since the last edition of our Newsletter :

Mrs T W Espey (South Africa); Nicki Lund; C. Pickering; Alex Bickerton; Jessica Berg; Y Bradburn; S Stokes; Nicola Barton; R Harris; A Jankelwitz;J Emery; H Cameron-Fischer, (Germany); K Cook; N Hudson; Naomi Hampton; Kate Howes; J Walker; E Bartlett; E bell; M Chapman; J P Boot; S Bruce; Michelle Ransome; S Aggarwal; N Aggarwal and Miss L Ayre.

Anyone who may have new contact details for these folk, please let us know. Many thanks

Teacher Interview : Christine Chapman

Teaching and learning: still stimulating after all these years!

This new academic year will be my 27th as a Church High English teacher. Time certainly does fly when you are having fun. Traces of the young teacher fresh out of college still remain inside me somewhere. However, Church High students will have met various manifestations of Miss Chapman over the years, as we have learned and grown together. And what a lot of people there must now be who have left school carrying a little bit of 'Miss

Chapman' with them. A most unsettling thought!

The Chinese philosopher Confucius believed that the processes of teaching and learning stimulate one another. As a life-long learner, this has certainly been my experience. Hopefully, my teaching has also been enriched - and my students stimulated - by the courses I have always pursued alongside my work. Qualifications in IT and Telematics have facilitated my magazine editing; training as a Christian Listener continues to fuel Pastoral relationships within school; and my passion for Shakespeare's language is renewed each year through academic contact with The Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon and, of course, my beloved Royal Shakespeare Company.

'Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then, by God, do something. Don't just stand there, make it happen!' The words of Lee Lacocca have always resonated with me, but only recently has extension study led me into new and unchartered waters. Always fascinated by words and the writing process, in 2008, I enrolled on the Open University short course 'Start writing fiction'. I enjoyed revisiting under-graduate study so much that I soon embarked on a two-year distance-learning Open University diploma in English Language Studies. Stretching ourselves to such a degree on top of work can be scary, but, venturing through the refiner's fire, unexpected bonuses inevitably emerge.

Whilst the most concrete 'gain' was achieving my diploma with distinction, the knock-on benefit for my A Level Language/Literature students was access to up-to-date linguistic practice. The real 'gift' as a teacher, however, has been watching the way a taste for self-growth through study seems to have inspired some of my students with an increased appetite for learning too. No less than ten Sixth Form English students have now completed the same OU 'Start writing fiction' course alongside their AS Level studies, which makes me very proud indeed. Hats off to them!

For me, last year was a good one, providing many openings for 'seeds' sown in study to take root and flower. The saying 'writing comes more easily if you have something to say' was proved true when I found myself commissioned to write 20 articles for The Journal on (surprise, surprise) the complete works of William Shakespeare. I've always had plenty to say on that front, as my students know only too well! Perhaps you saw one of two of these articles and remembered your 'old' English teacher with a smile?

The role of advisor to Newcastle Theatre Royal and The Journal's 'Vote for Shakespeare' Campaign has certainly brought exciting opportunities my way and I can't wait to see the North East's favourite character - Mercutio - cast in bronze and standing proud in the Theatre Royal foyer next Spring. And if, in the process, a few more Church High students have been instilled with a life-long love of Shakespeare too, then Miss Chapman will be a very happy English teacher indeed!

 I am sad to report the following member’s deaths. As always, we send our sincere condolences to their families and friends and ask that you remember them in your thoughts.

Reprinted with kind permission of ‘Pont News and Views’ by Ponteland county Council in conjunction with Ponteland Community Partnership. March 2012

Jennifer Hills (Class of 2003)

aged only 26, was tragically killed just before Christmas in a road accident. Jenni had only recently moved back to her home town of Whickham from Lancaster where she had studied at St Martin’s College to qualify as a primary teacher.

Elizabeth Naughton (née ‘’Betty’’ Johnson, Class of 1952)

On 18th September in the Royal United Hospital, Bath. After suffering a mild stroke in January 2009, Elizabeth suffered a fall in August which left her with complications but, despite making some progress, she suffered a relapse and died before she could be transferred to her Community Hospital, aged of 77.

Betty joined the School just after it returned from Alnwick. Her husband, Patrick wrote,

‘’More noted for social activities rather than academics, she went up to Atholl Crescent (Edinburgh College of Domestic Science) and did a Certificate in Institutional Management. She returned home to look after children as a House Matron in at Durham High Prep School and from there secured a similar post at St Cyprian’s Girls School, Capetown. She did this for two years, returning early in 1963. She trained as a teacher as a mature student meeting me in her final year, 1966. We were married in 1967. As I was in the Army, she travelled the world, Germany, Hong Kong, Belgium, UK and we retired to Frome, Somerset convenient to our 2 children and now 4 grandchildren’’.

Betty will be sadly missed by everyone who knew her at school and especially her close friend, Joan Clements. ( née Rutherford)

Norah Zvi (née Tebble)

Alex Zvi emailed in January with the news of her mother’s death, two years ago, in December 2009. Alex now lives in Melbourne and although not a member of the Alumnae herself, had enjoyed reading the Newsletters which we sent to her Mum. I am now able to send Alex an electronic version and thank her for taking the time to pass on the sad news to any members who may have known Norah at School and haven’t heard the news yet.

Jill Moores

We are sad to pass on the news of the death of a former teaching colleague. Jill taught French and English here during the 1970s and 80s before moving to Bristol to be closer to her family. She died in February this year and had been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease at her home in Cornwall for some time. She leaves husband Geoff and three children, Susan, Laurence and Johnnie.

Ursula Dronke

Inspirational teacher of Old Norse and Icelandic literature. Ursula Dronke, who has died aged 91, was an inspirational scholar and teacher of Old Norse literature and a specialist in the sagas and poetry of medieval Iceland. In 1969 she published the first volume of her monumental edition of the Poetic Edda, a medieval anthology of the great Icelandic mythological and heroic poems. The second volume, published in 1997, includes her translation of the poem Völuspá, the textual complexity and allusive obscurity of which are unparalleled. The third volume of the Poetic Edda went to press in Ursula’s 90th year. The projected four volumes now remain incomplete.

As Vigfússon reader in Old Icelandic literature and antiquities at Oxford University from 1976 to 1988, Ursula supervised many graduate students. The vast majority have gone on to teach Old Norse-Icelandic at universities around the world. Her students loved her because of the total commitment and loyalty she showed them.

Ursula Brown was born in Sunder-land. When she was four, the family moved to Newcastle, where her father was a lecturer at the university. She attended Church High school there and, in 1939, went to Tours

University as a visiting student in French language and literature. The outbreak of the second world war cut short her studies, and she returned to England to take up the Mary Ewart scholarship in English at Somerville College, Oxford.

Graduating in 1942, she went to work briefly for the Board of Trade, but returned to Somerville as a graduate student in 1946, specialising in Old Norse, and supervised by the leading Old Norse specialist in Britain, Gabriel Turville-Petre, and JRR Tolkien. Her graduate work gained her a BLitt in 1949. It became her first major publication, an edition of the Old Norse Þorgils saga (1952) which immediately gained international recognition. Ursula was a fellow and tutor in English at Somerville from 1950 to 1961. She met her husband, Peter Dronke, in 1959 at a meeting of the Medieval Society there. Peter recalls being overwhelmed by her warmth and intellectual vitality at one of her legendary parties later that year, packed as always with students and scholars from all over the world. They married in 1960 and Ursula moved to Cambridge with Peter, who took up a post in medieval Latin there. In 1962 their daughter Cressida was born. Cressida was a source of immense pride to Ursula and one of the great joys of her life.

After a spell as professor and acting head of Scandinavian studies at Munich University in the early 1970s, Ursula was elected to the readership at Oxford in 1976 and to a professorial fellowship at Linacre College. This was rightly regarded as a coup for Oxford.

Some of her many publications were produced jointly with Peter. Their day-to-day scholarly collaboration, as leading medievalists in adjacent fields, enriched the work of both. Her essays, collected as Myth and Fiction in Early Norse Lands (1996), reveal her range and dominant concerns. The essays situate Old Norse literature in general, and its celebrated mythology in particular, in the wider context of both ancient Indo-European traditions and medieval European learning. Each one demonstrates, as one reviewer put it, “the palpable enthusiasm of a fine scholar and teacher”. A lasting contribution to the study of Old Norse was her securing of a donation from the Swedish Rausing family to support the Old Icelandic readership at Oxford in perpetuity.

Ursula was knowledgeable about the good things in life – art, music, wine, food, people – and was always great fun, hospitable, stylish, energetic and witty. Her politics were as rigorous and uncompromising as her academic standards. Throughout her life, she spoke passionately against anything reactionary, ungenerous or cynical.

After retiring in 1988, Ursula continued to work on the Poetic Edda and enjoyed time with her beloved grandchildren. She was incommoded, though never dispirited, by a series of hip operations. She is survived by Peter, Cressida and her two grandchildren.

This is part of an article written by a former student of Ursula’s, Heather O’Donoghue, which appeared in The Guardian newspaper on 14th April 2012. My thanks to Jill Mortiboys for sending this to me and also to Jo Bond and Kathleen Dales who also alerted me to the obituary.

Ursula was born in Sunderland  

born 3 November 1920—died 8 March 2012 

Our newsletter is enjoyed by Old Girls worldwide, as it keeps them in touch with Church High. We are interested in all types of news, whatever the content. News does not have to be about a great academic success or an Honour in the New Year’s List! Often, just plain, old, homely news makes the most interesting reading and touches the hearts of old friends. Please return to the Alumnae Office or email us with news/changes of circumstance and we will do our very best to update our data base and readership.

If you would like to receive your Newsletter electronically, please make sure we have your correct email address.

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PERSONAL NEWS FOR INCLUSION IN THE NEXT NEWSLETTER 

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If you would like to find out more about what is going on in School, please email me at:

sarah.timney@churchhigh.com The Newcastle upon Tyne Church High School

Tankerville Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3BA Tel: 0191 2814306 Ext: 218

 

Dates for your Diary

Saturday 23rd June Class of 2002 Luncheon Reunion in School

Wednesday 27th June GCSE & A Level Art Exhibition followed by the Alumnae Summer Dinner

Friday 6th July 2012 End of Year Service at St. George’s Church, Jesmond - 2:00pm

Thursday 16th August A Level Results Day

Thursday 23rd August GCSE Results Day

Wednesday 5th September Term starts

Thursday 13th September 2012 Prize Giving at The Sage, Gateshead 6:00pm