1885 — 2014

Welcome

to the

Newcastle upon Tyne

Church High School

Alumnae Newsletter

Spring 2013

FOREWARDI am sure that by now you will all have

heard or seen news of our merger with Central Newcastle High School.

The announcement was made at the beginning of January and came as a surprise to us all. Our

Governors and Headmistress had been in discussion with The Girls Day School Trust for some

considerable time when the news finally became public, and many of the decisions had already been

made and lots of details were in place.

The last few months have been an uncertain time for all the girls and their parents as well as for the staff

and of course the Alumnae. We have tried to keep you as informed as possible about the merger to date

by writing letters and enclosing relevant leaflets with those mailings. Hopefully, despite the feelings of

sadness, everyone can now begin to see the benefits that such a move will have both financially, in this

uncertain economic, climate and practically. Church High and Central High will be able to invest the

best of both old establishments and together with the GDST’s resources, provide a new kind of school

with state of the art facilities for future generations of girls in our area. The time has now come for us to

move forward and embrace the concept of this new arrangement — The Newcastle High School for Girls

— and also to make sure that we celebrate the old ‘Alma Mater’ with a variety of events and publications

which do its long history and our many happy memories the justice it deserves.

Thank you to all of the members who have taken the time and trouble to contact us in recent weeks. I

am glad to say that the feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive and full of useful

suggestions as to what we might do in the coming months. We have also received ideas to take forward

to the Master Planning Days and whilst we will not be able to accommodate everyone’s wish list, we can

certainly put the views to the architects and designers for them to consider. Seven Alumnae attended a

‘Branding Session’ at the end of April. We were asked our opinions and preferences on the shape of

badges, colour schemes, logos, strap lines, photographs and marketing flyers. My thanks to all who took

part and I can assure the wider membership that traditional aspects were not dismissed. I hope that we

managed to convey a desire to keep certain ‘old’ aspects whilst also welcoming the addition of more

modern trends. We wait with bated breath for the outcome!

This will be the last Alumnae Newsletter in this booklet format. Next year, the final year for Church High

School, we shall be sending you regular updates about the merger , together with specific Alumnae news,

in the shape of a new publication—In The Picture—the first of which is included here. We hope that this

will be both informative and yet also retain the historical and ‘newsy’ aspects of the old magazine.

Please do keep sending in any news worthy stories or memorabilia that you come across. Our archives

are always open for photographs and old uniform indeed, In our last year of Church High we want to

embrace these memories and make them available for all to see.

It is too early to tell how the NCHS Alumnae will function after the merger in September 2015, but be

assured that Central High’s Guild and their Old Girls Network are just as passionate about keeping their

group alive and active as we are about ours.

Kind regards to you all,

Sarah Timney.

NEWS

Charlotte Harbottle (née Mitchell, Class of 2006) has taken her home town by storm since returning

from London. Her butcher’s shop at the top of Ashburton Road in Gosforth is always packed with

customers eager to purchase first class meat and home made, or locally produced, pies and delicacies. I

can highly recommend the ‘lamb and mint’ pies—ideal for picnics and the sausages. Charlotte also

sources some unusual cuts of meat. She managed to get goat for a tagine recipe and the Gressingham

duck is reportedly ‘out of this world’. Many congratulations.

For further information about Charlotte’s Butchery her email address is ceharbottle@hotmail.co.uk

We are delighted to announce the 2013—14 Head Girl

team is now in place. Congratulations to Esme Beer,

our newly elected Head Girl and to her able Deputies,

Georgia Thompson and Bethany Painter. The new

Sports Captains are Sarah Withers and Catherine

Woodruff.

The House Captains and Deputies for the new

academic year are -

Alnwick House: Catherine Woodruff & Tamar Dutton

Bamburgh House: Jennifer Vineberg & Sophie Rowley

Dunstanburgh House: Alice Percy-Raine & Michaela

Stewart

Warkworth House: Meridon Reader & Hannah Evans

Actress and Alumna, Andrea Riseborough (31) was shortlisted for one of the most prestigious

honours in show business back in the New Year.

She was one of five contenders nominated for the EE Rising Star Awards by Bafta Judges. Along side her

in the running were Elizabeth Olsen, Suraj Sharma, Juno Temple and Alicia Vikander.

The EE Rising Star Award honours a young actor or actress who has demonstrated exceptional talent and

ambition and has begun to capture the imagination of the British public. It is the only award voted for by

the public at the EE British Academy Film Awards.

Sadly for us and for Andrea, the winner turned out to be Juno Temple, whose breakthrough arrived when

she won the role of Cate Blanchett’s rebellious, brooding daughter in Notes on a Scandal. This led to her

appearance in the BAFTA and Oscar-winning Atonement, opposite Keira Knightley, James McAvoy and

Saoirse Ronan. Since then a variety of well received film roles have followed, most recently opposite

Matthew McConaughey and Emile Hirsch in the darkly comic Killer Joe.

Whilst our congratulations go to Juno it should be noted that Andrea received a glowing write up!

Andrea graduated from RADA in 2005 and quickly

began to accumulate critical acclaim and awards for

her stage and screen work. She made her film debut in

Roger Michell’s Venus. Roles in Never Let Me Go,

Brighton Rock and Mike Leigh’s comedy-drama Happy

Go Lucky soon followed. Andrea has also starred as

both a young Margaret Thatcher in Margaret Thatcher

–The Long Walk to Finchley and Wallis Simpson in W.E.

She recently finished filming opposite Tom Cruise in

Oblivion.

Oblivion is now out in local cinemas near you so do try to get

along and see it soon.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Many thanks to Ian White who sent in a 1938

Senior School photograph taken by the Panora

Company, London. It belonged to Ian’s mother, Jean

Haddon Mitchell, MBBS (GP) who lived in Whitley

Bay with her husband Dr Albert Edward White. Jean

was born in January 1924 and sadly died in 1993, but

Ian also included a snap shot identifying his Mum for

us!

Our bench in the Ornamental Garden at Alnwick had been

temporarily removed for cleaning and maintainance work, but it

was back looking as good as new at the dedication ceremony at

the end of April.

Shirley Fallow wrote a few weeks back with lots of news. On the 27th March she attended a 90th

birthday dinner at the Gateshead Hilton Hotel for Harry Wilson, husband of the late Beatrice Cormach

who taught PE here at School. Also there were Dorothy Jenkins (née Fagg, Class of 1956 )and Gwenda

Graham (née Hattle). Shirley had inadvertently come across Harry and Bee while on holiday in 1997 and

renewed her old friendship. Sadly Beatrice died in 2006 at the couple’s home in Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

Shirley went on to say that she had also received a copy of the recently published book, ‘My Secret Sister’

by Helen Edwards and Jenny Lee Smith. It tells the story of twins separated at birth who were reunited in

later life having grown up in very different circumstances. You may remember that we featured a local

newspaper article about the sisters last year. Jenny attended NCHS and went on to become a

professional golfer.

The sender of the book was Shirley’s life long friend, Sally Pritchard (née

Carruthers) She now lives in Kent, but the girls knew each other from

aged 5 first at Stocksfield First School and then at Church High.

Thank you to Tony Morden, husband of author Barbara Morden (Class of

1966) for sending the Library a copy of his most recent book on Strategic

Management. Our Business Studies Department is most grateful.

Meanwhile Barbara has been having a clear out! She very kindly donated

a range of old School magazines dating from 1958 to 1968 and her Sixth Form Scarf to our archives. Many

thanks.

Valerie Morton (Class of 1975) found she had duplicate Prize Giving literature as she was sorting

out at her home in Bedfordshire. Probably, she says, because she had two sisters who also attended

NCHS. Thank you for these additional copies. It is always interesting to look back at the VIPs who

presented the awards on these occasions— Mr Arthur Kay, O.B.E.; Mrs D. Coggan: Mr W.D. Haden, T.D.,

M. A.; Her Honour, Judge Myrella Cohen, Q.C. and Sir Sadler Forster, CBNE to name just a few.

You will probably remember that in the last edition

we featured a map of the world showing the far

flung corners of the world where Church High girls

are now living and working. Straight away, Vicky

Hopley got in touch with us suggesting another

mapping pin be placed in Madagascar where she is

part of an eye clinic team at Hopitaly Vaovao

Mahafaly.

Vicky sent a couple of photographs too showing both the hospital

and one of her with a young patient.

Team Northumbria goal defence Sarah

Penny tells us she is excited by the squad

assembled for the 2013 Super League season

and recently appeared in The Journal’s Health

MOT column. Sarah was first introduced to

netball as a child at primary school and has

held a passion for the sport ever since.

She certainly has continued to promote the sport since leaving Church High and becoming a PE teacher at

Central High School -

I live my life with the motto ‘Be the best you can be’, so I like to think that the best is yet to come. Plus I

love exercise and the way it makes me feel.

That’s a pretty good motto for us all to follow.

Summer 2013 Events

The Alumnae are pleased to announce details of this year’s Annual Dinner.

Once again, we will be hosting the event in School to enable guests to re-visit their favourite haunts and have a preview of

our Annual Art Exhibition.

The evening will begin with a Drinks Reception in the Learning Resource Centre followed by a three course buffet dinner

served in the Senior Dining Room at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are £15 per head and include wine with the buffet meal.

Concession tickets of £10 per head are available for students still in full time education.

Tickets are available from the Alumnae Office — 0191 2814306

2013 sees the following milestones:

The Class of 2012 ‘1st Year Reunion’

The Class of 2008 ‘5 Year Reunion’

The Class of 2003 ‘10 Year Reunion’

The Class of 1988 ‘25th Reunion’ and

The Class of 1963 ‘50th Reunion’

Should you wish to put together a table of friends from any of these special groups, please contact me, Sarah Timney, on

the telephone number above.

Class of 1983 Reunion

Class of 1973 Reunion A 40th Reunion is scheduled for 6th July at the Hotel du Vin, Newcastle for

the class that left in the summer of 1973. So far over 20 former pupils have

accepted the invitation, but if you are one of the cohort and haven't yet

received any information do get in touch with Jo Bond (née Dean 1960 –1973)

on 07515 955398 or email her at jfbond@me.com or Doreen Hornsby at

doreenhornsby@hotmail.co.uk

Hotel du Vin, Newcastle Saturday, 6 July.

More Dates for the Diary May 7th @ 6:00 p.m. Dance Evening Senior School Hall

May 19th NECCR Cancer Run Gosforth park

24th May Half Term

3rd June Return to School

11th June @ 6:30 p.m. Joseph and the Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat

12th June @ 6:30 p.m. Joseph and the Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat

15th June PTS Summer Fair 10:30—12:30 p.m.

15th June Class of 1983 Reunion in Senior Dining Room from

12:30p.m. Please note—School closes at 4:00 p.m.

20th June Senior Sports Afternoon

25th June Alumnae Dinner 7:00 for 7:30 pm Senior School

26th June Annual Art Exhibition from 4:00 pm

27th June Sixth Form Ball @ The Baltic, Gateshead

7:00—11:30 p.m.

2nd July Sports Awards Evening in the Sports Hall @ 6:00 pm

5th July End of Year Service at St. George’s Church 2:00 p.m.

Term Ends

3rd September Staff Study Day

5th September Start of Year Service at St. George’s Church 2:00 p.m.

12th September Prize Giving at The Sage, Gateshead 6:00 p.m.

27th September Macmillan Coffee Morning hosted by Year 7 in the

Senior School Dining Room 8:00am—11:00am

5th October Newcastle High School for Girls Open Day (TBC)

9th November Newcastle High School for Girls Open Day (TBC)

13th December Term Ends

18th December Teenage Cancer Trust Christmas Concert at Newcastle

Cathedral

22nd March 2014 NCHS Ball at the Gosforth Park, Marriott Hotel TBC

Ann Wright (née Hedley) called into School at the beginning of February with a couple of lovely

photographs and a long list of names to go with them! This one is of the Staff in 1951 and on the facing

page , Ann with her classmates.

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Ann also included the Staff List and a copy of the

Fees with her photographs.

Miss Clarke, Miss Towns and Miss Tindale were all

still teaching when I started Church High in 1965. I

began life in L2C in a form room on the side of

Tankerville House. Miss Towns taught First Form

along the road in Gurney House and Miss Tindale

had a tiny room with a huge piano in it right next

door to the Junior Headmistress’ room at the top

of the stairs. I wonder now how she coped with

pupils banging out ‘By a Broom’ with one finger

day in and day out without going insane!

Many thanks, Ann.

If anyone can fill in the missing names we would

be very grateful and if you would like a copy of

either photo, please get in touch.

While we are on the subject of photographs, Shirley Fallow has found her Senior School photograph from

1953. Carefully written on the back are the names of all the staff and pupils pictured. If you would like your

own copy please let me know

Another gift for the archives this term came in the shape of a bundle

of Reports for one, Jane Larkins who was at School from 1948 until 1958

when she sat her General Certificate of Education. They make for

interesting reading. Not that Jane appears to have done anything

particularly wrong in her termly reports, but the phrases that were used

then would simply not be allowed in today’s commentaries!

Phrases that were so commonly used back in the 50s and 60s were things

like those in the box on the right -

I have my own Reports which also contain the same bland sentences—

although some can hardly be called a sentence at all.

Nowadays, pupils and parents quite rightly expect more from the

statements and the teacher is accountable for not only inspiring her class

but also for helping them achieve better results. I mourn certain aspects

of education, but as far as feedback goes we have definitely made

progress.

Thank you for these wonderful historical documents. They speak volumes!

Jane also won a prize for Junior Needlework in July 1956. The poetry book she was

awarded has the School badge and motto embossed in gold on the front cover.

Fairly good

Works well but is

careless

Tries hard but

needs to

concentrate more

Relies too much on her memory

Works well

Could do better

Making slow

progress

Must try harder

OUTSIDE EVENTS Older pupils enjoyed a pre– examination ski

trip to Vermont during the February half

term break.

One of the many, planned joint

activities between NCHS and CNHS.

The annual dog walk round

Exhibition Park proved a great

success.

The Geography trip to

Cranedale Centre proved

cold but very enjoyable

Younger girls enjoyed a trip to

London for the theatre.

A level Art and Textile

students visited the

London Galleries.

Obituary Some very sad news reached us at the beginning of the Spring Term.

Having not been long back in touch with Daphne Proom, who used to teach English here in

the 1960s and 70s, we learnt of her death.

When I posted the news and details of her funeral on the Church High Alumnae pages and

on our Facebook site, the messages of condolence came flooding in along with many fond

memories of this gentle member of staff. I passed these reminiscences on to her sister

Doreen Beniams and was extremely touched when I found that they had been included in

Daphne’s funeral service, which was held in Hexham Abbey on 7th February.

Daphne was 84 years old, and had been retired for a good many years. She suffered from

Multiple Sclerosis but never allowed it to get her down. She worked tirelessly for The

Samaritans through out her life, often spending all night talking to distressed souls and

then coming into School ready to teach the next day. I never once heard Daphne raise her

voice. All it took was one look over the rim of her spectacles to make us settle down and

apply ourselves once again. She was a truly inspirational woman who will be greatly

missed by everyone who knew her.

Daphne remembered her days here with great fondness and the hymns that we sang at the funeral were

real old Assembly songs. ‘Lord of all Hopefulness, Lord of all Joy’, ‘Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise’

and ‘Hills of the North Rejoice’ took me back to standing in line every morning and then sitting on the

floor as a poor Sixth Former read the lesson.

The service was naturally sad, but there was a spirit about it too which reflected Daphne’s positive atti-

tude. Bach and Mozart were played and Psalm 150—”Praise Him with loud clashing cymbals” lifted our

thoughts.

So sorry to hear the news. Such a sweet person…...I was taught by her and by her lovely sister

Doreen at Miss Bicknell’s PNEU School in Gosforth

Gail Williams

I remember “ Miss Prune” with affection. Despite having been given the inevitable nickname she, along

with the others at the time, was happy to give a lifelong love of literature to many.

Heather Edwards (née Stafford, Class of 1973)

Sad news. She was my first English teacher in U3. Someone to be remembered for a

long time yet

Barbara Clarkson

Sorry to hear that news. I always enjoyed Miss Proom’s classes.

Catherine Coleclough

Wonderful woman, great teacher, a good soul and highly respected—sad news.

Jo Bond

Lovely lady and lovely teacher…sad news

Gillian Bardgett (née Wheatley)

Very sad to hear that. I remember her taking us to Stratford and to the York Mystery Plays. A great teacher

who I will not forget.

Lesley Butterworth

She was great fun. Her portrayal of Emma in the School play was a highlight!

Catherine Carr

Girls from the Sixth Form directed and performed in their final concert before starting

A level study leave in May. The British Invasion included British music from the 60s

right up until the present chart toppers and a great time was had by all.

A level Dance students gave us

a taster of what lies ahead for

our Dance Night when they

performed their examination

pieces recently.

Parents and Staff were

given the opportunity

to meet the Heads of

both the merging

Schools recently. Joy

Gatenby (NCHS) and

Hilary French (CNHS)

mingled and chatted

with Governors and

friends.

Lost & Found We have sent out several mailings recently and consequently have been alerted to the

fact that some alumnae have gone astray. If you can shed light on the new whereabouts

of any of the missing persons we would be extremely grateful to hear from you.

Mrs L Kropman Miss J Walker

Mrs K Thomas-Wilson Miss M Turnbull

Miss J Ross Miss M Mehdi

Miss Nadia McKenny-Fick Miss L Hearn

Ms J Foster Miss Gillian Bamford

Mrs M H Bell Mrs Amanda Barness

Mrs J Bachelor Miss K Kandola

Miss F Collingwood

However, we are delighted to have renewed contact with the following ‘Old Girls’ -

Niyc Pidgeon who graduated with a Distinction in her MSc before Christmas

and is now a Master of applied Psychology. She has just moved back north from two years

spent living in Holland and enjoyed catching up with friends and staff at the Carol Service.

Niyc has kindly volunteered her services in School to talk to our current pupils about mind-

sets, resilience, strengths and the importance of physical activity too.

Emmelene Zack

Gail Williams

Seeta Rashid (née Pulle)

and Charlotte Robson

We continue to receive a high number of ‘bounce backs’ when we email out news. Please

do make sure that we have your correct, current email address.

You can always leave a message at School by telephoning 0191 2814306 ext. 218 or by

emailing me directly - sarah.timney@churchhigh.com

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.

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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