Welcome to the PPSA News
Members’ News:
Lizzie
HanburyTenison (nee Hemstock)
Lizzie was at the Convent from 1989
to 2003 a-er which she was accepted
onto a course at Warwick University.
Having gained her degree, she beat
off s3ff opposi3on to win a place on
the pres3gious Boots Graduate
scheme. A-er that, Lizzie moved
down to London to work for Green
and Blacks (yes, the chocolate
people!), as an Assistant Brand
Manager. She is presently working
for GU puddings as a brand manager.
Lizzie met Merlin, her future
husband, just a few days before he
was due to go to Afghanistan, as a
Captain with the Light Dragoons.
Love blossomed and Lizzie was
proposed to on top of a mountain in
South Africa during a thunderstorm.
He was hoping for a more roman3c
and dry sunset!
Lizzie and Captain Merlin HanburyTenison, of The Light Dragoons, were
married at Cardynham Church,
Bodmin, Cornwall on Saturday, 2nd
June 2012 and celebrated their
recep3on at Cabilla Manor.
They are now living in a flat in SouthWest London.
Marilyn (Lacewell) Joslyn
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the
Member's News and wanted to share
a lile about life a-er aending the
Our Lady’s
Convent School
Convent.
My two sisters and I were students
from 1970–1975. I was a border for
a short while and have fond
memories of the other girls, Sister
Mary Celine and Sister Mary Angela
(who was the Headmistress at that
3me). My favourite subject was Art.
The Convent taught me how to be
strong and confident. It prepared
me for the many lessons and
challenges of life. Without my 3me
at the Convent, I would not be the
woman that I am today.
In 1975, my family moved from
England to Florida, USA, in order to
be closer to my Father who worked
for NASA. My sisters and I finished
school there. I married, gave birth to
my son and moved to California. I
was always involved in the arts but
aended college (Art Center College
of Design) much later in life. Upon
my gradua3on, I obtained a posi3on
as
an
Art
Director;
and
simultaneously, a few of my limited
edi3on fine art leerpress books
(which were my final project in
college) were acquired by the
following museums:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York, NY
The Na3onal Gallery of Art,
Washington D.C.
The UCLA/Hammer Museum, Los
Angeles, CA
The Hun3ngton Library, San Marino,
CA
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PPSA Newsleer
Winter 2012
Editorial content:
Mary Hopkins
[email protected]
I ran my own business where I
oversaw projects for the Academy
of Mo3on Picture Sciences (AMPAS),
The 75th Academy Awards, Full
Tank produc3ons, Disney Publishing,
Infogrammes, Ac3vision, Crave
Entertainment, PBS and mul3ple
film Fes3vals. A-er a few years, I
accepted a posi3on as Director of
Crea3ve and Marke3ng at Landmark
Theatres (owned by Mark Cuban). I
now work with Theatres, Movie
Studios and Film Distributors. It's a
fun and rewarding career.
Throughout the years, I have taught
graphic design classes at Art Center
College of Design as well as the Art
Ins3tute of California, Santa Monica.
I also work as a porJolio consultant
for those students whose main
focus in college is art. And, as a
printmaker, designer and author, I
maintain a Fine Press studio
specializing in the crea3on of
Limited Edi3on Leerpress Books.
I currently live in the hills of Los
Angeles with my husband, two dogs
and three cats. My son is now
married with two children and lives
in Texas. My sister, Linda Lacewell,
went to Law School, has had an
amazing career as a Federal
Prosecutor in New York and is now
Special Advisor to the Governor of
New York. My other sister, Deborah
Lacewell, lives in Florida where she
is very ac3ve with the church.
Holly Whiaker meets
Duke of Edinburgh
I'd like to say hello to everyone
reading this especially those of you
who may remember me or my
sisters. If you'd like to reconnect, I
can be found on Facebook.
Catherine Buchanan
Wow, I have just looked at the
newsleer. My sister Jacqueline
and I were both boarders and
played musical instruments we also
played cards.
I was sad to see the Chapel benches
had been replaced - We spent a lot
of hours on our knees there!
In the picture of the boarders in
Sunday blouses and skirts. Le- to
right - 1st? Catherine Buchanan 3rd?
Jacqueline Buchanan Jane Harris
(Mills) was one of the boarders I
remember and would love to hear
from her… Her friend Jane Tracey
was one other person I remember
well.
I thought you might like to know
that my daughter Holly Whiaker,
who le- OLCS in 2010, travelled to
St James' Palace in March to collect
from Prince Phillip, the Gold Duke of
Edinburgh she achieved whilst at the
Convent. She found the whole
experience absolutely thrilling and
was lucky enough to speak to the
Duke as he went round the various
groups. Speaking a-er the event,
Holly said she would definitely
recommend the experience of
collec3ng the award at St James'
Palace to anyone who achieves their
Gold D of E Award.
Holly was further inspired by her D
of E successes, to become a
member of the first team from
Aberystwth University to climb
Mount Kilimanjaro on behalf of
Childreach
Interna3onal
last
summer. She worked hard to raise
£3000 for the charity, unfortunately
she then contracted glandular
fever and was unable to par3cipate.
Understandably Holly was very
disappointed at the 3me but since
then the charity has asked Holly to
become team leader for the
University's 2012 climb, and she
lead a team of 19 towards their own
fund raising targets. The climb
started on the 20th August
this summer and Holly was really
looking forward to the challenge -
par3cularly achieving the summit!
Jo Herman (nee Parr)
I'm not sure if you remember me
but I'm a figure skater (used to train
in NoPngham for a few years and
go to the rink before and even a-er
school!). Anyway, earlier this year
and a-er a lot of exams and
assessments, I'm now a figure
ska3ng coach. Although I do
marke3ng, I plan to teach figure
ska3ng to all abili3es in the future.
Apart from gePng married, the day
I received my qualifica3on was the
second best day of my life. If any
girls from the Convent are in London
(I coach in Brixton/Streatham) and
fancy a skate, I'd be more than
happy to help. I'm currently building
a website but will launch this later
2
this year.
Jo also wrote:
Heather Gubbins ran the London
Marathon and completed it in 5
hours!! I met up with her, and
Anne Tebba (Head Girl of 1994),
in central London. She did ever so
well. Consistent all the way round
and raised a lot of money for a
charity called Whizz-Kidz - £1600!
Here is what she says :
“To make the experience even
more worth while I am going to
raise as much money as possible
for the charity Whizz-Kidz. WhizzKidz helps to provide powered and
lightweight wheelchairs for young
disabled people enabling them to
achieve freedom from their
parents and careers, develop their
own personali3es, par3cipate in
society and take charge of their
own lives. They also provide
training and work experience
placements giving these young
people essen3al skills and
bolstering their self confidence.”
Hope you are keeping well and
many thanks for the newsleer.
Trisha Nain
A-er leaving the Convent I
received a 2.1 degree in
Interna3onal Rela3ons from the
University of St Andrews where,
following gradua3on, I was lucky
enough to be granted a
scholarship that took me to Emory
University in Atlanta for a year.
Whilst Stateside I managed to
travel to 35 states as well as intern
at the Carter Centre with the
opportunity to work with Jimmy
Carter and learn about the
centre’s work in the developing
world. It was this internship that
sparked my interest in the world
of Interna3onal Development.
A-er almost 2 years working in
Central London as a headhunter, I
managed to break into the
development industry and am
now working for a development
consultancy called Crown Agents.
It is great to be able to put my
degree into prac3se and to work
with
the
governments
and
organisa3ons that I only got to read
about during my degree. For the last
9 months I have been posted in
South Sudan as our country
representa3ve where I have had the
chance to see the world’s newest
country grow from scratch and help
to play a small part in its progress. I
am now just on my way back to
London where I will be based in our
headquarters with a specialisa3on in
health and will be star3ng a
master’s in public health too.
Just a few of my memories from my
Convent days: In the Juniors, points
up and the dreaded points down…
in year 5 I remember Mrs Gibson
walked in to see our en3re class
flying paper aeroplanes and gave us
all a point down!; The sense of pride
at being chosen to run up and down
the stairs ringing the school bell at
the end of lessons; In the Seniors,
Mrs Hill wai3ng at the back of
assembly with a ruler ready to check
the height of our heels; Singing and
ac3ng along with Mrs Davies to ‘The
Lord told Noah to build him an arky
arky….’ and the hymn where we all
got to shout “ a Chris3an has a right
to SHOUT let my people go”; And let
us not forget the tasty choc-ices at
ice-cream mass (what a great
3
inven3on that was); Non-uniform
day and all the planning that went
into choosing a ‘cool’ ouJit; Being
shouted at for being on the grass at
the wrong 3me of year, or for
wearing your jumper around your
waist; into who I am today. The
sense of independence that came
with being in Sixth Form and being
allowed out of those big red gates at
lunch 3me…if only to go to the
corner of the road to meet with the
Grammar School boys!
I started at the Convent at the age
of 6 and all 12 years of my 3me
there le- me with some great
friendships,
some
wonderful
memories and the quali3es and
values that have helped mould me
remains very close to my heart and
some3mes it feels like just
yesterday I was rolling up my skirt
and fran3cally trying to learn the
Gospels word for word!
Lizzie Cooper
Just in case you may be interested
and as you asked for any news.......
I have just recently released a CD
recording - you may like to have a
look
at
Facebook
page:
lizcooperyoudontknowwhatloveis
At the moment the recording is
available to order (£10) from me
by email: [email protected]
Thank you.
you
Thank you to our contributors for this sec3on of the newsleer. We are very keen to hear more about the lives of
ex-students and members of staff, so please keep the stories coming in. Photographs are also really appreciated
and add an extra dimension of interest for readers. Please email content to [email protected]
We sadly have to report the deaths
of four former members of staff
during 2012.
Jan Atkin, (1996 – 2003)
Geography, Sociology,
Head of House
Muriel Bowen, PE, Maths. Coached
Netball and Hockey with Mrs Bird
Maureen Modlen, History
Eileen Fletcher, Shorthand/typing
and office skills
Jan Atkin
On the first day of term in
September 1986 a chic, slender
blonde came into the staff room of
Our Lady’s Convent School. Jan Atkin
had entered our lives. She had come
to teach Geography and to enthuse
her students with the same delight in
exploring, discovering and enjoying
the
natural
world
as
she
experienced.
So, besides heading a successful
department and teaching Geography
and later Sociology at A level, Jan
was deeply involved in the Duke of
Edinburgh Award. She could be
sharing her knowledge of naviga3on
with Bronze par3cipants or spending
many weekends away in North
Wales or Derbyshire training those
who were ‘Going for Gold’.
Gold was Jan’s standard too. She
expected the best of herself and her
gentleness, pa3ence and kindness
brought out the best in her students.
Those who knew her well also
appreciated her core of steel,
firmness of purpose, and very dry
sense of humour. Once she played a
trick on the A level Geography group
pretending to have forgoen to
teach them a course unit – the one
she
had
invented:
Cultural
Geography.
As Head of Peter House, Jan was
totally immersed in the social and
communal life of the school. Though
naturally self-effacing, she had the
courage to appear in one staff panto
as a perfectly cast Alice in
Wonderland. However, the annual
Sixth Form Ball was an occasion
where Jan’s elegant style and
graciousness
evidence.
were
much
in
In July 2003 Jan le- the Convent
School to accompany her husband
to the University of NoPngham
Malaysia Campus in Kuala Lumpur.
There she played an ac3ve part in
the university’s social func3ons as
well as caring for students and
helping them improve their English
language skills. She was also a
delighJul hostess to the many staff
from the Convent who took the
opportunity to visit that fascina3ng
country.
Jan, very sadly died in April this year
(2012). We miss our colleague,
friend and very dear confidante.
17/03/13
Reunion Tea and AGM.
Join the commiee for the Reunion
Tea at 2.30pm
Meet other Past Pupils, and share
their experiences of life at the
Convent School and their many and
varied careers since leaving.
Dates for Your Diary
December:
February: 14/02/13, Golf Day (to be confirmed)
13/12/12: Carols by Candlelight in the Chapel, 7pm. Join
the PPSA Commiee at this School event on Thursday 13th
December. Admission is by 1cket only—01509 638282
When ordering your 3ckets please inform the School that
you are a past pupil.
March:
07/03/13 to 09/03/13: School Performance ‘Joseph and
His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ Admission is by
1cket only—01509 638282
18/03/13: PA Fashion Show (details TBC)
May:
2013
11/05/13: Open Morning, 9.30am to 12 noon.
January: 26/01/13, Family Fun Quiz. Ticket price includes
a meal. Adults £5, Children £3. 6.30pm to 9pm. To
request 1ckets call or email Jo Baker on
07791 392277, email: [email protected]
Where admission is by 3cket only please ring
01509 638282 for more informa3on.
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