Portico Association
CONTENTS
Welcome to Spotlight by Stover Portico Association, click on a link above to read the article:
CHAIR'S LETTER OF WELCOME
To you all,
I am pleased to welcome you all to the latest edition of "SPOTLIGHT.3
This is the first occasion that I have had of writing to you as Chair of SPA and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible at future events. I attended Stover from 1969 - 1976 and look back on those times with much affection. I feel that the lessons learnt at boarding school stand you in good stead for life generally and that the friendships made, endure.
With that sentiment in mind I feel that SPA has an important role to play reuniting old friends and keeping contact details up to date. There are chances to meet up at our own events or by sending your updated information and news to Eileen for circulation and updating on our database. Email contact details are always particularly welcome as this is such a quick and cost effective way of sharing information.
There are more detailed reports later in this newsletter, but I wanted to mention the success of the reunion lunch held this year in Bath and the buffet at Exeter Cathedral after the carol service. We hope to have the annual lunch at a different venue in 2008, possibly Oxford or Salisbury, with a view to returning to London in 2009 and back to Bath in 2010. Your suggestions and feedback are most welcome as ever.
I was recently lucky enough to join the 51st birthday celebrations for Sue Thorneloe, Pauline Woods, ‘Cecil' Hitchens and Pat Silverlock. Although these girls were two years my senior at Stover we remembered each other well. When I arrived in the Hall and saw Sue playing the piano, it was as if nothing had changed in 35 years or so. We had a wonderful time reminiscing and telling Sue Bradley of some of the escapades that went on in the "good old days."
The essence of Spotlight is to keep you up to date with developments at Stover and with news of past pupils. Please send Eileen or myself your items for inclusion in the next issue.
With very best wishes to you all,
Mary Downey (McGahey)
EXETER CATHEDRAL CAROL SERVICE AND SPA BUFFET
The Carol Service held at Exeter Cathedral on Thursday14th December 2006, was an outstanding success. Enjoyed particularly by those members of SPA , one or two even joining in the descant with the choir, remembered from their earlier days at Stover! The School Choirs and Orchestra were excellent and the buffet lunch provided afterwards by the Cathedral catering staff in an adjoining room, first class.
Everyone attending enjoyed meeting with ‘old friends'. During the meal afterwards, the presentation of a planted rose bowl was made by the Chairman to Rachel Evans for her many years serving in various posts on the Committee.
BRENDA MORGAN - FORMER HEAD OF STOVER SPORT
We were all shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden and untimely death of Brenda who was Head of Games and PT at Stover from 1967 until 1993. With her three boisterous sons often in attendance, she was a lively and popular staff member. At the Funeral Service, Teigngrace Chuch was overflowing with past pupil and staff. Afterwards a buffet provided back at the School where Brenda's family and in particular her three sons, David, Nicholas and Rhoddri were on hand to chat to everyone.
Enthusiastic in her Department, we have had many supportive letters from past pupils and colleagues, so often praising Brenda for her encouragement and support as well as recalling the fun that they had on her frequent sporting trips to various lax., netball and tennis matches as well as trips to Wimbledon and ski trips overseas. Brenda often drove the School minibus many miles to and from destinations as well as umpiring at games and supervising foreign accommodation.
With all this in mind, we decided to ask Members if they would like to raise a collection in her memory. We currently have £300 and have now decided to finalise the fund. The School is planning to provide a Sports Hall and with this in mind the Committee have agreed to donate the collection towards this project, provided that Brenda's name can be incorporated in the building.
ANNUAL REUNION LUNCH 2006 LONDON
Although limited in numbers, this was a popular and successful occasion. Members agreed that a change of venue for a future year would prove a good idea and by popular vote Bath was agreed for the venue in 2007.
"Walking through the Holiday Inn doors was quite nerve racking. Who would I meet, what would they look like now and what would I say after all these years?" I needn't have had any concerns, the day was a great success and it was such fun to meet up with past classmates, reminisce and plan to meet up again in the future. The food and venue were delightful and a wonderful time was had by us ‘Old Girls' who didn't really want to get back on the train at 5.30pm." Joanne Quayle.
ANNUAL REUNION LUNCH 2007 - BATH
Comments received -
"Just to let you know that the Bath venue was very nice and our little group certainly enjoyed the day. The service was friendly, and it was lovely to see my friends again. Kate Howard.
"It was great - one of the best ever - an opinion shared by all I think. Such a good mix of ages, everyone finding someone of their own generation. Patricia Parkin.
"A really good ‘do' and everyone seemed very positive about the new venue. The food was very nice, the service excellent - plenty of time to chat." Mary Downey.
"A quick line to say what an enjoyable time was had by all and what an excellent location. So near the station and great to be able to wander around the city a bit too. We had a most interesting lunch sitting with some who had been at Stover during the war years, including Mrs Key's niece." Anthea Morley Smith.
"Writing a quick note to say how much my friend Deidre White and I enjoyed the reunion in Bath. I had been hesitant about going but accepting the challenge ,we both had a most enjoyable and interesting time. Having renewed my interest I'd be grateful if you could send me the necessary form to rejoin SPA." Ann (Webster) Chapple.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2006
The day commenced with coffee being served at 10.30am followed by the AGM at 11.00am. Most Committee members were present, also Mrs Liz Colman(Rawe),Miss Ann Smith, Dr. Pene Key, Mrs Andrea Carter(Upham), Mrs Mary Smith(Hooper), Mrs Fran Lockwood(Dann), M/s Heather Deacon and Mrs Angela Symes. Apologies were received from Mrs Brenda Morgan, Mrs Anne Smith(committee), Miss Lizzie Anning, Mrs Wendy Lunel, Mr. Philip Bujak and Mrs Margaret Batten.
All Committee Members were re-elected for a further twelve months.
Items of interest - commenting on SPA's accounts, now that subscriptions were no longer paid the Chairman hoped that profits would be made on SPA social events, to enable SPA to continue supporting some School events.
After the Meeting, an excellent lunch was provided by the Head of the Catering Department, followed by a lecture and slide show given by the Bursar, Stuart Drabble on the history of Stover House and the surrounding buildings and grounds, which kept everybody spellbound, followed by a tour of the new buildings conducted by Mrs Bradley. Tea and scones served in the dining room rounded off an excellent day, definitely recommended for future years.
ANNUAL REUNION LUNCH 2007
The Chairman reported that the occasion this year in Bath, had been very successful, with excellent food and accommodation. Her suggestion of Salisbury for the 2008 venue was warmly supported and Mary agreed to provisionally book the the White Hart Hotel, which provides a private room, with free car parking, at a very reasonable price for a three course meal on Saturday 8th March 2008.
SCHOOL MAGAZINE - 2006/2007
Copies of the magazine are now available priced at £8 from the SPA Secretary.
NEWS FROM POLLY VACHER
Last October I had an updated letter from Polly in connection with her flying activities. Her book ‘Wings Around the World' is now available to buy from Grub Street Publishing, 4 Rainbow Close, London SW11 6SS. Tel. 0207 924 3966. Email: millis@grubstreet.co.uk
Price: £20 (p and p included), for a signed copy. £2 from every copy sold is being donated to the charity - ‘Flying Scholarships for the Disabled'. Unsigned copies can also be obtained from your local bookshop quoting OSBN 1904043543.
FORMER HEAD GIRL LEADING A CAMPAIGN FOR GIRLS WORLDWIDE
Tanya Strongman, Head Girl in 1996 and now working as a marketing executive for ‘Save the Children' and highlighting the charity's Education for Girls campaign. People can buy a ‘Back to School' pack from local Save the Children shops. For £2 school children in the UK can get a pen, notebook and folder, profits help another child around the world get the same. Find out more by logging on to www.savethechildren.org.uk
THE SISTER WHO STILL HELPS THOSE HURT IN CONFLICT
In an earlier article, a former pupil Nicci Pugh, encouraged pupils to consider nursing as a very worthwhile career. Now from a report in a local newspaper, her nursing activities during the Falklands campaign 25 years ago and since, we learn about her busy days helping with all the casualties. Within days of reaching the Falklands Islands, the hospital ship Uganda took on board hundreds of wounded servicemen from the battlefield, most of them needing emergency surgery. Helicopters buzzed overhead transferring casualties from the field hospital to the ship, delivering men with severe gunshot, mortar and shrapnel injuries.
Uganda admitted more than 700 casualties from the conflict zone, including around 100 Argentinean personnel. More than 500 surgical operations were carried out in the operating theatres on board during the conflict. Many of the men had severe burns or needed limbs amputated. Senior Nursing Officer Pugh witnessed the horrors of the conflict at first hand as she worked tirelessly as one of the three theatre sisters on board the ship. At times the operating theatre was so busy that all three surgical teams were operating at once. "It was very demanding" said Sister Pugh , "We had to deal with all the major trauma as soon as it arrived - many servicemen were transferred direct from the battlefield. We dealt with a lot of limb amputations and first and second line surgical treatment of gunshot and shrapnel wounds. It was a huge challenge but we like to think that we were well trained, and our professional nursing training carried us through."
Through a service association, she sets up trips to the Falklands Islands for veterans and their families, as a way of helping people come to terms with their experiences. Having trained at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and in London, she worked for many years as a theatre sister at the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske ,Truro. In 1980 she joined the Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service (QARNNS) and worked at Royal Naval Hospital Haslar near Portsmouth. "I was working as part of a fast-to-go unit that could move at any time, to any part of the world "she recalled. "The team that was sent to the Uganda was taken from Haslar and the Royal Naval Hospital Plymouth, in Stonehouse. Thanks to the intense preparation and planning, Uganda functioned extremely well. Staff trained on the ship as she sailed to Ascension Island, then continued their preparation en route to the Falkland Islands. When the Sir Galahad was struck we had the facility to expand our bed capacity - we opened another 50 bed ward at great speed." Sister Pugh and her colleagues soon got to know some of the seriously injured Royal Marines and Paras, including Simon Weston who suffered severe burns after the Sir Galahad was bombed and sunk. "There were many men like Simon and we used to chat with them when we had a moment. " A few weeks ago Simon Weston travelled to Devon to meet Sister Pugh- for the first time since the conflict -" it was very touching and quite emotional "she said" we talked for hours." "Also on board were Royal Marine bandsmen, whose wartime role is to be stretcher-bearers. " Without them we would have struggled" she said. " Most servicemen weigh well over ten stone and on a hospital ship that is moving about all the time you can't use trolleys."
Reflecting on her time during the conflict Sister Pugh added " In all service unites you rely very heavily on the efficiency and co-operation of your team and colleagues. Work was rather distressing for us all, but we hope we rose to the challenge. The patients were all very brave and their cheerfulness encouraged us all ."
Sister Pugh returned to Treliske Hospital in 1985 and continued nursing. After leaving the Health Service, she joined the South Atlantic Medal Association 1982, helping Falklands servicemen return to the islands. Her work during the conflict also features in the Imperial War Museum's Falkland Exhibition in London from May to September 2007. For details of SAMA82, visit www sama82.org.
BIRTHDAY REUNION
On Tuesday 27th February we turned back the clock at Stover. I was invited to join five others who were returning to Stover to celebrate a 51st birthday. Sue Thorneloe was the birthday girl visiting from her home in Australia. School colleagues being Celia Hichens, Pat Silverlock and Pauline Woods together with our Chairman Mary Downey (McGahey) all living in the WestCountry. Celia is a very successful farmer's wife milking 150 cows twice daily as well as coping with a family and carrying out other jobs on the farm. Pauline Woods also now married with a family, previously spent a while in the army and Pat lives in Cornwall where she has a very sucessful holiday letting business- Treloen Holiday Apartments at Mevagissy - 01726/842406. It was lovely to meet up with them all again, having joined Stover in 1970 just before they all left in 1973, I remembered them well.
Sue Bradley Stover's Principal, arranged for an excellent lunch for us all - much to the delight of the visitors we ate with the pupils and staff in the dining room, slightly less formal arrangements than they remembered though, with no trolleys to supervise! Needless to say they were soon joining current pupils at their tables, to tell them of the jaunts that they used to get up to when they were boarders! Of course former school photographs were closely studied, and then charging up to the dormitories to remember their old bed positions, after which down to the cellars which had changed beyond recognition. Then a visit to the uniform shop at Clock House where they proceeded to buy up a number of items. My poor legs, by the time we had been refreshed with a lovely tea with sandwiches in the Entrance Hall , Sue Thorneloe quietly playing hymns from memory on the piano - no longer sacredly kept locked and no doubt with Miss King watching over her shoulder!, everyone taking photos, they were all off to the grottos! I am afraid I declined that visit leaving them to carry on, on their own after being told that I had on the wrong shoes! How Brenda Morgan would have enjoyed meeting up again with her ‘games girls'.
It was a wonderful occasion and we have also enrolled two new members to SPA. Hopefully they will come back for another social occasion at Stover before too long. ERS.
A VISIT TO PADSTOW
This is an account of a very old Cornish custom written by Elizabeth Colman (Rawe) a former pupil who came back to Stover for the AGM last year and again to the Carol Service at Exeter Cathedral. She has provided us with an excellent photograph taken at the Carol Service buffet, but also a most interesting account together with photos of her family, involved in ‘Obby ‘Oss Day last year at Padstow, which makes entertaining reading.
"May 1st is the most important day of the year for Padstonians everywhere. They come home from all over the world every year if possible. It is a great honour to be Master of Ceremonies for the day and also to be chosen to carry and tease the ‘Obby ‘Oss out of it's stable. My family follow the Blue Ribbon ‘Oss and every year the Committee vote for who will be Master of Ceremonies and also who will bring and tease the ‘Oss out. So you can imagine how proud I was in 2006 when my three children were all chosen to do this at 10.am, the first appearance of the day of the ‘Obby'Oss. My eldest son Sean was Master of Ceremonies and his brother Simon carried the ‘Oss with my eldest daughter Karen teasing. Myself and my two younger daughters, Caroline and Charlotte all took a turn at teasing as well. It was a wonderful day for us all, even appearing on the tea-time Spotlight news!
For anyone who knows nothing about our May Day tradition, there are two ‘Obby ‘Osses. The Original Old ‘Oss and the Blue Ribbon ‘Oss which are quite frightening to look at. They each have their followers who follow the ‘Oss through the town all day. They each take different routes through the town during the day, meeting usually around the Maypole after tea for about half an hour, then going their separate ways again until about 9 - 10pm, when it is all over for another year. 2006 was a very proud day for my family and we are now looking forward to a slightly less emotional one this year!" Photo further on in this issue.
"On a different subject I am trying to get hold of anyone who was in my year at Stover or anyone who remembers me, so would love to hear from you. It was lovely to meet everyone at last year's Reunion in London, the SPA AGM at Stover and also the Carol Service in Exeter Cathedral, and I hope to do the same this year. Mrs Shillabeer SPA Secretary has my address and ‘phone number.
ROYAL SHOW AT STOVER JUNE/JULY 1952
Provided from Pat Walford's diary.
"This year the Royal County Show was held in the Stover School grounds.
Sunday 29th June - It was very hot and three of my friends fainted. Couldn't get to church so we had a service in the portico. In the evening the VIth form went to the dedication of the Show Ground by the Bishop of Exeter.
Monday 30th June - Before prayers the rest of the form took flowers for the Queen over to the Royal Pavilion. After lunch we went over for a preview of the show clad in our green dresses and panamas. The VIth form needless to say, kept themselves exclusively from the others! We arrived on the scene to have a press photographer come up and ask us which school we were. We saw the Princess Royal quite a lot at the beginning, she was dressed in grey and drove in a maroon car. We looked at the pit ponies and then two black horses came thundering towards us. As we stood gaping they turned and charged the other way. We all bought ices and ate them discreetly behind a tree. There was every kind of show: tractors, caravans, household things, flowers, forestry and pictures. Gina Edwards an Art student, was serving on an icecream stall, she got 25 shillings a day. We have to get up at 7 am tomorrow to go scavenging.
Tuesday July 1st - This morning we were woken about 5.30am by the awful noise of the first shift going to breakfast. At 6.30am we got up, and had a breakfast of cornflakes. Then we were off. After much wrangling we took over the sticks of the first shift, but they were less than useless so we used our hands. We didn't find anything interesting though the place abounded with litter. At about ten to eight the show staff began to stream in, Cars were constantly streaming up from the gate opposite the golf course. The Band of the Grenadier Guards was playing. Went to bed early.
Wednesday July 2nd - Got up about 6am. Went over armed with hooks and waste paper baskets. Our group did Seventh Avenue. Got back about 7.30am. Changed into clean dresses and panamas and shoes, and marched over to the showground. We had to walk through crowds of people lining the route to our special little corner reserved for us. About 11am the Queen arrived. She looked very sweet, dressed in black. Apparently when she passed us she looked back at us again. I had a very good view. When the Director was passing through the enclosure he told someone to drop litter if they liked because "these girls will clear it up"! He complimented us in a loud voice on our scavenging and said how clean the place looked, so everyone was very impressed with us. After lunch we crowded around the wire at the end of the games field, and I saw the Queen's hat as she came out of the Royal box. Then Miss Dence let us in the grounds and I had a beautiful vision of the Queen. She looked tired and wore a white hat. Miss Dence had tea and lunch in the Royal Pavilion, she said that when the Queen was tired she kicked her shoes off under the table. Lots of VIP's congratulated Miss Dence for us.
Thursday July 3rd - The place was in an awful mess and we didn't have time to finish Seventh Avenue properly. After breakfast a group of us took some sweet peas over to the Royal Pavilion and whilst we waited a policeman in front of the pavilion kept telling everyone that we were proposing - with our flowers ! It then rained and we were shown over the pavilion. There was the retiring room and behind it the Queen's dressing room and opposite, the dining room. We had sent flowers over on Monday and they were still there on the dining table yesterday. I bought a Western Morning News and shared a Journal with Anne Evans. Instead of games the seniors went to the Show. We saw the pairs hackney class and the march of the Royal Marines.
Friday July 4th - After the first lesson we went along to the Show and saw the Queen's signature. We came back to school for lunch and Torquay Grammar School encamped in the Hall and Gym. We watched jumping and hackneys and the South Devon Hunt pack, also an exhibition of sheep dogs. Saw Alan Oliver who is jumping for Great Britain in the Olympic Games in Helsinki. It was our last day of scavenging. We don't have to get up until 8am tomorrow. They have already started dismantling everywhere and everything feels awfully flat.
Saturday July 5th - This morning the Director and his wife planted a chestnut tree each in memory of the Royal visit."
THE CHESTNUTS AND STOVER 1929 - 1940
Provided by current Member Eileen Bevington (nee Carr)
I started at the Chestnuts as a six year old, with Miss Joan Dence as Headmistress. My brother went there too before going on to Newton College nearby. Miss Coldridge (Coley to us) taught me then, and this included School Certificate in 1938. Memories of country dancing on the tennis court accompanied by a harmonium!
In 1932 we all moved out to Stover, and we day girls travelled by our school bus, collected at our homes. We loved this beautiful house, in wonderful grounds with the glorious view of Haytor, especially at sunset. Phyllis Dence taught me piano and class singing and later I accompanied hymns at morning prayers. We had plenty of gym lessons and played games every afternoon. Lacrosse and netball and then tennis in the summer. Being in each team we travelled on Saturday afternoons to Paignton, Dawlish, Teignmouth and Seaton for matches followed by luscious teas!
There was prep. time, before going home for tea on weekdays. Of course we worked all Saturday mornings and one treat was the arrival of the ‘Stop me and buy one' icecream man on his ‘trike' at break time. Lots of swimming lessons in the summer term, feeling very chilly standing on the edge practising strokes. After lunch we lay on a mat on the gym floor. Every so often a week at the French table at lunch with Madamoiselle.
Reverend Maurice Key (rector of Highweek) prepared us for Confirmation (the actual service was in a Torquay church), - who fell in love with Miss Dence. We were sad when she left as she was such a very kind person, but glad when her sister Phyllis took over as Head Mistress in 1935. We were invited to visit the Rectory sometimes.
As a boarder later, we had such happy times and one half term a few of us slept on the lawn in a row. Saturday evenings consisted of darning and hair washing and Sunday afternoons a walk around the lake. We attended Highweek Church in the morning. We could join Miss Dence in her study before breakfast to kneel down and pray silently for five minutes.
Our piano examinations were held in Torquay, and in my first year I studied for ARCM, practising on Miss Dence's grand piano early every morning and on others during the day. I also helped the kindergarten for a year to prepare for teaching and had two young piano pupils. We had a Guide Company and some of us trained to be Guides. One summer we camped at Ugbrooke. Another time we handed drinks to riders at a Meet at Stover. One evening on the terrace we watched a magnificent arrora borealis.
The grottos were out of bounds. In my last year we helped to dig a small patch and plant vegetables. One special memory is of ‘Vi' who was a friend to us all and an indefatigable cook, working in the huge old kitchen near the side door. Amongst staff were Lydia, Hughie and 'Waterlilly'(Miss Waterman). ‘Wolly' was our friendly gardener and after I left in 1940, I returned to my beloved Stover and lived with Mr and Mrs Wolly in their bungalow whilst helping Matron looking after young boarders.
I have a photograph of the Hon. Margaret Bondfield presenting prizes at Speech Day on the top tennis court in 1936.
As the Battle of Britain was on, I had to wait 'til December to take my ARCM in London. Fortunately I passed but my father wouldn't allow me to study music there.
Another memory of mid 1930s is of an outbreak of polio in the area. Day girls had to stay at home and one Stover girl died in a village on Dartmoor.
I kept up with the Keys visiting them in Plymouth and they came to our home in Exeter (my husband was a vicar there). Also with Phyllis, who was Godmother to my youngest.