A Girl's School from Outside

[lonely_wolf]

Thanks Alexandra, especially for pointing out the photo. In spite of your precise directions I was a while finding it and experienced serious doubts in the meantime, since Sophie's hair couldn't be described as frizzy when I saw her, and I'd never thought of it as very blonde. However, as soon as I saw the picture, any uncertainty vanished with a sharp intake of breath. It's fairly unreal to imagine someone still existing whom you last saw decades ago, but I must say in this case it was even stranger to find evidence that they existed for years before I ever met them.

Judging by the uniform, there were no laws against child cruelty in those days, but mercifully it's in monochrome.

englishangel, I still haven't found the mons photo ...

[englishangel]

Can't be bothered to find it so will just repost it.



Julie is far right and Shelagh second left in the middle row. (in the whole photo actually)

[Liz Jay]

Hi Mary

I've finally worked out what looks odd to me about this picture and that it's because so many of the girls see to be wearing their hair loose/in flattering hairstyles.

That was never the case in my brief sojourn at Hertford (always tied back as soon as it touched the collar) so how or when did that happen???

Love
Liz

[englishangel]

About 1970, Barbara Borgars mentioned she was allowed to have hers down for St Matts Day, then several of us had our hair cut in layers which looked really untidy tied back, and it all went a bit pear shped. Vidal Sassoon school in Kinightsbridge for a cheap groovy (in the 1970 vernacular) haircut, and David Clulow in Earls Court for contact lenses.

[lonely_wolf]

Thanks for reposting the photo e.a. Are you and Alex on there?

[englishangel]

Alex is back row, extreme left and is instantly recognisbale today, except she is blonde, I am front row left.

[lonely_wolf]

Thanks again.

[lonely_wolf]

The original posting of the mons photo with the complete cast list is on the 3rd page of "Housemistresses".

[lonely_wolf]

I tried to contact Sophie through FR a few weeks ago but had no reply. I would have liked to have asked her permission, but I don't think it will do any harm to show the photos I took on Sunday 29 June 1975, and I think they deserve a place in the wonderful archive which this forum constitutes.

Exhibit A : Shows Toni in, I'm guessing, the UVI Study, caught in the very act of making one of her characteristically extravagant and expressive gestures. Imagine! having Toni sitting a few feet across the room from you.

http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss31 ... 5/toni.jpg


Exhibit B : Shows Sophie in their 70s-style cubie, "laughing her perfect laugh", and sandwiched between the 2 brothers who cadged a lift from me. Toni's bf obviously attending to what Toni has to say presuming she is to my left, while Sophie's bf has his interest engaged elsewhere. The sack (grrrr!), almost covered by either stripey blouse or summer dress, just seen top right.

http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss31 ... sophie.jpg


Exhibit C : Shows the 4 of them, Sophie with "hair hanging down hiding away her face", and a spare proto-gf from the year below, just before we said goodbye after our presence was discovered.

http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss31 ... d_toni.jpg


*** Quiz ***

1. Can anyone confirm the location for Toni's portrait? 40 points
Please allow for the size of her flares when estimating room size.

2. Can anyone identify exactly which cubie (or other room) they had? 200 points
Clues : position of fireplace, drainpipe seen through window which must be the side of 2s or 4s.

3. Whose defaced portrait adorns the wardrobe door? 10 points

4. Can you still get those yellow plastic things that hang from the ceiling on a long spring? 20 points

5. Stripey blouse or summer dress? 30 points

6. Who's the spare gf? Forename and surname 20 points each

7. Can anyone identify the building in the last photo? 80 points
I looked for it last year but think it must have been knocked down.
Folk memory says it was at the top right end of the square, nearish to a public road.

[Fjgrogan]

Looks to me like the side of the swimming pool building, with the pathway alongside it leading to the infirmary?

[Angela Woodford]

Exhibit B: this can't be a cubie! From the height of the bed, the window and the fireplace, I think that this must be Little Dorm in 3s. To me, it looks back to front, as a 6s girl would think.

I definitely recognise the mugs. We had the same ones! Any points for Exhibit B mug recognition?

The clothes! How marvellous - the flared trousers, the boys' sweaters and their shirts with pointy collars. Sophie looks so beautiful and sophisticated! If only we had been allowed to wear our own clothes and some makeup. It would have made all the difference to morale.

[thamesmudandbarges]

Looks to me like the side of the swimming pool building, with the pathway alongside it leading to the infirmary?

That's the pavilion and the chapel in the background - opposite side of the field from the infirmary and swimming pool.

[Vonny]

The closest we got to having male company at Hertford was when they got painters in just before the school closed in 1985

[Fjgrogan]

thamesmudandbarges: I don't think we are looking at the same photo!

[lonely_wolf]

thamesmudandbarges: I don't think we are looking at the same photo!

Nor me!

Swimming pool would be in the right place. There's a road now between the back of 5s and what was the playing field where the swimming pool stood, but that must be new. So if you'd been standing where that photo was taken, how would you get out of the school grounds by the shortest route?