Kicking against my schooling!

cj · Post by cj » Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:05 am

Have just found my copy of the Blue Book (1986-1987), which was given to all pupils at the start of the academic year. Mrs Cairncross was in post as Senior Mistress in 1986, so Miss Morrison must have had just the one year at Horsham before retiring. I too remember her fondly.

englishangel · Post by **englishangel** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:34 am

I think she died about 5 years ago. I met her at Horsham in 1997, and although she never taught me she remembered me. I liked her too.

Vonny · Post by **Vonny** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:36 am

As CJ says - I think BJM was only at Horsham for a year - just to see us all settled in I guess. I don't really remember seeing her around much at Horsham though. She became headmistress at Hertford in 1982 (*I think*). When I started in 1981 Miss Tucker was head.
I last saw BJM at the first Old Blues Day I went to which was the first one after I left. She came up to me & said that she was pleased I had passed my A Levels

I can't recall when she died but as EA says - probably about 4 or 5 years ago.

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:17 pm

I think that Jean Morrison died in 2001. She attended the OG Millennium reunion in Hertford in the summer of 2000 (we have photos of all three ex-Heads together) but became ill shortly afterwards. I recall going to Hertford for her funeral the following January. Richrd Poulton (formerly Head at Horsham) gave a moving address, which captured her perfectly.
In retirement she lived in Gwynn's Walk, Hertford - just up the hill and within sight of the school gates.
Yes, she had been Senior Mistress at Hertford from the 1960's (following Miss Blench) and became Headmistress when Elizabeth Tucker moved to Headington in 1982. This was however a limited appointment. She oversaw the last three years in Hertford and moved with the girls to Horsham, living in the Deputy Head's house but I don't think she was called 'Deputy Head', for one year only. Elizabeth Cairncross took over from her (and was called 'Deputy Head') in 1986.
However, Jean was a familiar sight in Horsham thereafter - Speech Days, Old Blues Days, just about anything else days as well! She also became a Freeman of the City of London.

Angela Woodford · Post by **Angela Woodford** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:45 pm

I think that overall, she was my favourite mistress. I never knew what the B stood for. I'd heard Nellie Norman call her "Jean".

I remember her telling us that she'd had difficulty deciding whether to go into teaching or read Medicine!

If she was Headmistress, did she have a portrait painted?

I did go back on an Old Girls Day when my children were little - I'd got a bag stuffed with baby pictures of my three - BJM perused them with every show of interested fascination. In retrospect, not very interesting for her at all!

Strangely, for an English mistress, I don't remember her inspiring me in any way to read, or love literature (but I suppose I did anyway). What was magnificent was her discipline as a grammarian, her agile mind, her gift for organisation and that dry sense of humour.

Love

Munch

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:51 pm

Yes, her portrait hangs in Dining Hall at Horsham.
By many OG's she is remembered for her enthusiastic support for drama.

Angela Woodford · Post by **Angela Woodford** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:55 pm

Quick reply Kerren - thank you!

What did "B" stand for?

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:13 pm

Barbara (I think....)