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CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS for 2003 - 2004 Once again it is a privilege as your Chairman, to write the introductory remarks for the MOGA Newsletter. Miss Pike our former headmistress sadly died on 2nd September and I, along with three others from the north and many southern members, represented you all at her funeral in Dublin. Unfortunately Iris Armstrong our President, who continues to give MOGA enthusiastic support, was unable to be there, as she was attending the wedding of her son Ian in Spain. The Association continues to thrive, with our AGM and Thursday lunches in Belfast, and the Christmas lunch in Dublin on the first Tuesday of December. This is entirely due to those who work hard at keeping things going. Our Secretary Dorothy Eccles has been extremely active on our behalf, organising events and keeping in touch with various members throughout the year, and for this we all owe her our gratitude. Lorna Magowan who has looked after the finances so well, is retiring as Treasurer, and my thanks go to her for the excellent way, and with great humour, she has fulfilled this post. I would like to express my thanks to the Committee members, (including Jennifer Moffett and Leslie Penney in Dublin, who do a great job organising the Christmas lunch), who are always willing when asked, to give their help. Kathleen Welshman, in whose home we continue to have our committee meetings, is the ‘fount of all knowledge’ as far as MOGA is concerned, and any queries we have about various members are soon sorted. One person I must not forget to thank is Linda Ballard, who continues to edit this Newsletter in such an excellent manner, and is always looking for contributions. Finally I would like to thank you all for your support of the Association. Best Wishes to you all – Carole Stewart
HON SECRETARY’S REPORT for 2002 - 2003 It gives me pleasure as association secretary to present my report for 2003-04, and to welcome to our new president, Iris Armstrong. We also send our best wishes to our past president Edna who has served us so well for five years. We have a membership of approximately 130, and are delighted to welcome to a new member, Phil Mills (nee Bewley) who joined us at the Spring Supper. While numbers are down, mainly due to lapsed membership, the association continues to thrive and many thanks must go to Kathleen Welshman for the use of her home for our lively committee meetings. My personal thanks to Kathleen for keeping me informed of news items both sad and glad. Enormous thanks to the many members who contribute so generously to our charities. This year £300.00 was donated to Christian Aid, £200.00 to the Masonic Jubilee Fund and £100.00 to the Dublin Sunshine Home. Our social functions continue to flourish and I am grateful to the Old Girls who support the occasions time after time. 38 Old Girls attended the Christmas Lunch at Bewley’s Hotel (formally our old School) with 22 from the north and 16 from the south. Chair Person Carole welcomed everyone to the lunch. An excellent meal was enjoyed by all and followed by a complimentary drink from the hotel. This event was ably organised by Jennifer Moffett one of our southern representatives: many thanks Jennifer! A big thank you to the Old Girls who visited Olive Griffen during her stay in a Nursing home.
Once again Rockmount Golf was the venue for our Spring Supper. 28 Old Girls attended and had Lynn McGlade succeeded in finding Rockmount it would have been 29 – next time I’ll remember to send her a map! We were pleased to see Greta McMordie (nee McKelvey) who was there to greet us but was unable to stay for the meal due to home commitments.
Many thanks to President Iris, Chair Person Carol, Treasurer Lorna and the members of the Committee for their support during the year. Special thanks to Linda Ballard our Newsletter Editor for her contribution to the Association, and to everyone who supplied material for the Newsletter. On behalf of the Association I extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to my Nephew-in-Law Trevor Edwards who continues to do all our secretarial work so willingly.
OBITUARY IN MEMORIUM We remember with affection and respect Olive Griffen (nee Rezin), who died in August, Flossie Sands (nee Lewis) Joan Warren (nee Burling) and Myrveen Wilson. Sympathy has been extended by our Hon Secretary on behalf of us all to the relatives of members who died this year. We also express our condolences to Mary Shaver (nee Muirhead) on the loss of her husband, and to Roberta Ludlow (nee Vaughan) on the loss of both her husband and her brother. Our thoughts are with Sheila Prentice on the death of her husband. Florence Frances Mary Sands, nee Lewis
CONGRATULATIONS from all MOGs to Nancy Sterne (nee Rowe) and her husband on the recent celebration of their Golden Wedding Anniversary. We also send congratulations to Ella Palmer (nee Bell) and all her family, as Ella has just become the proud great grandmother of ‘a beautiful great grand daughter.’ Very good wishes go to Carole McCartney, whose daughter is soon to be married at Hillsborough Parish Church, where Kathleen Welshman looks forward to being among the guests. Very best wishes too, to President Iris Armstrong whose son is marrying a Spanish bride in Valencia during September. Irene Acheson, (nee Halliday) has been appointed Vice Principal of Brooklands Primary Schooland wesend her congratulations and good wishes in her new post. Double congratulations go to the Acheson family, as Irene’s daughter, Lynne, graduated this year from Queen’s University, and has decided to return to university to read for her Master’s degree. Good wishes too to Chairman Carole Stewart, and congratulations to her daughter on being appointed to a teaching post at Lurgan College. Linda Ballard’s (nee Smith) daughter Eimear graduated from the University of Warwick in the summer with a double first, and has been awarded an Arts and Humanities Research Board bursary to continue her studies. Eimear has returned to university, where she will read for her Master’s. Treasurer Lorna Magowan (nee Lavery) and her husband Bill spent Christmas in Australia, on a six week visit to their daughter, Guida, who now lives there, and good wishes go to the family from us all.
Congratulations to Roberta Ludlow on the birth of her grandson. Roberta sent a lovely tribute to ‘old friends and colleagues’ acknowledging the support she received from Jan, who nursed Roberta’s husband after surgery, and also outlined for the newsletter the experiences surrounding the arrival of her grandson: Rachel, our daughter, was pregnant with her second child and was planning a home birth under the Community Midwives Scheme. Who was head of this team? One of my Royal Victoria Hospital PTS (Preliminary Training School) companions of February 1963. Rachael experienced a few problems, which were ironed out by a quick telephone call. Great is the ‘old girl’ network’. Rachael unfortunately was admitted to the Ulster Hospital at thirty four weeks, and Mum, being in Donegal, had to make a hasty journey to her bedside, but I needn’t have worried, as who was in charge of the ward but Yvonne (nee Connolly) from Masonic. I immediately recognised her Ballymoney accent and made myself known to her, so we had great old natter. Later, as I was chatting to Rachael, another familiar figure appeared: an ex-Royal nurse of my era. I thought ‘Rachael, you will be well looked after here.’ Again, lots of chat about mutual friends and times in the Royal in our day! By now I think Rachael was quite impressed with her mum’s circle of friends. I left Rachael in very capable hands and she was delivered of a lovely son the following week, by Caesarean section, all quite traumatic, but we had the strong support of Yvonne as Sister of the unit, and mother and baby did well. Thanks Yvonne and Jan. (Roberta’s generous tribute reminds me that Yvonne was also a midwife in Newtownards Hospital when my daughter, Eimear, was born, and I felt very secure with her looking after us, especially as I remembered her as a lofty sixth former, while I was a Junior.)
SCHOOL MEMORIES Thanks to the MOG who kindly sent in some additional lines for that poem we must all have enjoyed reciting with gusto from time to time: No more Irish, no more French No more sitting on a hard old bench Kick up tables, kick up chairs Kick old (insert name of choice) down the stairs No more cockroaches in my tea No more hockey at half past three. Dorothy Eccles (nee Boyd) sent in a fabulous photograph of girls at the School Picnic in 1941, but alas it’s too dark to scan and reproduce in the Newsletter. However, it shows a group of several young ladies, some reclining, some standing, on a huge dolmen. Dorothy has also generously shared two letters she sent home from school, the first dated Sunday,12 February, the second undated, but evidently written shortly afterwards. The year isn’t given, but Dorothy reckons they were written c 1938. Sadly, the final page of the second letter is missing, but as ever they provide an astonishing insight into life at MGS. Both letters begin, ‘My dear darling Mammy’. Sunday, 12th February I hope you, Tom and Margaret are well. I was glad to hear that Marg is home, and I hope she will soon recover the colour to her cheeks. We have settled down again, and I have missed a lot of history and Irish but I hope I will soon catch up. Terence has not come for his marmalade yet. Miss Legg is keeping it for him. He might be over on Tuesday, which is his Board Day. Miss Legg met us at the Station and we went to the school in a Taxi. Kathleen and I paid 1/6 each. We have 8/6 left. We arrived at school about 5.50pm. We were taken to the infirmary and we both had disinfected baths as well as our hair washed and disinfected. All our clothes that we brought back were put in a small room and a Sulphur Candle was put in it.. Miss Rankin lent us old clothes. Then Miss Legg wrapped us both in blankets and took us down to the bottom ward of the infirmary where a lovely fire was burning. She brought us each in a hot cup of milk and some bread. The girls were all glad to see us. The fancy dress dance is this term on the 17th March. Ethel and Edna Blair are going as Quality Street. They have their costumes. Mary Muirhead is going as a Victorian lady. Would you please see Alice about Kath’s and mine as soon as possible. You would know whether it would fit me or not. Mary’s mother is sending her costume by post and if you put ’Worn Clothes’ on it, I won’t have to pay anything. Don’t forget, for it is very important.. Please send last week’s tip-top as well as this, if you can. I have not got much news so please excuse if this is short. We went for a walk today, but had to turn back because of rain, then hailstones, and then rain again. Ethel was very glad to see us back and would hardly believe that you baked that chocolate cake, it was so delicious. The Junior Cup match against Loretto was played on Monday, the day I came back, and Loretto won. The Senior Cup (hockey) Match was played on Thursday against Arklow, and Arklow won. Don’t forget to write immediately and send comics. Miss Tuckey found some of the girls’ mothers were putting sweets and chocolate in their papers, but she couldn’t do anything. But she is opening all the papers and large envelopes, so please don’t risk anything. I have got a touch of cold, but I hope it will soon go away. I hope everybody around you are well. How is Mrs Hamilton? Are her knees any better? This is all I can think of at present, but I will try and write a long one next week. We had a letter from Betty. Love from Dorothy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Sunday I hope you, Tom and Margaret are keeping well. I received your letter and comics and Daily Express. I would love you to send another ‘Daily’ with a long letter, and thanks very much for the last. The ‘business girl’ is very nice, but I would rather have the middle one than the last. I don’t think the third one is nice, the one from Lurgan was ‘miles’ nicer than her. Do you not think so? I was very sorry to hear about Mr McCullough’s death. I am writing to Aunt Kath today. I intended writing Alice, but I have already planned my fancy dress. I am going as a ‘Best Man’ in a wedding, which consists of May Whitten (Bride) Beta Kerr (Bridegroom) Betty Dawson, Peggy Duffas, Olive Wilmot (Bridesmaids) and I (Best Man). I want you to send me your white silk gloves. They are in the drawer yonder. I will take care of them. But when you are sending them, wrap them up in a parcel, not in a comic or anything. Ask the girl in the Post Office to put ‘Soiled Clothes’ all over it, and ask her if you would have any money to pay on it. Betta Kerr got a pair of trousers sent to her and she hadn’t to pay anything on them. Please don’t forget, and I will bring them home safe. We are making the top hat out of cardboard and covering it with black satin, which is 5d per yard. Olive Wilmott is getting the ‘tails’ from home. She lives in Dublin, and we have a pair of navy blue ‘slacks’ but the tails are black and we don’t know what to do about black trousers. There isn’t a pair about the house anywhere of Terence’s. I have got a white waistcoat. Mary Whitten has one, and I will just wear my ordinary shoes. Those two pieces of satin were the material of Ethel’s fancy dress, which was only 5d per yard. How is everyone around you keeping? Mrs Hamilton, Miss Wardlow, Mrs Magee, Mrs Shannon, Miss Cherry and so on. Please excuse this scribble, but I am in a terrible hurry, because I have a big part in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ to learn, for a play in English. The mornings are very bright now, and the blue sky and sun was lovely this morning from 7.30 to 1 o’clock, but all of a sudden the sky got so dark and was all grey and it is ‘pouring’ now. We might not be going for a walk, and I hope not. Last night (Sat) a missionary called Miss Woodrift came and gave us a Lantern Lecture of life in Persia, and showed us pictures of the school where her friend Geoffrey Earl teaches. It was very interesting and we all enjoyed it. How is Margaret’s health? I hope she had already gained her liveliness and high spirits. How is Mr Kyle? I suppose there is a great change over him. Do you still see him at all? This morning in church a baby was christened. Her name is Elizabeth Maira. I think this is the right spelling. It is pronounced like Moira only ‘a’ in the place of ‘o’. I haven’t much news, but I hope to have next Sunday, after a long letter from you. I am sending Alice a card anyway, asking her about Kathleen’s things. Is Tom home yet? I suppose Margaret will soon be starting school again. There is a ‘sale’ here on next Saturday. I will tell you about it next week. It is held every year in a hall in Baggott Street, about one and a half miles from here. The days are flying in, and it won’t be long to Easter. (Cheers). The crocuses in my garden are in full bloom, and there are also some wallflowers appearing. Ethel’s brother, James, was sick with flu, and was in bed for a week, and is up now. You know, he is at a Boarding …….. At this point, Dorothy’s letter stops, bringing these reflections on MGS to a close. Perhaps Dorothy will share some more of her letters with us in future. And if anyone else has memories, do please put pen to paper. There must be loads of stories about the infirmary. I still remember waking up in a pink painted room, which was either hexagonal or octagonal in shape, a bright fire reflecting off the ceiling. I don’t quite know how I arrived there, or for how long I was sick, but I still recall Brigid bringing my meals on a tray, and Miss Legg finding me some ancient books from a supply that must have been kept aside for girls who were unwell.
Kathleen (Boyd) Thallon writes on “A ROOM WITH A VIEW”, her visit to Florence in January 2004
MICHELANGELO'S DAVID inFLORENCE
My sister Dorothy and I went to Florence this year. Barbara, my daughter has organised trips to Rome, Paris and Venice for us but Florence was the one city we were all really excited to visit because of the wonderful works of art. We were joined by our friend Dorothy Riley from Ilkley in Yorkshire. We flew from Belfast to Gatwick to meet up with Dorothy R. who had flown down from Manchester. We departed for Pisa on time but then the fun started, as we had to find the train station for our journey onwards to Florence. We were now in a country with a different language, and after a considerable wait for a bus (which was too full to take us to the railway station) we decided to take a taxi the whole way to Florence. No such thing! No cars were able to go to Florence because of the snow! The taxi took us to the station where we studied how to buy a ticket from a machine, and had some lovely help from three Scottish girl students. After validating the tickets we boarded a train….hoping it would take us to Florence. Dorothy Eccles to the rescue, she chatted up a lovely Italian lady in a real fur coat, who confirmed that we were all on the right train! This journey took just over one hour and cost four of us just under twenty Euro (£14 = £3.60 each).
The station in Florence was large but we managed to find our way to our hotel, which was only ten minutes walk away. Towing our suitcases we arrived, ironically, at Hotel Paris right in the heart of Florence. The hotel was wonderful with its frescoed ceilings and stained glass windows. The ‘old world’ atmosphere of big corridors and wide staircases gave us all a great sense of space – and then we found that the lift wasn’t working! So after slightly struggling (but not too hard) up four flights of stairs we settled ourselves in and had a little glass of wine courtesy of British Airways!
After breakfast in the wonderful frescoed dining room we were eager to see everything that Florence had to offer, so set off early to visit the Duomo, which was just ten minutes’ walk away. It was the grandest building project ever undertaken in Florence and its vast russet coloured dome dominates the skyline wherever you are in the City. The Duomo is considered to be the grandest engineering feat of the Renaissance. We then walked a short distance to Ponte Vecchio (old bridge) and en route we found a little coffee stop – my daughter’s rules in a city break are to have short breaks each day to eat, drink and soak in the atmosphere of a different culture. Our first coffee stop was perfect and quite special – it was where Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa. We continued our walk to admire the Arno River and enjoy the glitzy jewellery shops on the Ponte Vecchio – the air was cold but the sky was blue and we all thought Florence was the best city in the world. Our lunch stop was a ‘gem’ not far from the bridge and down some steps into a tiny restaurant with no tourists except us! Just what we wanted: we discovered that Buca dell Orafo (the restaurant) had the most delicious Florentine pasta. After a couple of carafes of local chianti we proceeded to the second part of our itinerary for that day – the wonderful Uffizi Art Gallery, where we walked for hours gazing at Bottecelli’s Venus, Michaelangelo and Caravaggio paintings. These were the ‘real’ ones – we have all seen posters but to actually see the real work is quite special. We enjoyed an evening meal beside our hotel and retired very happy from our experiences.
Saturday was set aside to explore the markets and do a bit of retail therapy! Once again one of the best markets was just round the corner from the Duomo where we all did quite a bit of bargaining with the local market traders. Pink, purple and green leather gloves and colourful pashminas were the best buys, all for less than ten Euro each. Galleria dell’Accademia and the magnificent ‘David’ was our next Italian experience – and what an experience to see a sixteen foot totally naked man before our eyes! ‘David’ was sculpted by Michaelangelo from one single block of marble when the artist was just twenty-nine years old. The statue shows David’s pose preparing to fight Goliath. It represents beauty, power and defiance. Those who had mobiles were texting their experiences home! Our walk back to the hotel passed the famous ‘designer’ streets, Via della Vigna Nuova and Via Tornabuoni and we all purchased our little Versace numbers for the Spring Dinner! Not the dress but a wonderful art deco bottle of Donatella’s perfume.
Still walking after two and a half days, we visited the Gothic Franciscan Church of Santa Croce where we saw the tombs of Michaelangelo, Rossini and many other famous Italians. The day was crisp and dry but so very cold, and we all thought how sensible the smart Italian ladies were in their warm fur coats. Lunch today was in another ‘gem’, Enoteca Baldovino’s Wine Bar that is just beside Santa Croce – well worth a stop. Our last destination was the Palazzo Pitti – across the Ponte Vecchio bridge. This was the home of the famous Medici family during the mid sixteenth century. We couldn’t believe how many magnificent paintings it contained and after two hours walking through endless galleries we had galleried ourselves out, and headed to the nearest café for a well-earned cup of tea.
Suddenly our day of departure arrived and we were well prepared with our rail tickets and duly validated them before getting onto the train – this time we could see the countryside and be amazed by the speed of the train. We decided that Florence was a city not to be missed in one’s lifetime. On arrival at Pisa we had a quick visit to the famous ‘leaning tower’. Our very handsome taxi driver took a lovely photograph beside it, and boy does it lean!
Next stop Prague.................
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