PRETORIA HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

Old Girls’ Association

Working in HopeSEPTEMBER 2011

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From the Editor’s Desk

PRETORIA HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATIONPrivate Bag X2, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028

email: oldgirls@phsg.org.za Tel: 012 430 7341

OFFICE BEARERS 2011

Chairman Wilma (Venter) Cloete Cell: 082 570 0837

Deputy ChairmanAnne (O’Brien) BarnardCell: 083 462 6160

TreasurerTina PanayiCell: 083 601 2147

SecretaryMerryl PierceCell: 072 293 4426OGA Office: 012 430 7341

Committee MembersKim LovegroveCell: 082 553 5029

Shani CloeteCell: 082 372 7454

Catherine Ironscatherineirons@gmail.com

Atli PhatudiCell: 082 513 6185

Staff LiaisonRosemary (Henderson) SpruytCell: 083 254 1396

Debra DugmoreCell: 082 332 0834

Joan MandersTel: 012 430 7341

NATIONAL BRANCHES

Cape TownDenise (Mostert) (Cadle) Fourie8 Minorca AveMonte SerenoSomerset West 7130Tel: 021 852 0738

DurbanLiz (Mobbs) Cluver10 Haygarth RdKloof 3610Tel: 031 764 6265Cell: 083 284 9492lizathome@absamail.co.za

GrahamstownDaphne (van der Merwe) RinkTel: 046 622 9554chich@intekom.co.za

HermanusLinda (Badenhorst) GriffithsTel: 028 313 1843

JohannesburgVal (Hearn) Taylor43 13th AveParktown North 2193Tel/fax: 011 7886922valtaylor@telkomsa.net

PietermaritzburgLiz (Spurdle) Irons44 Leonard Rd, Hilton 3245Tel/fax: 033 3433150rirons@cybertrade.co.za

INTERNATIONAL BRANCHES

United KingdomMichele (Beguin) Edwards23 Westbrook Rd, ReadingRG30 1LB United KingdomTel: 0118956 0892michele.edwards2@ntlworld.com

Australia – PerthEdda (von Lichtenfeld) EmeryTel: +61 89 293 0863Fax: +61 89 293 0871Cell: +61 42 136 3320edda@bigpond.net.au

Dear Old Girls

Driving through the main gate at PHSG these days is not quite the same as before – the imposing entrance looks as if it was built at the same time and in the same style as the main school buildings but, in fact, it has just recently been completed. It certainly lends an air of stateliness and elegance to the main entrance.

Admiring the new entrance leads one to think about the legacy that we, as Old Girls, are going to leave for future pupils and Old Girls of PHSG. We have all had the privilege of spending time in this gracious old building which has been declared a national monument – we need to ensure that the buildings, grounds and facilities can be maintained and enjoyed by those who follow us.

With this in mind I urge you to support the school’s ongoing fundraising efforts and, in particular, the Old Girls Trust which is for the benefit of the school, or the Eileen Nelson Fund, which is administered by the Old Girl’s Association and is for Old Girls in distress. Traditionally, girls’ schools have not been as fortunate as their male counterparts when it came to receiving sponsorships, donations or bequests from past pupils, but times are changing! At a previous AGM of the Association the question arose as to whether the Eileen Nelson Fund was being advertised sufficiently as a vehicle for donations and those present agreed that this was not the case. What better way to leave a legacy?

For more information on the Eileen Nelson Fund please contact our treasurer, Tina Panayi at tpanayi@mweb.co.za or our chairman, Wilma Cloete on 082 570 0837.

Greetings from Pretoria.

ANNE (O’BRIEN) BARNARD: EDITOR

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REMEMBERING JEAN HELEN (HIGGITT) MAGUIREIt is with regret that I advise you of the death of another of our Old Girls, JEAN HELEN (HIGGITT) MAGUIRE who died, aged 84, on 12 April 2011 in Port Elizabeth. Jean had lived in East London for many years where she taught Sub A to hundreds of little ones (my two included) at Stirling Primary School. She trained at Pretoria’s Normal Training College (if I can remember the name of the college correctly).

Only in the latter years did she and her husband move to Port Elizabeth to be near their son, where she died. She is survived by her husband and three sons.

When last I communicated with PHSG it was with Jill Corlett, but prior to that I used to correspond with Mrs Ferguson, 40–50 years ago! You’ve probably never heard of her. I still live in Nahoon, East London and look forward to receiving our newsletters with great enthusiasm.

Kindest regards and best wishes,JOANE OLIVIA (EDBROOKE) KIMBLE 1950Nahoon, East London

Ed: Anyone remember Mrs Ferguson?

TREATED LIKE A VIP AT MY REUNIONI must thank the whole OGA team for looking after me during my visit to the Reunion Luncheon in 0ctober 2010. It was nice to be given VIP treatment and to feel a little special after all these years.

On my return I wrote a small article about my trip and the reason for it and have submitted it to our local magazine, published for the benefit of the approximately 300 residents of Woodside. I am enclosing a copy of my article, typed by my old hands on my old typewriter! I only hope I have got my figures more or less correct.

All good wishes for the future of the OGA – you will obviously have a lot of recruits with the new arrangement for school leavers.

GEORGINA HARWOOD (1930)Norton Way, Rondebosch

Ed: We have printed Georgina’s article on page 6 – are you perhaps one of the 1930 girls?

Letters to the Editor

DATES TO REMEMBERPHSG OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION AGM: 15 OCTOBER 2011The Annual General Meeting of the OGA will be held at the school at 9 am followed by tea in the quad. All members are invited to attend.

GUIDED TOUR OF THE SCHOOL: 15 OCTOBER 2011Last year’s inaugural walkabout of the school led by Penny McNair was hugely interesting and very well attended. The guided tour will take place between the AGM and the reunion luncheons. All those interested, meet in the foyer at 11.30 am.

REUNION LUNCHEONS: 15 OCTOBER 201110th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th + Reunion Luncheons in the School Hall at 12.30 pm. Luncheons are strictly by booking only so please contact your convenor asap. Convenor details can be found on the back page of the newsletter.

OLD GIRLS’ SPORT DAY: 15 OCTOBER 2011This is a new event and is being organised by Shani Cloete. Please contact her on 082 372 7454 for details. She has put together an Old Girls’ netball, hockey and basketball team. PLay will commence at 10 am.

SPRING FAIR 2012: DATE TBCFor the last few years the OGA stall has gone from strength to strength. There is a big demand for homemade cakes and goodies since the demise of the cake stall. The Girls’ High and Boys’ High teddies are top sellers and becoming collectors’ items. Donations of home baked cakes, biscuits, sweets etc. as well as second-hand books will be gladly accepted on the day at the OGA stall. Please contact one of the committee members to arrange for collection if you are unable to attend.

We welcome your news, views and points of view.Please send your letters to:

The Editor, OGA NewsletterPrivate Bag X2, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028

ORemail: oldgirls@phsg.org.za

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Dear Old Girls

2010 was a very good year for our Association. It was a great help having Merryl Pierce, our correspondence secretary, at the school. She is available to talk to Old Girls visiting the school, to answer telephone calls for the Old Girls and to handle all the requests we bombard her with. She has really gone above and beyond the call of duty and we are very grateful.

Our database grows with approximately 280 members each year and, as the majority of these members are very young ladies, our communication with them is almost exclusively via email. We send out more emailed newsletters every year and unfortunately the young ladies change their email addresses quite often so we have many emails returned to us and these have to be followed up to try to get the latest email addresses. This is an administrative nightmare and Merryl has spent hours on the phone trying to get the correct information for our database. I would like to make a special request to all the ladies reading this newsletter – please update your information on our database by emailing the following details to Merryl Pierce at: PHSG Old Girls’ Association [oldgirls@phsg.org.za]

Surname

Maiden name

Christian name

Nickname (at school)

Initials

Matric year (or year left PHSG)

Postal address

Physical address

Chairman’sReport 2010

A SCHOOL REUNIONby GEORGINA HARWOOD (1930)

Early in October (jacaranda time) I visited Pretoria to attend the Annual Luncheon of the Pretoria High School for Girls Old Girls’ Association. Having left school in 1930 I had no contemporaries and, at the luncheon, another ex-scholar (aged 92) and I were given VIP treatment at the principal’s table. The school hall was packed with about 200 girls of all ages and we had a delicious, well served luncheon.

Not having been to Pretoria for many years, I scarcely recognised the city or the School. The city has extended to the east and south beyond Waterkloof Ridge with suburbs such as Erasmuskloof and Pierre van Ryneveldt, with extended development for Lyttelton and Irene – in my day these were distant suburbs.

I was able to stay with my granddaughter who lives in Pierre van Ryneveldt and she took me to the school for the Reunion. The trip was through an area via highways, shops, large houses, blooming jacaranda trees, etc. – in effect a strange city to me. Even when nearing the school I did not recognise the streets I used to know.

Of course the school has extended too. When I was a pupil there were probably about 600 pupils, having had a big intake in my first year. Now there are over 1 400 with a list for next year of over 300.

The original school buildings are still there with hall, offices, central courtyards, school rooms, etc. I noted the organ loft has been extended – in my years it only had room for my form, now there would be room for two or three forms. A large block has been built at the back of the original hall and a library extension added to the west side. In the grounds, a home has been built for the principal and the old tuck shop altered to house the vice-principal. A music centre has been developed in the grounds and a new sports viewing centre, the old one being developed as an arts centre.

Being adjacent to Loftus Versveldt, the school was asked to allow them to build an extra exit on an adjacent corner. In return the school was able to do extra paving, walling etc. The old hockey field is now grass instead of gravel and there are two of them.

In my early days at the school I contributed to the cost of building a swimming pool. The present pool is the third to be built …

Changes have been made in the boarding houses to allow for more boarders, with North Lodge now having a larger dining room to accommodate the boarders of both houses. Of course the meals are now outsourced, as are some other services.

In all it was exciting to me to note how my old school had grown and developed to fit into the present age.

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Country of residence

Mobile telephone number & code

Landline telephone number & code

Work telephone number & code

Sport played at school

Current interests

Qualification

Year of graduation

Occupation

Company where you work

Position

Home language

We would like to get our database of Old Girls as comprehensive as possible so that we can contact you and let you know what is happening at our school. We appreciate your assistance with this.

As always, Anne Barnard produced an interesting newsletter filled with news from Old Girls around the world. The eagerly awaited tome is avidly perused for news and updates of friends, some last seen 20, 30 and 40 years ago! The newsletter is also posted on the Girls’ High website under the Old Girls page together with other very useful and important notices and information. Next year we hope to post news on the web page more frequently so that the Old Girls are made aware of what is happening in the Association as well as at the school.

We attended the Mothers and Daughters tea at the school and it was a huge success. Former headmistress, Anne van Zyl, spoke about her experiences and appointment at the Oprah Winfrey Academy and it was very entertaining.

The Spring Fair, on 4 September, was a fun-filled day for everyone at the Old Girls stall. The theme this year was Punch and Judy and Kim and her band of workers, among others, her mom Bronwyn who is also an old girl, really put on a wonderful spread. We had homemade cakes, jams and preserves, covered hangers, fudge, lemon syrup and lemon curd among other things. And, naturally, beautifully dressed teddies. We chatted to Old Girls, renewed acquaintances with old friends and made new ones on the day. And on top of that we also made over R16 000 for the Association!

Mrs McNair and I attended the Durban Branch AGM and, as always, we were very warmly welcomed by Liz Cluver and her team and we shared a delightful tea with the ladies. One lady in her eighties entertained me with stories of the Second World War and how she swam the Suez Canal during the war. She was in the South African Army at that time and was one of the very few women in the army. What an ambassador for the Old Girls and for our Alma Mater!

Unfortunately, I missed the Johannesburg Branch AGM and tea but Melita Bagshaw, Pauline Myers and Alison Kitto attended and assured me that it was a grand occasion. Our branches work very hard to maintain contact with ladies in their area and we are very grateful to them for their hard work.

Headgirl from 2009, Thato Mabudusha, is studying at the University of Cape Town and she contacted me to find out if she could start an Old Girls’ group for students in Cape Town. She is a very loyal Old Girl and so I encouraged her to go ahead. I have put her in touch with the Cape Town branch and I am sure we will hear good news from that group.

We are forming an Old Girls’ Trust Fund to try to raise some funds for our school. The account will be opened at FNB shortly and the details will be posted on the Old Girls’ webpage. I want to encourage all of you to try to promote this idea to any Old Girls you come into contact with. Any funds received will be used for the larger projects that the school needs to remain at the leading edge in education in South Africa. Let’s all try to give something back to the school as a thank you for the great start in life we received here.

Sadly, two of our faithful members have asked to be released from the Committee for 2011 due to family pressures. Our vice chair, Beth de Beer and our secretary, Lindy Loots are taking a break for a year and we want to thank them for their many years of hard work for the Association. We wish them well in 2011 but also warn them that we expect them back in 2012 for the 110th birthday year of the school.

Thank you to the 2010 committee for all the hard work and dedication, all of you work really hard, either in your own businesses or for the school, and yet you are all prepared to go that extra mile for the Association. I really appreciate everything you do. A huge thank-you to Penny McNair and the staff at PHSG, you and your team work very hard to maintain this old lady in the grand style we are accustomed to, and for that we thank you. Thank you also for everything you do for the Old Girls, we are deeply appreciative.

My warmest regards,WILMA (VENTER) CLOETE; CHAIRMAN

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Movement among staff is inevitable these days and at the end of last year we sadly had to accept that our choir master Mr Barrett, who had lead the Senior Choir to amazing heights, was to leave to take up a new challenge. We have been most fortunate to secure the services of Ms Charlotte Botha since then and I am pleased to report that she is making great progress with the girls and is achieving a lot in a very short period of time. More recently, we have had to say farewell to an exceptional person and Deputy Principal, Melita Bagshaw. She has been appointed as Principal of Collegiate School for Girls in Port Elizabeth. It is a well-deserved promotion and we wish her well. She will be greatly missed, but we know she will do an incredible job as she takes up her new position.

The usual sport and cultural events have taken place over the last year, and we remain competitive in most areas. Attracting and retain-ing girls who excel in these areas is proving more difficult now as we have immense competition from the many private schools. As a school of excellence we need to provide facilities that encourage young ladies to choose PHSG above the private schools and with this in mind, the Governors have identified the construction of an Astroturf (artificial surface) hockey field as a priority project. We will soon be launching the appeal for funding for this, and I trust that many Old Girls will find it in their heart to make a donation towards this worthy project. We hope to encourage many young girls to join a junior club, to be run at this school and also to assist with development and transformation of hockey in our country. Our aim is reach the target of R6,5 million by October 2012, in order that the Astro be ready for use in the 2013 hockey season. Please help us achieve this dream by contacting Joan Manders (jmanders@phsg.org.za) at PHSG for further details!

We have not presented a musical production at PHSG for some time now and we were delighted to be invited by Boys’ High to allow girls to be involved in their presentation of The King and I. This production proved to be a resounding success with our young ladies presenting exceptional performances, both as actresses and singers. Next year is PHSG’s 110th birthday and we will produce the musical Hairspray. This too will be a joint venture with our brother school providing the necessary male characters. I am hopeful that this interaction between the two schools will become a lasting tradition.

So much could be said in this communication, but I must keep it short. Please feel free to visit us if ever you are in Pretoria and keep a watch on our website for updates and information. As we strive to update the database of Old Girls and their information, my request to you all is to send us your latest contact details and information on what you are doing at this time in your life. Please also let us have the details of any of your friends, as in this way we hope to reach as many

Headmistress’ReportFor The Old Girls’ Association

Dear Old Girls

The year 2010 came and went and all the hype around the Soccer World Cup has now settled! What we have left to remember it by are the valuable upgrades of certain areas of the school, which we most certainly would not have managed on our own! Proudly I can now say that there is not an area on the property that is unsightly. We also boast a beautiful new entrance facade to the school at the main gate and I am very grateful to Trevor Evans, our architect, who always ensures that any construction is totally in keeping with the age and format of the school buildings as a whole. Anyone driving by now may justly believe that the entrance has always been there!

We ended 2010 on a high with all Grade 12 learners passing and again, almost 93% achieved access to a bachelor’s degree at a university, should they wish to do so. There are always some young-sters at the lower levels who struggle, but with commitment and support of parents and staff, they generally achieve success by their final year.

On the non-academic front, our young ladies also thrive and we had a very successful year in terms of debating, with both our junior and senior teams winning the SACEE Gauteng World Schools’ Style Debating Championships. Our team also won the African Schools’ Debating Championships at St John’s College as well as our leg of the South African Institute of International Affairs Model UN Debating Competition. Three of our debaters were chosen for Gauteng teams and Brynne Guthrie, a grade 12 learner, has been selected as one of only five members of the South African team.

We also have had success in the English Olympiad and have just heard that Trudie Spangenberg is one of the top 15 learners who wrote the Olympiad, in South Africa. At the coming Grahamstown Festival the exact positions will be announced. We are holding thumbs for her!

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Old Girls as possible. A fully correct database is our aim. Please help us achieve this.

Wilma Cloete and I enjoy travelling to the various meetings across the country and most recently we had a lovely time with the Johannesburg folk. In July we will travel to Cape Town and in August I will meet with any folk who are available, in Toronto, Canada, whilst I am there for the International Principal’s conference. In between I hope Wilma and I will get to Durban. Thanks are due to all who so kindly head up and organize these reunions, and to Wilma who happily travels the country with me. The Old Girls’ Association is a vital part of PHSG and it is my desire to see it go from strength to strength. May the remainder of this year be good for all.

Regards,P MCNAIR; HEADMISTRESS

Old Girls’ NewsPlease ensure when you write to us that you include your FIRST NAME, (MAIDEN NAME), SURNAME and (MOST IMPORTANT) THE YEAR IN WHICH YOU LEFT PHSG. If you left in any year before your matric/grade 12 year level, please indicate. Write in bold handwriting. The deadline for news for the 2012 newsletter is 31 March 2012.

1952 MARILYN (BUXTON-FORMAN) DORRINGTON lives in Benoni and still works at the Northfield Methodist Church library and bookshop. Her sister ROSEMARY 1953 lives in England.

1955 ELIZABETH NIEMEYER writes that life is treating her well. She continues to enjoy her retirement and keeps herself fairly busy with voluntary work.

VAL (HEARN) TAYLOR went on an excellent cruise with six good friends round South America in March. They set sail from Valparaiso, went ashore at various ports along the Chilean Fjords, down to the Magellan Straits, along the Beagle Channel, rounded Cape Horn, on to the Falklands and Montevideo and finally docked at Buenos Aires. Great fun!

1957 DIANNE PATRICIA MARGARET (WRIGHT) PHILLIPS has relocated from Pretoria to Perth, Australia. diannepmphillips@gmail.com

JEANETTE (NIEMEYER) SMITH and her husband Professor Jan Smith (PBHS 1955) enjoy their frequent return visits to South Africa from Pittsburgh, USA and the privilege of participating in some of the HIV and TB clinical activities sponsored by the University of Pretoria and the Foundation for Professional Development. (Information: The Phobian, March 2011)

1962 MARY-ANN (JAMMINE) GLYNOS and her husband have just returned from a wonderful second honeymoon in the Seychelles where they went to celebrate 40 years together. Both their son, George and their daughter, Irene are married and they have an adorable little granddaughter, Sofia.

KATHRYN HECTOR, NANCY RANKIN and ESMA WIID have been able to get together on Nancy’s quite frequent trips back from the UK. Sadly, the fourth member of the group, RINETTE SCHUURMAN, succumbed to cancer and is no longer with them. When the group get together they just pick up where they left off. What wonderful friendships were made at PHSG.

CELEBRATING SIGNIFICANT PARTNERSHIPS IN SPORT

‘Blood brothers’, Springbok and Blue Bulls Rugby teammates, Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha, caused a stir when they were invited to address Assembly to explain the concept behind the Blood Brothers Testimonial. This concept, a first in South Africa, endeavours to celebrate significant partnerships in South African sport. Victor has thrown his weight behind the Walter Sisulu Paediatric Heart Centre and Bakkies is supporting the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town. PHSG has associated themselves with the concept and also made a contribution to the two institutions. Courtesy of Beeld. Photo: Theana Breugem

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GALLERY Left: Melita Bagshaw (former deputy

head mistress), Penny MacNair (headmistress)

and Karen du Toit (deputy headmistress)

photographed after Melita’s farewell

assembly.

Below: OGA Chairman, WILMA (VENTER) CLOETE is flanked by head girl Aswati Alummoottil (l) and

deputy head girl Jennifer Davis (r).

Opposite pageTop right: GEORGINA HARWOOD, our oldest Old Girl at the reunion luncheon in October 2010. Middle: The ever-beautiful façade and the School’s formal gardens. Bottom left: VIOLA GIOIA and JILL (DUDLEY) CORLETT catch up. Bottom right: The newly erected gate at the main entrance in Park Street – during construction.

Left: CATHERINE IRONS 2000 presents the lucky draw prize at the school

reunion in October 2010. Below: CATHERINE addresses a special assembly at the Iris

Ceremony which celebrates the School’s birthday every October.

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1962 DIANA (RIPLEY) MAIN will be turning 66 in December this year. She has two sons, Greg who lives in London and Andrew who lives in Durban. Both are unmarried at this stage. Diana found retirement very boring so she is working again as a secretary for the Wesley Pre-Primary School and has been there for the past two years. She loves her job and says she will stay there until she is good and ready to retire.

PRISCILLA (THOMS) MOURITZEN left South Africa in 1965 and lived in England before moving to Denmark in 1979. She is married to a Dane and is a ceramic artist/potter. Priscilla is keen to attend her 50th Reunion in 2012 – advance planning is necessary when coming from so far away. woodfirer@yahoo.com

1965 SHARON (OLSFANGER) KLAFF emigrated to the UK after attending Tukkies and has lived in London since 1969. She is married to David Klaff and has two children and four grandchildren. Sharon found it quite nostalgic to go through the website and connect with a place that she attended for five years of her formative life and commented ‘the school still looks great’. Sharon has two brothers, David and Norman, both of whom attended PBHS. David now lives in Israel and Norman in London.

1968 RUTH (EMANUEL) COOK lives in Eastleigh UK and remembers PHSG with nostalgia. She is presently employed part-time as Reader/Scribe at a local high school. Over the past twenty-odd years Ruth has been a scientific illustrator/technician and a pre-primary school art teacher in South Africa. She has just completed a BA (Language & Literature), specialising in Creative Writing, through the University of South Africa. hesperideso@mypostoffice.co.uk

1972 MARIA (KOEKEMOER) GAINES has moved to Johannesburg from Durban and is looking forward to meeting up with old acquaintances.

1974 JENNY TURNBULL went into the hotel industry straight after school and is currently working as a senior manager for Southern Sun at the Riverside Lifestyle Resort in Vanderbijlpark. Jenny never married – except to the industry she works in! jennyt@southernsun.com

1979 FIONA (THISTLEWHITE) BOGIAGES 1979, WENDY (THISTLEWHITE) KOHLMEY 1981, 1984 BRIDGET (THISTLEWHITE) HUDSON and SUE (RUSSELL) MEYER 1984 were spotted having a whale of a time together at the Mothers and Daughters’ Tea in May. They were all at school together some thirty odd years ago.

1977 FRANCES (MOORE) TORLAGE is in Canada now and says she is having an interesting time settling in.

IREEN TURPIN is delighted to report that her baby niece is doing very well and thanks everyone who prayed for her recovery.

SONJA (VOS) VAN PUTTEN became a mother-in-law on 14 May when Melissa (her youngest) got married. Jessica, her eldest daughter, is a teacher at Anton van Wouw Laerskool in Pretoria. Sonja is completing her PhD in Maths Education.

1980 BETH (MOORE) HEYDENRYCH works for a small town-planning consultancy in Lonehill. Beth and husband John have two children, James (13) and Ellen (15) who is now a 4th generation PHSG girl, boarding at North Lodge, loving the school, especially the choir. Beth says it is lovely to go to Girls’ High each week to collect Ellen and see the beautiful grounds and buildings, and all the neat, smart girls. Makes her very proud to be an Old Girl.

1981 KAREN GEERTHSEN has been living in Vancouver since November 2009 on a three-year secondment and regularly meets fellow South Africans. She welcomed her sister ERIKA GEERTHSEN 1985 and her foster daughter Jessica (9) to her new home in June. Karen is currently in the second year of a three-year MSc in Health and Safety Management.

1990 HANNELI (MALLESON) KOGLER graduated in electronic engineering in 1994. After working in SA for five years she married and moved to Holland where she lived for seven years. Hanneli is now back in SA and has two sons.

2000 KAREN (BECKER) DOYER is currently marketing manager for Ernst & Young’s Advisory Division. Karen completed her MBA studies at Wits Business School and at the University of California, Los Angeles in June 2008.

2003 CANDICE ROBERTS died tragically on 8 April 2011, the day before her intended marriage to Luke Paolo, as a result of fatal injuries from a car accident in Brooklyn. Wilma Cloete attended her funeral on behalf of the Old Girls and to extend condolences to her family and friends.

DONNE PITT has given birth to an adorable baby girl, Jeannie Scarlett. She is engaged to Kelvin Fincham.

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GALLERY

REUNION LUNCHEON 2010Clockwise from top left: PAULINE (SPRUYT) MEYERS, JILL (DUDLEY) CORLETT and BARBARA (SHEPPERSON) DORLAS; Two young Old Girls celebrate 10 years (2000 group); MARGIE (STEVENSON) CORLETT and VAL (HEARN) TAYLOR catch up with classmates; Celebrating 50 years (1950 group).

Below: 2010 committee members, LINDY (GIDDY) LOOTS and BETH (RITCHIE) DE BEER at the reunion luncheon.

Above l to r: 2010 OGA Committee from top left: SHANI CLOETE, BETH (RITCHIE) DE BEER, ANNE (O’BRIEN) BARNARD, ROSEMARIE (HENDERSON) SPRUYT. Below l to r: KIM LOVEGROVE, LINDY (GIDDY) LOOTS XXXX, Penny McNair, TINA PANAYI.

The 1970 group celebrates 40 years.

The 1990 group celebrates 20 years.

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2004 NICOLE ADAMS received a National Diploma in Building at TUT but is currently in her first year at the University of Pretoria doing B.Ed in Early Childhood Development and Foundation Phase.

2005 STEPHANIE BAGSHAW is in Saudi Arabia as an English teacher for one of the Prince’s daughters. She is there on a two-year contract.

2008 CATIA MARQUES FRAZAO is studying Architecture at Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland, USA. She is also pursuing her music career as a singer/songwriter/performer in Washington DC as Catia-Madalena. On top of that Catia also aupairs, which she says creates a really fantastic balance in her life. catiamfrazao@gmail.com

News from the UK branch 1938

SYBIL (FRASER) HEWITT writes from Staffordshire that she celebrated her 90th birthday last year and also her Diamond Wedding Anniversary attended by nearly all the family including those from North Carolina and Western Australia. Whilst on a celebratory cruise up the Norway fjords a month later, Sybil fell (on land) and broke her right femur giving her nine days in the local hospital in Forde before being airlifted home. The nurses were excellent, all speaking English, so Sybil helped them with Zulu!

1946 WENDY (RETIEF) KROTT says she enjoyed quality time when she visited her sister, Tessa, in Melbourne, Australia in November. They had great fun with all the family and also met up with her brother, Franscois, and his family in Sydney and Wagawaga.

1952 MORAY (REYBURN) SAUNDERSON writes from Crawley, Sussex that she was so excited with the birth of her second grandson, Edward, born last May and brother to James who is twenty months older.

1954 HAZEL (BROWN) LUGG sadly lost her husband after a valiant struggle last June to mesothelioma. Hazel aims to visit SA in 2012.

1962 WENDY (HUNTER) JONES writes from Tarrogona, Spain that her husband and her are still involved in a legal wrangle concerning ownership of their home on the hill. They hope to settle matters in July when the court case gets heard. Otherwise they continue to enjoy living in Spain.

1962 LORNA (ENSLIN) HARRISON lives in Norwich, Norfolk, and sends love and greetings to all who remember her at PHSG. Lorna has recovered from a full left knee replacement operation in 2010 and will have the same operation done on her right knee next year.

1957 1970 MARIANNE (GREEN) PURDIE writes that having set up her own medical market research company three years ago, they were fortunate to have survived the recession (this far, at least) and have grown from the original two to a team of seven. This year saw them purchasing their own offices in London. Sadly, Marianne lost her husband in January, leaving a big gap in her life and in that of her daughter. Luckily, they have been blessed with very caring and supportive family, friends and colleagues.

1973 MICHELE (BEGUIN) EDWARDS together with her husband, Robin, visited her parents and sister, MARIANNE (BEGUIN) SCHOLTZ 1972, in Cape Town in December. She also saw REINE (JACKSON) MARAIS 1973 briefly. In April this year, ISABELLE JAMBE 1973 visited Michele from Ath, Belgium. MARGIE (SCHNEIDER) MOLL 1973 was in London and also visited Michele. Michele visited Pretoria in April and enjoyed watching the British royal wedding with her mom.

1974 NELIA (JOUBERT) STAGG writes from Bristol that all is well except for a great deal of stress in the home as her sons are all sitting exams! Last summer, the family travelled to Berlin by train from Bristol, join-ing the night train in Paris and thoroughly enjoyed their adventure.

IN MEMORIAM 2010-11VIOLA GIOIA

JEAN HELEN (HIGGITT) MAGUIRE (aged 84)MARGARET LODDER (aged 70)

CYNTHIA HEARNJENNIFER (GEERE) THOMAS 1953

SHANON BOTBYL 1986TAMSYN DE BEER 2001

CANDICE ROBERTS 2003PAOLA FERREIRA DE ALMEIDA 2010

Please inform the Secretary if you become aware of any names for the In Memoriam column as we may not have been informed and apologise if any other names have been unwittingly omitted.

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GALLERYOld Girls came from all over the world to attend their reunions which were held in October 2010 in the school hall. We were thrilled at the record turn out for the 10-year reunion.

1960

1990

2000

1970

1980

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REUNION CONVENORS 2011

CLOSING DATE for bookings for reunion lunches is 15 September 2011.

10 year (2001) JUSTINE PIERCE jus_pierce@hotmail.com

20 year (1991) MANDY (WALTON) MEYER bmmeyer@lantic.net

30 year (1981) SUE (CORLETT) WISHART sue.wishart@standardbank.co.za

40 year (1971) BARBARA (TRIPP) NELL Barbara@shisaka.co.za

50 year (1961) GERDA (SLINGERLAND) WEIR timbav@telkomsa.net

60 year (1951) HILARY (RITSON) BONSMAor before bonsmaj@telkomsa.net

Please remember you are most welcome to attend your reunion even if you left PHSG BEFORE your matric year for any reason – simply slot in the year when you would have matriculated.