Ely High School 1905-1972 - What's NEW ?

change detection on this page by visualping

about this website, and some small print

The date of our next Annual Reunion Luncheon is now 3 September 2022. as the COVID surge adversely affected bookings for the planned date in May. It will now be held at the very pleasant St Ives Golf Club. Please keep in touch with this page for any further information that may be provided.

August 2022

• Pauline Tambling reports the death of her cousin Jean Butcher (née Macer) who was at EHS in the 1940s and a friend, Judy Cullum (née Lemon) 1966-72 - see In Memoriam for more information.

June/July 2022

• Christine Fuller reports the death of Angela Gilbert (née Roaks) aged 88 on 13 June 2022. Angel was a Littleport girl and was well known for taking part in EHS productions - she can be seen in a couple of the production photos on our website.
    
• Janet Doggett (née Williams) has made contact to ID herself on the 1963 and 1967 school photos.

May 2022

• Rosalind Grey née Lockwood died at the Rank Hospice in Cambridge on 20 April aged 78: via Christine Fuller. If you can add more about her please contact us.
  Christine has also heard that Margery Cooper has died.
  Many of you may have known of Mike Rouse, three times mayor of Ely, who has recently died.
   
• Margaret Cockburn née Allen EHS 1959 to 1966 writes that she has been turning out cupboards and found her old school tie.
  "I noticed that there wasn't a photo of the tie on the website so I have attached one of mine with the Etheldreda house badge and Posture ribbon." - see via Badges/Uniform

April 2022

• Susan Riley died on 2nd April. Her father, Mr TL 'Slug' Riley, for many years taught French at Soham Grammar School.

March 2022

• Pauline Tambling has provided news of the death of Head of Music Miss Joy Greenwood (she later married Mr David Trotter, History) on 27 August 2020. Miss Greenwood was first listed in the 1967 magazine. Fiz Markham recalls her nickname being Gertie and being inspirational if a bit frightening - for much more see In Memoriam.
     
• Christine Fuller confirmed that the 2022 EHS Reunion is planned to take place on 14 May at St Ives Golf Club which offers a very pleasant venue. If you are interested in attending please click here to email Christine. NB the date has been rearranged to 3 September as the COVID surge adversely affected bookings for the planned date in May.

February 2022

• Molly Bozeat (née Wigg)'s family have kindly provided the eulogy delivered at her funeral at St Peter's, Ely, on 6th December 2021 - see via In Memoriam
  

November 2021

• Christine Fuller reports the death of Molly Bozeat (née Wigg) suddenly and totally unexpectedly at home in Ely on 8th November 2021. Mollie was Head Girl 1954-55. Her husband is Dick Bozeat, who was Woodwork master at Soham Grammar School and later on the staff of Soham Village College. They married in the early 1960s. There is a son and two grandsons. Molly's funeral was on 6th December. Donations maybe made to Cancer Research UK.    

October 2021

• Christine Fuller reports the death of Joyce Thulborn (née Salmon) on 19 September 2021 at her home in Haddenham, aged 86. She had regularly attended our Reunions in recent years until ill health prevented her doing so.

August 2021

• Christine Fuller reports the deaths of:
  Anne Ogden (née Thompson), on 20 July 2021 at The Orchards Care Home, Ely, aged 86. Anne had attended several Reunions. A native of Littleport and born in 1935, she was the daughter of the local coal merchant and had married Michael Ogden, a Surveyor in his family firm in March where they set up home. However as a widow Anne had moved to Ely where she lived in Baird Lodge: via Christine Fuller - for more see In Memoriam.
  Jennifer Davies (née Hammond), on 7 July 2021 at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. A long time resident of Burwell, she moved to Ely about 3 years ago. She can be seen in the 1952, 1954 and 1956 School Photos, and several Reunion Photos.
  Miss Margaret Haylock who died peacefully on 3 Aug 2021 aged 82. Deeply loved daughter of the late Joyce and Ted. Sadly missed by her cousins and all their families. Affectionately known as Doddy, she will also be deeply missed by her god-daughter and her god-grandchildren. Christine Fuller adds:  a spinster, Margaret had been both a pupil and then teacher at EHS and City of Ely College in the Domestic Science department and had sadly not been in the best of health during her latter years.
  Miss Haylock can be seen in some of the School and Reunion Photos. If you have recollections or photos of her as a pupil or teacher please contact us - see also In Memoriam

May/June/July 2021

• The British Normandy Memorial was officially opened on 6 June 2021, the 77th Anniversary of D-Day. It records the names of the 22,442 servicemen and women under British command who fell on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy in the summer of 1944. Among them, from EHS, is one of the two women commemorated on the Memorial, Lt Sister Mollie Evershed QAIMNS, who was from Soham (see also In Memoriam). From SGS there is Staff Sjt Duncan Frank Wright, Glider Pilot Regiment (1932-35, uncle of Ralph Dunham SG59), murdered whilst a POW on 6 June 1944.
   
• Thanks to this website, Tamaris Taylor (née Askem) is back in touch with Jane Peck: "We were best friends at school and spent nearly all our time giggling in the back row of every class!"
   
• Christine Fuller reports the sudden death of Jennifer James née Brunt, a Cambridge girl, on 31 May, aged 79 - see In Memoriam

April 2021

• Reunion change - the event planned for 22 May has been postponed to May 2022 as it could not take place under the prevailing precautions.   
   
  
• Lisa Damms (née Turner) makes contact and identifies herself on the 1971 School Photo as well as correcting a few names.
   
• Christine Fuller reports the death of Daphne Rumbelow (née Hunt) who was in the 1951 entry - see In Memoriam.
   
• And in the same entry, Rosemary Curle (née Harris) died on Thursday 15 April 2021 of pneumonia - see In Memoriam.

March 2o21

• Fiz Markham reports that her sister Christine Markham died in 2018. Christine was at EHS 1959 to 1965 - see In Memoriam.
   
  Fizz also wonders what happened to Gertie Greenwood (Music). "She was very inspirational, if a bit frightening at times."
   
• Christine Fuller reports the death of Daphne Few née Cropley of Wilburton on 15 January 2021, aged 91. She became a teacher in Prickwillow and Haddenham - see In Memoriam
   
  
• Christine also reports the death this month of Sheila Turner née Gorham at the age of 88, the last Chair of the EHS Old Girls Association - see In Memoriam
  

February 2021

• Christine Fuller sadly reports two EHS deaths:
  Margaret Halls née Garwood, aged 85, a Littleport girl who had lived in Ely for many years, died on 28 January 2021.
  Yvonne Julie Jeffrey née Knott, a Haddenham girl, attended our reunions for many years with her daughter Dorinda, also ex EHS. She died on 20 February 2021.
  For more about Margaret and Julie, see In Memoriam
   
• Anne Weller (now Kim) makes contact from the State of Ohio in the USA, having spotted herself on the 1971 School photo. An American citizen, she was at EHS 1971/72 "for the 2nd half of O Levels and the first half of A Levels. Made many friends, many GOOD memories." She can be contacted by email via Christine Fuller.
   
  
• Jacqueline Taylor (now Burge) has made contact. She has identified Gillian Collins on the 1971 School Photo - "it brought back many memories" - and can be contacted by email via Christine Fuller.
   
• Sharon Ilett (now Reynolds) makes contact from the State of Minnesota in the USA. She left in EHS 1973 after A levels to do her Registered Nurse training at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital in Norwich. On qualifying she married and moved to the USA and had two daughters. Sharon has returned to the UK on several occasions but is now permanently resident in the USA. She can be contacted by email via Christine Fuller.
   
• Eddie Hopkin has provided his mother Alma Nunn's  July 1949 EHS School Magazine. From this have been extracted:
  
  • a report of the July 1948 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream ... does anyone have photos or a programme? see via Productions
  • a letter dated 22 June 1949 from Miss Tilly when on her sabbatical in Italy: see via Scrapbook >People
  • a report on Posture badges: see via Scrapbook > School Administration
    
  • updated Staff listings: does anyone recall the subjects taught by  Miss Mason and Miss Richardson who arrived in Autumn 1948?: see via Staff
  • updated School Officers: see via Scrapbook > People

January 2021

• Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy 2021
   
• Penny Seaton (now Potter) makes contact. She was at EHS from September 1969, leaving the Sixth Form (by then City of Ely College) in 1976. Her first form was LIIIB (Miss Baker) in the Music Room adjacent to the Gym and had to have lessons at Bedford House around 1973 as there was not enough space at the new site to accommodate everyone. 
   
• Joyce Freeman (her maiden name) died at the beginning of December 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona, after contracting the COVID virus. She is believed to have been at EHS from 1947 to 1951 and to have moved to the USA on marrying for the second time: via Christine Fuller.

December 2020

• Claire Pettit adds a photo she thinks may be from 1916-18 of the Preparatory School and others drawn up in ranks, apart from the little ones among whom she can identify her aunt and uncle  - see via Album
   
  Claire has also added Eileen Tunnell (Mrs Stubbings) 1938-43 to the In Memoriam page.
  

November 2020

• Meryl Wilderspin (now Clarke) makes contact from Berkshire and adds names to the 1959 School Photo - see via School Photo.
   
• Claire Pettit adds a 1923 Tug of War Photo featuring her aunt Mary Jean Pettit, who preceded her at EHS by nearly 50 years. Jean, as she was known, was born 29 March 1910 and in 1917 was at Bedford House kindergarten before moving on to EHS. In 1923/24 she went to a typing school in Cambridge when the family moved away from Ely for four years, returning in 1927 to West End  - see via Sport.

September/October 2020

• Claire Pettit makes contact from Norfolk and fills in several blanks on the 1971 School Photo - see via School Photo.
   
• The Soham Grammarians were pleased to welcome Carol Morton née Bidwell to their 2020 Reunion run via Zoom on 10th October. Her husband Michael had been involved in a story going back to 1961 and the Grammarians had not known that he had died five years ago. Carol received a warm welcome - see more by clicking SGS 2020.
   
• Geoff Fernie lived opposite the EHS Downham Road site. His sister Judie Fernie (now Vivian) was a Head Girl. She's sent  him the book she's just written - From Inside The Heart, about her life in cardiac surgery and what she saw in terms of heart valves and transplants and things.
   
• The Soham Grammarians are holding their 2020 Reunion via Zoom on Saturday afternoon, 10th October.  If you are in touch with a Soham Grammarian who is on-line please feel free to let them know. If they have not been contacted by the Grammarians please ask them to visit the Soham Grammarians' website www.sohamgrammar.org.uk via which they can request an invitation - those attending have to register.

August 2020

• Beryl Clark née Lowe adds a Class of 1951 photo from the 2012 Reunion to our  Reunion Photos page. 
  Are there any more photos from the reunions you have yet to share?
   
• Christine Fuller writes: Anne Driver  passed away on 28 July 2020 in Lincolnshire. She joined the local Constabulary after leaving school and rose through the ranks to be a Superintendent with the Lincolnshire Police Force - for more see In Memoriam.

July 2020

• Christine Fuller writes: Sadly I need to inform you of the deaths of two old girls both passing away at the beginning of this month - Brenda Chambers née Gilbert and Myrtle Hart née Lavender. Both were in their late nineties.
   
• The date for the next EHS Reunion has had to change again, for obvious reasons.
  It will now be on Saturday 22 May 2021 and it is hoped that it will be safe to go ahead by then.
   
• Many of you will know of the work done by Michael and Lorna Delanoy in recording Fen Life among many other things. Christine Fuller writes: The death has also occurred of my cousin Michael Delanoy, a Soham Grammarian, who was husband to Lorna née Freeman EHS. He had been unwell for a long time and wasn’t his usual self when I visited them just before the lockdown. I have been to visit Lorna since and their sons and families are supporting her and will continue to do so. The private funeral was held on July 31. For a family tribute to Michael please click here.

June 2020

• Your website is 10 years old.
  Thank you to all those who have contributed memories, names, photos, school magazines etc. - please keep them coming.

May 2020

• Christine Fuller writes: The 30th April Ely Standard had the death notice for Ann Dix née Burrows: "ANN DIX passed away peacefully at home on Saturday 18th April 2020. Dearly loved and sadly missed by all her family who will remember her with love and laughter."
  I expect that maybe there will be more about her life in our city especially her involvement with local amateur dramatics.
   
• Hilary Foulds (now Heaver) has made contact from Northamptonshire: "I only rarely now have cause to visit Ely. I have identified myself on the 1967 School Photo" see via School Photo

April 2020

• Jon Evans SG'61' has provided a photo of the coach that lost its windscreen on the joint SGS trip to Europe with EHS in Summer 1964. He wasn't on the trip but his future wife Jean (née Williams) was one of the EHS girls who took part. We asked who is the boy in the photo? He has now been identified  - see via Visits ... 1964
   
• Christine Fuller writes 3 Apr: I have learned of the death of a former member of staff, Miss Ruth Johnson, who taught Cookery at Bedford House between about 1952 and 1955. She died on 23 February 2020 - for more see In Memoriam

February - March 2020

• Change of date of our 2020 Reunion: Christine Fuller writes, 26 Feb: I have changed the date of the Reunion this year because the planned date - 9th May - was in the middle of the National Celebration Holiday to remember VE Day.
  There will undoubtedly be street parties, etc to replicate the euphoria of the end of WW2 in Europe in 1945 so I wanted to give the ‘girls’ the chance to join with family and friends in their own communities to enjoy events etc.
  The postponed Reunion will now be held on Saturday 19th September at Ely Golf Club.
   
• Ann Casey writes:  My Mum, then Elizabeth Green, from Mepal, was at Ely High School, leaving in 1947 to start nursing at West Suffolk General Hospital in Bury St Edmunds. In  1952 she married Ludwik Marczewski (known as Lutek), a Polish doctor who came over just after the war and met my Mum while she was nursing in Kings Lynn. My Dad retired in 1979 and they moved back to Ely.  Sadly Mum died in 1987 and Dad in 2003.  Going through some of their papers recently we found a few School Magazines, most of which I can see on your website.
   
  Ann has enabled us to add:
  - the 9th December 1947 Prize Distribution programme - see via Speech Days
  - additional staff names that Elizabeth Green wrote into her July 1947 EHS magazine - do you recognise any of them? see via Staff
  - a photo of  a hockey team from Elizabeth's photo album,  'School 6th Hockey team' - can you identify the team and year and add names? see via Sport
   
• Soham Grammarian David Bray updates the July 1963 and April 1967 School Photos
   
  
• Christine Fuller has been informed of the following deaths of Old Girls:
   
  Edna Russell, née Pease, passed away in 2017: via her daughter Rosemary, who was also at EHS
  and the following in 2019
  June Huebler, née Wright
  June Leech
  Peggy Gibbon, née Beeton: Peggy was a local councillor in Soham and a regular attender at the Reunions with her friend Mary Cornwell, née Lee.
  They were the oldest of of our Reunion attenders each year.
   
• Rosemary Mahy (née Cranwell) has been looking at the possessions of her Aunt Flo, (Florence Cranwell) who was at EHS in WW1. Rosemary found:
   - a postcard of the 'rather surreal gym photo' we already had but with names on the back and a date - Easter Term 1915 - see via Sport
  - another photo, which we previously captioned Senior Girls, has now been retitled Gymnastic Team, Summer Term 1916 and names added from information on the back of Aunt Flo's postcard photo version - see via Sport
  - a photo of her EHS Aunts Flo and Dorothy Cranwell in school uniform and displaying shiny boots, dated Christmas 1914 - see via Album

January 2020

• Do you know someone who was at Soham Grammar School? The Soham Grammarians usually have their Reunion Lunch on the first Saturday of October. However this year as a result of requests from some who have not been able to attend because other annual events always clash, following consultation they are trying out meeting on the second Saturday in October (10th). Enquiries via the Contact page of the Soham Grammarians' website - see the link on the left of your screen.
   
• Christine Fuller writes: Sadly I have to report that two more Old Girls have passed away:
  
  
  Mary Bailey née Frost who died on 12 January was from Littleport though latterly from Sawston. Mary had attended many Reunions with others from the 1952 entry.
  Audrey Woolstenholmes from Haddenham, passed away on 15 January aged 83. She had always enjoyed the Reunions but ill health had prevented her attending the last two.

---

November & December 2019

• A Happy Christmas and Healthy New Year to all.
   
• Christine Fuller writes: Today, 11th November, I attended the Armistice Day gathering at Soham War Memorial where I placed a cross in memory of Mollie Evershed on behalf of the present EHS Old Girls.
  
  It was inscribed with the following words around the poppy:
  306582 Lt Sister Mollie Evershed QAIMNS in Remembrance of a quiet heroine
  
  On the reverse:
  Old Girls Of Ely High School remember Mollie Evershed who gave her life rescuing others on HMHS Amsterdam off Juno Beach, Normandy 7.8.44
  I was accompanied by the husband of her niece, formerly Christine Tricker, who placed another cross from the family.
   
  
• The date of the Annual Reunion Luncheon in 2020 is 8th May. It will again be at Ely Golf Club.
   
• Christine Fuller writes about an interesting new side to Miss Tilly that has been discovered following a contact received via this website from an Italian family - see via the link in Miss Tilly's entry on the In Memoriam page

October 2019

• Julie Hildyard (née Moore) makes contact. She among the last to join EHS. Julie has added some names to the 1971 School Photo. She has a 1974 - post EHS school photo with names on the back "although not officially a High School photo, in the main we kept in the same classes."
   
• Brenda Huebler,  (née Hardy) of Burwell died in Addenbrooke's on Feb 18 2016 aged 66. She was born in Newmarket and lived all her life in Burwell. "She attended St Mary's Primary School in the village before going in to Ely High School for Girls": see In Memoriam
   
  
• The Mayor of Ely, Mike Rouse,  gave a most interesting talk to the Soham Grammarians at their recent Reunion - please click here

September 2019

• The Soham Grammarians' speaker at their Annual Reunion Lunch on Saturday 5th October will be Mike Rouse, three times Mayor of Ely and an Honorary Grammarian. Bookings close on 18th September. For more details if you are in contact with a Soham Grammarian click booking form.
   
• Richard Vince has let us know that his sister Monica Mary Vince (61-68) died in 2008 - for more see In Memoriam.
  
• Elizabeth Wray (née Sculthorpe) passed away in 2018. Her mother, herself an old girl, said that Elizabeth had trained as a nurse at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and had later worked in an Ely surgery as a practice nurse.
   
• Lesley Osborne (née Jackson) has spotted herself in the 1963 School Photo and in the page on the 1965 production of Romeo and Juliet.
   
• We have been informed of the deaths of Iris and Jean Firby by their younger sister Sandra, who was also at EHS - see In Memoriam. 

June 2019 - 75th Anniversary of D-Day

• Sister Mollie Evershed has been identified on the 1929 School Photo and links to the continued media coverage about her in connection with the British Normandy Memorial have been added (see via In Memoriam).

May 2019

• As of 2nd May those who have booked for the Annual Reunion Luncheon on 18th May are (names when at EHS):
  
  

  Alder, Heather Audus, Jacqui Avey, Margaret Barker, Ruth Barton, Wendy   Bell, Christine Boutle, Mary Brown, Hazel   Carman, Edna Clarke, Carol        Clanfield, Rhodene        Cole, Barbara        Cox, Sheila        Crane, Frances        Cross, Patricia        Czarnobaj, Stephanie        Day, Barbara        Day, Betty        Flack, Pat        Freeman, Lorna        Gorham, Sheila

  Hammond, Jenny        Harding, Ann        Howard, Margaret        Hudson, Liz   Jeffrey, Dorinda        Knott, Julie        Ladson, Mary        Lane, Grace        Lane, Vicki        Lowe, Beryl        Macer, Pat        Mann, Janet        McCullagh, Elsie        McCullagh, Mary        McCullagh, Norah        Muncey, Christine        Murfitt, Brenda        Norman, Kathy       Palmer, Melek        Pearson, Hazel        Pen-Gilly, Ann        Phillips, Joy

  Rayner, Bridget        Read, Judy        Read, Wendy Reed, Mary, Reeder, Joan Register, Barbara Register, Marian Reynolds, Margaret Robinson, Gwen Savidge, Rosemary Sealy, Wendy Sharpe, Pat Simpson, Sandra Topping, Judy Sawer, Lesley Williams, Marilyn Wilson, Pauline Wimpenny, Audrey Winter, Christine

         
• Margaret Cockburn (née Allen) EHS 1959 to 1966 writes that her mother, Dorothy Allen (née Day) died at home in Witchford on Saturday April 27th 2019, aged 93.  "Mum started attending Ely High School the year that Miss Tilly became Headmistress and she is pictured on the 1938 school photo."  Dorothy's funeral was held on Tuesday 7th May at St Andrews Church, Witchford.

April 2019

• Our next Annual Reunion Luncheon will be at Ely Golf Club on Saturday May 18th 2019.
  If you are interested in coming please click here to open an email in which you can request booking information. 
  
  
• Sister Mollie Evershed is featured on the British Normandy Memorial website. There is no permanent British Memorial to the 22,442 men (and two women) who gave their lives during the D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy. She was posthumously awarded the King's Commendation for Bravery for her part in saving the lives of 75 casualties at the cost of her own when her hospital ship was mined. Sister Mollie Evershed, whose name is on the Soham War Memorial, is one of the women. She was a pupil at EHS 1928-32. Evidence from the EHS archive on this website has been used on British Normandy Memorial website. Her story is narrated by our Annual Luncheon organiser, Christine Fuller. To see and hear this and to find out about the Memorial Appeal please click here. We suggest you first read the page and then go back up the page to play the movie clip.
  Is there anyone who might be able to identify Mollie on the 1929 or 1930 School Photos? (see via School Photo)
  See also In Memoriam
  
  The story has also been covered by the Ely Standard -  can you help us to trace Mollie's niece Christine Tricker who was at EHS at the same time as Christine Fuller (née Bell)?
  

March 2019

• Janet Hill (née Robinson) identifies herself on the 1959 School Photo in section 13 row 5. Janet queries one of the other names in that row so as is our practice we show both until someone else comes along to decide it.

February 2019

• Sylvie Short (née Coleman) writes: While browsing our website recently, I had the idea that it might be fun to collect some memories of our school days. Then I realised the idea was not original; I think Jackie Sotheran (née Bidwell) may have been starting to try and do this.  Before she died she asked me to send her 'the one about the mercury' which I never got round to doing. So this one's for you, Jackie.
  
  Please share your memories, and not just pranks. What about musical memories, sporting memories, plays etc.? I know we have photographs, but it would be lovely to have some personal recollections to put meat on the bones and try to capture the beating heart of the school. It won't be long before there will be no-one left who went to Ely High School (as it was), and without Ely High School I for one would not have been able to do what I've done with my life.
  
  Read on in Scrapbook > This and That > the one about the mercury

January 2019 - a Happy (and healthy) New Year to all!

• A sad note from Christine Fuller: unfortunately we have lost three former Old Girls during November 2018:
  Gillian Sallis née Chapman, whose funeral five of us attended
  Leonita Hopkin née Caldwell
  Sheila Leonard née Lemmon, in Tennessee
  
  If anyone has memories of them, please please contact us.


• Jane Hills (née Inman) makes contact, asking EHS friends to contact her via e-mail at janehillsATgmail.com [replace AT with @]. She recognises Moira Gotobed, Frances Wylie, Rosemary Ward, Christine Simpson, Christine Wakefield, Rosie Crow, Bridget Riley, Anne Wade, Olwyn Gladwell  etc. "We were all in the Upper Sixth Form in 1967 with Mrs. Jones as our Form Mistress. Mrs. Hawes  taught us A Level English and Miss Brinkworth taught us A Level History. I have lived in the US since 1974, but return to Cambridge every summer for 5-6 months."
   
• Jeanne Harper (née McCullagh) died on 16 December 2018 in Shropshire. Christine Fuller writes:  The McCullagh family consisted of two boys and six girls. Five of the girls attended EHS: Eileen, Norah, Jeanne, Elsie and Mary. Their lives were spent in Ely as a close family unit and even when some of them moved away when they married they still retained that special family closeness. Eileen passed away in 2009, in Ely. I have always held the McCullaghs in very high esteem as each member is very quiet, kind, caring and concerned in every circumstance. I have known them throughout my life. Jeanne was truly a lovely person.
  For more see via In Memoriam

---

December 2018 - Happy Christmas to all

• Jane Surgey was on the EHS Staff from about 1952 to 1959 as Head of Art. Peter Baxandall writes: We were delighted to find on the EHS website a  ‘tribute’ from Margaret Prior, née Smith (in school 1950-1955) among the ‘memories’ in the last issue of the School Magazine. It mentions "I joined the Sketching Club, run by Miss Surgey, whom I remember as a small blond, enthusiastic artist."  Jane Surgey is still (nearing 90yrs) a  ‘small blond enthusiastic artist‘ and she is also my wife!
  Jane continued working as an artist after she left EHS and recently wrote a book with photographs of the ceramic and terracotta work that we have left  in the house, together with a short biography. We commissioned a website of the contents www.janebaxandall.com
  

November 2018

•  Peter Searle identifies his mother Gwendoline May Hepher who was at EHS 1927-31 on a photo provided by Brigid Riley - see in Album

July - October 2018

• Christine Fuller has been informed  of the death of Helen Smith on 1st September in University College Hospital, London, after a short illness. Her three cousins were with her. Christine says "Helen will be remembered as a serious and studious girl at school and as a valued colleague in her career". Her brother Dr Edward GR Smith was in the 1956 entry at Soham Grammar School. He died of cancer in 2013. Helen was also a good friend of the late Jackie Sotheran (née Bidwell).
   
  
• Pauline Tambling CBE (née Dorling) has updated her page on the internet - see via Scrapbook > EHS Alumni on the Web
   
  
• Tamaris Taylor (née Askem) came over from Ireland to take part in a talk at the recent Soham Grammarians' Annual Reunion Lunch celebrating the life of her late father, Mr Peter Askem who taught Art and Pottery there 1954-72. He was also involved in local adult education. He became a Chief Examiner. The Askems took a party from EHS and SGS  to Italy - to see the talk click here.

June 2018

• Christine Fuller writes: "Our 2018 Reunion was a great success and held in beautiful weather at Ely Golf Course. As we gathered we were able to watch the Royal Wedding on  television and we then enjoyed our excellent lunch whilst overlooking the greens and trees bathed in sunshine. A number of girls had travelled long distances to be with us, even from the USA. We thank the chef Martyn and his staff who prepared and served us our meal very efficiently. Next year we will be returning to Ely Golf Club for our Reunion Lunch on Saturday May 18th 2019.
   
  
• Jean Cohen (née Flude) living in the USA thinks she has spotted herself on the 1954 School Photo;  "I lived in Sutton and was at the Centenary Lunch, where I met up with an old friend Wendy Dorling (née Hopkins). I met Georgina Smith (née Shane) at school and we have remained in touch since we were 10 years old, she also lives in the States".
   
• Peggy Mitcham has been identified on the May 1967 Reunion photo BL4 by her daughter Pat. Who are the other ladies on these photos? - see Reunion Photos

May 2018

Our Annual Reunion Luncheon will be on Saturday 19th May 2018 at Ely Golf Club, Cambridge Road, Ely. For the booking form and full details please contact Christine Fuller or at 12 Bamford House, Deacons Lane, Ely, Cambs., CB7 4PT.
The 60 who have so far booked are, as of 4th May:-

Avey, Margaret Barber, Marjorie Barker, Ruth Bell, Christine Boutle, Sue Brunt, Jennifer Carman, Edna Cater, Margaret Cater, Megan Chapman, Jill Clarke, Carol Cole, Barbara Cox, Sheila Cross, Patricia Czarnobaj, Stephanie Day, Barbara Day, Betty Flack, Pat Freeman, Lorna Gorham, Sheila

Hammond, Jenny Harding, Ann Howard, Margaret Hudson, Liz Jeffrey, Dorinda Kilby, Kathy Knott, Julie Ladson, Mary Lane, Vicki Macer, Pat McCullagh, Elsie McCullagh, Jean McCullagh, Mary McCullagh, Norah Muncey, Christine Norman, Kathy Palmer, Melek Pearson, Hazel Philips, Joy Presnell, Rose

Read, Judy Read, Wendy Reed, Mary Reeder, Joan Register, Barbara Register, Marian Reynolds, Margaret Riley, Susan Robinson, Gwen Savidge, Rosemary Sawer, Lesley Sealy, Wendy Sharpe, Pat Simpson, Sandra Sowerby, Judy Topping, Judy Wilson, Eileen Wilson, Pauline Winter, Christine Woolstenholmes, Audrey

April 2018

• We have heard of the death of Peggy Tye. Please let us know if you can confirm/add more about her.

March 2018

• There are two names added to our In Memoriam page:
  Jeannette Blake who passed away in January was a gifted artist and went on to teach art in London before returning to the Ely area in her retirement: via Christine Fuller.
  Doris Strawson (Mrs Daniels) "Passed away peacefully on the March 16, 2018 at St. Nicholas Hospice Care. Much loved wife of Paul. Doris will be sadly missed by all her family and friends. Funeral service to be held at the West Suffolk Crematorium (St. Edmunds Chapel) on Thursday, April 12, at 1 p.m. Family flowers only please. Donations to St Nicholas Hospice Care may be sent c/o Armstrongs Funeral Service, 43 St Andrew's Street North, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1TH. Tel 01284 723889" (from March 23, 2018 issue of the East Anglian Daily Times)
  Four-time Victrix Ludorum at EHS who went on to teach. Distinctions in History & General Science at O-Level, Prefect 57-59, Deputy Head Girl 59-60. A-Levels Bible Knowledge, History.  She travelled widely with her husband on walking holidays such as in New Zealand. Her sister Mary also taught: via Christine Fuller.
   
  
• Our Annual Reunion Luncheon will be on Saturday 19th May 2018 at Ely Golf Club, Cambridge Road, Ely. For the booking form and full details please contact Christine Fuller or at 12 Bamford House, Deacons Lane, Ely, Cambs., CB7 4PT.

Feb 2018

• Pam Phillips disagrees with four of the names on the 1963 School Photo. The ones in question are 9/14 r4 no 3, 10/14 r6 n0 1, 12/14 r6 n0 1 and 14/14 r6 no 1 - in each case more than one name has been suggested, we are hoping some of you can help decide which, if any, are correct. Please contact the editor.

Jan 2018

• Pam Segers (neé Phillips) makes contact and adds herself and Rosemary Dunnett to the July 1963 School Photo.

---

Dec 2017

• Best wishes to all for Christmas and the New Year!
   
• Judi Langley makes contact from Dorset.

Nov 2017

• Judie Fernie, a Head Girl 1967-68, features in a talk given by her brother Prof Geoff Fernie at the Soham Grammarians' Reunion Lunch in October. The work Geoff directs at the Rehab Institute in Toronto will be of great interest to those of a certain age ... and above.

Aug 2017

• Alder, Brenda (neé Mason) from Isleham, who attended Ely High School for Girls (believed from 1952 to 1957) died on 9th July 2017, aged 75, writes her husband Peter Alder - see In Memoriam

July 2017

• Carol Whitby (née Grint) makes contact -"I joined Ely in September 1965 starting  in the second year, having done my first year at Wisbech High School. My final year was 1970-1971." Carol adds 20 names to the 1967 School Photo.
   
• If anyone in your family was at Soham Grammar School, please let them know about this year's Soham Grammarians' Annual Lunch which is at Soham Village College on Saturday 7th October. The speaker is Professor Geoff Fernie, formerly of Ely and now in Toronto - booking form

June 2017

• Christine Fuller writes: The 2017 Reunion was a great success with 70 former pupils attending and all enjoyed the venue and the food.
  Next year our annual gathering will be at Ely Golf Club, Cambridge Road, Ely on Saturday 19 May 2018.

May 2017

• Mr Karl Pickard writes: "I used to attend auctions regularly. This postcard of EHS Form Remove ? 1924  almost certainly came from an album bought at Willingham auctions or possibly St Ives auctions." It shows: Nancy - Alethea Summerlee - May Potter - Miss Goodin - Freda Webster - Elsie Thomson - Jean Petit - Kathleen Jackson - Marjorie Bradshaw - Marion Drake - Marjorie Howard - Peggie ?Barret - Marjorie Everett - Betty Smith - Jean Smith - Ida Lincoln.

  If you can correct any of these names or claim descent from them, please contact the editor: the photo can be seen on the Sport page

• The 71 who had booked for our Annual Reunion Luncheon on Saturday 20th May 2017 were as of 9 May:-

(names when at EHS) Alder, Heather                                     Avey, Margaret                                      Barber, Marjorie                       Barker, Diane                            Barker, Ruth                        Barton, Wendy                            Bell, Christine                            Bester, Ruth                                     Blake, Jeannette                        Boutle, Mary                        Brunt, Carolyn               Brunt, Jenny                           Buck, Sandra                         Carman, Edna               Chapman, Jill                Clarke, Carol                Cole, Barbara                Cross, Patricia                Czarnoba,j Stephanie             Day, Barbara                Day, Betty                    Doe, Judith                              Flack, Pat                    Freeman, Lorna

Gorham, Sheila Hammond, Jenny                         Harris, Rosemary                Hudson, Liz                             Hudson, Maureen                          Jeffrey, Dorinda    Knott, Yvonne Ladson, Mary Lane, Grace Lane, Vicki Langford, Sandra Lowe, Beryl Macer, Pat McCullagh, Elsie McCullagh, Mary McCullagh, Norah Muncey, Christine Murfitt, Brenda Neal, Margaret Norman, Kathy Oakey, Mary

Parr, Deanna Pearson, Hazel Pen-Gilly, Ann Phillips, Joy Presnell, Rose Rayner, Bridget Read, Judy Read, Nina Read, Wendy Reed, Mary Reeder, Joan Reynolds, Margaret Riley, Susan Robinson, Gwen Rudderham, Mary Rule, Doreen Salmon, Joyce Savidge, Rosemary Sawer, Lesley Sealy, Wendy Sharpe, Pat Simpson, Sandra Sowerby, Judy Topping, Judy     Wilson, Eileen Winter, Christine

April 2017

• Carolyn Brunt (now Castledine) who was at EHS in the 1960s makes contact from Essex.
   
• Our Annual Reunion Luncheon is on Saturday 20th May 2017, gathering from 11.30 to eat at 1pm. It is at a new venue - The Rosery Hotel, Church Road, Exning, near Newmarket. The cost is £20 per head. The booking form and details of how to get there can be seen by clicking this link - booking form and information.

January 2017

• Elizabeth Howard, who was Vice-Head Girl in 1937-38, has died at the age of 96 according to an obituary seen in the Guardian, 30th January 2017. She had a distinguished career in teaching. There are a number of references to her if you search on her name on this website - see also In Memoriam.

---

November 2016

• Marlene Corke (née Brooker) makes contact from Norfolk: I attended EHS from Sept 1960 to July 1962 and then we moved to Southwold in Suffolk.  My mother also attended the school and looking on the 1938 photo I have spotted her. In June 38 she would have been 13, turning 14 in the following month, 5th July. Her maiden name was Monica Hamence, and she lived in Sutton. When she left school she worked for Bonnett’s bakery and restaurant in Ely which was owned by her Aunt and Uncle. She died in 2011.
  Mabel Hamence, who is shown in the 1913 entry, was my mother’s aunt, (her father’s sister) - she became Mrs Eacock.

September/October 2016

• Anne Dixon (née Low) makes contact from the Bristol area - 'I was in the 1966 cohort as a first year, LIIIH. I left in 1971 to train as a microbiology technician at Addenbrookes Hospital.' Anne has added names to the 1968 Sports Day event - Staff Egg & Spoon race - see via Sport
   
  
• News has been received of the death after a long battle with cancer of Heather James, a regular attender of our reunions. When more information is available she will be added to our In Memoriam page. Our condolences go to her family, especially her sister Diana, who was also at EHS.
   
• The Soham Grammarians have their Annual Reunion Luncheon at Soham Village College on Saturday 1st October. The speaker will be Mike Barningham SG60. If you have a Soham Grammarian in your family or among those you know, please tell them about it. The Booking form can be printed off via SG Reunion booking form.

June-August 2016

• Christine Fuller: Over the years Lorna Delanoy has collected recordings of local people talking about life and the locality in order to preserve an oral history of the former Isle of Ely. These recordings have now been digitised and are now available on the web via farmlandvoices.org.uk
  This long held dream of Lorna to make these voices more widely available has now been realised and many congratulations are due to her for her tenacity and foresight. Would you kindly put this information onto the EHS website as many of the former pupils will have known those who are speaking and it will bring back so many memories.
   
• Felicity (Fiz) Markham has added names and that of the form teacher to the 1967 LIIIH form photo in Scrapbook provided by Kira Davison (née Morrow)
   
• Alison Gingell (née Harper) has died of motor neurone disease aged 65. She worked in support of the people of Coventry for much of her life. Elected to Coventry city council in 2012 as Labour member for the Sherbourne ward, Alison later served as cabinet member for health and adult services. She was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire, daughter of Joan, a housewife, and Ronald, a schoolteacher, and attended EHS in the 1960s. Thanks to Rosy Wolfe (née Broomfield) - more detail in In Memoriam

April  & May 2016

• Pat Warwick,  (English, 1954-58) (Mrs PJR Mockridge) died in March aged 83. Her daughter Rachel has provided an obituary - see via In Memoriam
   
  
• Heather Alder (1964-71) has made contact from Cambridgeshire
  Barbara Smith (née Lynch) makes contact from Monmouthshire: 'I was at Ely High School 1967-1972 and left straight after O-Levels as my parents moved house. I  remember. Kira Morrow and Dorinda  Jeffrey. If either of them remember me I will be very surprised!'
   
  
• Susan Palmer (née Houghton), 1960 entry, passed away peacefully on Thursday 28th April 2016 aged 67 years - see via In Memoriam
   
  
• Our Annual Reunion Luncheon was on Saturday 21st May,  again at the Ely Beet Club in Lynn Road, gathering from 11.30am.  As of 21 May 90 had booked (surnames as when at EHS):
  
  

  Alder, Heather Audus, Jacqui Avey, Margaret Badcock, Margaret Barber, Marjorie Barker, Diane Barker, Ruth Bell, Christine Bester, Ruth Blake Jeannette Bliss, Margaret Boutle, Sue Brown, Hazel Brunt, Jenny Burrows, Ann Carlton, Pamela Carman, Edna Carter, Olive Cater, Margaret Cater, Megan Chapman, Jill Clarke, Carol Cole, Barbara Cox, Janet Cox, Sheila Crane, Frances Cross, Pat Crowe, Jean Crowe, Marlene Czarnobaj, Stephanie Day, Barbara Day, Betty

  Firby, Iris Flack, Pat Freeman, Lorna Gorham, Sheila Hammond, Jennifer Harding, Ann Harris, Rosemary Hubbard, Janet Hudson, Liz Hudson, Maureen Jeffrey, Dorinda   Knott, Julie Ladson, Mary Lane, Grace Lane, Vicki Langford, Sandra Langley, Judith Lowe, Beryl Macer, Pat Mann, Janet McCullagh, Elsie, McCullagh, Mary McCullagh, Norah Murfitt, Brenda Neal, Margaret Norman, Kathy Nunn, Linda Oakey, Mary

  Pearson, Hazel Pen-Gilly, Ann Phillips, Joy Presnell, Rose Proctor, Margo Rayner, Bridget Read, Judy Read, Nina Read, Wendy Reed, Mary Reeder,  Joan Register, Barbara Register, Marian Reynolds, Margaret Robinson, Gwen Saberton, Christine Salmon, Joyce Savidge, Rosemary Sawer, Lesley Sealy, Wendy Simpson, Sandra Strawson, Mary Thompson, Ann Topping, Judy Williams, Marilyn Wilson, Eileen Wilson, Jean Wilson, Pauline Winter, Christine Woolstenholmes,  Audrey

Christine Fuller writes: Once again a super Reunion with everyone so happy and relaxed and we enjoyed another delicious buffet thanks to Sally.
This year I asked Barbara Cole to do a presentation because she and her sister Carolyn and brother in law had spent time helping at the Victoria Square Centre in Athens as part of the Salvation Army team helping cope during the massive migrant crisis.
A collection was made raising £250 which will go directly to Athens to help during this continuing and desperate situation.
Barbara has asked me to say a big THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
The date for next year is 20 May 2017.

February & March 2016

• Mrs Christine Bennett writes: I am a genealogist researching my own and my husband's ancestors. My husband's maternal family name is RICHARDS and in my research I have found information relating to Miss Constance Lilian Cooper Richards' teaching career, part of which was as Senior Science Teacher at Ely High School for Girls, from 1927.  She is believed to have died in 1980 in Salisbury, Wiltshire. She is mentioned a few times on your website.
  It is not clear how long she taught at Ely. If anyone can add to this story, please contact the editor.
   
  
• Alma May Hopkin (née Nunn) of Soham, died after a short illness in Addenbrooke’s Hospital on Friday 11th March 2016 aged 84 years - for more detail see In Memoriam
   
  
• Rosy Wolfe (née Broomfield) corrects the ID of herself on the 1963 School Photo and believes she has spotted Sandra Reynolds.
   
• Pat Merry (née Markwell) makes contact and provides news about Susan Porter (see below).
   
• Susan Oxbury (née Porter) passed away on Wednesday, 2nd March, 2016 in Addenbrookes Hospital, aged 75 years - for more detail see In Memoriam
   
  
• Doreen Holmes (now Stanley) has contributed several names to the 1952 School Photo and to the 1958? and 1967 Reunion photos

January 2016

• Jane Atkin (now Morwood) adds some names to the 1959 School Photo
   
• Pamela Joyce Czarnobaj (née Martin)  died on 7th January 2016 at the age of 78 - for more detail see In Memoriam

December 2015

• All the Best for Christmas and the New Year. If your Christmas card list has reminded you that you are in touch with an EHS that we don't appear to be aware of, please contact us.

• Christine Fuller corrects the ID for Adrienne Neilson on the 1954 School Photo
  

October-November 2015

• Sharman Edmunds was at EHS from 1965 - 72,  joining halfway through the first year. Having lived for many years in Hampshire, she has moved back to the area.
   
• Margaret Allen (EHS 59-66, now Cockburn) writes: The 1915 photo has interesting connections for me. Dorothy Cranwell was my first teacher at Witchford Primary School in 1954. I was in her class for two years and I remember her fondly. Dorothy Defew was English teacher and Deputy Head when I was at High school and I also have fond memories of her.
  I think my Aunt, Constance Allen, must also be in the photo as I know she was in the same class as Miss Defew. She went on to a teacher training college in Norwich but unfortunately died before I was born.

September 2015

• Sarah Hellon's (see last month) photos from her mother Joyce Elizabeth ('Babs') Day, who was at EHS in the 1920s, have now been added to the Sports and Album pages.
   
• Jayne Russell (now Taylor), sister of Anne, was at EHS starting in 1968 (left in 74) . She now lives in Essex.

August 2015

• Catherine Goodjohn (née House) adds herself to the 1963 School Photo
  
  
• Sarah Hellon has recognised her mother in the 1925 School Photo (7/9).
  "Her name was Joyce Elizabeth Day. She was a day pupil, the only child of Ernest Henry and Grace Ellen Day of Bedwell Hey Farm, Stretham. She would have been 12 years old. She had hair long enough to sit on, and wore it in plaits. She had to ask the bus to stop at the end of the farm drive, every day, and on at least one occasion, one of the boys on the bus tied her to her seat by her plaits! She was carried on to Stretham, and consequently late home!
  I know her best friend at school was Yoda Jackson, but I don't know if she is standing near my mother.

July 2015

• Judi Davies (née Cullum) adds herself and several others to the 1963 School Photo. She notes that it seems that not many appear to be listed as in touch. If you are ex-EHS and not on the in touch list, please do consider rectifying that.

May 2015

• Margaret Smith is identified on the 1954 School Photo

• Christine Fuller writes: "This year I kept to the same formula so we met at the Ely Beet Club on Lynn Road, Ely on Saturday 16 May from 11.30am onwards and enjoyed a 3 course buffet meal prepared by Sally and her staff. I chose the same menu as it met with the known dietary needs but I rang the changes with some of the starters and desserts but kept the mains as before. Those with a dietary problem with the meal choices were asked to let me know.
  The price was the same as last year at £25 per head to cover the cost of the excellent meal as well as the necessary extras such as hall hire, postage, stationery, etc.
  I also asked for an indication of the friends people would like to sit with and I did my best to reserve however many seats were needed so that they could be all together.
  My aim is to ensure that the Reunion is a happy, relaxed and informal occasion at which any EHS Old Girl is very welcome."
  
  "The Reunion was once more a happy and successful day. The date for the next one has been booked and confirmed for Saturday 21 May 2016 - same venue with Sally again providing the excellent buffet. So keep a note in your diaries and tell any other Old Girls who may wish to join us."
  

Those booked as of 14th May were as follows (maiden names):

Audus, Jacqueline Avey, Margaret Barber, Marjorie Barker, Diane Barker, Ruth Barton, Wendy Beeton, Peggy Bell, Christine Blake, Jeanette Bliss, Margaret Boutle, Mary Brown, Hazel Brown, Patricia Brunt, Jenny Buck, Sandra Burrows, Ann Carlton, Pamela Carman, Edna Carter, Olive Chapman, Jill Clanfield, Dene Cole, Barbara Cole, Diana Coulson, Erica Cox, Sheila Crane, Frances Crowe, Jean Crowe, Marlene Czarnobaj, Stephanie Day, Barbara Ellington, Marie

Fletcher, Suzanne Freeman, Lorna Gorham, Sheila Hammond, Jennifer Harding, Ann Harris, Rosemary Howard, Margaret Hudson, Liz James, Heather Jeffrey, Dorinda Knott, Julie Ladson, Mary Lane, Grace Lane, Vicki Latham, Barbara Latham, Muriel Lee, Mary Macer, Pat Mann, Janet McCullagh, Mary McCullagh, Norah Murfitt, Brenda Neal, Margaret Norman, Kathy Oakey, Mary Pearson, Hazel Pen-Gilly, Ann Pettit, Celia Phillips, Joy Presnell, Rose

Read, Judy Read, Wendy Reed, Mary Reeder, Joan Register, Barbara Register, Marian Riley, Susan Robinson, Gwen Rudderham, Mary Salmon, Joyce Savidge, Rosemary Sawer, Lesley Sealy, Wendy Simpson, Sandra Sharpe, Pat Strawson, Doris Strawson, Mary Thompson, Anne Topping, Judy Williams, Marilyn Wilson, Eileen Wilson, Jean Wilson, Pauline Winter, Christine Woolstenholmes, Audrey Yarrow, Carol

April 2015

• Scrap Book of the Isle of Ely is the title of a collection of references to the 'forgotten isle'. Many EHS girls and SGS boys lived in that part of Cambridgeshire. Mike Delanoy (SG48) with his wife Lorna (née Freeman, EHS 51) have collected memorabilia over the years and have produced this little book. It costs £4.50. All profits go to East Anglian Children's Hospices. It can be bought from Burrows Bookshop in Ely or ordered direct from 01353 777691.

• The funeral of Mrs Anne Burling (née Cates) at West Suffolk Crematorium on 30th March 2015 is reported in the 9th April edition of the Newmarket Journal. Anne was 71. She can be seen in the 1959 School Photo (8/14) - for more detail see In Memoriam

• Pamela Carlton, who will be attending the Annual Reunion Luncheon, is spotted on the 1952 School Photo.

March 2015

• June Strawson née Bent, of Downham Market, who had been to many Reunions until illness and infirmity prevented her attending about three years ago, died aged 86 on March 20th, 2015 peacefully at Holmwood House. Her funeral service is at St Mary's Church, Bexwell on Monday, March 30th, at 2pm, followed by interment at Rouses Lane Cemetery, Downham Market.

February 2015

• Betty Peacock (née Wells) makes contact and identifies herself on the 1959 School Photo.

• Alocha Barker, (née Power) of Pymoor, who came from Black Horse Drove when a pupil at EHS, passed away peacefully on Saturday 13th December 2014, aged 67 years - see In Memoriam

• Jill Human (née Burroughs) has written for the Soham Grammarians' website of the work of her father WAG Burroughs as a photographer in Soham, prompted by the recent donation of a painting by her father, previously unknown to the family, to Soham Village College. Jill was Head Girl at EHS 1960-61 ... see Scrapbook/This and that

January 2015

• All the best for the New Year!

• Lesley Chilcott (née Sawer) who came over last year from the USA now appears on the list of those in touch.

• Christine Fuller emails: "Sadly I was informed over the festive period that we have lost two former EHS scholars Doreen Cox (Mrs Arnold) and Pamela Easy (Mrs Hardman), both of whom had attended reunions for some years." Please contact the editor if you can add more on them for our In Memoriam page.

---

November 2014

• Anne Blake writes: My aunt May Ellis (née Russell) died on 21st October 2014. May was born in 1919 and was a pupil at EHS in the 1930s. After leaving school she trained as a nurse. During the war she served in the Queen Alexandra Imperial Nursing Service in Africa and Greece.

• Alison Williams (née Brown) writes: I am happy to report a mini-reunion between me and a good friend I made at Ely High School, Josie Crane. We kept in touch for a few years, then lost contact and only just "found" each other this year, after about 40 years! Josie and her husband will be coming to visit me and my husband in Miami next week - photos to follow!

October 2014

• Kira Davison née Morrow has added a 1967 Lower Form III photo to our Photo Album page. It joins the one we have for Lower IIIG on that page. Please add names

September 2014

• Those of you who have a former Soham Grammarian friend or in the family might like to draw their attention to the Soham Grammarians' Annual Lunch on Saturday October 4th, 2014. [Oct: A photo report of this can be seen on the SG website, including the talk given by Gwyn Murfet, ex-Moggy Rat]

August 2014

• We have learned that Josie Chudyk née Barber passed away on 20 August 2014 after a short illness.

July 2014

• Christine Fuller emails: Sadly more deaths to report of former pupils of EHS:
  Janet Tucker (Lane) passed away on 22 July. She was a regular attender at the reunions but was unable to attend this year because of her illness. Her father and my mother were first cousins so Janet and I shared the same great grandparents and Brian Lane (ex SGS) was her twin brother.
  29 July: The death last weekend of Elizabeth Nardone (née Rouse). She had attended many Reunions but had suffered ill health for the last few years.

• Jan Richards emails from Australia with more names for the 1938 school photo provided by her mother Elsie Mitcherson (née Green) who died in May. See School Photos and In Memoriam.

• Anthea Williams emails: I am trying to trace some details about my mother's early life and wondered if you could possible help me. She was Elsie Amelia Strong. I know that she was born on 7th March 1913 and I have been told that she attended Ely High School. I know that she was sent away to school aged five or six and that she left school after matriculation. Her dates at the school would/could be from approximately 1918 or 1919 until 1928 or 1929. I think she may be one of the girls in the photograph at the Ely Museum, called Seniors 1920?s.

June 2014

• Alma Thorby (Mrs Alma Jefferson) passed away on 6 June 2014, reports Christine Fuller. Alma had been a regular attendee at the Reunions over the years but was too unwell to attend this year. She had lived in Littleport all her life - see In Memoriam.

• Christine also adds names to the 1927, 1929, 1930, 1933 and 1956 School Photos.

May 2014

• Annual Reunion Lunch bookings as of 15th May are shown below (names when at EHS). Christine Fuller later wrote "The Reunion was again a very happy and relaxed occasion helped by an excellent buffet but sadly the photographer from a local paper didn't appear.
  The next Reunion will be held on 16 May 2015 at the same venue and Sally will be doing the catering."
  
  If you do have any group photos from the reunion and can put names to at least some of them, please contact Christine.

Adams, Rita Audus, Jacqueline Avey, Margaret Barber, Marjorie Barker, Diane Barker, Ruth Barton, Wendy Bell, Christine Boutle, Mary Brown, Hazel Brunt, Jennifer Burrows, Ann Carlton, Pamela Carman, Edna Carter, Olive Clanfield, Rhodene Chapman, Jill Clarke, Carol Cole, Barbara Cole, Diane Coulson, Erica Crane, Frances Crowe, Jean Crowe, Marlene Czarnobaj, Stephanie Day, Barbara Ellington, Marie Flack, Pat Fletcher, Suzanne Freeman, Lorna

Gordon, Shane Gorham, Sheila Hammond, Jennifer Harding, Ann Harris, Rosemary Howard, Margaret Hudson, Elizabeth Hudson, Maureen James, Heather Jeffrey, Dorinda Juby, Sandra Knott, Yvonne Ladson, Mary Lane, Janet Lane, Victoria Langford, Sandra Latham, Barbara Lee, Mary Lowe, Beryl Macer, Patricia Mann, Janet McCullagh, Elsie McCullagh, Mary McCullagh, Norah McCusker, Sarah Murfitt, Brenda Neal, Margaret Nicholas, Muriel Norman, Kathleen Oakey, Mary

Pen-Gilly, Ann Pettitt, Celia Philips, Joy Presnell, Rose Rayner, Bridget Read, Judy Read, Wendy Reed, Mary Reeder, Joan Register, Barbara Register, Marian Reynolds, Margaret Riley, Susan Saberton, Christine Salmon, Joyce Savidge, Rosemary Sawer, Lesley Sealy, Wendy Sharpe, Pat Simpson, Sandra Strawson, Doris Thompson, Ann Topping, Judy Williams, Marilyn Wilson, Jean Wilson, Pauline Winter, Christine Woolstenholmes, Audrey Yarrow, Carol Beeton, Peggy

April 2014

• Bookings are coming in for this year's Reunion Luncheon on Saturday 17th May, again at the Ely Beet Club in Lynn Road from 11.30am. The meal will be served at 1pm.
  Please click Booking Form for all the details and menu choices. Bookings should please be made before 7th May. Cancellations after that date cannot be refunded. Christine Fuller says "enjoy the occasion with good food, chatter and friendship". See May 2014 for the latest list of bookings.

• Those from the latter days of EHS or whose children studied Chemistry at the Sixth Form Centre in Ely or at Soham Grammar School, or those who have been involved in village life in Fordham, may wish to be aware that Mr Gareth Wood died at home on 7th April, aged 75. His funeral is on Thursday 17th April at 10.30am at St Peter's Fordham. For further information please see the Soham Grammarians' website.

• Jan Richards emails from Western Australia: I have just been looking at the 1938 School Photo. I can help you identify a pupil in the front row of section 8/9. It is my mother, Elsie Green from Wilburton. Mum is now 88 and in poor health but I have printed off the photograph and will see if she can identify anyone else. She met my Dad, Jack Mitcherson, during the war when he was stationed at Mepal with the RAAF and came to Australia to marry him in 1948, almost 10 years to the day after this photo was taken - see via School Photos

March 2014

• Maggie Darley née Stirrup makes contact from West Sussex: After many years I discovered the EHS site and thought I would get in touch. I attended EHS as a first former in 1964 when I was Margaret Stirrup. Miss Tilly was my first headmistress, then Miss Moody. I was in Alan House. My three wonderful daughters and three grandchildren still live in the Ely area and I travel to the area frequently. I have some good and some hazy memories from that time so I enjoy hearing other people's perspectives. I would like to try and find Elizabeth (known as Jane) Bass who was a good friend at school but sadly we lost touch, so if anyone knows her whereabouts I would be grateful.

February 2014

• News via Christine Fuller of two deaths: Christine Brown née Skeels, of Barton on 11th December 2013 and Janet Lane née Rogers, of Ely, the widow of Rex Lane, on 2nd February 2014 - see In Memoriam

• Joy Coates née Jackson, now in Huntingdonshire, makes contact and adds names to the 1967 School Photo - see via School Photos

• Peter Searle, son of Gwendoline M Hepher who attended Ely High School from 1927 to 1931/2, has provided:
  
  - the Easter 1932 Ely High School Magazine. In this issue it was noted that "It was sad to say “good-bye” to Miss Piggott and Miss Duffield after they had taught in the Preparatory for over 25 years; they have been succeeded by Miss Pater and Miss Catley." and that "[The] Hall-Gymnasium, complete with all the best equipment and in itself a building the finest that could be wished, had yet been put up with such a very modest outlay that its plans were being copied by the Board of Education for use in other schools throughout the country."
  
  This issue has been scanned with more sophisticated software, and is searchable (use Ctrl-F) and can be viewed via School Magazines
  
  - several photos of his mother and EHS friends ca 1929, her Art prize and certificate, and a photo of an EHS teacher, not identified - see via Album

• This website is increasingly likely to be viewed on a touch-screen device such as an iPad or something like it, or a Windows 8(!) computer. The main menu on the left of your screen has been revised to make it a bit easier for those using touch screens. Other menus will be revised shortly. The Foundation Centenary and Golden Jubilee pages can still be found via Scrapbook ... Big Occasions

January 2014

• All the best for 2014 to all visitors to this website, especially to those who were pupils or staff at Ely High School for Girls. If you have not yet made contact, or have newly obtained or changed your email address - or other contact details - please do get in touch - see the Contacting us link on the left of your screen.

---

November/December 2013

• Linda Harvey, née Cullen, of Littleport, died on Tuesday 29th October 2013. She attended EHS in the 1950s. She had helped to add names to the 1959 School Photo and was at the 2011 Luncheon: via Christine Fuller (Bell) - see In Memoriam

October 2013

• Our earliest large group/school photo has just got older! The full photo, reproduced with the permission of the Cambridgeshire Collection, had been intriguing Christine Fuller. She had been looking at Dorothy Defew on this photo. Defe was born in 1901 and it was thought that the photo, originally thought to be pre-1929, was therefore 1920 or earlier.
  
  Rosemary Mahy (née Cranwell) writes: I have in my possession the same photograph of the group of girls but mine is usefully captioned in ink on the back as 'Bedford House, Ely High School, Summer Term July 1915 Gym Display'. The photograph belonged to one of my aunts who appears in the photograph with her sister. They are Dorothy Kate Cranwell and Florence Cranwell - see via School Photos

Sylvie Short (Sylvia Coleman at EHS) writes: On 26th October my new book, Two Churches Together - A History of Swaffham Prior is being launched at 7.30pm in Swaffham Prior Village Hall. The book is likely to have appeal to many ex-pupils who lived in Swaffham Prior and the general area. Copies of the book are available from her at £21 inc p&p - for more information in EHS Alumni on the web, via Scrapbook

September 2013

• Wing Commander Kenneth Wallis MBE, born April 26 1916, died September 1 2013. Ken was a preparatory school pupil at EHS in the 1920s. He went on to the King's School Ely. Wallis and his autogyro, Little Nellie, came to public fame in the Bond film You Only Live Twice. Wallis stood in for Sean Connery in a famous sequence in which “Bond”, in a rocket-firing autogyro, fights baddies in orthodox helicopters, zipping around an active volcano - while Connery “sat in a replica in Pinewood with a fan ruffling his shirt and pretended to be flying”. see EHS Alumni on the web, via Scrapbook

July/August 2013

WORDS is a book of local history produced by two EHS Old Girls from the Bedford House days, Maureen Gent (now Scott) of Littleport and Lorna Freeman (now Delanoy) of Haddenham. They have recorded memories and reminiscences of their childhoods in the Fen Country together with lists of words common to the area ... hence the full title of the publication Words, Words & more Words. It costs £3 from Burrows bookshop in Ely.

• Penny Hacking née Gower, makes contact and thinks she has ID'd Davina Hughes on the 1971 School Photo - see via School Photos

• Heather Sheps née Smith, now in Vancouver, makes contact and has added herself and Susan Tweed to the IDs on the 1963 School Photo - see via School Photos

June 2013

• See the Reunion photos page for those taken by Edna Carman (now Collinson) at the 2013 event. If you can add names or provide additional images please contact us - and does anyone have ones taken at the 2012 event - and can you add names to the 2011 photos?

• At the Reunion we remembered the passing of the last Head Teacher of Ely High School, Miss Eileen Moody who died in early autumn 2012. Her memorial service was held in Ely Cathedral on 16th October 2012.
  
  In addition to the deaths recorded on this website since the 2012 reunion the deaths of the following were announced:
  
  Sheila Joan Hullyer née Lister, 1947 entry, who passed away after a short illness on 23rd July, 2012. She attended our 2011 reunion.
  
  Phyllis May Sculthorpe née Peters, of Mepal, who passed away peacefully in Addenbrookes Hospital on 22nd April 2013, aged 83. In the mid 1990s it was the Sculthorpe sisters-in-law, Phyllis and Olive née Blinch who decided to get in touch with their former school mates and organised Reunions held at the Soham bypass motel; these formed the basis of the group that meets today in the Annual Reunions held each May in Ely. The numbers attending grow year on year and we meet in an informal, happy and relaxed atmosphere and keep the memory of our school alive.
  
  All are recorded on our In Memoriam page.

• At last the editor has added the May 1927 School Photo promised earlier this year. This came from Marion Register (now Younge), sister of Barbara Register. They have spotted their mother, Margaret Daniels. Your help in identifying faces on this and other early school photos would be much appreciated, as it gets more difficult as time goes by. Please dig out old family albums and see what you can do if there is someone in your family who was at EHS in the 1920s or 1930s - see via School Photos

• Barbara Register (now Attwood) has provided a Fifth form photo "I know it is blurred. Taken on my best Box Brownie." - see in Photo Album

• Joan Taylor of Newmarket, who was not at EHS, has kindly provided:
  - identification of Vera and Eleonore Jobson on the 1929 and 1930 EHS School Photos
  - Vera Jobson in a sports day photo - see via Sport

• Pam Fenn (now Austin) has provided several photos:
  - a view of the audience at the 1965 Prizegiving - see via Speech Days
  - School Choir in a concert, 1960s and Spring 1969; Madrigal Society concerts 1966 and 1968; a Woodwind Quintet, 1960s - see all these in Photo Album

• Christine Bell (now Fuller): I have been looking at Dorothy Defew on the 'pre 1929' School photo. Defe was born in 1901 so would have gone to university in about 1919 or 1920 and by her position in the back row was obviously a senior pupil. I think this could date the photo as 1920 or earlier. I think she got her degree in about 1923 so the photograph is definitely the oldest school photo we have so far.

May 2013

• Making contact:
  
  - Jane Elizabeth Leonard (now Goupillon), now in Wales "I was at Ely High School from Sept 1961 to July 1968. The group I hung out with was Rosemary Parsley (is anyone in touch with her?), Anne and Elizabeth Wyllie, and Ann Penn."
  - Lucy Heaps (now Couzens), who adds names to the 1967 School Photo - see via School Photos

• Christine Fuller writes: "Sadly the sun didn't shine down on us but the warmth and smiles on peoples faces made up for it at our 2013 Annual Luncheon on 18th May. The next Reunion will be Saturday 17th May 2014."
  Please let us have your images of the day. The 96 booking for this event were, in maiden name order:

  Avey, Margaret Badcock, Margaret Barber, Marjory Barker, Diane Barker, Ruth Beeton, Peggy Bell, Christine Bester, Ruth Blake, Jeannette Bliss, Margaret (Needlework) Boutle, Mary Brown, Hazel Brunt, Jennifer Bullingham, Joan Burrows, Ann Carlton, Pamela Carman, Edna Carter, Olive Cater, Margaret Cater, Megan Chapman, Jill Clanfield, Rhodene Clarke, Carol Clift, Ann Cole, Barbara Cole, Diane Coulson, Erica Cox, Sheila Crane, Frances Crowe, Jean Crowe, Marlene Czarnobal, Stephanie

  Day, Barbara Day, Betty Drake, Marina Ellington, Marie Flack, Pat Fletcher, Margaret Freeman, Lorna Gorham, Sheila Hammond, Jennifer Harding, Ann Harris, Rosemary Hitch, Margaret Horspool, Janet Hudson, Liz Jeffrey, Dorinda Juby, Sandra Knott, Julie Ladson, Mary Lane, Grace Lane, Janet Leaney, Brenda Lee, Mary Leonard, Pat Leonard, Paula Lowe, Beryl Macer, Pat Mann, Janet McCullagh, Elsie McCullagh, Mary McCullagh, Norah Murfitt, Brenda

  Neal, Margaret Nicholas, Muriel Norman, Kathy Nunn, Linda Oakey, Mary Pettitt, Celia Presnell, Rose Rayner, Bridget Read, Judy Read, Wendy Reed, Mary Reeder, Joan Register, Barbara Register, Marian Reynolds, Margaret Saberton, Christine Salmon, Joyce Savidge, Rosemary Sealy, Wendy Simpson, Sandra Smith, Margaret Strawson, Doris Strawson, Mary Thompson, Anne Thorby, Alma Topping, Judy Williams, Marilyn Wilson, Eileen Wilson, Pauline Wimpenny, Audrey Winter, Christine Woolstenholmes, Audrey

• Jackie Bidwell (Sotheran) was one of the key people behind the creation of this website. She died on 14th May 2012 and her wish was that her body be used for medical research. Her husband Harry writes: "On 17th May 2013 there was a Service of Thanksgiving for those who have donated their bodies for Medical Education, Training and Research. It was held at Southwark Cathedral and was arranged by the London and South East Committee of Anatomists. There were Spiritual Representatives of the Medical Schools and Hospitals involved representing Anglican, Catholic and other Faiths. The Welcome, Introduction and Blessing was by the Dean of Southwark and the Address was by The Bishop of Salisbury. Prayers led by a RC Lay Chaplain. The Service was for the 336 donors of the year 2012. All seats in the aisles and nave were taken and late comers stood in the Crossing. Well over 1000 relatives and friends attended. Five of us attended representing Jackie's family and friends. We all found the Service deeply affecting and were impressed with the way the Service conveyed the value to society of donation and the place donors had in the training and development of anatomy and medicine. The ambience of Cathedral, Choir, hymns and sense of involvement of the congregation combined into a confirmation that we were celebrating something special and appreciated. We were pleased that Jackie's generosity had been appropriately recognised."

April 2013

• Making contact:
  - Kira Morrow (now Davison) I was at EHS 1967-1972. I have a photo which doesn't appear to be on your website. It is from 1967 and the class is the other Lower III to the one you already have. I can't remember the form teacher but I think it was H. I have an online friend who lives in Scotland and I mentioned the school to her one day. She told me her mum was at the school in the 30s and found a picture of her on your website from 1938.

March 2013

• Please see above about this year's Annual Reunion Luncheon on 18th. The cut off date is 9th May and early booking is strongly recommended. Please print off additional copies of the form for any you think might like to come.
  Please let us have your photos of last year's event!

• Christine Bell (now Fuller) adds names to the Whitsun 1959 Lake District Expedition photos - see via Trips

February 2013

• Making contact:
  Joy Cornwell (now Thorby) makes contact from East Anglia and adds herself to the 1959 School Photo - see via School Photos
  Susan Cumner-Price (now O’Donovan)

January 2013

• A happy and healthy New Year to all.

• Christine Fuller has moved, still in Ely. For those of you who have her phone number, it remains the same and she continues to receive emails sent via this website

• The website editor will be dealing with a small backlog of items - including the 1927 School Photo - to be added to the website.

October - December 2012 - all very quiet!

• Miss Eileen Moody, the last Head Teacher of EHS, has died.
  Andrew Hinchley, her nephew, writes: "Sadly Eileen has died recently. We are having a memorial service at Ely Cathedral on Tuesday 16th October at 1pm. It will be an hour of celebration of Eileen's life and it would be so nice if there are former pupils or staff who could come. "
  
  Christine Fuller adds: A former pupil and member of staff will speak of Miss Moody. Would those of you who are in touch with others from Miss Moody's time please let them know of the service?
  
  The following notice appeared in the Ely Standard: EILEEN MOODY Memorial service Ely Cathedral Tuesday 16th October at 1pm. Past students and staff of March High School for Girls, Ely High School for Girls, King's School, Ely and friends from Cambridge U34 all welcome. Music for the service from Bridget Hardy, Mezzo-Soprano, members of the Fairhaven Singers, Jonathan Lilley, Organ, Ralph Woodward, piano.

• ... still hoping to receive images taken at this year's annual luncheon ...

• Soham Grammarian Richard Crofts has informed us of the death of his mother Freda Crofts, née Kerridge, peacefully in her sleep on 30th September 2012, just short of her 90th birthday. She and her daughter Alison were both at EHS.
  A service for her is being held at the West chapel of the Cambridge Crematorium on Monday 15th Oct at 2.15pm, followed by a gathering at the Arkenstal centre at Haddenham.
  For more detail see In Memoriam.

• We have heard of the death on 19 May 2012 of Ann Humberstone (Mrs Taylor) in Norfolk. Ann was one of many girls who travelled daily by train to EHS - she and Christine Fuller were in the same class.

July 2012

• Jean Gimbert (now Lightfoot) makes contact and attempts to provide the names of the most senior girls in the school year 1943/44 - see via Scrapbook ... People ... School Officers

June 2012

• Sheila Gorham has provided several photos of Old Girls at an event in May 1967, including Miss Moody.
  How fashions change! - see via Reunions

May 2012

• Pauline Veal (60-65), now Ogden, makes contact from Thailand, to where the Ogdens retired two years ago. Pauline:
  - adds names to the 1963 School Photo - see via School Photos
  - adds a photo of a 2004 gathering of those who left in 1965 - see via Reunions

• Phyllis Setchell née Ransome died in the Princess of Wales Hospital in April 2012 aged 79. She had trained as a nurse at Addenbrookes Hospital in the 1950s.Via Lorna Delanoy

• Harry Sotheran: "Jackie Sotheran (née Bidwell), my wife of 42 years, has finally succumbed to her cancer. Our children and I were by her side as she passed away on Monday 14th May in Woking Hospice. Her memorial service [was on] Friday, May 18th at 2.30 p.m. in West Byfleet Catholic Church KT14 6DH, and [was] conducted by Father Alex, a family friend. We really hope that at as many people as possible celebrate her life and to remember her brave fight over the last 10 years."
  
  In place of flowers the family asked that consideration be given to making a donation to Woking Hospice at:
  http://www.justgiving.com/wokinghospice/donate/ or via a cheque in memory of Jackie Sotheran payable to 'Woking Hospice' c/o the Director of Fundraising, Woking Hospice, Hill View Road, Woking, Surrey, GU22 7HW. They are especially grateful to the hospice for doing so much for Jackie in her final days and as an organisation they rely in large part on charitable donations.
  
  The editor writes: Jackie lived not far from me in Surrey. She enjoyed being part of setting up this EHS website. She was always most welcoming and positive. Our condolences go to Harry and the family.

• Our Annual Reunion Luncheon was on Saturday 12th May at 1pm, again at the Ely Beet Sugar Sports and Social Club in Lynn Road, Ely. It was a lovely sunny day and was a resounding success with 93 attendees - as usual the decibel level was high as much talking was done and delicious buffet lunch was enjoyed by everyone.
  
  Christine asked folk who were there on Saturday to send/email her copies of any photos they took that day. The best will be added to our website.
  
  The date for 2013 Reunion will be Saturday 18 May at the Beet Sugar Club, Lynn Road Ely and once again Sally will be catering for us.

• Those booking for 2012 (92 as of 8 May) were, in maiden name order:

Avey, Margaret Badcock, Margaret Badcock, Olive Barker, Ruth Barton, Wendy Bell, Christine Belsham, Irene Blake, Jeannette Bliss, Margaret (Needlework) Boutle, Mary Brown, Hazel Brunt, Jenny Bullingham, Joan Burrows, Ann Carman, Edna Cater, Megan Chambers, Beryl Chapman, Jill Clarke, Carol Clements, Elizabeth Cole, Barbara Cole, Diane Coulson, Erica Cox, Doreen Crane, Frances Crowe, Marlene Day, Barbara Day, Betty Dorling, Pauline Drake, Marina

Ellington, Marie Fletcher, Suzanne Freeman, Lorna Frost, Mary Gorham, Sheila Hammond, Jenny Harding, Ann Harris, Rosemary Howard, Margaret Hubbard, Janet Hudson, Liz James, Heather Jeffrey, Dorinda Juby, Sandra Ladson, Mary Lane, Grace Lane, Janet Leaney, Brenda Lee, Mary Leonard, Pat Lowe, Beryl Knott, Yvonne Macer, Jean Macer, Pat McCullagh, Jean McCullagh, Mary McCullagh, Norah Neal, Margaret Norman, Kathy Nunn, Linda

Parr, Deanna Pearson, Hazel Pen-Gilly, Ann Perry, Joan Pettitt, Celia Proctor, Margaret Rayner, Bridget Read, Judy Read, Wendy Reed, Mary Reeder, Joan Register, Barbara Register, Marian Reynolds, Margaret Riley, Susan Robinson, Gwen Russell, Rosemary Saberton, Christine Savidge, Rosemary Sealy, Wendy Simpson, Sandra Strawson, Doris Swan, Sheila Thorby, Alma Topping, Judy Whitehand, Carol Williams, Marilyn Wilson, Pauline Winter, Christine Woolstenholmes, Audrey Yarrow, Carol Yarrow, Maureen

April 2012

• Barbara Register (now Attwood) in Cambridgeshire, is now in contact.

March 2012

• Our Annual Reunion Luncheon is on Saturday 12th May at 1pm, again at the Ely Beet Sugar Sports and Social Club in Lynn Road, Ely. The Hall will be open from 11.30am to 4.30pm. Full details can be found by clicking the link above. We are limited to 120 so first come, first served. Please talk to your EHS friends and book soon.

• Avis Youngs (now Bidwell) makes contact to date (1950/51) and complete the names in the 'St Etheldreda' photo in which she appears, in the Album (via link on the left of your screen). Can anyone more precisely date it?

• Elsbeth Slater (now LeButt) in Leicestershire, is now in contact.

February 2012

• HM The Queen came to the throne on 6 February 1952 and her Coronation took place on 2 June 1953. She celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1977 and her Golden Jubilee in 2002. Here is an extract from Miss Bertha Tilley's letter in the July 1952 EHS Magazine:
  
  My dear Girls and Old Girls,
  The year which is nearing completion has been shadowed with a national sorrow, the passing of our beloved King, His Majesty, King George the Sixth. The grief we all felt was not only for his death with its tragic sadness, but for the loss of a truly great and good man, one who in his tirne was an example to the whole nation of selfless devotion to duty, of courage, and of self-sacrifice. The realisation came to us all then how fortunate the English nation was to have had for its sovereign a man who ranked among the greatest for the exercise of the true virtues of a Christian. Now England has once more a queen upon the throne; our loyalty and devotion are given to our new Queen, Elizabeth the Second. We rejoice in her youth and her beauty and in her self-sacrifice in taking on the great burden of the rule of this land, and look forward in hope to a glorious reign. She is an inspiration to us all to live our lives for the best and truest, and to spare no effort for the good of the nation, and of mankind, to find indeed, real joy in the giving of ourselves for others. ...
  
  On February 8 1952 the magazine records there was the Proclamation of HM Queen Elizabeth II and on June 12 1952 the School heard the Proclamation of the Coronation in front of the Cathedral. This year sees the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
  What are your memories of the historic events of 1952, at school and where you lived then?

• 2012 sees the 40th anniversary of the end of Ely High School with the change in the structure of education in the area. If you were at EHS at the time please let us have your memories of how this affected you.

• In 1952 the Summer Olympic Games were held in Helsinki. When the Games were held on London in 1948 did EHS do any trips? Has any EHS or member of your family been involved in any of the post-war Olympic Games and in particular the 2012 Olympic Games ?

January 2012

• To all our visitors, a Happy New Year.

• Maggi Slassor, who has been in Canada since 1974, makes contact and would love to hear from those in her class.

---

December 2011

• To all our visitors, especially those of you who have provided material for this website, our Best Wishes for a Happy Christmas. The 5,000th visit to this site was on 21st December!

• In 1956 three EHS girls took the women's roles in Soham Grammar School's production of Hamlet, some new photos of which have been found by Soham Village College - see via What's New? in the Soham Grammarians' website (link on left of your screen).

• Patricia Harwood (now Cicharski), makes contact from France. "I was at Ely High School from 1964-1971 (I think..). I belonged to Knut house, played in the orchestra and sang in the choir. I'd love to meet up with people we knew at school."

• Claire Fisher (now Darlington) provides a photo of a get-together of some of those who were senior girls in the final year of EHS, at Cathy Suter's home in Cambridge in May this year - see via Reunion Photos

• Sylvie Short (Sylvia Coleman at EHS) is now an author after a career in education - see Scrapbook > EHS Alumni on the web

November 2011

• Mrs Angela Mary Kingsley Covey-Crump (LRAM) died at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on December 14 2005, aged 93. Her obituary can be seen on our In Memoriam page

• The published obituary for Mrs Lorna Delanoy (she joined the staff as Miss Lorna Higson) who taught PE and who died in 2007, has also been added to the In Memoriam page.

• Elena Rice (now Crittenden) makes contact from Australia.

• When it came to clear Vine House, Little Downham - the home of Valerie Watson's unmarried aunts, Laura Sennitt (died 1981) and Olive Sennitt (died 1979) - a copy of the 21st Anniversary 1926 Ely High School magazine was found. Both ladies came to EHS in 1908. (Valerie's father, Arthur Wilfred Sennitt, born 1901, attended Soham Grammar School.)
  
  We are grateful to Valerie for the loan of this important issue of the EHS magazine. Extracts are being added to the website. The cover can be seen on the Magazines page.
  
  The first extract is the 1926 Register of Old Girls - is someone in your family listed? - see via Scrapbook > Extracts

• During WWII The Jews' Free School was evacuated from London to Ely. In Scrapbook one of their Evacuation Newsletters records the help Miss Tilley gave to them. The Newsletters make interesting reading as they contain news of events in Ely and the villages.

October 2011

• Courtesy of Chris Jakes of the Cambridgeshire Collection, a piece from a 1998 Ely Standard by Ann Harding (Powell) Memories of first day - back in 1948 - see via Scrapbook, look under This and that
  
  Chris was the speaker at the recent Soham Grammarians' Annual Reunion - you might like to look at his talk, much about Local History, via the Reunion Dinners link on the SG website

• The menu on the left of the screen has a new link - Requests. This new page is where we can put information request messages like that from Mark Poynter about his late mother Margaret Wenn. We will forward any information provided. If you are making such a request by post please enclose a reply paid addressed envelope.
  For how we handle requests to be put in touch with someone, please see Who's in touch?

• Information sought on Margaret Wenn
  My name is Mark Poynter I am the son of the late Mrs Margaret Ann Wenn Poynter. Margaret Wenn was the daughter of Ethal and Hecter Wenn who ran a public House called the King’s Arms throughout the 1930’s and 40’s. My mother attended the Ely High School for Girls from 1938-1948 (and possibly until 1950).
  I wish to obtain some information about her school studies.
  I have been examining various old documents and discovered her Cambridge SCE (School Certificate Examination) report. From the research that I have conducted so far I have discovered that my mother was in the lower form at Ely High and obtained her SCE certificate in 1948 aged 16 with 5 c’s (credit) and 4 p’s (pass) grades but no a’s (very good).
  I would like to know as to whether or not there is any record of my mother remaining at Ely High School after 1948 in order to pursue her Highers or whether she simply left school at 16. To date I have not found any evidence that she obtained her Highers and I would like to solve this family mystery. If you should have any information on Margaret Wenn I would be most grateful. Best regards, Mark Poynter

September 2011

• Pauline Dorling (now Tambling) adds some info on 1971 staff - see 1971 School Photo
  Pauline has also kindly set up an EHS page on Wikipedia to help guide vistors to our website.

• Carol Houghton (now Doe) makes contact to identify herself on the 1963 School photo. Pauline Wilson (now Pink) adds a few names to the same photo.

August 2011

• 12 August 2011: 4,000th visit to our website. Thank you all for helping it to keep growing.

• Please contact the editor if you have photos of this year's Annual Luncheon. Christine Bell (now Fuller) provides a few - names needed! - see via Reunion Photos

• via Christine we also have a 1967 photo of form Lower IIIG: the source is not clear and the image is from a photocopy. If you are the source or you have an orginal, please contact us - see via Album

• Janice Parr (now Clarke) makes contact and adds names to the 1959 and 1963 School Photos

• Gloria Edwards (now Kiteley and living in Suffolk) makes contact.

• Lynne Whitwood (now Workman), who left in 1972, makes contact

• Carol Clarke (now Driver) was a postwar pupil, her daughter Sally Driver was a pupil in the final years of EHS. The Drivers provide:
  - Carol's 1951 Eastern Counties bus season ticket - see via Scrapbook > This and that
  - Carol's photos of Miss Moira Mahoney (English) and her with some of form V alpha, Summer 1952 - see via Album
  - Sally's 1971-72 Form 1Ma (Miss Rosemary Margetson, Biology) photo - see via Album
  - Sally's Songs of Praise provides a few images that might bring back memories - see via Scrapbook > This and that

• Peter Searle's mother, Gwendoline May Hepher (b 12th May 1916, d 20th November 1993) attended Ely High School for Girls in the 1920s. He has identified her on the 1929 and 1930 School Photos. Her brother, Cyril Frank Hepher, went to Soham Grammar School in 1925.

• Helen Smith adds names to a 1954 St Joan photo - see via Productions

• Dorothy Day (now Allen), via her daughter Margaret Allen (now Cockburn), is putting names on the 1938 photo

July 2011

• Making contact
  Megan Cater (now Bonner) who adds to the 1963 School Photo ("Love the hair styles!")
  Pauline Wilson (now Pink), in Cambridgeshire

• Patricia Gallagher (now How): "What a find - I didn't know this site existed!!" - Patricia has a go at the 1971 School Photo
  
• Helen Smith updates the 1952 Twelfth Night and 1953 Merchant of Venice photos and adds a 1954 St Joan photo (in colour)

• Jackie Bidwell (now Sotheran) adds a 1963 Snowdonia trip photo

June 2011

• Christine Dawkins (née Frost) writes: On 28 May Cathy Suter kindly organised a get together for a few of the girls in our year with whom she has kept in touch. My sister Julie had alerted me to your web site and the blank names on the school photographs. Several other of the girls that met up yesterday brought along their photos and we came up with a few of the missing names. [Editor - any photos of your gathering?]
  
  Also attending yesterday were Julia Brown, Claire Fisher, Gaye Kerridge, Debra Nicholls, Jennie Parsons, and Janet Peacock. I can only speak for myself of course but we had a lovely afternoon and before we knew it 12.30 had become 8pm. A promise was made to repeat the get together again and as next year will be 40 years since we left we hope to make it a bigger occasion.
  
  Christine - and Claire Darlington (née Fisher) - have added quite a few names to the 1967 School Photo.
  Christine has also added some Upper Sixth names to the 1971 School Photo

• Jackie Sotheran (née Bidwell) adds a couple of names to one of the Snowdonia trip 1963 photos.

• Dorothy Allen (Day) with the help of her daughter Christine Cockburn (Allen) adds names to the 1938 School Photo

• Do you have any photos of the 2011 Luncheon for the website? Please either email them via contact@elyhighschoolforgirls.org.uk or send them to Christine Fuller, clearly identified, with reply postage if you want them back please.

May 2011

• 116 bookings were received for the Annual Luncheon - see via About this year's Annual Reunion Luncheon on May 14 and who booked
  Christine Fuller (née Bell) writes: The Reunion on Saturday 14 May went off extremely well and was enjoyed by everyone as was the excellent lunch. As usual we nearly raised the roof with chatter and laughter and it was so good for people to meet up with former schoolmates they hadn't seen for 60 years in some cases.
  
  The next Reunion has been booked for Saturday 12th May 2012 at the Ely
  Sugar Beet Club and once again Sally will be doing the catering. I was asked by the gathering to continue to lead the group!

• Margaret Cockburn née Allen, now in Northumberland, makes contact and adds a few names to the 1963 School Photo "You may remember me as Margaret Allen (1959-1966) known at school as Mallen, now Margaret Cockburn. I was surprised that I wasn't in the hockey photo. I continued playing at University and for a local club for many years. I have lived in Northumberland since 1974 but visit Ely regularly as my mother (Dorothy Allen née Day, another EHS old girl) still lives in Witchford."
  
  Margaret also adds:
  - a photo taken at Santa Marguerita, near Genoa, on New Year's Day 1966 at the end of the Holy Land Cruise on Nevasa - see via Trips > Christmas Cruise 1965
  - two (plus a new one) photos taken on the 1963 Expedition to Snowdonia - see via Trips
  - photo of her receiving the Winning House Trophy on Sports Day 1966 from Mr Sneesby, she was the Etheldreda House sports captain - see via Sport

April 2011

• Marjorie Miller (née Barber) adds two photos, both of which need some names:
  - 1953 Hockey XI - see via Sport > Hockey
  - Twelfth Night July 1952 - see via Productions

• In contact:
  - Patricia Plumb, now Mrs George Dann, living in Essex: George (1933-38) is the doyen of those attending the Soham Grammarian dinners

• 88 bookings have so far been received for the Annual Luncheon - it's time to sort out yours! - see via link above

• About one in five City of Ely Community College pupils were disciplined on the first day of a crackdown on "low-level disruptive behaviour". The new policies were introduced by head teacher Catherine Jenkinson-Dix. Please click on BBC News report 7 April.

March 2011

• Suzanne Paddison (née Fletcher) adds a couple of names to the 1959 School Photo

• 25 March 2011: 3,000th visit to our website. Thank you for helping it to grow.

• Nick Bowden, a researcher with the BBC, writes: I'm working on an upcoming BBC2 history series focusing on the Coronation in 1953. I read with great interest the article online here on the EHS website:
  http://www.elyhighschoolforgirls.org.uk/ehs-coronation-memories-0753mag.htm
  I wonder if you have any further information on the author of that account, Margaret Atkinson? I would like to get in touch with her as I'm trying to find people who witnessed the Coronation first hand. Any help you can provide would be most gratefully received.
  If anyone is in touch with Margaret please make contact.

• Making contact:
  - Pauline Tambling (née Dorling), adding names to the 1967 and 1971 School Photos. Pauline is Managing Director of the National Skills Academy - see via Scrapbook > EHS Alumni on the web

• Liz Stokes (née Martin), corrects the ID for her on the 1963 School Photo and adds her sister Catherine to the 1971 photo

• Patricia Laird (née Dennis) died peacefully at home in Newmarket on January 29 2011, aged 66, after a battle with cancer: seen in the Newmarket Journal, 17 March 2011 - see In Memoriam

• Via Christine Winter we have learned of the death of Molly Elizabeth Bishop, of Littleport Grange Nursing Home. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on February 23rd, 2011 aged 95 years. Molly was a pupil at EHS in the 1920s. She lived and taught in Littleport.

• June Martin (MacDonald) enables us to add the 6 December 1946 Prize Distribution programme - see via Speech Days

• If you know someone who would be interested in our website but they do not have a computer, perhaps let them know they can go on the Internet in many local libraries eg Cambridgeshire - or show them on yours ...

• Noticed our updated home page? It now includes the early School Badge from the 1925 School Photo. Can anyone tell us more about this version?

• Miss Stella Cork (PE 1957-59) adds several new items:
  See via Album:
  - some of Form IVA, 1960?
  - bellringing for Miss Joan Brown's wedding in 1958
  - a couple of informal staff photos from 1957-59
  See via Sport:
  - a couple of Ely Swimming Pool Photos
  - Miss Cork making herself heard
  See via Sport > Sports Programmes
  - a couple of Sports Day 1958 photos
  See via Sport > Hockey:
  - Hockey 1st XI 1959 and Staff team photos
  
  Another Rivals 1959 photo, to which Helen Smith has added names - see via Productions
  Photo of a 1995 Staff get-together at Pam Brook's in Woking - see via Reunions
  Invitation to the opening of the New Buildings - see via Scrapbook > Official Opening of the New Building, 21 Oct 1957

• Susan Riley :-
  - adds the 1925 School Photo
  - adds her mother Brenda Taylor (see Feb) to the 1929, 1930 and 1933 School Photos
  - adds names to the 1954, 1956 and 1959 School Photos

February 2011

• Sandra Blickem (Juby), in Cambridgeshire, makes contact and adds some names to the 1963 School Photo

• Susan Riley adds names to the 1929, 1954 and 1956 School Photos.
  Susan and her sister Brigid Knight were both Head Girls. Their grandmother was Mrs CM Taylor, for many years Hon. Sec. of the OGA. Mrs Taylor's daughters Mary and Brenda were at EHS. Brenda married Mr TL Riley, who taught French and was Scoutmaster to generations of Soham Grammarians.
  Susan and Brigid have loaned some early EHS School Photos - 1925, 1933 and an undated one which matches one of the two undated ones provided by the Ely Museum (the other undated Ely Museum EHS School Photo proved to match Susan and Brigid's 1933 photo).
  Work is in progress on the 1925 photo. 1933 can be seen via School Photos.
  
  Susan and Brigid also add many early photos to the Album and Sports pages, some including Preparatory boys and 1933 staff.

• Christine Fuller (Bell) adds names to the 1956 School Photo

• Karen Eden:
  - names many in the Form 1S 71-72 photo - has anyone got a better quality original? - see via Album
  - adds many names to the 1971 School Photo

• The Our Area page has been updated - please contact the editor if there is a website for the community where you lived when at EHS that is not listed.

• Wendy Roberts (Imrie) adds names to the 1963 & 1967 EHS school photos - see via School Photos - and to the Madrigals photo - see via Scrapbook > Music

January 2011

• A Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all our visitors!
  Did EHS ever produce a Christmas card?

• Glynis Bond (Partridge):
  - enables replacement of the damaged sections of the 1967 School Photo - see via School Photos
  - adds the Speech Day programmes for 1965 & 1967 - see via Speech Days

• Wendy Roberts (Imrie):
  - starts a Music page with a report of a Madrigal Society summer concert - can you name the singers? - see via Scrapbook > Music
  - adds press cuttings from the 1967 Sports Day - see Sport page
  - adds press photos of audiences at Speech Days in 1962, 1966 and 1967 - see via Speech Days

• Now in touch
  - Carol Mason (Clements), in Cambridgeshire

• 20 Jan: news of the death of Janet Carter née Harmston, suddenly at home on 10 January 2011 aged 74: via Christine Fuller - see In Memoriam

• School Photos:
  - June 1929 School Photo is added, from Miss JM Spreckley via Miss Pam Blakeman. It turns out to be one of the three 'mystery' photos held by the Ely Museum.
  Time is passing, so please get your older Ely & area relations and friends to look at this and the other early EHS and SGS school photos to see if they can add any names.
  - 1952 and 1954: Brenda (Olive) Bellwood (Carter) got together a group to look at hard copy of these provided by the editor - Anne Briggs (Carter), Jacqueline Sykes (Audus) and Margaret Haylock - with the result that many new names are added and some existing ones queried .. Margaret Hitch is proving difficult to pin down!
  - Christine Fuller (Bell) adds names to 1959
  - Glynis Bond (Partridge) provides names for 1963 and 1967 adding "I feel I'd like to say that this exercise has reminded me of many good friendships (including some I can't name after all these years!) but also that along with many of these people I recall that to a large extent we received an education despite EHS, not because of it."
  - 1971
  Brenda May (Human) adds namesand provides a 1971 Form photo (for the latter see via Album) .. also, can anyone tell us more about the other 1971 group photo on that page?
  Anna Hacket Pain (Macklin) adds 15 names.

• The addition of a photo of the 1951-52 Hockey 1st XI from the July 1952 EHS magazine prompts the spin-off of a dedicated Hockey page from the Sport page. Hockey team listings and reports (where provided) have so far been added from the following EHS magazines: 1952, 1959, 1965-66, 1966-67 (U15 County Champions), 1967-68 (U15 County Champions), 1968-69, 1969-70 and the last issue. If you have more team photos please contact us.

• The Staff pages are updated with the comings and goings recorded in the 1967-68 EHS magazine.

• The 1968 EHS production of Brecht's The Good Woman of Setzuan is added to the Productions page. Does anyone have photos or a programme?
  
  Also, reports from the EHS magazines are added for the productions with SGS of The Importance of Being Earnest and From Maenad to Martyr.

• Are you in the photo of the 1958 Speech Day?

• Mrs Vivian Hawes (Convine) enables the start of a School Sports Programmes page with 1955 and 1956. The 1955 programme is remarkable for the utter smashing of the Throwing the Rounder Ball distance by C Bell ... see via Sport

---

December 2010

• School Photos:
  - 1952: Joyce Thulbon (Salmon) adds some names, also Christine Fuller (Bell)
  - 1954: Wendy Khan (Sealy) adds the 1954 School Photo; Helen Smith, Christine Fuller (Bell) and Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) are making good progress on adding names, who else can help?
  - 1967:
  Soham Grammarian Martyn Davies adds a few more names
  Rosy Wolfe (Broomfield) adds some staff names
  Julia Sabey (Peters) makes contact and adds names;
  Pauline Dunham (Stacey) makes contact and provides many names;
  Jane Freeman makes contact and identifies her sister and one of her friends
  - 1971: list of staff not yet identified has been added
  Fiz (Felicity) Markham and Ellie Gamble (Staines) make contact and are adding names
  Sally Dunlop (Meyer), now in Scotland, makes contact and adds names

• Also making contact:
  - Frances Hatch "Great to see the [1972] Taming of the Shrew players ... Memories!" : Frances, an artist and educator, invites you to visit her websites www.franceshatch.co.uk www.frozenorchestras.com
  - Liz McCusker
  - Sarah Ruczaj (McCusker)

• 19 December 2010: 2,000th visit to our website.
  All the best to you and yours for Christmas and the New Year from the team - Christine, Jackie and Frank

• Frances Hatch making contact has prompted the creation of a page EHS Alumni on the web - see via Scrapbook

• From the 1956 and 1957 EHS magazines, Miss Defew and Miss Tilly look forward to the move to Downham Road,
  and Miss Tilly records the Golden Jubilee Celebrations.
  see via Scrapbook ... Big Occasions

• Twelfth Night, due to be performed in July 1952 - was it? - see Productions

• More added on Trips: they now have their own page and previous references have been updated -see the Trips link on the left of your screen:

  • the trip to Belgium, August 1953

  • Trip to London (Madame Tussauds) & Wembley (England v Scotland Hockey International), March 1954

  • an account of an Upper IV Forms Geography Expedition in the Fens, from the July 1954 EHS magazine

  • Visit to Grimes Graves, May 1956

  • Expedition to the Lake District, Whitsun 1959

  • Trip to Paris, July 1959

  • the EHS report on the joint SGS/EHS August 1964 trip to Europe

  • the August 1964 MS Dunera cruise to Copenhagen, Hamburg and Amsterdam.

  • Trip to Paramé, near St Malo, France, July 1957

  If you went, do you have any recollections/photos?

• A brief review of the July 1956 production of Tobias and the Angel is added from the 1957 magazine - does anyone have more photos and a programme? see via Productions

• A brief review of the 1954 EHS/KSE Staff production of Quiet Weekend is added - does anyone have a cast list? - see via Productions

• The In Memoriam page is being updated from the EHS magazines and other sources: please let us know if you have or spot an obituary of an EHS. The obituary for Dr Fay Newstead has been added from the British Medical Journal.

• From the May 1958 magazine - see via Scrapbook
  - Ely High School, 1905-1957
  - Operation SHOPPING BAG
  - Opening Day - we welcome HRH THE DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER.
  - Some Buildings Speak - What Does Our School Say ?

• Do you remember the Coronation of HM The Queen in June 1953? See via Scrapbook > Big Occasions for how EHS and the villages celebrated the event.

• Also via Scrapbook > Big Occasions, Miss Tilly's recollections 1936-66

• 'Know your Staff 'and Departures - 1965 to 1967 are added - see via Staff .. Arrivals/Departures

• Staff member and former pupil Mrs Vivian Hawes (Convine) adds to the Productions pages with:
  - a 1953 Merchant of Venice cast photo
  - several new 1963 Merchant of Venice photos
  - lots of 1965 Romeo & Juliet photos - we need a cast list please
  
  and adds the 1954 Prizegiving programme - see via Speech Days

• Helen Smith adds to the Productions pages with:
  - the cast list for St Joan, 1954
  - many of the cast names - from memory - and a cast photo for Much Ado About Nothing, performed on 20th July 1955 as part of the Jubilee Fête
  - the June 1956 Staff production of Candied Peel
  - the cast list for The Comedy of Errors, Dec 1957 - for which Wendy Khan (Sealy) provides a cast photo
  - the June 1958 Staff production of The Paper Chain
  - names for photos of the July 1959 production of The Rivals

• Miss Defew's companion/housekeeper has donated Miss Defew's fountain pen given to her by her parents on her graduation and her London University BA degree certificate - see via In Memoriam > Miss Defew.

• Wendy Roberts (Imrie) adds the 1966 Prizegiving programme.

• The joint EHS/KSE Staffs' March 1951 production of 1066 - And All That is added - see via Productions

November 2010

• Andrew Martin has spotted his mother (then Glenda Dewey) in the April 1967 School Photo. "I was also fascinated to find that there are references to my Great-Grand-Aunts Lois and Winifred Yarrow in the 1936 magazine extracts. Both were teachers for many years. Sadly Lois passed away in 2003 and Winifred in 2006 - neither of them had married." Both have been added to the In Memoriam page.
  
  Andrew's website www.familytreeuk.co.uk covers his research into the following family names: Babbage, Bailey, Barber, Bishop, Boulter, Bowers, Clark, Cooper, Covell, Cross, Dewey, Dewsbury, Fison, Flower, Freeman, Giddings, Gilbert, Gothard, Goltrip, Harrison, Howard, Howlett, Irons, Jeffery, Levitt, Martin, Moden, Newell, Newman, Ong, Poll, Steadman,Tall, Tingey, Watson, Whitehead, Yarrow.

• Christine Fuller believes she can date as 1925 or 1926 one of the three early EHS School photos - see via Album

• Uniform items - Helen Smith provides a Bedford House era beret badge and Wendy Roberts (Imrie) an image of a Downham Road era Summer Boater - see via EHS Badges/Uniform

• Staff arrivals & departures 1968-70 are added - see via Staff > Arrivals/Departures

• Miss Pamela Blakeman has verified many of the 1938 EHS School Photo names and added more - and has just found a 1929 EHS School photo.

• Soham Grammarian Fred Eden has been showing his sister Beryl McIlroy (Eden) the 1938 EHS School Photo and she has been able to add some names, in whole or in part.

• Rita Mease (Adams) makes contact enquiring about next May's Luncheon - two EHS friends will be over from the USA at that time and would also love to attend.

• Wendy Roberts (Imrie) who made contact earlier this month has added:
  
  - Speech Day programmes for 1963 and 1968 [Helen Smith has also added 1953, 1955, 1957]
  - Photos and the School Magazine report on the Christmas 1965 Cruise to the Holy Land - see via Trips
  
  Earlier Wendy said "I've had fun looking through the photos" and she has provided lots of names for the 1963 and 1967 School Photos, contributed to the Staff page and added Class of 61 2000 and 2010 reunion photos to the Reunion Photos page and a 1968 Chemistry Lab photo to the Album page.
  
  Wendy has also provided a Hockey 1st XI photo for the 1965-66 season. That has prompted the creation of a Sport page - see via the menu on the left - to which have been removed the sport photos previously on the Album page. Wendy has since added the Staff Egg & Spoon race from the 1968 Sports Day (who else can you name?).

• Janet Godsell (Horton) identifies herself on the 1956 School Photo.

• Apologies if you tried using the Search page recently and it did not work. It works now.

• Helen Smith helps to tidy up the list of Productions - see via Productions and adds:
  - names to the St Joan 1954 and the Let's make an Opera photos, and the Programme for the latter
  - a cast photo and name and the programme for the 1953 Merchant of Venice
  - the programme and Miss Defew's review for the 1955 Staff production of The Happiest Days of Your Life
  - a photo, programme, and EHS magazine comment on The Bells of Bruges, July 1958
  - a photo, programme, and EHS magazine comment on The Imperial Nightingale, December 1958
  - photos, the programme and the press and school magazine reports of the July 1959 production of The Rivals
  
  Helen also adds the Prize Distribution programmes for the following Speech Days:
  3 December 1952
  6 November 1953
  23 November 1955
  14 November 1956
  22 October 1957

• Julia Lowndes (Brown) makes contact and adds names to the 1967 and 1971 School Photos.

• Judie Vivian (Fernie) makes contact from California: she'll be going through the family albums when next back in Ely.

• Rosy Wolfe (Broomfield) makes contact and adds names to the 1963 School Photo.

• 10 November 2010 - as explained above this website has moved from being hosted on the Soham Grammarians' website to having its own web space at the more memorable www.elyhighschoolforgirls.org.uk ... and the contact address is now contact@elyhighschoolforgirls.org.uk - otherwise business as usual! Please make sure you update on your computer as necessary.

• Karen Eden makes contact: "I was the last year before they merged with City of Ely College before they went comprehensive, so the final 11+ intake. My mother Brenda Ames was also there from around 1946 onwards. There has never been a reunion for those in my year as far as I know, so this could be a good starting point. I remember well the last school magazine and going up to shake Miss Moody’s hand at the last speech day as the curtain fell on the school as it was. It was a very sad day for all of us, even though we had only been there a year."
  Karen has named many of her fellow first-years on the October 1971 School Photo.

• Helen Smith provides an image of the book-plate for the Arthur Tyndall Prize for Nature Study - research continues on him, which has found a touching memory from a man who says he was fighting alongside him when Arthur was killed - see via In Memoriam

• The pages on Miss Tilly and Miss Defew have been updated with items on their funerals. Apparently her family knew Miss Tilly as Betty - see via In Memoriam

• Miss EM Verini was Headmistress 1929-1936 and later, Principal of the Cambridge Training College for Women which she saw through to becoming Hughes Hall in the University of Cambridge before her retirement in 1953. She died aged 93 on 7 July, 1987. Research continues on her time at EHS - the 1937 School magazine could help here, if anyone has one. For more on Miss Verini see In Memoriam

• Claire Peirce (Cowmeadow) makes contact and adds names to the 1967 School Photo.

• Elisabeth Kennard (Atkin) makes contact, promising names for the 1971 School Photo.

• With Remembrance Sunday this month, it is perhaps fitting to include Edna Gotobed's account written on 4 May 1945 and published in the 1945 School Magazine. She was part of the British relief operation immediately after the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp - see via Scrapbook ... WWII.
  
  And from the same issue Ella Thurmott's account of VE Night in London, four days later.

• A page has been created on Miss EE Fletcher, Ely High School's first Headmistress, 1905-1929 and Miss Baird's page has been updated.
  See via In Memoriam

• Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) provides the 7th March 1957 letter her parents received informing them of the success of their daughter "in the recent Entrance Examination for admission to the above-named School" [EHS] - see via Scrapbook ... School Administration

• Rosie Jennings (Askew) who left in 1972 provides late 1960s versions of the School Rules and the School Routine - those who were at EHS earlier, do you still have versions of these from your time? And who has any copies of the School Uniform Rules? - see via Scrapbook ... School Administration

October 2010

• Interview with Miss EM Moody BA, Headmistress 1966-72, from the 1967 school magazine - see via Scrapbook .. People

• Work has continued on the listing of 'School Officers' from the magazines, some issues are still needed - see via Scrapbook .. People

• The tributes to Miss Haynes (Science) on her retirement at the end of 1964 are provided from the 1965 School Magazine - when did she start teaching at EHS? see via Scrapbook .. People

• Miss Defew's page is updated with the tributes in the 1965 School Magazine on her retirement in 1964, and her reminiscences and thoughts see via In Memoriam > Miss Defew

• Sheila Heavens (Cox) adds photos to the Reunions page - names/corrections needed please, especially for 2003 - see via Reunions
  Rosie Jennings (Askew), now in SW France, adds some names to the 1971 School Photo - see via School Photos

• Ann Dix (Burrows) provides:
  - IDs for Ann Gardiner and her sister Julie on the 1938 School Photo see via School Photos
  - many of the names for the March 1955 Lake District Expedition photo - see via Trips
  and (see via Productions):
  - a photo of a 1953 production of A Merchant of Venice
  - a photo of the July 1954 production of St Joan
  - a photo of a July 1956 production of Tobias and the Angel

• Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) provides:
  - a Cambridgeshire Times review of the July 1961 Sixth Form production of I Have Five Daughters - see via Productions
  - a page on a March 1964 school cruise on MS Dunera from Venice to London - see via Trips
  - a letter from Miss Tilly and her last minute amendment to a school report - see via In Memoriam > Miss Bertha Tilly
  - the 1958 & 1961 Prize Distribution Programmes - see via Speech Days
  - the order of service from the Centenary Reunion at Brook House, Soham 21 May 2005 - see Foundation Centenary

• The remainder of the useable EHS photos provided by Ely Museum have been added to the Album page - they are said to be from the 1920s but some could be earlier than that and include sports day and classroom scenes and an idyllic picnic photo - see Album

• Anon (via Christine Fuller) adds names to the 1938 School Photo

• Sheila Heavens (Cox) has provided:
  - a photo she took of some of 1953's V Alpha - see Album
  - a cast photo of a Music Club production of Britten's Let's Make Opera, in the school year 1954-55 which includes her sister Janet Moden (Cox), names needed for the rest - see Productions

• Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) has traced some mentions of Miss Defew in the Littleport Almanacks. Does anyone have the 1975 very warm tribute to her memory written by Miss Bertha Tilly published in a local paper on Defe's death in 1975?
  
  For the start of pages on Miss Tilly and Miss Defew see via In Memoriam

• Mike Brogan informs us of the death on 7 Jan 2010 of his mother Mrs Eleonore Mary Brogan (Jobson) shortly before her 94th birthday. A Fordham girl, she was at EHS 1926-34 - see In Memoriam

• Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) provides:
  - programme & some photos for the 1960 production of Twelfth Night
  - programme & a photo for I Have Five Daughters - 1961 Sixth Form production
  - autographed programme & some photos for the July 1963 production of The Merchant of Venice
  ... see these via Productions
  - two Hockey 1960s team photos - see in Album

• via Christine Fuller, a posed scene portraying St Etheldreda, with all but one named ... what, when where? see via Album

• via Christine Fuller
  - group photo added to the 1955 Lake District trip page - see via Trips
  - an unknown class group, just says 71-72 on the back - see via Album
  - 1st XI Hockey team 1949 - see via Album

• Contact made by:
  Rosie Jennings (Askew) - see above
  Margaret Kempton (Harwood), joined in IIIa, now in Berkshire

September 2010

• 1,000th visit to our website! Thank you all and keep providing information, photos and email addresses.

• Hilary Handley (Turner) makes contact: she has just written her first novel

• Whilst scanning some School magazines to make high quality digital copies the editor came across a story involving Miss Tilly's cat Sammy and Miss Colman's dog Jock which leads to the School Photo previously thought to be 1937 now being identified as taken on June 8th, 1938 - for the full story see 1938 in School Photos

• One of the magazines contained a newspaper cutting, a letter from senior former colleagues and others, on the death of Miss BR Baird on 30th November 1972 - see via In Memoriam

• Pauline Turner (Cross) died on 15 September. She has been added to our In Memoriam page.

• The Firby sisters join those in touch.

• Names are added to the 1959 School Photo, some by Linda Harvey (Cullen) and many more via Christine Fuller (Bell) who also updates the 1956 version. Christine writes "Eureka! I have found some more names for these [1956 & 1959] photographs. In 2008 I took photocopies of them to the Annual EHS Reunion Luncheon and a number of girls put names to faces."

• Linda Harvey (Cullen) adds names to the 1959 School Photo - see School Photos

• Extracts are added from the Easter 1936 School Magazine, via Christine Fuller. This refers to the death of King George V, the departure of Miss Verini, the Headmistress and the retirement of Dean Kirkpatrick who had for 30 years been Chairman of the Governors - see via the Scrapbook page

• Extracts are also added from the July 1950 magazine, via Pam Blakeman. This has an interesting section on some local villages and the story of Janet Hubbard's year as Britain's Railway Queen, 1949-50 - see via the Scrapbook page

• The Badges page is re-titled EHS Badges/Uniform. Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) adds her sister Carol's scarf and prefect's sash. Good, preferably digital, photos of other items are welcome.

• Edna Collinson (Carman) adds some names to the 1952 School Photo and a couple to the Reunion Photos - see School Photos and Reunion Photos

• The 1930 School Photo is added - one of those kindly provided from the Ely Museum collection of EHS School Photos - see School Photos

• Julia Murkin, now in Cambridgeshire, has made contact. She has identified herself and many others on the 1971 School Photo - see School Photos.
  
  Julia adds: "I attended Ely High from 1968 to 1972 and then went on to City of Ely College and then Ely Sixthform Centre. My friend Susan Glover (now Thornton) was in my class. In 1971 we went on our first French Exchange together, to Orléans. Sue has kept in touch with her original penfriend, Maryline Vaillant, over the years and they have spent many holidays together, both in England and in France. Next year it will be 40 years since this first exchange and Maryline and Sue are planning two reunions: one in France and one in Little Downham. Sue asked me if I could perhaps track down some of the other Ely High girls who took part in the exchange, to see if they would like to come along. Perhaps some of them have kept in touch with their penfriends too?"
  
  If you can help, please contact Christine Fuller via the contact email address.

• Pam Blakeman has identified one of the Ely Museum collection of EHS School Photos as very likely 1937 [a story in the 1939 School magazine has now identified this photo as 1938] and has begun adding names to it - see School Photos

• Pam also provides the Speech Day programme for December 12th 1944 - see Speech Days

August 2010

• Extracts from the Easter 1936 School Magazine, via Christine Fuller, are added to the Scrapbook page

• We have a number of school photos courtesy of the Ely Museum but we do not know the dates. Originally it was thought that they are from the 1920s but the editor believes some may be 1930s. The editor has placed them in a possible date order, oldest first.
  What we need to establish are the actual date (year) for each one - what do you think? - see via Photo Album
• Lorna Delanoy (Freeman) kicks off a new page for Reunion Photos - if you have any and can name (most) of them, please get in touch - see via Reunion Photos
• News that Pam Blakeman's new book on Ely has been published - Ely Through Time, priced at £14.99, is available from Ely bookshops, the Cathedral shop and Ely Museum.

• The April 1967 School Photo provided by Anne Blake (Russell) is added. Anne wondered if it could be used as it was in two pieces and creased in several places but was persuaded by the editor's offer to salvage what he could. Ideally, if you have a copy in very good condition please consider making it available: Christine Fuller (Bell) adds some staff names - see School Photos

• At the top of this page is a new feature called Change Detection. If you make use of it, whenever there is an update to this page you will receive an email. It's all explained when you click on the button email me when What's New? updates at the top of this page and follow the easy instructions. The service is free and the provider gives reassurances that your email address will not be passed on. It has worked well on some of the editor's other websites.

• Martyn Davies adds more names to the 1971 School Photo, aided by being reminded of names by Anne Blake (Russell)'s Senior School Speech Day programme for March 10th 1972.

• Anne Blake (Russell) provides the Senior School Speech Day programme for March 10th 1972 - see Speech Days

• New material has been collected from Christine Fuller and Jackie Sotheran including some from Pamela Blakeman. Some will recall her as a fellow pupil and some as a member of staff. Pamela is a Trustee of Ely Museum. Christine Fuller has arranged for the Museum to provide scans of the EHS photos held by the Museum, for which we are most grateful. Although it will take time for the website to be fully updated we continue to welcome further new items - please see What's needed?
  
  Pamela says she will be pleased to help - " ... a great site and will continue to increase, so congratulations".

• The representation of the EHS blazer badge has now been replaced by an image of an actual badge, source Ely Museum's 2006 Ely High School: A Brief History, which is the text from the 2005 EHS exhibition at the Museum with additional material from Pamela Blakeman, via her.

• Ruth Sindall (Barker) adds names to the 1956, 1959 and 1963 School Photos

• Anne Blake (Russell) provides a Sports Day Display photo from 1947 or 48 featuring her mother Mary Handley, plus one of Mary's EHS prize book-plates - see via Album

• 500th visit

• Anne Blake (Russell): "I was thrilled to come across the Ely High School site .... It was lovely to see a copy of the last school magazine especially as I was one of the editors." - Anne adds a few names to the 1971 School Photo and hopes to provide more.12/08/10

• Martyn Davies (1966 SGS entry) adds names to the 1971 School Photo (and again on 14/08/10)

• The home page now states the purpose of this website "Helping those who were at Ely High School for Girls as pupils or staff to keep in touch and to share their memories."

• Like any school not all have the same experiences hence a small but important update to what it is hoped former EHS will contribute "Please help us to add more photos especially the whole school photos, memories of all kinds, and images of memorabilia."

• Betty Saunders (Leonard) makes contact, contributing names for the 1952 School Photo

• Brenda May (Human) makes contact, promising names research for the 1971 School Photo

• Audrey Woolstenholmes adds names to the 1952 School Photo

• Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) adds a few names to the 1963 School Photo

• Frances Moll has made contact

• Dorothy Defew is identified on the pre-1929 School Photo

• More names for the 1959 School Photo

• Bedford House: do you remember broadcasts being heard in the classrooms? - see Scrapbook

• Janice Clarke (Parr) makes contact and provides a correction to the list of Head Girls in the Foundation Centenary booklet

• Many names are added to the 1952 School Photo and one to the 1963 School Photo

• Courtesy of Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) the following school magazine reports are added to the Productions page. If you have any recollections, press reviews, photos etc. for these or any other EHS productions, please contact us:
  1955 Let's Make an Opera
  1960 Twelfth Night
  1961 Hansel and Gretel
  1961 I have Five Daughters (6th Form)
  1963 Merchant of Venice

• Also courtesy of Jackie, the 1962 Speech Day programme is added - see Speech Days

• A page has also been started on listing School Officers - head girls and prefects. Unlike for many school years at Soham GS, it appears there was no published annual School List of staff and pupils. The nearest we are likely to get to that level of information would appear to be the names you provide for the school photos. For now, see School Officers via Scrapbook

• The Lake District Expedition in March 1955 is added to the Trips page

July 2010

• Courtesy of Christine Fuller (Bell) A Service of Thanksgiving for Bertha Tilly, Saturday, July 12th, 1980, Ely Cathedral, is added to the Scrapbook page
  Which 'Old Students of the school' gave The Commemoration? Did anyone keep a record of what was said?

• Courtesy of Christine Fuller (Bell) the Service of Thanksgiving, Ely High School 1905-1972, Ely Cathedral, 21 July 1972, is added to the Scrapbook page
  Were you there - can you add to this page?

• Christine also massively updates the Staff page

• Wendy Khan (Sealy) is among those adding names to the 1956 School Photo: 1952 is also updated.

• Gloria Skinner d 2007 is added to In Memoriam

• Courtesy of Tim Webb of Soham Roots, the final EHS School Photo - October 1971 - is added: some names are added - see via School Photos.

• Helen Smith adds names to the 1952 School Photo has a collection of play programmes, but is unsure of the dates of some of them - can you help? - see Productions

• Christine Fuller (Bell) and Lorna Delanoy (Freeman) add more names to the 1952 School Photo

• Some Burwell girls who came to EHS: they are listed on boards from the old Burwell schools, now in Burwell Museum - see via Scrapbook

• Joan Simper (Reeder) adds names to the 1956 School Photo

• Pat Phipps (Walker) adds names to the 1963 School Photo

• the historical bits of the last issue of the Ely High School magazine are added - see via Scrapbook.

• a pre-1929 school photo is added, via Christine Fuller - see via School Photos

• more updating of the school photos

• the Foundation Centenary booklet content is added - see menu

• a Photo Album page is started, a photo version of our Scrapbook, beginning with several 1920s & 30s shots, courtesy of Christine Fuller

• a new mini-poster page is provided - it's a .pdf (Acrobat™) file: three mini-posters on the page

• Marion Chambers, who died in August 2009, is added to the In Memoriam page

• Lorna Delanoy (Freeman) and Christine Fuller have had a go at the 1952 School Photo

• Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) wonders if anyone has memories of:

• wearing indoor shoes to protect the floors in the New Building?

• making a Shoe Bag as part of the first Needlework lessons?

• writing out School Rules as a punishment (does anyone have a copy?)

• the various arrangements for housing the Sixth Form?

• having to wear a beret to and from school?

• and how to spot a Prefect?

• The text of the 1942 Prospectus is added - see via Scrapbook.

• Also in new in Scrapbook, Refresher on the naming of EHS Forms

• More updating of the School photos, please let us know if you have names to add or correct.

• The text and images in the booklet for the Official Opening of the New EHS Building at Downham Road, 21st October 1957 can now be seen via Scrapbook

• if you can display our mini-poster at your club, church or anywhere where former EHS or their families may see it, please print it off from our Contact page

• a 'work in progress' representation of the original EHS school badge is added to the home page - are there any digital artists out there?

• Barbara Yarrow (Day) adds names to the 1959 and 1963 photos.

• Christine Fuller (Bell): I spent this morning interviewing Wing Commander Ken Wallis MBE (born 1916) who was an Old Boy of EHS in the preparatory school in the 1920s - see Scrapbook.

• Christine Fuller (Bell): Our website editor visited yesterday to borrow a number of items and to make digital images of others, including school badges. It is hoped to add images of uniform items - what do you still have? see EHS badges via the main menu.

• By permission of Lorna Delanoy (Freeman), via Christine, the July 1952 School Photo is added. It is something of a challenge as the back three rows are a bit scrambled.

• Beryl Clark (Lowe) adds names to the 1956 School Photo - see via School Photos

• the music is added to the School Hymn - see via Scrapbook

• the In Memoriam page is updated

• 1964 Speech Day Programme added - see via Speech Days

• 1956 & 1959 School Photos updated

• Soham Grammarian Roger Sykes, whose mother had the sweet shop adjacent to Bedford House, recalls living next door to EHS - see Scrapbook.

• Mollie Evershed, a WWII casualty, is found commemorated on Soham's Town War Memorial - see via In Memoriam

• School Photos updated including 1956 contributions from Heather Smith (Holliday), although she is not on it - see Scrapbook.

• The In Memoriam page is also updated

• Wow! Amazing! writes Ruth Charlton (Harper), now in New Zealand, and adds her name to the 1956 School photo

• The account of the March 1963 expedition to Snowdonia is added - photos and recollections welcomed - see via Trips

• Christine Fuller (Bell) keeps track of staff name changes through marriage - see via Staff > Staff Arrivals

• Christine also adds names to the School Photos

• The 1959 School Photo is added and identifications are sought - see via School Photos

• Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) and Christine Fuller (Bell) add some names to the 1956 and 1963 School photos

• Christine also adds some names to the In Memoriam page

• What's New, What's Needed and Luncheon Club pages rearranged and updated

• Staff page added, based on the arrivals and departures noted in the EHS magazine

June 2010

• Productions page started, with some of those done with Soham Grammar School - see via site links

• Golden Jubilee Supplement to the May 1955 School Magazine added

• Jackie Sotheran (Bidwell) adds some names to the 1956 School Photo

• The July 1956 School Photo added and identifications are sought - see via School Photos

• The Luncheon Club page spins off its list of those in touch - see the main menu

• 1959 Speech Day Programme added - see via Speech Days

• Search page added and Contact page updated

• The 1963 School Photo is added and identifications are sought - see via School Photo