The evening began with a drinks reception in the Simon Smith Café where photos were pulled out of the archives and displayed much to everyone’s enjoyment. The guests were then in turn taken on a College tour, led by four fabulous current girl pupils from New House and Fenwick. Many could not believe how the College had changed and how smart the whole place was looking, and how happy the atmosphere was.
At 7.30pm, the guests were led through Fenwick Tower into a stunningly set up and colourfully lit Dining Hall, a perfect setting for the perfect evening that was to follow.
In his speech, the Head Master Richard Cairns began with a brief history of the girls at Brighton College and then talked of his own experience of entering into the territory of the opposite sex, when he embarked on his University journey at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. Philip Robinson’s (Common Room 1971-2000) speech followed. He was a teacher at the College when the girls first entered and he talked of how enthusiastic he was to embrace this new era, not least because he could now have girls at the College in the school plays, but also did note that his lessons had to change. The girls could not be addressed in the same manner as the teachers were accustomed to addressing the boys and although challenging, he expressed his approval and thorough enjoyment of the changing landscape upon the arrival of the girls. Lucinda Harris (Fe. 1974-75) then took the floor. She described a strange and very different College to the one we all know today, one that also included brown cloaks for the girls. Although most of us would have found the experience of joining such a male dominated institution utterly terrifying, her speech did not convey such feeling, but rather of empowerment and fulfilment and the excitement of forging the way for the girls to come. She described a very close bond, to this day of the group of girls that had embarked on this journey together.
After a delicious three course meal, Simon Smith (Common Room 1973-2011) stood and gave his thanks to Elizabeth Cody, Lucinda Harris (Fe. 1974-75) and Rebecca Findlay for their hard work and efforts in making the evening such a success.
Attendance:
Paddy King (Bristol 1969-74)
Rowena Maynard neé Furmston-Evans (Fenwick 1973-75)
Lucinda Harris neé Corrie (Fenwick 1974-75)
Sue King neé Withers (Fenwick 1975-77)
Susan Carr neé Barbour (Fenwick 1976-78)
Ingram Losner (Durnford 1973-78)
Shirley Waldron ( Fenwick 1976-1978)
Natasha Hallam (Williams 1988-93)
Geraldine Smart neé Lip (Williams 1988-1995)
Victoria Baines (Fenwick 1990-1995)
Philippa Burbidge neé Green (Williams 1990-1995)
Richard Duggan (Ryle 1990-1995)
Daniel Heal (Ryle 1990-1995)
Samantha Kimber neé Stamp (Williams 1990-1995)
Mark Mangan (Ryle 1990-1995)
Rowena Rowley neé Austin (Williams 1993-1995)
Georgia Collard-Watson (Chichester 2002-2007)
Anjli Majevadia (Chichester 2002-07)
Lacey Marchant (Chichester 2002-07)
Lucy Mitchell (Chichester 2002-07)
Samantha Sinar (Chichester 2002-07)
Emily Turner (Fenwick 2002-2007)
Florence Evans (Williams 2003-06)
Charlotte Brathwaite (Williams 2005-2007)
Jessica Daltrop (Williams 2005-2007)
Jan Osborne Brighton College Common Room 2000-2011
Philip Robinson Brighton College Common Room 1971-2000
Simon Smith Brighton College Common Room 1973-2011
John Spencer Brighton College Common Room 1978-2012
Brighton College
Elizabeth Cody, House Mistress Chichester House
Nicola Collins, House Mistress Seldon House
Father Robert Easton, Chaplain
Rachael Lennon, Deputy House Mistress Lower School
Michelle Murphy, House Mistress Fenwick House
Suzanne Sturgeon, House Mistress Williams House
Alison Withers, Previous House Mistress Fenwick House and Williams House
Julian Withers, Head Master St Christopher’s Prep School, Previous House Master of Hampden House (Hampden 1976-81)
Tamsin Back, Head of Netball
Richard Cairns, Head Master
Jo-Anne Riley, Deputy Head
Leah Hamblett, Head of Lower School
Clare Malloch, Head of Middle School
Rebecca Findlay, Old Brightonians (Development & Alumni Relations Manager)
Abi Young, Development & Alumni Relations Officer
Angelina Papadopoulos, Philanthropy Assistant
Joyce Heater, Archivist
Apologies on the night:
James Holt (School 1990-1995) & Louise Holt
Sarah Taylor (Williams 2002-2007)
{gallery}1150{/gallery}