We were thrilled to host two very different reunions in the Michaelmas Term, giving Old Bradfieldians a chance to walk down memory lane. The first for some of the early girls at Bradfield who left in 1989 and the second for the 1984 leavers of Army House with the get togethers held over two consecutive weekends in October.
It only takes the initiative of one person to get old friends together and the Bradfield Society Office are here to help you to find each other.
In the case of the first girls who attended Bradfield for their Sixth Form years just prior to the opening of Palmer House, it was Katherine Perry (G 87-89) who co-ordinated the return with her earliest friends and we were happy to help organise the day and to host them.
Their reunion came after 30 years and, in some cases, they had not seen each other at all during those intervening years. The other members of the group were as follows: Alison Pike, Emily Mercer, Lisa Royal, Marie-Louise Murtagh, Caroline King, Elizabeth Grey, Liz Gardner and Penny Barrington.
Saturdays are a good day to host a reunion if you are thinking of planning one.
We can offer lunch in the Dining Hall followed by College tours, which can be tailored as requested. Alongside the grounds, Chapel, Quad, Big School and the boarding houses, the many archive photographs which honour Bradfieldians around the College walls are always of interest to visitors. Alternatively, any Old Bradfieldian can visit at any time by contacting our office or calling in at Reception and we will accommodate you with a tour of the campus during termtime, if we can.
Despite some very rainy weather everyone thoroughly enjoyed the Army House 1984 leavers’ reunion, 40 years after many of them had first arrived in 1979.
Nine leavers from 1984, organised by Simon Mahaffey (C 82-84), gathered for a personal tour of Army House with the current Housemaster followed by lunch in Dining Hall and a full College tour. Everyone enjoyed the chance to meet up and reminisce after 35 years away. David Varney (C 79-84) commented: “Army House has been smartened up considerably, but I managed to find my old room with the wonderful view still over the school with the parish church in the background. The memories flooded back once again.”
Others attending were: Cor Roest who was Head of House in 1984 and did a sterling job helping to remember the names of most of those in Army House from the photograph of 1984, Mark Gray, Julian Menges, Vernon Morris, Rupert Cramsie, Richard Morgan-Owen and Andrew Straker, who described it as a “hugely enjoyable and nostalgic affair.”
Coincidentally, the group bumped into Roger Layton (H 79- 84) who was watching his son play in Saturday matches.
The OBs also commented that ‘it was good to see the old haunts’ and ‘good to see the heart of the College was still there, along with all the extensive additions that have been made over the years.’
Whatever the reason behind your get together or the anniversary you are marking, you are all most welcome back at Bradfield. Next summer on Saturday 20 June 2020, we are planning a wider Bradfield Society Open Day which will feature optional lectures alongside College tours, afternoon tea and an evening performance in Greeker, as we open the College doors to everyone connected to The Bradfield Society.
