News
NEW 18/4/12
Caro Newling (No. 3, 1971-75), West End Producer, has been in touch with a very special offer which we think will have enormous appeal for anyone interested in independent schools; be they teachers, parents or pupils.
David Hare's SOUTH DOWNS was premiered last year at Chichester as a partner piece to Terrence Rattigan’s THE BROWNING VERSION; performed in one-evening as a double-bill. Each are inspired by personal experience of school-life; Lancing and Harrow respectively, and each open up the bigger questions we ask, through generations, about education and those that inspire above and beyond to create the great thinkers and doers in life. The reviews at Chichester were outstanding and it is now to transferring to the West End. More details are on the show's website.
"Following five-star reviews and a sell-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2011, Terrence Rattigan’s one-act masterpiece THE BROWNING VERSION directed by Angus Jackson and David Hare’s brilliant new companion piece SOUTH DOWNS directed by Jeremy Herrin, transfers to the Harold Pinter Theatre from 19 April.
Anna Chancellor and Nicholas Farrell lead an outstanding eleven-strong cast in this fine double bill. Rattigan’s own Harrow School and Hare’s own Lancing College provide the backdrop for two moving and resounding stories, one told through the eyes of a master, one through the eyes of a boy. Both revolve around unexpected acts of kindness which place the harsh worlds of these schools into stark contrast."
Early Bird Ticket Offer for ORA
· £35.00 for top price seats (normally £49.50)
· Valid Mon-Fri eve & Thu mat performances
· Valid for performances 19 April – 11 May
To book call the box office on 0844 871 7622 or book online here
· Phone – Roedean Early Bird Offer
· Online – ORAOFFER
**SPECIAL OFFER - 7 PM ON 2 MAY ONLY - Viewing of the West End show followed by private Q&A with OR Producer **
· £35.00 for top price seats
· Valid Wed 2 May only
· To book call the box office on 0844 871 7622 or book online here
· Phone / in person promo code – Roedean Q&A
· Online promo code – ORAQA
This unique evening will be finished off by a networking opportunity at the hotel bar in the Radisson Leicester Square just round the corner.
28/02/12
Old Roedeanians filmed for BBC TV series 'The Great British Countryside'
Julia Bradbury and a camera crew from current BBC TV Series 'The Great British Countryside' spent the day filming at Roedean in October last year, where they also interviewed two Old Roedeanians.
The episode they were filming focused on the soft chalk of the Sussex South Downs and Julia discovered the tunnel through the chalk leading from Roedean to the beach below.
She also met two ‘old girls’, Pam Dodsworth (Underwood, No.1, 1934-37) and Renee Wilkin (Garrett, No.4, 1939-42), who remembered the tunnel from their schooldays in the 1930s, and recalled its use as an air raid shelter.
You can view the clip filmed at Roedean here.
The episode about the South Downs will be shown on BBC1 on Thursday 1st March.
Announcements
24/02/12
Memorial Service for Dr Margaret Siriol Colley (Lewis, No. 4, 1939-41)
A memorial service for Margaret Colley (6 June 1925 - 20 November 2011) is being held on 3 March 2012 at St Michaels & All Angels Church, Church Street, Bramcote, at 3.30pm. This 'celebration of her life' will go on until 7pm and will include exhibitions by organisations involved in her life.
Margaret Colley, family physician and author, died on 20 November 2011 at the age of 86. Margaret was at Roedean during WW2 and, as a result, was one of 50 Roedeanians who were evacuated to Edgehill School in Nova Scotia, Canada. She subsequently studied medicine in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and at St Andrew's University and became a dedicated family GP in Bramcote for over 30 years.
Much of her retirement was devoted to researching the life and investigating the tragic and unexplained murder of her uncle, the Welsh journalist Gareth Jones, who was killed by bandits in Inner Mongolia in 1935. He was a fearless reporter who had dared expose the Ukrainian famine of 1932 and 1933, angering the Soviet authorities. Through Dr Colley's research, she successfully defended her uncle's reputation against critics, who at the time had denied reports of the famine.
As well as giving lectures and media interviews she also wrote two books about him, The Manchukuo Incident and More Than a Grain of Truth.
More information about the memorial sevice and about Margaret's life and her links with Roedean, including photographs of her life in Canada as an evacuee, can be found on her website.
20/02/2012
Death of Robbie (Robina) West, Former Matron in the San, 1985-1999 and Funeral Details
Roedean was recently informed of the sad and sudden death of Robbie West who was Matron in the San from 1985-1999. Our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time.
Robbie's funeral is being held on Tuesday 28 February at 1.30 pm in the Main Chapel of The Downs Crematorium, Brighton. No flowers please but donations if desired by cheque payable to Diabetes UK c/o P Bowley Funeral Services, 30 Keymer Road, Hassocks, BN6 8AN.
25/01/2012
Funeral and Service of Remembrance for Mrs Jean Fort (former Headmistress 1961 -70)
We have been advised that the private funeral of Mrs Jean Fort will take place next Tuesday 31st January at Reading Crematorium.
A Service of Remembrance will be held at on Thursday Feb 2nd at St James's Church, Ruscombe (Twyford, Berks) at 11.30am, which anybody associated with the school is most welcome to attend. There will be a lunch afterwards which members of the Fort family will attend.
Mrs Fort's death was announced in the Times today.
20/01/2012
Death of Mrs Jean Fort, former Headmistress 1961-70
Roedean received the sad news of the recent passing of former Roedean Headmistress, Jean Fort (Head from 1961-70) who died on 19th January. We wish to extend our heartfelt sympathy to her family and friends at this time.
Mrs Fort was viewed as a modern thinker who moved with the times. She introduced reforms in the uniform code, overhauled the prefect structure, introduced a School Council and granted greater social freedom, allowing weekend visits in to Brighton.
She also oversaw a period of extensive fundraising and development, with the addition of major new facilities, such as the Science Block, Fiction Library and Dining Block, which was opened by HRH Princess Margaret in October 1964. These improvements were followed by a new drive, careers room , swimming bath and extra tennis courts, as well as the wonderful chapel Organ.
After ten years service, Jean retired from Roedean to spend more time with her family. She wrote at the time, “It has been a tremendous privilege to have had the opportunity of serving this great school and I have been extraordinarily blessed in the joys it has brought me”.
Details of the funeral arrangements will be made available as soon as possible. A memorial service will be held at Roedean in Jean’s memory at a later date and details will be posted on our website. Alternatively, email Karyn Kelley for more information or call on 01273 667676
Memorial
NWUBA
The memorial service for Anana Nwuba (No.1, 1997-2002) took place at Roedean Chapel on Saturday 3 September at 12 noon.
Many friends, family members, Roedean Staff and ORs from Anana’s year group united in a celebration of her life at a school very dear to her heart. The service was organised by former Roedean room mate, Claudia Purley and conducted by Roedean Reverend, Graeme Rainey.
Anana died suddenly aged 27 on 30 May in Nigeria where she was working as a doctor.
Deaths
PEMBRIDGE
Miss Christine Pembridge, a respected and much loved piano teacher at Roedean from 1963-99. Her funeral was held at Woodvale Crematorium, North Chapel, in Brighton on Thursday 16 June at 1:30pm. The family requested donations to the Martlets Hospice.
GRANTHAM (née Lawson)
On 18 May 2011, very suddenly, Mrs R Grantham (Anne H B Lawson, No.2, 1940-45). All OR friends were very welcome at her funeral service on Thursday 9 June 2011 at St Mark’s Church, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 9DD at 1:30pm.
Latest News
17/05/2012
Want to do well in your exams?
11/05/2012
Paws for coffee and cake
07/05/2012
Leading home textiles designer opens Roedean’s Art Centenary Exhibition
