MISS STEPH LAWRENCE, EXTERNAL RELATIONS ADMINISTRATOR

On Saturday 26 April, we had the pleasure of hosting a 1980s Decade Reunion and welcoming back our Old Queenswoodians who left between 1980 and 1989. Over 80 alumnae attended the event, with many returning to Queenswood for the first time in 40 years!

The day commenced with welcome drinks, catch-ups, and talks from Mrs Jo Cameron and Mrs Kate Belshaw in the Clarissa Farr Theatre. This venue was brand new to our OQs, as it now stands where the Old Hall was located. However, the stained glass windows from the Old Hall still grace the Theatre Foyer, paying homage to our history.

We then began our tours of the school with the assistance of some of our fantastic boarders. As the groups wandered around the site, they shared fond memories of their time at Queenswood and reflected on how much the facilities have changed since their time here.

Some of the stops included the beautiful Chapel, the Pauline Edgar Library (formerly their swimming pool), the Bellman Sixth Form Centre (formerly their Library), and Stamp House, which they were surprised to see is now a boarding house for Years 7 and 8. This is where they once attended cookery and drama lessons. We must extend a big thank you to our Stamp Boarders who guided the OQs around their house. We also took the OQs back to their former boarding houses: Waller, Hartley, Clapham North, Clapham South, Lower Trew, and Upper Trew.

All tours reunited for a delicious “school lunch” in the dining hall, where the OQs had time to catch up and reminisce about their days at Q with photos and mementos from the school archive on display. The day concluded with a group photo in front of Trew House where the wisteria was in full bloom and the sun was shining!

It was a truly memorable day hosting our Classes of 1980s to 1989 and we hope to see them all again soon! We are now busy preparing for our next reunion for the Classes of 1995, 2005 and 2015 which is happening later this month.