Monday, 4th November 2019

Dear Fellow Polished Corners,

It is coming up to a year now since you kindly elected me Chairman of Quondam. I have so enjoyed becoming more involved with Quondam and with our school.

Among other events, I’ve loved meeting the outgoing Sixth Formers at their Prom. For the last two years Quondam has sponsored their first drink and the girls are so appreciative. I hope that this tradition will continue. I enjoyed an outstanding musical performance in the School Hall, and attended a surprising and electric Prize-Giving at St Marylebone Parish Church. When the Headmaster stood up to deliver his report on the year, the stage was seemingly hijacked and a team of girls as polished and professional as BBC news reporters proceeded to ‘broadcast’ the report. Their confidence and skills were awe-inspiring.  

I attended the reunion of the Class of '79. Mrs Forde gave a tour of the school and the Polished Corners were both moved and excited as they entered the current library which was where the classrooms they occupied whilst in the Kindergarten and Transition Forms used to be.

Even if you have been back as recently as five years ago, you will see many changes. It is such fun and so nostalgic to walk around the school and realise that the Gloucester Room was actually the pub adjacent to the school. If it’s umpteen years since you crossed the threshold you will see the first floor dining room is now the staff room and the splendid new basement dining room is where the cloakrooms once were many moons ago. Far too many changes to list! However, rest assured – no matter how long it is since you visited, as soon as you enter you will clearly recognise your school and feel ‘at home’. Francis Holland welcomes us all.

The reunion lunch is drawing very near, Saturday 9th November, with the AGM at noon and the lunch at 1pm. Now less than a week away. Please do try and come – it would be so lovely to see you. If you really want to wind back the years - why not join the volley ball game in the school gym umpired by Felicity Forde at 10:30am? Agenda for the AGM Agenda for AGM November 2019 - it includes a discussion on what members would like from Quondam. Please click the link on the events page to accept but time is short and we do have to give final numbers to the school first thing on Tuesday morning - i.e. tomorrow!

There are other events to which we are kindly invited by the Headmaster. The Autumn Concert on Thursday, 21st November in St Cyprian’s at 6-8pm, an exciting performance of The Tempest at school on Wednesday 27th, Thursday 28th, or Friday 29th November at 6.30pm, and the Carol Service at Marylebone Church on Thursday, 12th December at 3-4pm. I can almost guarantee you will be so pleased to be there and to re-unite with our school.

Quondam wants to work for its members and promote friendships between its members and strengthen its bonds with the school. In the New Year we will be sending out a questionnaire asking for your thoughts about what Quondam should be doing but please do let me have any ideas by email. I would love to hear from you.

With warmest wishes, 

Susanne Nedas (nee Quastel)

quondamchair@fhs-nw1.org.uk

Agenda for AGM November 2019