Class of 1958 alumna Rosemary Mackey (née Wiggins) wrote in with this wonderful tribute to her peers. Says Rosemary, "The support of these long-time friends (for me almost 70 years and for two even longer because they started in kindergarten) is really important. I hope this is helpful and might inspire other classes."

"Like all the classes that had gone before and have come after us, we all had “best” friends while we were at FHS. We kept in touch with them while we began our chosen careers, married and had families but it wasn’t until about 2004 that we made a conscious effort to meet as a larger group. We think the impetus was that, while most of our class lived in England, two, Diana (Wilson) Carlton and Rosemary (Wiggins) Mackey had strayed further afield and lived in Australia and the United States respectively, and were coming to London at the same time with their husbands. This prompted the first of many reunions since then with an ever-expanding group that has included as many as 11 of our class.

Our first gathering in a lovely Italian restaurant included husbands, many of whom didn’t know each other but delighted in all our “Polished Corner” stories. Subsequently in other years, we have met for a walk along the Regent’s Canal from Islington to the Limehouse Docks, met for lunches at various of our houses, including the Charlton’s in Hertfordshire at bluebell season, and the annual alumni luncheons at the school.

Perhaps, most excitingly, celebrated our 50^th anniversary of leaving school in New York City and northern Vermont in October during “leaf peeping” (October) time.

Most recently, Di Carlton has us all connected on WhatsApp and during our current COVID19 lockdowns, we have ventured into Zoom calls which are challenging given the time differences between the UK, USA and Australia!

We always have lots to talk about – catching up on the news of children and grandchildren and before this year, holiday adventures we have enjoyed. Whenever and wherever we meet, we are the party that is having the best time!
 
We would love to find other members of our class. Claire Brazer, FHS Alumni Relations (Claire.brazer@fhst.org.uk) can get us in touch, so if you are from the Class of 1958 or know the alumni listed below, please do email in."
 
PICTURED
Alison Baxter Brooke                              Joan Behrman Mushin                              
Ann Wigg Charlton                                 Janet Henry Politi                        
Elizabeth Wheeler Cownden                   Celia Vaughn-Lee Read                    
Rosemary Wiggins Mackey                    Rosamund Machray Wheeler
Caroline Shepley-Cuthbert Williams
 
DECEASED
Jessica Garvin
Jane Llewellin Parsons
Victoria Bingham