Geraldine passed away on the end of last year. Gerry was in the UK in 1998 and attended the reunion that year. She lived in South Africa

Jean was a frequent attendee at reunions in earlier years, and in retirement worked at Mayday Hospital on dementia research, and did voluntary casework for The Soldiers Sailors and Airmen’s Family Association as well as fundraising for the Red Cross. She had also been a Commissioner for the Fairfield Division of the Girl Guides in Croydon. She passed away on July 20th 2012 aged 88. Her niece sent this link to her blog with some memories of Jean
http:bridteacher.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/jean-marjory-jacobs-1923-2012-fibms.html

We were shocked and saddened to learn in July this year of the sudden death while on holiday in Italy of Dorothy (known to her friends as Dot or Dotty).
I met Dot when we started at Whyteleafe aged 11 in 1951. We both went through University together at Reading and remained in contact through visits and letters ever since. We also met regularly at ‘Semper Fidelis’ reunions
Having gained 5 ‘O’ levels and 3 ‘A’ levels, Dot graduated in English at Reading. After teacher training at Bristol, she taught in Essex, Buckingham and Sheffield. She demanded high standards and she had no time for the ‘make it relevant’ approach to teaching. Her last teaching post was as deputy Head at Heathfield School in Sussex. Poor health forced her to take early retirement.
Dot always enjoyed a challenge. At University she took up Ancient Greek as one of her First University Examination subjects and reached ‘A’ level standard in two terms. In mid-career she took advantage of the ‘£10 Pom’ ticket to Australia and taught in Brisbane.
In later years she started piano lessons and passed Grade V. She excelled in Italian and loved Italy. Her last challenges were Maths, which she felt was inadequately taught at school, and she also took up patchwork. She was a regular visitor to Stratford-on-Avon for Shakespeare’s plays and loved books and reading.
Some particular memories stand out from Whyteleafe days. Dot had a lovely singing voice and was a member of the Choir which won the London Musical Festival Competition in 1956 and were awarded a gold medal.
Dot also gave a memorable performance in Moliere’s ‘L’Avare’ as Maitre Jacques, the miser’s cook and coachman. The play, performed in French by the Lower Sixth group under the guidance of Miss Moody and Mrs Savege (with no subtitles or surtitles), was extremely ambitious for those days!
Dot was a lively character with a tremendous sense of fun. This was not always appreciated at Whyteleafe, where the authorities took a very dim view of an April Fools’ Day prank involving some confetti and a certain Maths teacher, which resulted in a severe telling off from the Head.
Despite remaining irrepressible all her life, Dotty White was a serious and thoughtful person who always showed sincere concern for others. She was a dear friend and all of us who knew her will miss her very much.

Unfortunately my mother, Georgina Stather sadly passed away earlier this year of 'old age' approaching her 90th birthday! (24 September 1920 to 7 August 2010).
John Stather

Sadly I have to inform you of the death, at the age of 55, of my dear friend Amanda Green. Mandy had been battling cancer bravely for some years. She died in hospital in the early hours of Thursday 31st March, with her family at her bedside. She leaves a husband, a son and two daughters.

Deborah Foster (Mrs Fernando)

We are sorry to have to report the passing of Decima. Her nephew wrote in January 2010.
I regret to have to inform you that after a short stay in Queen Mary hospital Sidcup, Decima passed away peacefully early on the morning of 14 January. We celebrated her 96th birthday with a lunch at the Sunrise home with family and friends last October (2009) and while Decima was getting less mobile she remained bright and cheerful when not affected by the memory retention problems. One could have an intelligent conversation with her for a few minutes, then shortly afterwards she would have forgotten what had been said.

However her good friend Eunice Savill visited every week to play Scrabble and would report on her state of health by who won or lost and the level of play on each occasion. For some weeks before Christmas the Scrabble was very competitive (Decima was pleased to remember that she had won on one occasion in this period during our conversation while she was in hospital). We also had a fairly lengthy conversation on her playing cricket for the England ladies' second team, some considerable time ago! Apparently she was mainly included for her bowling!

We had discussed her inability to send Christmas cards and I had promised that we would send out our annual letter thanking all those who sent her Christmas Greetings and reporting on her current activities. Regrettably this is it.

Many of you will be shocked to learn of the recent death of Mandy Massey (Amanda Hamer) who attended the school during its final years. She was extremely brave and continued supporting her family and her physiotherapy patients with determined realism, refusing to give in to her condition, until she died in June 2009. She was the third of our family to attend the school: following her mother Barbara Farndon (Mrs Hamer) and elder sister Sue Hamer (Ms Hamer-Moss).
Mandy excelled at the subjects she enjoyed at school but was less motivated to do well in others. She was the best of all of us at games - in spite of her two front teeth coming out second best to a lacrosse stick - which was the only time she was not called 'Susan' by teachers. In fact Miss Edwards started calling Sue 'Amanda', to Sue's consternation!
After attending Whyteleafe, Mandy studied to be a physiotherapist at Guy's Hospital, where she qualified well. She moved to the Wirral peninsula shortly before the birth of her first daughter where she remained to the end of her life. She continued working and set up her own practice, specialising in sports injuries, when she became unhappy with 'political' constraints within the NHS. Over the 25 years or so that she was in private practice she gained an enviable reputation for her skill as well as total dedication to her duty of care towards her many patients. Always highly professional, she would fight hard for what she believed was right for her family and her patients, whatever the cost - and she would usually win!
Mandy lived life to the full. She drove fast cars well and at one time took flying lessons, causing a sensation at her daughters' school one day by waggling her wings overhead at lunchtime! However, her main preoccupations were her family to whom she was devoted, and her patients, who showed their esteem by attending en masse at her funeral in apocalyptic weather.
In her rare spare time she loved working in her garden or relaxing with the family and the dogs on their narrow boat whenever possible. Over the past ten years she had been intermittently ill but had always recovered. In the end she fought an 8-month battle with indomitable courage and died peacefully in hospital on 19th June 2009 aged 49. She worked to the last, taking each day as it came, and we can only try to follow her example in coming to terms with her death.
She is survived by her parents, sister, husband, two daughters in their twenties and a 13- year-old son.
Barbara Farndon (Mrs Hamer) & Sue Hamer (Ms Hamer-Moss)

Evelyn Rogers (Mrs Deighton)
It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Evelyn on September 15th 2004, after breaking her leg in a fall at home and spending a few weeks in hospital.
After leaving school in 1935 she worked in the insurance business for a number of years, before moving to the West Country. For most of her life Evelyn was a devoted supporter of Guide Dogs for the Blind, and gave a home to many a "reject". At the time of her death she had three of these dogs, so visitors would find themselves "going walkies" through the fields and woods surrounding her picture-postcard, thatched Devon cottage. For a time she and her husband also opened their home to foreign students, mainly German, who wanted to improve their English, and these young people became more like family to her.
era Cowley
.

I was friends with Doris when I was at school. I was in the 2nd Form and she was in the Upper III. (my sister's form). I was in contact with her until a year or two ago, as she and her husband Bert moved from Purley to Poole, Dorset about twelve miles from here, where they spent many happy retirement years. Sadly she had to go into a nursing home near Hemyock in Devon, and last year Bert moved to Hemyock, where their daughter lives. He is settled there now and glad of his daughter and son-in-law's support. Doris was a very loyal member of Semper Fidelis, and attended the May reunions every year after leaving school in 1934 until 2001 when she and I came together for the last time. She was a very active member of the Salvation Army, helping in many ways, especially with her music.

Joan Willis (Margaret Harris)

Sandi and I met as 5 year-olds starting Convent School together. We were both fortunate enough to pass the 11 plus and be accepted at Whyteleafe, where she wanted to learn as much as possible - and I wanted to leave as soon as possible! Although four of us were moving on the Croydon Technical College at the end of the 5th year, Sandi changed her mind and returned to the 6th form to add to her collection of G.C.Es. I only worked for six years before marrying and starting a family (Sandi being godmother to my daughter and elder son). Sandi on the other hand, was an ambitious career woman, working hard to prove that women could be equal to, if not better than, men. Sandi continued to expand her knowledge at evening school, and devoted most of her spare time to music. She was an accomplished pianist, played cornet in a brass band, and was more recently a member of the East Grinstead Choral Society, always giving rapturous accounts of their current pieces. As a complete contrast she also had a passion for rock music (the louder the better!). She would dress the part in leather and denim, and was really a teenager at heart. She lied shamelessly about her age and was fortunate that her physical appearance and joie de vivre did not betray her. She was a workaholic - I once suggested that she take a sick day and we could go shopping, but she was appalled and said firmly "I don't do sickies"! Whilst she had always been healthy, she spent her 58th birthday in hospital where an inoperable tumour was diagnosed. Sandi's partner Peter took time off work during her two years of illness, which I believe helped her to survive for so long. They both had the ability to see the funny side of everything - even during her illness.


She made no attempt to disguise the ravages of chemotherapy with wigs or hats, it was as if she was saying "Look at what has happened to me - but I'm still here and I will fight on". Once the chemotherapy stopped, the severity of Sandi's illness became clear. She spent Valentine's Day in Paris with Peter, where they got engaged. They took a Mediterranean cruise, but she was barely able to leave the cabin. Following this she was admitted to The Marie Curie Hospice in Caterham on the 9th of May. A week later she happened to say to me that she wished she and Peter had been able to get married. The staff and Peter worked miracles and on the 19th May the wedding took place.
There was champagne and flowers and a wonderful buffet organised by the hospice and local businesses, and I hastily made a cake. I don't think any of the 23 guests will forget such a bitter-sweet day. A week later Sandi came home to Peter and passed away on June 2nd.
Five of our close Old Whyteleafean friend have given Sandi, Peter and I so much support and love over the final few months, and I am sure like me they feel privileged to have been part of the life of such a very courageous and special person. Thank you Ann (Bishop - Mrs Weaver), Anne (Bootherstone - Mrs Dungey), Sue (Donovan - Mrs Timms), Michelle (Kingsland - Mrs Serpell) and Maggie (Blanchard - Mrs Vincent).
Barbara King

Her daughter Judy writes :-
Mum always spoke fondly of Whyteleafe School days and was most disappointed that I was not able to follow in her footsteps! I remember being dressed up along with my brothers and proudly taken to the Old Girls reunions in May. We had tea and games under the supervision of the 6th formers - memories of hot sunny days. On leaving Whyteleafe, Mum was thrilled to be offered a scholarship to do children's nursing at Great Ormond Street but her father wanted her to work at the Bank of England. So this she did until the outbreak of war when in 1939 she joined the A.T.S.and was sent to North Africa for the duration, an experience which she thoroughly enjoyed. Before leaving for Africa she became engaged to Rowland - her teenage idol from the choir stalls of St James' Church, Riddlesdown. They married in 1945 at Harpenden and lived in Old Coulsdon then later in a house designed by Rowland ( a quantity surveyor). Mum was kept busy creating a happy and loving home for their five children (one adopted) and always willingly looked after other peoples' as well. Babies had always been Mum's great love and interest evident up until the day she died.
Mum was good at needlework and knitting and made numerous garments for us all including beautiful hand-smocked dresses for me - no doubt a skill learnt at Whyteleafe. She always created good home-made meals and cakes for family and friends, and out of her 58 years of marriage only missed making the Christmas Cake on one occasion!
After the death of her father, she volunteered with the W.R.V.S. and continued until moving to Smallridge in Devon.
Mum always had a stack of library books around her - she was an avid reader, very interested in history, nature and literature. She loved coastal walks and visiting National Trust properties and gardens.
A good letter writer, Mum enjoyed corresponding with Georgina Cobb. She often spoke of Joyce Balch, Helen King, Dorothy Davies, and Mary Tuff to name a few, and, of course her teachers.
Mum endeared people with her kind, caring, and thoughtful ways. She certainly valued her time at Whyteleafe and lived up to the school motto of 'Semper Fidelis'.

Teacher of Latin in the 1960s/1970s

Her daughters have some autographs and paintings of her time at Whyteleafe

Was a Whyteleafe School Governor in the 1950s. When she was first married she lived for a time in 'Whyteleafe House', Whyteleafe Hill with her in-laws.

Having come to England from Belgium at the beginning of the 1st World War, Jose's fluency in French was envied by her form mates. Her skills as a needlewoman were recognised and unsurprisingly she became a dress designer for a London Fashion House. Many of Gracie Field's stage dresses were designed by Jose, who died in June 2001