18 Issue 54 – October 2015 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
In Term 3, Principal Carol Craymer held
an afternoon tea in her office for the old
friends to share past memories and to
talk about life post Queen Margaret College.
The former pupils varied in year groups
but all attended the College during World
War Two (1939 – 1945).
Growing up and going to school during
wartime was very different to what girls
would experience today, Mary Nicolson
explained.
From 1939 there was a fall in the number
of boarders and shortages in paper, uniform
and teachers, but despite this, the school
functioned as best it could.
The Principal of the time, Irene Wilson,
wrote about the challenges of war time in
her 1939 annual report.
“There will be inconvenience,
deprivation and hardship from which both
home and school will suffer. I trust that we
Queen Margaret College welcomed back a group of Old Girls who spent their school days at
the College during World War II.
QMForties Return Home
shall meet and survive them together.”
Barbara Humphries (née Heginbotham)
and Barbara Murison remembered the
Library fondly, but remarked that it was
much smaller.
“I also remember walking across the Old
Hall, changing into our house shoes and
sitting on the floor of the Old Hall, while
the teachers sat on leather couches,” Barbara
said.
The women recalled wearing rompers as
they did gym in the Old Hall and remarked
that they did not have as many sports to
choose from as the girls do today.
Pat McDonald (née Culpitt) joined the
College a little later than her peers and was a
Prefect in 1950.
On the tour, she was delighted to see a
photo of herself along the corridor of Wilson
Wing with the other Prefects.
Trish White (née Newton) who started
Obituaries
It is with much sadness that we note the passing of,
Gwynedd (Gwyn) Gunn (née Evans)
1941-1949, House: Berwick
In 2003 she was awarded the QSM for services to the community.
Georgette (Georgie) Lockhart (née Cooper)
1942-1953, House: Glamis
She was Dux of the school in 1953.
Our heartfelt condolences are extended to their families.
Errors: In the June edition of QMCalling the College made an error in Gwynedd and
Georgette Obituaries. We have reprinted the correct ones in this edition.
We apologise for the confusion.
at Queen Margaret College in 1938 lived
around the corner from the College and
remembered having some very memorable
teachers.
“Miss Menard was lovely,” Trish said
“I was passionate about music and was
very impressed with the music teacher Miss
Hirst – she was a very talented woman and
teacher.”
Taking a leaf out of Miss Hirst’s book,
Trish herself became a kindergarten and
music teacher after leaving the school,
which gave her the opportunity to share her
passion for music with young people.
Upon leaving the College, the girls had
a variety of different careers, including
nursing, retail, and teaching.
Honoured Old Girl Alison Stokes had a
career different from most.
Graduating with a Masters of Arts from
Victoria University in French/English after
finishing school, Alison began a fascinating
career when she joined the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade.
She had various postings around
the world, including Geneva, New York,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Manila.
One of her most interesting posts was
when she was the New Zealand Ambassador
in Moscow during the Cold War.
Many of the group are now based in
the Wellington region and have daughters,
grandchildren and other relatives who
attended or currently attend the College.