UK June 2010

http://aubpages.net/VADHA/
20,Merton Hall Gardens.
Wimbledon, London SW20 8
June 2010.
Dear Vadhans and Friends,
What a WONDERFUL Reunion we have just enjoyed. Thefeelings of warmth and
fiiendshipjlowed so veryfieely that I felt totally overwhelmed with gratitude and aflection.
We had a turnout of 45 in total, of which 16 were VS and 15 were DH. The others
were relatives and closefiiends. We were so pleased and privileged to have Beverley Keogh
with us. She is Denise Coelho 's daughter, and as all Dow Hill girls know, Denise wrote
"Orchid and Algebra", a history of Dow Hill School. Beverley brought a few copies to give
to those unfortunate enough not to own one already, and is planning a reprint of the book.
Wonderful!! She presented me with a beautiful cake , with a picture of Dow Hill on thefiont.
I was so surprised and had to keep smiling or I would have been in tears. (You do know that
one cannot cry and smile at the same time, so ifyou ever see me with an idiotic mouth
stretched into a grin, you will know why!! I did an awful lot of grinning at the reunion.!!. As
you will appreciate, the letter gets written over a few days, so I hop between the Reunion and
subsequent relevant occurrences!!). I was determined to cut the cake with a DH girl and a
VS boy, so invited Crystal Cowen and Clarence Callow over, as they are our nearest
neighbours andfiiends. Avril Laken was visiting Crys and Don, so they brought her along.
Hence, as the picture shows, there were four of us cutting the cake. It is a really delicious
one, and I am cutting round the picture, to preserve it as long as possible! (Also, the
surrounds have most icing and I have a most inordinate sweet tooth!!). We did invite
Dorothea, but, sadly, she was unable to make it. Back to the Reunion and our authors!
Alison Blunt, with two year old Bea joined us. Alison wrote, "Domicile and
Diaspora" about Anglo Indians, and visited Dow Hill. She learnt of very many through me,
andjoined Vadha, making lots offiiends at the Reunions and through her research work, and
has, since, always been a goodfiiend and regular attendee of our Reunions.
Stanley Prins who wrote Summoned By The Bell" about Victoria, hadplanned to be
with us, but ill health, sadly, prevented this. We wish him a speedy recovery sent with love. I
displayed his painting of Kenchinjunga which he presented to Dereyck and myselJ: Another
talented Vadhan!
Havingpaid tribute to our "Literary Members" let us include our other members,
who are true gems in belonging to our organisation!! We all make Vadha the wonderful
Association it is! We are, indeed, most grateful to the original members who started us off in
1957, and I must quote Betty Brown's (Copley) letter re this. "On behalfof all VADHANS in
Australia I would like to thank Grace and Dereyck for all the years of dedication, hard work,
friendship and love they have put into keeping us in touch with each otherfor so many years.
I remember when Norma Curnow (nee Somers) and I came up with the idea of having a get
together with the Dow Hill girls we often met in London, back in 1951-52 we did not
envisage,first of all having Miss Harley at one of our gatherings, but most of all, of our
Reunions going onfor so many years. The love and comradeship that we all share has been
kept alive by these two goodpeople, enhanced by the newsletters telling us what Vadha has
been up to through the year. I am sure I speakfor all VADHA Dow Hill "girls" and Victoria
"boys" when we wish you both the very bestfor thefuture with good health, happiness and
peace. My love to you all, Betty Brown (Copley). A few of us are still around who attended
that auspicious meeting. I displayed the original letterfor that Reunion this year, and as
usual, will print the names of members who attended this one.
I also received a cardfiom Alice Wrigley (Hardacre), which I displayed. I will put it
at the end of the letter, but to save your going backwards and forwards, it shows five cats
"
http://aubpages.net/VADHA/
crying on the cover, and it reads, "Sorry you're leaving. We know you're going to miss us,
And we know we'll miss you too, Cos you'll neverfind a crowd like us-----(and inside it says),
Unlessyou're in a zoo!!!" SO VERY TRUE!!, ie the line about neverfinding a crowd like
you Vadhans and your relations andji-iends. And to-day 's world is notfar offji-om being like
a zoo!!
As most ofyou know, I have been the longest sewing Secretary, but it is now time to
move on. After much deliberation, and in consultation with many Vadhans, this was the last
Reunion with me as Secretary. I am handing over to Amit Bose who is very enthusiastic,
knows nearly everyone both here and in India where there is a large branch of Vadha in
which he is involved, and is, yet, keeping me informed in all the planning. He is a realji-iend
of ours, anyway. AMIT BOSE 'S ADDRESS IS 30, LODGE GATE, GREAT LlNFORD,
MILTON KE EVES MK145E W. HIS PHONE NUMBER IS 01908 235632; HIS E-UAIL
ADDRESS IS BOSE TEA @ HOTMAIL.COM, OR BOSE TEA @ G MAIL. COM Amit
addressed everyone, saying he is on email,face book, etc, andplans to keep in touch with
everyone. He hopes to keep the Annual Reunion to the same date, ie the second Saturday in
June, at a venue yet to be decided. For this, he would appreciate everybody S thoughtsfor the
convenience of this. Gareth Swan-Brown offered a place in Bedford that he can get forpee.
Amit is prepared to keep the Vadhaflagflying. But as he said, "I need your love and support
to carry the flag forward. This is what Vadha is all about and we must do i t . " All I can say
is a very heartfelt "Thankyou. with three Cheersfor Amit. It is wonderful to know that
Vadha continues, and in such competent and caring hands.
Norman Clark had tofight to shut me up and get his words in edgeways! He said,
"This is a very special occasion. I thought I'd say that in my work I've been lucky to have
had the privilege to have met some very special people all over the world,ji-om ministers
down to some villains, and there are not many I admire, but I want to say publicly that the
work she has done (interjection by me, "Not work, Just pleasure')) . ("Keep quietfor a
moment was his response!l) for Vadhans means she is one special lady and one that I
admire. I want us all to stand up to a Very Special Lady". This they all did, and clapped.
(Norman, very recently, lost his beloved wife, and I hugged him extra tightly. It wasn't the
time or the place to offer public condolences, but I have reallyfelt for him.)
We thanked Jean (Reynolds) who not only gets the hall and caretakerfor us, but
works unceasingly seeing to the catering. Her personal touches in putting flowers in vases
give much pleasure. Thus, as a very small "Thankyou" for all the years she has worked for
our pleasure, we gave her a vase andflowers!! We hope she will enjoy these in her home.
Jean is Dorothea Inglis '5 sister-in-law, and Jean 's Mother was a Dow Hill girl, so she is well
related!
Harry McKew was our eldest member, aged 92, but, sadly, he passed on. I introduced
his daughter, Vanessa, and asked her to say a few words. She told us of his lifelong affection
for his school (VS) but we were the privileged few to have known him. He was a true
gentleman, and I amjust so grateful he found us.
Another Literary stalwart but who has sadly passed on is Sheila Smith (Raymond),
and her funeral was afew days before the Reunion. Had it not been so, I would have
attended, as she was a specialfriend and lived near my sister and brother-in-law. We talked
regularly on the phone, and both shared a love ofpoetry. She wrote beautifully and I will
reproduce the poem which I loved, and thenfound that her daughters had chosen the same
one for her Service . She kept in touch with quite a@w of her contemporaries who will, also,
miss her sadly. I write of her passing, here, because, until she was taken ill, she was adamant
she was going to attend this Reunion, and had made all sorts ofplans as to how to execute
this. I thought of her as we sang the School Song. I am sure she was with us. Dorothea 's
"
http://aubpages.net/VADHA/
reminiscences of Sheila brought her spirit back to us. She wrote, "It was on a Saturday
during the summer of 1948. We had been sent to our respective dormitoriesfor afternoon
rest. Sheila was then in the Senior Cambridge with me, along with Joan Peters, Olive
McNeill, Nayah Jehan, Gwen Howe, Merna WakeJieldand Janet Simpson (Apologies to those
students I have left out) We were allocated the topfloor dormitory of which Mrs. Bletsoe was
the matron. Sheila S parents were leavingfor the UK at that time and she was, therefore,
being withdrawn. Sheila, along with Elizabeth Ribbons were sent to the attic to retrieve her
trunk. There was a staircase the other side of the main building which, apartporn leading up
to the attic, also allowed access to the grounds at the back All was quiet during that warm
summer S day when suddenly there was a piercing scream and a thud. We rushed out to the
stairway and were horrified to discover that Elizabeth Ribbons had fallen through the rotted
attic floor on to the stairs below and, on looking up, there was Sheila hanging on to two
beams with apetrified look on her face. Mrs. Bletsoe told us to strip our beds quickly and
carry our mattresses to the stairs under Sheila's dangling body. This we did, and now came
the difJult task to persuade her to let go and fall on the mattresses piled up on the stairs
below her. After a while, after much persuasion, this she did, and safely landed on the pile of
mattresses below her with no broken bones. Elizabeth, too, was, miraculously, unhurt"!!
One of our Vadhans, who was also a former Secretary was Peggy Littlewood. She
lives in Brighton and looked after Mrs. Solomonfor years and until her death. She has sent
Dorothea a delightful, small album that belonged to Mrs Solomon, whose niece compiled it
containing THE MOST lovely pictures of herselfand Padre. Of course, I shall print a few at
the end. I am deeply indebted to Peggy for sending it to me. We are planning a visit to her
once the newsletter is in the post! Hopefully, Dorothea will accompany us.
Dorothea thanked me, on behalfof all Vadha,for my devotion, energy and
eficiency, but started by calling me "Our Graceful Grace". I shall certainly value that
forever, as no one has ever called me "GraceFUL"!! (Disgrace, sometimes!!) " Everyone
of us here will be everlastingly grateful to her for all the years of sustained devotion, energy
and eficient leadership she has displayed in promoting and preserving the happy memories
of our two schools. TheJi.iendshipswe have nurtured throughpast Reunions will, I am sure,
continue (GP "most deJinitely was my interjection at this point. ) as we will still be able to
keep in touch with each other, either through the medium of the Internet, by telephone or by
other means of communication. However, I think you will all agree that it is a sad thought
for us infuture years not to be able to meet together at one time under one roo$ We must
also thank Dereyck for his unfailing support and assistance in transporting the memorabilia,
displaying the items , and at the door, collecting subs, payment for the hire of the hall and
setting up of it. Grace,you will be sorely missed but never ever forgotten. You have been
absolutely wonderful in preserving our traditions and keeping us in touch with each other
over the years. And now, on behalf of all of the UK members, it gives me great pleasure in
presenting you with a small token of our gratitude with our love and thanks. May God richly
Thank you, Dorothea and All Vadhans and Friends. It was
bless you and your family. "
wonderful being extolled, but the pleasure has been so very much mine. I have made such
wonderfulfriends of those who shared my childhood background. I have never forgotten the
years in England, when I lived with only the 1ettersJi.omJFiendsin DH to make me feel "at
home". I think I really only settled after the First Reunion, when I realised how many
Vadhans were here. As for the Small Token---- WOW !!I never knew you were so modest,
Dorothea. I was gob smacked when I counted up the contents of the envelope. I learned that
Dereyck had been involved in some subterfuge, and suggested tokensfrom "John Lewis S as
we had been looking at cameras there. My beautiful Canon with a 200 lens Plus all sorts,
literally died on me, two shots before my lastfilm finished! I then decided I had to go digital.
"
"
http://aubpages.net/VADHA/
d
>..
Oh Dear!! As Lloyd Crump will tell you, I am a Luddte! I &e found ~ e r e ~ c ksmall
's
camera too restrictive, and have, thus, been looking at better digital ones, but have not yet
decided on one. I am determined about one thing, however. When I do get one, myfirst shot
will be of a DH girl and VS boy together. (Yes, I know, I am stupidly sentimental!!) Again,
my love and thanksfor your generosity and thoughts. I have so enjoyed the "Job", and only
because of the enrichment each ofyou has given me. But back to the Reunion!
My last message was the most meaningfir1for me. Without the help, both
physically and mentally, throughout the years, of my husband, Dereyck, I do not think I would
have made a success of thejob. He has always been my mentor, and hasprevented my
making many errors, to put it mildly!! AND I know you all know this, since you know him.
He also does it all with love, and never a grumble.
We took the usual photos of the DH and VS members. Both lots sang the
School songs lustily.
Please do not think I do not plan to be around! I shall continue my very
precious JFiendshipswith Vadhans, but I shall not be writing any more newsletters or running
the Reunion. We wish Amit every success andjoy in carrying the Vadhu Torch.
--This
- is a fairly brief letter, but summarises a lot of S v i p ! ! I know
that I have not reported onj a h e ~ e u n i o nbiforigoing on to other news and thoughts, as
has been my wont, but there were so many relatedfolk andfeelings that arose, I have
interjected them !!Hope this hasn't been too much of a maze!!
My deepest love and gratitude to ALL of you for the support and love you have given
me. PLEASE continue to keep in touch.
C
/I
VADHANS
Grace
Your enthusiasm, dedication and devotion to oqganise the Annual School Reunion
are only part of the work you have done for the ex pupils and friends. Newslettq
contacts and many hours of work, are also attributed to you. All the above haw
been canried out by you and have not gone un-noticed by all the members and
fiiends .
Thank you and appreciation for all the work and hours spent are
not just words on a page but are truly meant.
http://aubpages.net/VADHA/
Standing;- L-R. Averil Laten; Cheryl Isaac (Mordecai; Maureen Hickq (Larkins); Shirley
D 'Silva (Sheldon); Crystal David (Cowan); Dorothea Ingles (Myes); Joan Steinhouse
(Peters); Angela Gribble (Carter); Muriel Glendinning (Seymour- Shove);
Seated - L-R. Charmaine Gadd (Crump); Irene Wiayman (Sheldon); Grace Pereira (Lochner);
Lorna Buckle; Megan M)ms (O'Rourh); Veda Charlton (Adrews); Alison Blunt with Bea.
Standing:- Joey Bose; Lloyd Crump; Mike Kelly; Maung Maung Thein; Lance Kinder; Amif
Bose; ian Anthony; Dipak Sengupta: Jitu Bhasin; Johnny Bickers; Gareth Swan-Brown.
Seated:- Derek Avery; Clarence Callow; Jalinder Bhain; Richard Hardy; Norman Clark;
Vanessa KcKew for Harry); Lewis Hardy; Robert Avery.
http://aubpages.net/VADHA/
http://aubpages.net/VADHA/
http://aubpages.net/VADHA/
http://aubpages.net/VADHA/
Evocations
Decline of youth btings memories
honeyed m bitkrsweef
pain that can direct our Eiws
or it can be controlled
Myfailing vision looking through
glasses passes infa an illusionary world
what magic sights I see!
I
I
!
'
The Taj MaM a wopldmzls tomb
cupcakes iced with jowls;
Sunrise glitters uplr tfw Jurnna
as dawn is W i n g ; and =call
- ',.
the mi&
mosaic mils
,. of the amber palace, ofiring
marigulds and jasmine
sweetly scented petals of orange, white
and lemonfloafing on the water.
Sheila Ann Smith
7th F e t r r w 1932 - 30th May 2020
*
L
C
.-
1
I
loin the votive cnndl ffi
on their j o u r q down fhe rim,
the sunshine lights tears in my eyes
and silrntly I weep
for the busy burning ghats
the tiny rhildrens' corpses.
Motsmrs beudrrg d in bundles
to Eights thafimrd wesP
pungent d smoke am3 smells
mix with crumpled b h o m .
'.
~mbccbmW5p~g --:.q'ri
immersed itt m o i k Gang=
wifl you mash my sim m y ?
does it redly matter who God 6?
Mine, or theirs, prayers
rise up to heawn
a s ~ n dlike birds
pass the clwds
to Me m y blue sky
t
hplummt down
burnt fo aslees
by tkehof raysoftkesun.
'