ITA HANCOCK e-mailed from Queensland, Australia in October to tell us about her holiday in Europe. In August /September she spent 3 weeks in Italy - just wandering around. She had a rail pass for 8 days in 2 months; she spent 4 nights in Florence; 4 in Sienna; 4 in Assissi and then went to Rome.

Ita also visited Pisa, San Gimignano, Spello and Castel Gondolfo, using the rail pass. From Rome she joined a 3 day tour to Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and The Isle of Capri. Her journey from Rome to London was with Trafalgar Tours...5 nights along the way.

From Lucerne the optional tour was to Mt. Pilatus, which, she says, was a really superb day.

The main reason for the trip to Europe was to attend ETHNEA'S Graduation ceremony in Paris. She had completed a degree course with the Open University.

At Christmas ETHNEA sent an e-mail to all the family saying that the Graduation was either in London in April or Paris in September - ail the family settled for the latter.

It was the first time for 32 years that all sisters and brothers had been together, the last occasion had been for a nephew's christening! Ita loved "doing her own thing" in Italy and is keen to return, she feels she could write a book ! What a good idea!.

While in England for ten days she visited Sr. MARGUERITE COWERD in Sittingbourne, her first visit there; I'm sure that they both enjoyed catching up on news. When FIONA RITCHIE (MANSFIELD) wrote in with her change of address and subscription she sent news of several past pupils with whom she is in contact.

FIONA expressed her appreciation of the committee and the work done to keep the link with old friends going. She enjoys the newsletters and said that CHRISTINE THACKRAY'S (BROWNING) account of their visit to Bhutan had made all her family immensely keen to go there.

FIONA was a boarder from 1962 -1968, she was last able to join in with past pupils at the Thanksgiving Mass in Corpus Christ! Church in 2000, 20 years after the school closure. She was also at a reunimion in 1996 when many of her year group met to celebrate their 40th birthday year, and looks forward to repeating the celebrations in 2006 (if not before) for their 50th birthdays !

Fiona is in close contact with JACQUELINE PICKLES (STEVENS), who lives in Yorkshire with her husband and five children. She is godmother to Jacqueline's daughter Martha and the 2 families spent a couple of days at Malham last October.

They are making plans to go to the Edinburgh Festival for their 50ths. Fiona and her family live in Pyrford in her native Surrey, where they are all actively involved in racquet sports and golf, her husband is a lawyer for Dunlop Slazenger.

When time permits Fiona continues to work in Market Research, trying to avoid the hustle & bustle of London as much as possible.

As well as JACQUELINE Fiona hopes to meet up in 2006 with PATRICIA HEATH (KITSON), CATRIONA GALT (DUFFY), AMANDA DUFFY (DALLEY), MICHAELA DUFFY, HELEN EDWARDS, SI&N COUPE (WILSON), SUSAN EDWARDS, ELIZE SWANSBORQUGH, AMANDA LEES, JACQUELINE MacCORMACK, SHEILA DUFF, & KATRINA RANFT.

She apologises to any she has failed to mention. So if any of you are in touch with others on that list ask them to book the 1st Sunday in July 2006 to get together at the Reunion!

SILVIO LUCANTONl gives me news of INEZ, who has been living on a Greek island with her daughter. However, recently she was back in the UK. INEZ was very friendly with CECILIA ELGAR at school and would like to get in touch with her.

CECILIA had lived with the Lucantonis for her last year at school. He heard that BENITA MARSHALL (KENT) was still in touch with Cecitia.

Other old friends with whom they have lost touch are MYRETTE ASH,& CLARE ANDERSON, we wonder if anyone knows anything of them?

PEGGY ROBINSON is still hoping to come over from Zimbabwe to live but is having great difficulty finding somewhere she could afford. Having been born and brought up here and having paid some pension contributions before going to Africa she is however not considered eligible for Retired Teachers or Housing Association accommodation.

She has a house to sell but with the rate of exchange would have next to nothing to bring and of course no pension would be forthcoming from Zimbabwe. The current postage rate to UK is $Z 300,000 and to her sister STELLA in the USA is $Z 400,000!

JUDITH SMITH (VENTHAM) 1957 -1961 discovered the website by chance and found it so full of happy memories; she has a few photos and her school badge. I e-mailed her back so have that address if anyone would like to get in touch. Judith lives in Australia.

CATHERINE BRACEY (WEATHERLEY) 'phoned, having found the website. Her family were very interested in reading about her qualifications and various activities. Looking back Catherine marvels at the opportunities she had at the Convent, being taken to Rome during Holy Year and other 'outings'.

Catherine went to Bristol University, where she met her husband, and to Digby Stuart College. She taught at the Convent during the years 1955- 1957. Catherine, her husband and three children lived in Hong Kong for 12 years; when they came back he taught at Harrow School.

Their daughter is a surgeon, son James teaches at Winchester College and their younger son is a banker in the city. Catherine enjoys their three grandchildren. She keeps in touch with GRACE (GUIDOTTI), who lives in France.

Two of Grace's sons live in Austria and her daughter is in Edinburgh. Catherine has so many memories and asked for news of several people including Sr. CATHERINE MORTON & SHEILA MURRAY (McFADDEN) and her sister MOIRA ALMACK.

RENZA CRADDUCK nearly always manages to come from London for the Reunions. For her 2004 has been a year of consolidating knowledge about computers. She completed her City & Guilds computer course, for which she should gain a qualification to offer to an employer.

Renza also renewed an interest in painting landscapes and flowers, something which had remained dormant when she was working full time, and which she finds relaxing and creative. She enjoys walking, although the South Downs are rather more gentle than Scotland's mountains and valleys, which she loves.

Although Renza is not sure what 2005 holds for her she would like to wish us ail, our families and friends every possible happiness and a Happy Christmas, Do any past pupils remember a Catholic Schools Fete in 1960 or '61 when a group of Convent girls and St. Peter's boys advertised and raised money by pushing a bath through the streets, to Bournemouth I believe.

I received a photo, reproduced from an Echo article which the mother of Tony Bagshaw had; it was sent to me by Sean Smedley who would like to find out the names of those who took part. It was taken at the top of the Corpus Christi Church Drive with the shops opposite in the background.

He has the names John Thornton, John Helferan, Sean Smedley, Tony Bagshaw, MARILYN LAVERS, Mike Cooper is in the bath. Sean thinks that one of the girls might have been the Head Girl at the time. 1 can put you in touch with Sean. (Mary Brooks, Editor)

Michael Stead, son of the late MARGARET (HITCHCOCK) came across the Convent website by chance and was interested to see so much information. He recognised the name Browning as his mother had talked so much about the family, especially RITA, who was a good friend for many years, so he e-mailed me.

He has some typed notes of his mother's school memories as well as some certificates and a couple of photos, which he will show to me.

GAY DONLEVY (BROWNING) was amazed to see DIANA BURLEIGH on television taking part in a quiz show, she won her round; so I e-mailed DIANA and asked her about it.