26 Queensland Road,
Boscombe,
Bournemouth,
Dorset. BH5 2AB

`Phone 01202 421615

May 2009

E - Mail brooksfm@talk2l.com

Dear Friends,



At last the bright colours of Springtime blossoms are here to cheer our days, some of us are even enjoying some sunshine, at times ! For those who are suffering pain or loss we pray that nature's renewal of life and the joy of the Risen Christ may be a source of strength and hope to you.

We are looking forward to the Annual Reunion, this year it will be on 5th JULY, as always it is the 1st SUNDAY in July. We hope to welcome many of you to the Hall of St. Thomas Garnet's School in Parkwood Road, formerly our Junior School. St. Joseph's. We are very grateful to JULIE ANNE CUTLER (MATTHEWS), the Head Teacher and herself a Past Pupil, who very kindly allows us to use this venue, which is so full of memories, right opposite the former Convent.

Committee members will be there to welcome you from about 2.30p.m. onwards, most people have left by 5.30 to 6p.m. Do make an effort to attend, perhaps you can contact friends and arrange to meet there for tea and chat.

We would welcome more Committee members; there are 2 meetings a year, in March and October. Two years ago we were in desperate need of a new Treasurer and decided to split the job into Treasurer and Membership Secretary, unfortunately the latter position is now vacant again, due to unforeseen circumstances.

As you will realize we do not have AGM meetings with election of offices annually so the same people are continuing from year to year, some of us for a very long time, and we are not getting any younger ! Until our President JEAN WALSH (HUGHES) had to give up, due to loss of sight and poor health, she was Treasurer and Secretary for many years, having kept the Association alive during the difficult transition periods, we will be forever grateful to her.

Our aim is to maintain the Association in order to keep former pupils and members of staff in touch with each other and with our roots in the Convent. This cannot be achieved without your support.

As well as the Reunion the Newsletters are the main sources of contact, you enjoy reading about those whom you remember at school; we can only print what we receive and you will notice this time that there is not very much news from members.

Please let us know of your lives, special occasions, need for prayers and contacts with other friends from past years. My address is above, both ordinary mail and e-mail. Dates for inclusion are, the last week in October and mid- April.

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR ASSOCIATION.

Unfortunately, for the first time in many years we have to raise the annual subscription from £4.00 to £5.00 a year. We do not aim to make any profit but all our expenses have risen, especially postage each year, this time by 3p a stamp within the U.K., overseas ones have increased by much more. We are sorry about this but it is unavoidable. The new subscription rate will come into effect from the year beginning 1st January 2010.

We thank ROSANNA FOX (BREDDA), who kindly prints the newsletter for us so efficiently, and JULIE ANNE CUTLER (MATTHEWS) who allows her to do so at the School.

With all good wishes,

MARY BROOKS (BROWNING)

Throughout the Newsletter the names of Past Pupils and members of Staff are printed in capital letters, for greater clarity. Where applicable the maiden name is within brackets following the married name.

THE ASSOCIATION.

The Boscombe Convent Association has 205 names on the Membership database, sadly we lose a few each year; some are Honorary members but the majority are paid up members. We send out 200+ newsletters twice a year.

Thank you for your interest and loyalty. In order for the Association to thrive we need input from younger members: your thoughts, ideas and help.

Your Committee members are :-

JEAN WALSH (HUGHES) - PRESIDENT
MARY BROOKS (BROWNING) - CHAIRMAN & EDITOR
EILEEN HUGHES - TREASURER
BARBARA ATKIN - SPIVEY,
PAMELA BLAKE (KENNARD)
LINDA HOOPER (HERBERT)
MAUREEN HUNT (DALY)
BETTY SAVORY - FORMER STAFF MEMBER
MARGARET SIMPSON (ATKINS)

We are grateful to them for their dedication and contribution to your Association. The Newsletters are the main source of communication so please enable us to use them to pass on information about yourselves and other former pupils and members of staff.

I have received delighted, enthusiastic e-mails, particularly from past pupils overseas. They put in a Search and find our excellent website, it is good to be able to put old friends back in touch with each other.

The website is :-

WWW.RC-CHURCHES.NET - because several parishes now prefer to run their own websites our Convent one now takes pride of place ! It is full of nostalgia, photos and extracts from old School Magazines dating back to 1937. GLENN has spent many hours improving and updating the website; he has made a 'slide show' of people for you to browse through.

We have missing magazines for 1945 -1949, during the war some were probably not produced. We have very little after the changeover in 1970, except for 1972 -1975. The webmaster GLENN EDGELEY - LONG is always happy to add to the contents with news or photos, the latest newsletters are added, and he will include more photos if you send them to him.

If they are sent by post it is better to mail them to me ( Mary Brooks) but you can e-mail them directly to him at qel@rc-churches.net. If they come by post they will be scanned and returned to you, please make sure that your name and address are on the back. On the Search there are several names of past pupils who are looking for news of old friends.

Between newsletters I am able to pass on relevant information via e-mail, to those for whom I have an address. If you wish to be included please let me have your details and inform me if they change.

When I send I 'hide' all addresses, except that of an agreed Committee member; this is to protect your privacy.

I have had the Christmas Newsletter returned from MAUREEN COLE (VAIL) if anyone knows of her current address please ask her to let us have it. Thank you.

As I stated in my opening letter we find it necessary to raise the subscription to £5.00commencing 1st January 2010 - all the details of how to pay your subscription can be found at the back of this publication.