www.alumni.fhs-sw1.org.uk
Alumni Events 2023
Old Girls' Birthday Lunch 2023
On Saturday 4th March, our inspirational alumni community
came together once again to celebrate the School’s 142nd
Birthday with a convivial drinks reception and lunch – the first
Old Girls’ Lunch hosted since before the pandemic!
The event began with the AGM, leading swiftly on to a drinks
reception before heading to the Senior Hall for a rendition
of ‘Marry the Man Today’ from Guys and Dolls, performed
by (now former) Sixth Form pupils, Tess Vogels and Palmer
Newson (pictured top right), our accomplished lead roles in
the School’s production of the musical. An impressive two-
course lunch followed, with many commenting on the much-
improved quality of school lunches since their time at FHS!
From alumni who left as recently as 2018, to our ‘old girls’
who departed FHS in the 1960s, all welcomed seeing familiar
faces, and enjoyed looking through archive materials, as well
as embarking on a guided tour of the School’s impressive Sixth
Form Centre, the Old School House. We were also delighted to
welcome back many former staff members, who were keen to
reconnect with alumnae they taught.
Alumni Association Co-chair, Anne Cyron and former
Headmistress, Lucy Elphinstone thanked guests, with Lucy
commenting on the wonderful family atmosphere the School
still enjoys; a key factor in its popularity.
Alumna Sarah Maxwell commented, ‘What a lot of thought
and effort went into giving us such a wonderful visit to
celebrate the School Birthday! We were entertained so well,
not only with tempting canapés and a delicious lunch, but also
with the performance from Guys and Dolls and the tour to see
the Old School House. The PowerPoint photos and the items
on display from the Archive were fascinating and I think you
must have chosen them specially for the era of the guests - the
file of "Autobiographies" was particularly appreciated.’
A huge thank you to our alumni community of former pupils
and staff who returned to Francis Holland for the Old Girls’
Lunch and Drinks Reception.
Class of 1986 Reunite!
When alumna Stephanie Longworth reached out to help
arrange a reunion for her peers from the Class of 1986
(and thereabouts), we were delighted to oblige! Stephanie,
alongside her fellow classmate Anjali Ranchandani, flew in
from the US for a short visit, with the idea of bringing together
as many former classmates as possible (especially so for those
who exclusively attended the Junior School), many of whom
hadn’t seen one another since they left the Junior School
at the age of 11! As a result, ten alumnae arrived in March
to meet former Headmistress, Mrs Elphinstone and tour
both the Senior and Junior School, including the Old School
House, before heading out for dinner locally. The group were
impressed at the phenomenal amount of change the School
has undergone since their time as pupils at FHS.
Thanks go to the following Old Girls who came to visit:
Stephanie Longworth, Susannah Grant, Kate Ewart-Biggs,
Emily Turner (née Scott), Anjali Melwani (née Ranchandani),
Clare Evans, Caroline Villamizar Duque (née Gorman), Guitty
Kooros, Venetia Powell-Brett and Candia Marsland (née Carr).
If you would like to arrange a reunion for your year group,
please contact alumni@fhs-sw1.org.uk.