NEWS OF OLD CROYDONIANS

Susan(Susie) Asli  (Dillon)(1993) studied viola at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she met her Danish husband, Thomas Asli, a cellist. She went to live in Denmark, doing a post graduate year and then freelancing as a viola player. They married in 1999, and have a three year old boy, Elias, and four month old twins, Daniel and Emily.

Jenny Dudgeon (Dillon) 1991 completed a BA in music at Exeter University followed by a PGCE at Leeds. She taught in several schools and became head of Music at Robertsbridge until having children. She married Tim Dudgeon, a history teacher in 2000, and they have two boys, Kieran, 5, and Michael, 2 1/2.

Victoria Mellon (Gavin) 1989 is delighted with the arrival of her son Dexter (March 08) and third grandchild for Frances Gavin (Fishman) 1967.

Clare Shaw (Purvis) 1987 writes “ We returned  to England after a very exciting 3 ½  years in Washington DC where my husband was working with the British Embassy. I spent the time looking after our two children, David (8) and Ruth (6) . Since returning I have managed to get back into general practice and I am now pursuing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Primary Care.

Mary Bowker (Flynn) 1985 is celebrating the birth of her daughter, Sophie Elizabeth on 10 December 2008.

Claire Haywood (Branson) 1982 writing in May 2008 “ We have been living in New Zealand for 5 years now, and have two children Jack (17) and Sally(12), and absolutely loving it (the best place in the world). Just to update you I did a B.Ed. when I left school, taught for a couple of years at Primary level, then went into IT training in industry. While raising a family I have worked on and off part time in various office/accounts positions interspersed with a bit of supply teaching. Since moving to new Zealand I have been fortunate enough to enjoy the lifestyle without working , but as from next week I will be beginning a new venture - piano teaching . I have 5 pupils starting next week and hope to build it up from there. The most influential teachers while I was at school would have been Miss Hunt and Mrs Guillot (my piano teacher). It was sad to read about Miss Hunt in the recent TOC and the memories recorded there brought my school days flooding back as I remembered the same events and occasions. As my own children have grown up and become heavily involved in music at school I have rediscovered my passion for it.” 

Susan Stobart (Holman)  1983 writes ‘ Not sure how one encapsulates almost 27 years of adult life with any sense...After school went to Brasenose College Oxford and ended up with  2:1 in Physiological Sciences and lots of rowing under my belt. Married Andy Stobart in 1991 who I met in Oxford. Our marriage was cut tragically short with Andy dying of a cancer in 1997. I had continued my education in 1995 with an MSc in Speech and Language Pathology and Therapy and graduated in 1998. I met my husband, Ian, when working in a Neurorehabiltiation Centre in Oxford. To cut a long story short I am now married with 2 children, Rory aged 5 and Zara aged 2 and am a full-time mum living near Oxford. I still trade under the name Stobart.

Maryla Carter (Ignatowicz) 1971 writes,”I recently completed a PGCE in Secondary Science in my old age and am absolutely loving teaching - a mixture of unpredictable supply work in middle and upper schools of Bedfordshire plus some private science tutoring.”

Diana Metzner (Berthoud) 1969 studied languages at St Hilda's Oxford and has lived in Volkach, a small wine-growing town in Southern Germany, ever since. She married Victor, a Grammar School teacher in 1972 and has two sons (Moritz b. 1977 and Ernst b. 1978). Has been busy teaching English to individuals and to groups at Adult Education, translating, examining, writing for pleasure and for the local rag, and guiding tourists.    

Diana White (Leaver) 1964 lives in Brussels and  is working for a network of eighteen Christian aid agencies including Tearfund , and doing the liaison with the EU which helps them to receive EU funding.” I travel to Africa and Asia for my work , to meet many wonderful people who are living in very deprived circumstances.”

Jean Poston (Fisher- Grogan) 1963 is still living in India. She and her husband have moved back into the city of Bangalore. They miss the countryside and the friendly cows and goats but enjoy the improved electricity supply.

 Ann Stranack (Wagstaff )1957 is thrilled that two of her granddaughters have joined Croydon High School this year.  Lucie is in Year 6 and Claire Year 4.  Both settled in very quickly and are enjoying all that the school has to offer – they keep discussing things like the pets corner with their aunt Sally Ward (Stranack – 1970-1981) and are amazed to find she knows all about them.  Ann’s grandmother (Lilian Docking nee Allen) and mother (Mollie Wagstaff nee Docking) were also at Croydon High, so this seems to make Lucie and Claire 5^th generation.