Reunion Report 2017

FILEY CONVENT OLD GIRLS ASSOCIATION

 

                                                                                                                                                              May 2017   

                                                                                                                               

e-mail:  fcoga@btinternet.com

                 

                                                                                                                                    

 

Dear 'Old Girl'

 It must have been the result of all your good wishes for a happy and sunny weekend because the sun did indeed shine for this year’s Re-union, and happy and sunny it was!  Filey put on its best face for us and we enjoyed the beautiful views over the bay, from the Brigg to Flamborough Head – just the same as that remembered with so much affection by generations of ‘Convent Girls’.  How lucky we were to spend our school days in such a lovely spot .

So – here is the report of the 68^th Reunion, held over the weekend of 22^nd/23^rd April 2017.  Eleven of us met at Bella Italia on the Saturday evening, and we were especially pleased to welcome three Old Girls who hadn’t been to a Reunion before, sisters  Pauline Randall (Holt), Rosie Palmer (Holt) and Jennifer Toogood (Holt).  It was an enjoyable (and as usual rather noisy) get-together, with plenty of ‘do you remembers’ and stories to tell. 

On Sunday morning Sister Anne Marie Crowley (President) and about 36 members met at the Evron Centre for coffee.  The AGM opened with the Hymn ‘Come Holy Ghost’ and Tessa Harrison (Reeves) (Chairman) welcomed everyone, with a special welcome to Sister Anne Marie and new members who have joined us for the first time.  Jane Cockerill (Leather) read the minutes of the AGM 2016, and Tessa thanked Jane for keeping the Minutes of the AGM and Committee meetings, as well as making a record of the News of the Sisters, which follows this letter.

Ann Reed (Baxter) (Secretary) gave the Secretary’s Report.  She thanked everyone who had replied to the Re-union invitation, sent stamps, donations and news for the Newsletter, and Marilyn Douglas (Crossfield) who generously keeps us supplied with stationery. 

 Ann said that Anne French (Nicholls) and her husband, Paul who had set up an internet blog for us  had gone to America for an extended holiday, and  Dawn Fixter (Howell) had kindly volunteered to take over in their absence - unfortunately there was some kind of glitch and she was unable to access and post anything on it, and finally set up another blog – so at the moment we have two sites on the internet.  I’m so sorry to tell you that Dawn is very ill and I have taken over updating the blog from her for the time being.  

 If you have access to a computer, please do have a look at the blogs, the addresses are at the top of this letter.  There are photographs, articles about the history of the Convent, a newsletter and photographs from the Sisters in Peru, and Reminiscences of an Ingenue, written by Theona Harrop (Edwards),  a fascinating account of  her time at the Convent in the 1930s/40s – a real walk down memory lane!  If you have any photographs which would be of interest to other Old Girls, you can email them direct to fcoga@btinternet.com or send copies to me and I’ll scan them for publishing on the website and return the originals to you.   If you are visiting Filey, you may like to call in at the Crimlisk Fisher Archive, housed at Filey Council Offices in Queen Street, where there are photographs and other memorabilia of the Convent.

 Pam Shaw Johnston (Shaw) reported that she is working with Phil Armitage, the Evron Centre Manager, to produce a collage, with photos of the school, nuns and former pupils along with a brief history of the building.  The collage will be placed in the entrance foyer of the Evron Centre.  It is a work in progress, and it’s hoped that it will be completed by 2019 – the 70^th anniversary of the Old Girls’ Association. Many visitors to the Evron Centre enquire about the history of the building before it was owned by the Council.   The commemorative plaque on the side of the building has recently been refurbished by Jane Cockerill’s husband, Michael, who was thanked for doing this.  It was suggested a second commemorative plaque be erected on the outside wall on the front of the building. If permission is granted by the Council the Committee will organize this.  At the end of the AGM Tessa placed flowers in the Grotto where the statue of Our Lady used to stand.

Susan Christie (Wood) gave the Treasurer’s Report – we started the year with £689.81 and after all the income and expenses for the year, we had a balance in the bank of £711.13.

Sister Anne Marie gave us news of the Sisters (see below), and the meeting was concluded.  We made our way to Filey Golf Club, where we enjoyed a very good lunch and continued with the main agenda for the day, catching up with old and new friends.

 A date for your diary: Next year’s Re-union will take place over the weekend of 7^th/8^th April 2018 (N.B. easy to remember – it’s always the weekend after Easter). 

I hope you enjoy catching up with the following news about the Sisters, and reading the Newsletter.

Best wishes,

ANN REED (Baxter)

Secretary

NEWS OF THE SISTERS

Sister Anne Marie Crowley said how wonderful it was to see everyone again and was pleased we kept going as Filey is the only place still having an Old Girls Association within the Order.  Sister went on to tell us about the nuns.

Sister Monica is not too well, she has difficulty walking and her memory is poor.

Sister Joseph and Sister Mary Angela sent their love and best wishes for a lovely weekend and sorry they could not be with us.

Sister Claire Kelly (Sister John whilst at Filey) is now the Congregation Leader (new name instead of Superior General).  She is in France at the present time overseeing a meeting.  Sister Claire was in Africa for the first time last year to oversee three novices make their vows.  Sister Claire said it was a very moving occasion taking place in the novices’ native village with all family and friends present.  The girls dressed up in their beautifully coloured costumes and jewellery and then they were presented to Sister Claire to ask for admittance to the order, once accepted they went away to take off their finery and put on a simple  white dress and headdress.  They then went round the villages singing and dancing in celebrations which took a whole week.

The African congregation is growing but no new novices in the UK.

There are two sisters in Peru, who have had a very bad time as the area has been subjected to severe mud flooding and volcanic eruptions.  Thankfully the sisters’ house escaped damage but many huts were washed away.  Sister Gloria (a Canadian nun) was badly affected by the flooding and found it a very bad experience as her house was destroyed.

All sisters in France are well but elderly; however, they busy themselves in writing to people in the missions.

Sister Claire was able to set up a skype link so the nuns in this country can see and speak to the nuns in France and Canada.

Sister Gertrude, used to manage a parish on the outskirts of Stockport, is now retired but still visits the elderly.

Sister Ann Marie O’Sullivan has slowed down but still does social work and Sister Theresa helps with cancer patients.

There is no longer a house in Ireland.  Life goes on for the UK nuns although at a slower pace but is still involved within the parish.