Faith Robinson née Shirley Reflections on TGGS 1954 to 1966 / 1967

Uniform

Strict enforcement - indoor shoes and outdoor shoes! Change on arrival and departure each day. Grey hats turned round on the brim only in the front! No more than two abreast walking up and down Deakin Leas (prefects on duty each day on the pavement) and absolutely no eating whilst in uniform (punished with detention).

Operation Quick Swim

I inaugurated fundraising - to build a pool at TGGS. The main element of the fundraising was the sale of BIC biros, bought in bulk from 20 Church Road London. Red, black, green, blue.  Every pupil was expected to sell as many as possible.  When the pool was built and opened in 1957, I was working in France, with neither the time more the money to attend, though I was invited!

Deportment Girdles (see uniform)

These were highly sought after - awarded each term.  The arbiter was Miss Wood (feared by many) and winning (and keeping!) a girdle was a real prize.  One of Miss Wood's tasks was the daily 'hair check' at the door of the Hall for daily assembly.  Any girl with hair touching their collar was sent away to tie it up, before being allowed in to Assembly - a true crime!

Teaching Staff

Memorable for me! Miss Breed (Music) "imagine your voice coming from your forehead"!! - and Miss Moore (French) an exceptional teacher.  She was convinced that only a visit to France would enable her girls (shadow of Miss Jean Brodie!) to speak fluently.  Every Easter she took 90 (ninety!) girls to Tours,where each of us went to an individual family for 2/ 3 weeks.  We had previously put our details on cards which were then handed out to individual girls in Tours.  (No safeguarding rules, no health and safety).  I am still in touch with my French pen friend (we have both grown up, married, had children, and now sadly both widowed).   I have Miss Moore to thank not just for fluent French, but also a deep and lasting attachment to France and the French.  She was truly an amazing teacher.  Cue that John Cleese cinema advert years ago "Nobody forget a good teacher".

Head Girl 

I was head girl in 1961 / 1962 and mother was head girl in, I think, 1928 (born 1908). She and I are on the same head girl board.

Marie Antoinette Gates

Faith Genevieve Shirley

When I was head girl Miss Arnold was head mistress, but had leave of absence (ill health) and Miss Powell (Chemistry) took over as acting head mistress before Miss Arnold returned. 

FG Robinson

10 January 2025