Membership Fees

LIFE MEMBERSHIP - £60 (£40 for girls who join during the first year after leaving school)

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP - £15

OFFICE BEARERS

A memorial service for Miss Weir Cunningham was held in St Thomas' Church on Sunday 17th October.

OBITUARIES

Miss Weir Cunningham became Headmistress of Victoria College in 1951 and retired in 1976.  Shewas a lady of great vision, totally committed to carrying out MrsByers’ wish to create a learning establishment second to none for allher pupils.  She oversaw many changes during her headship, the principle one being the move from Lower Crescent to the present site. 

On retirement, she maintained her strong links with the school as President of the Old Girls’ Association.  I personally have much to thank her for.  She appointed me as teacher of Mathematics in 1972.   During my years as Headmistress, she was always available as a listening ear.  She will be sorely missed by us all.

                                                                                                            Mrs M. Andrews

It is almost a year since Miss Cunningham’s 90^th birthday party.  She was at that time, very ill, but some of the Victorians were keen to mark the occasion and she herself was appreciative and anxious toattend, if at all possible, thanks to the practical and sheer physical help of some, and the thoughtfulness, generosity and attention todetail of others, she was able to enjoy an elegant personalised lunchparty.  The photographs show a very happy and relaxed occasion.  It was, in effect, a defiance of illness and a tribute to a remarkable woman.

 When she first came to Victoria in 1951, at the relatively young age of 38, her CV must have seemed tailor-made.  She was born in Ardagh St Johnston in Co Donegal and was related to another Miss Cunningham, who was briefly Vice Principal of Victoria in the early 20^th century.  She was educated at the Londonderry High School, where she was Head Prefect and Captain of the 1^st XI.  She was a Scholar of the House at TrinityCollege, Dublin and graduated with a First class Honours in French and German.   She had teaching experience for eight years at Methodist College, Belfast and a period of welfare work in post-war Europe.  How I wish I had known about that and had asked her about her experiences in Italy and Austria. She then taught in King’s NortonGrammar School for Girls in Birmingham, where she became Senior Modern Languages Mistress.

At the outset, in addition to the problems to be met by any newcomer in taking charge of an established and complex institution, she knew thatshe had to follow a much respected and distinguished predecessor.  This she did with delicacy, sensitivity and good sense.  Any small resentments were quickly overcome and she came to inspire great loyalty from her staff.  Relations with the Board of Governors were not always easy – unsurprising in a career that spanned twenty-five years – but she was wise and discreet and between them the school prospered.

Her years as Headmistress saw huge changes, the closing of the Froebel Department and the decision that Strathearn should become a Senior School.Whatever she anticipated in her work, she can hardly have imagined that early in her term in the School she would have presided over the construction of a new Science block in the Crescent, on the grassy space that had previously been used as a playground and for sports,only to find herself, not many years later, swept into a new situation when she had to oversee the building of a wholly new school in the grounds of Drumglass House and organise the move, lock, stock and barrel, to the new premises.  This took placeduring some of the worst years of the Troubles and only those who lived through those times could begin to imagine the additional strain thesituation imposed on the running of any school.  Nor did the building work end there, for the next project was the funding and building of the swimming pool.  She must have felt that she was moonlighting as a clerk of works.  It was a great deal to ask of any Head.

Nothing was straightforward and she also had to cope with serious injury, the result of a bad motor accident.  Looking back, her time as Headmistress was a little like an obstacle race, but she rose to the challenges magnificently.

Those who teach are not always aware of the long-term influence that they have on the young.  How much more far reaching is the impact of a Headmistress.  One former pupil and lifelong friend said that what she had was ‘heart’.  I know exactly what she meant.  She cared about her pupils with an affectionate tolerance and concern.  She had exactly the sort of humanity that one would hope to find in someone responsible for the care and direction of one’s child.

I have spoken of weir Cunningham’s professional and managerial qualities, but she had other accomplishments.  My husband has lively recollections of the school dances of his time, when the head prefects of visiting boys’ schools were expected, during the evening, to dance with the several headmistresses present.  In the case of some, this could be an ordeal, for these ladies tended tobe extremely formidable and either large or angular, and conversation with them and a youth of seventeen did not always flow easily.  Here members very well how refreshing it was to partner Miss Cunningham,who was so much easier to talk to and had rather better developed dancing skills than the other chaperones.

We were all familiar with her strength, her very balanced outlook on life, her tolerance and her sense of humour.  When she spoke, either in the formal setting of Prizegiving or more informally as President of the Old Girls’ association, her thoughts were considered and sincere, but her touch was light, funny and  engaging.  She continued after her retirement to make new friends, extending her contacts with both young and old.  She travelled and followed new interests, while continuing to have a special place in the affections of her old girls.  She had a catholic taste and read widely and critically.  She accepted the challenge of whatever reading material was current, referring to one somewhat explicit read as ‘my dirty book’.  In later life, she never seemed old.  Alwaysforward-looking, her mind was fresh and the nearest she ever came to associating with her generation was her declared admission that she found it totally impossible to throw out plastic bags. I know the syndrome.

During her final illness, with characteristic directness, she told me that she was reconciled to her situation.  She remained cheerful and a pleasure to visit, retaining her faculties to the end.  Those who were closest to her spoke of her deep religious conviction, which was never sanctimonious or stuffy.

It is not possible satisfactorily to sum up such a rich and useful life.  During her 90 years she had a strong, kindly and lasting influence, which added lustre to an already distinguished school and touched many different lives.  She has left a store of warm memories.  One might say of her what was said of one of her predecessors – ‘her quality escaped all defining’ – but it was undeniable and will never be forgotten by those who never knew her.

                                                                                                             
Lady Carswell

News of Old Girls

Births

Cochrane – 14 September, 2004 to Debbie (Hewitt) and Sean Cochrane – a daughter.

Davis– 24 June 2003 – to Helen (Emerson) and Simon Davis – a son.

Patterson – 3 June 2004 – to Nathalie (Moffett) and Vaughan Patterson – a daughter.

Smith – 14 September, 2004 – to Julie (Breene) and Joel Smith – a daughter.

Marriages

Adam – Greer  25 August 2003 – Dorothy Greer to Mr Ian Adams.

Watson – Leith  14 September 2002 – Barbara Leith to Mr Colin Watson.

Deaths

Bell – 9 September 2004 – Elizabeth Rosanne (Dunbar) 6 Knockhill Pk Ballymoney

Cunningham – 29 January 2004 – Miss Weir Cunningham M.A Former Headmistress of VictoriaCollege.

Green – 3 May 2004 – Miss Patricia Green.

Jenkins – July 2002 – Mrs M Jenkins (Margaret Richardson) Camberley Surrey.

McElderry – 10 February 2004. Mrs R McElderry (Eveleen Rankin) 10 SequoiaHeights, Newtownabbey.

Pantridge – 29 November 2003 – Miss Ruby Pantridge Late of 781 Lisburn RoadBelfast (Former Catering Officer at Inchmarlo.)

Pike – 25 August 2004 – Mrs Clare Pike (Jones.)

Sloan – Miss Kathleen Sloan N.F.F – 25 St. German AvenueToronto, Canada.    

Recent Success Stories

Giselle Allen has had another successful year with Opera North. She played Miss Jessel in Britten’s “the turn of the screw” in the Nuremberg Chamber Festival in September. In November she plays Donna Elvira in Mozart’sDon Giovanni at Opera North and Various venues including Belfast’s Opera House. Then in March 2005 she plays Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tvete for the English National Opera in London.
           
Carolyn Avery gained first class honours in Property Investment and Development at the University of Ulster.
 
Naomi Bailie received a first class honours degree from Queen’s University in Food Science.

Claire Baim who had been working with C.E.7.In Romania, is still doing greatwork with the children there. Approximately 2000 boys and girls attended their Good News Club Camp this summer.

Cara Bamford who is an associate partner with Foster and Partners, architects, London, is currently living in Beijing for the building of the new airport which is to be ready for the 2008 Olympics.

Dr.Emma Breene M.B, Clb, M.R.C.P.C4, MRCGP has passed the examinations formembership of the Royal College of General Practitioners. She now holdsdual membership.

Lucy Breene has been appointed Head of History and Politics at the Royal Latin School, Buckingham.

Caroline Caswell received a first class honours degree from the University Of Ulster  in engineering (electronics and software).

Julie Currie has been appointed new youth worker at CMS Ireland.

Anna Dillon gained a first class honours degree from the University Of Ulster in business studies.

Catherine Francey. After graduating with a II.i Honours Degree in Italian andFrench from the University of Bristol, Catherine went travelling around South East Asia.  She now works for an international hedge-fundinvestment firm in Mayfair in central London.

Gail Halliday who left school in June 1999, graduated with an MBBS from theFaculty of Medicine at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in June2004 and commenced work as a House Officer in the Freeman Hospital Newcastle in August 2004. 

Joy Halliday who graduated with a B.M.B.S from the University of Nottingham in 2003 has recently finished her year as House Officer in Nottingham and will commence work in the Royal Infirmary, Perth, Western Australia in August 2004 before returning in August 2005 to work as a Senior House Officer in the John Radcliff Hospital Oxford.

Vilma Patterson (Duff) as Chairperson of the Women in Business Network has received an M.B.E from the Queen for services to business and the Community. She also serveson the Invest N.I Stakeholder Forum set up to Promote female entrepreneurship, and sits on the Committee of the ConstructionIndustry Training Board.

Heather Wilson has completed her Master of Pharmacy degree at Bath University. She is now doing her pre-registration in Community Pharmacy. She has also represented Northern Ireland at triathlon having competed in Madeira at the World U3 Championships, in Palma at the World Student Championships and in the European U23 Championships in Budapest.

Jodie Young gained a First Class Honours Degree from the University of Ulster in Inter Media Des.

Gillian Cambel(Gaston) has gained  afirst class honour degree in midwifery studies and the Dame Mary Uprichard award for excellence in midwifery studies. Her dissertationis to be published in the monthly magazine, The Midwife.

BathUniversity

Heather Wilson - M. Ph   Pharmacy

CambridgeUniversity

Candice Chinneck -  B.A / M.Sc     

NottinghamUniversity

Rachel Elizabeth Smyth - B.A. (Hons)     Law and Politics

Queen’s University Belfast

Naomi Bailie - B.Sc (Hons)     Food Science

Amanda Best - B.Th. (Hons)    Theology

Karen Cairns - Ph.D                           

Gemma Caldwell - B.A.  Politics

Sarah Cooper- B.A. Modern History and Cultural Studies

Jenny Crothers - B.A. (Hons)     English

Margaret Irene Fawcett - Dip. (PD)         Applied Psychotherapy

Victoria Heather Gillespie - B.A. (Hons)     Politics and Social Anthropology

Sylvia Glenn - Dip. (PD)         Mental Health

Pauline Grey -  B.Ed      Science

Alma Grindley - B.A. (Hons)     Social Anthropology

Jessica Hill - B.Sc (Hons)     Biomedical Science

Laurette Houston - B.Sc (Hons)     Molecular Biology

Ruth Hynes -B.A. (Hons)     Early Childhood Studies

Victoria Jardine - B.A. (Hons)     Nursing

Ashleigh Keatings - Cert. Education

Kristina Kelly - B.Sc (Hons)     Molecular Biology

Deborah-Ann Lavery -  Cert. Education

Rowan Mann - B.Sc (Hons)     Environmental Biology

Louise Marshall - B.ED (Hons)    Business Studies

Nicola Meharg - M. Sc   Applied Mathematics and Physics

Jill McAllister - B.A (Hons)      Early Childhood Studies

Julie McClintock - B.Sc. (Hons)    Biological Sciences

Diane McKeaveney - B.ENG (Hons)  Computer Science

Alison Neill - B.A. (Hons)     Early Childhood Studies

Natalie Ogle - B.A. (Hons)     Modern History

Nadine Orr - B.ED. (Hons)   Science

Victoria Patterson -  LL.B. (Hons)    Law

Jenny Rees -  B.ED. (Hons)   Technology and Design

Ashleigh Elaine Sinnamon - B.ENG. (Hons)Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Emma Smyth -  B.Sc (Hons)     Chemistry

Julie Thompson -  Cert. Education

Alison Walker - DIP. Applied Psychotherapy

University of Aberdeen

Naomi Gaston - M.A. (Hons)    Psychology

Ann Gilmour - M.A. (Hons)    Politics and InternationalRelations

Michelle Knok -  B.L.E (Hons)    Urban Surveying and Planning

University of Bristol

Catherine Francey - B.A. (Hons)     Italian and French

University of Edinburgh

Elizabeth Janette Hamilton - B.M.B.S     Medicine

Emma Hopkins - B.Sc (Hons)     Biological Sciences

University of Glasgow

Fiona Burns - B.D.S   Dental Surgery with Commendation

Heather Harvey - M.A. (Hons)

Alix Hartwell - M.ENG. (Hons)     Engineering

University of  Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

Katherine Loughlin - LL.B. (Hons)    Law

Gail Halliday - M.B.B.S     Medicine

University of Ulster

Carly Anderson - B.A./B.Sc.(Hons)     Combined Studies

Carolyn Avery - B.Sc. (Hons)    Property Investment and Development

Andrea Blair -  B.A. (Hons)     Accounting (Distinction)

Caroline Caswell - B.ENG. (Hons)Electronics and Software (Distinction)

Anna Dillon - B.A. (Hons)     Business Studies (Distinction)

Deva Evans - Dip in Foundation Studies in Art and Design

Muriel Glenn - B. Sc (Hons)    Optometry

Kerry Hutchinson - Dip in Foundation Studies in Art and Design

Amy Johnston -Dip in Foundation Studies in Art and Design

Catherine Mulholland - B.A. (Hons)     Economics (Distinction)

Nicole Reilly - B.A. (Hons)     International Business Studies          

Nicolette Walker - M.Sc     Advanced Nursing

Christin White - Dip in Foundation Studies in Art and Design  

Jodie Young -  B.Sc (Hons)     Inter Media Des (Distinction)

University of Warwick

Kathryn Nelson - B.Sc (Hons)     Biological Sciences

University of Strathclyde