Newland Alumnae
Newland School for Girls has a long and proud history within Kingston-upon-Hull. We would love to hear from any and all of our ‘old girls’. Over the past few years we have had 30, 40 and 50 year reunions and we have had the pleasure of welcoming those parties into school and our girls have learned lots about life at Newland over the generations.
If you have a great story to tell, a picture to share or you just want to keep in touch, then please contact us at school.
Class of '63
It was a joy and honour to show the class of '63 around the school and to hear of their stories and memories, a truly inspirational group of ladies.
Barbara Redwood (nee Grindell 1931-2023)
Barbara Grindell grew up in Riversdale Road, off Beverley High Road and attended Newland High School from 1942 until 1949. Miss Lee was the headmistress. Barbara had previously been at Endike Lane school but been evacuated to the Malton area so attended school there too.
Over the years, Barbara fascinated both her children and grandchildren with tales of what life was like at school, partly during the years of the second world war. Uniform rules were strict. All female teachers left their posts if they married. Barbara was a diligent pupil but once got into trouble for riding two to a bike. Home economics/ cookery was a difficult subject to teach during the years of rationing so tasks for pupils included hand- washing the teacher’s handkerchiefs and learning how to sweep a floor correctly (Barbara received a detention when she got this wrong and swept in the wrong direction!) There were good times too though – particularly lots of fun with sports and games.
Barbara continued at the school until the 6th form. Studying science subjects sometimes involved cycling across the city for teaching at the boys’ school. Barbara gained a place to study botany at Royal Holloway college, part of London university – no mean feat for a girl at that time and recognised as such by the school when they added her name to the board in the hall. Hull’s generous scholarship (given to students who got a place at Oxford, Cambridge or London universities) meant that going to university was possible – without it, the financial burden would have been too much for her family. Barbara spoke highly of the encouragement and inspiration of one of her teachers in particular, Miss Heafford, who also sent a telegram when Barbara was awarded a first. Barbara kept the telegram:” Congratulations (on) your wonderful achievement…delighted with result. Heartiest congratulations”
Barbara’s cousin writes: “Barbara Grindell was the eldest of six cousins on my mother’s side of the family. She was a huge inspiration to all of us as to what working class children could achieve through educational opportunities. Of the six, two went to university and two of us went to teacher training colleges. Barbara was the model for all of us, but her greatest achievement was in 1952 as a student at Royal Holloway College. The entire family went to the local cinema to see her in a full screen shot at the funeral of King George VI on the British Movietone News. Fame indeed.”
Barbara’s daughter writes: “It seems to me testament of the atmosphere of the school that Barbara continued several good friendships with schoolmates right up until their deaths – or hers. Distance and declining health sometimes made meeting in person difficult but there were jolly get-togethers, most memorably in the year of their 80th birthdays when 5 former classmates met for a pub lunch on the outskirts of York. There was much reminiscing about school which had clearly been such a significant part of their lives.”
Barbara is on the middle row, 5th from the right
Barbara is 2nd from the right on the back row
In memory of the late Margaret Elliott who sadly died on the 5th March 2021 at the age of 95.
“My Mother was a pupil at the school I guess in the 1930's. I was told that she passed her School Certificate which equates to the modern day baccalaureate.
Margaret Elliott (nee' Taylor) because a school is not just about the here and now. In common with all structures there are foundations, walls, stages and rooves. The former pupils have something which they can hand down to the following generations. Indeed, I remember my Mother saying to me when I was a teenager that the thing that often set apart fee paying schools from state schools was the willingness of alumni at fee paying schools to keep in touch and help the generations that follow.
The interesting feature about Mother was that she was dedicated to education. The education of women in particular and in a subtle sort of way equality for women kind.
Her Father, George Taylor, believed that his daughters should enjoy all the same rights and privileges as his sons. The relatively unique aspect of his philosophy was the era. In the 1920's and 1930's equality for women was an aspiration which even now has not been fully realised. It may not be appreciate that until the passing of an act of Parliament in 1885 a woman was considered the chattel of her husband. Taken from the Latin the word chattel translates to cattle.
Her life was a successful one and she passed on to younger women not just the benefit of education but a self belief that they too had an equal role to play in this society of ours. A woman was the equal of any man.
I think that that is the message that my Mother would want pass on to the current generation is that they must have the self belief of their status as a woman in this modern society but added to which they should have the courage to take that next step
Class of ’68 Reunion
The girls from Class of ’68 were keen to see what had and what hadn’t changed from their time at Newland, as they walked around the school reminiscing about the headteacher’s office and the school hamster!!
With thanks to www.yellowbellyphotos.com
1956 ‘Old Girls’ Reunion
The Newland ‘Old Girls’ who first started in 1956, enjoyed lunch at the Mercure Hotel with a surprise guest joining them; the current Headteacher Ms Callaghan, who was delighted to meet them all and hear about their stories. The girls then enjoyed a tour of the School, I’m sure there’s been some changes in 60 years!!
1943 ‘Old Girls’ Reunion
September 8th 1943 was the first day of school for the Newland ‘Old Girls’ who joined our new year 7 on their first day of school – September 8th 2015. For many it was their visit back in a good number of years but it did take long for them to remember the green tiles, old teachers and of course join together in a chorus of the school song. Y11 Prefects did a spectacular job keeping them in check.
