St Edward's 150 Years - by Nicola Hunter

St Edward’s: 150 Years

Chapter 3 / Houses

Left:Christmas party in House, 2010.

Above left: 2011 BBQ, Lower Sixth cooking for Shells and Fourths.

Above right: Jackie England,EmilyHigginsand Flossie Pugh.

Right and top right: Macnamara’s House. Below: Callover with Mrs Clayphan, Mac’s Housemistress since 2012. Far right: Mac’s girls on the House staircase.

entirely run this event themselves manage to include every single girl in the House. They showcase talent as well as the true camaraderie of Mac’s. Anyone with a teenage daughter, who has experienced their extremes of emotions and their amazing ability to be recalcitrant, should be impressed with this feat! When I wander around the House most nights after everyone is in bed, or at least in their rooms, I cannot help but get a sense of the history of this place. I will be Housemistress for a fraction of the time Mac’s exists but I am very glad that I am. Debra Clayphan Housemistress, Mac’s (D)

come very close seconds in the netball and rowing competitions, too. Our juniors are full of enthusiasm for such events and it is hoped the success of the seniors will rub off on them soon … Amidst the academic and sporting life are the rich cultural activities, and at Teddies as in Mac’s we have brilliantly talented musicians, artists and actors. Laurence Olivier, who once slept in the Mac’s dorms, would no doubt have been thrilled at the performances this year of Lara Paul, who won best actress in the Shell plays. We also had Anna Swinton, Yasmin Hass-Sinclair and Flossie Pugh as major actors in Romeo and Juliet , as well as Meg Neville ably working backstage. Remember these names for the future. It is extremely difficult to single out individuals in Mac’s, though. One of the most remarkable ‘traditions’ of the House is the girls’ ability to put on an evening of entertainment and fundraising that is Mac’s Factor. The Sixth Formers who almost

level of competitiveness! The photo of the girls on the staircase is a lovely way to represent both the current inhabitants of this grand old house and one of its original features. As you can also see the girls begin their day with appropriate solemnity at call-over at 8.10am, when the entire House gathers for registration and notices. These can be serious, nagging and occasionally joyful, as when our birthday prefect leads the celebrations for the birthday girl. Lessons get underway and the House falls quiet apart from our team of domestic staff, who have to try and work around messy teenage girls. That is always part of the nagging! Break time sees the rush of toast- making – trying not to set off fire alarms – and important chats before the next lessons. Jackie England, our Matron, is on hand to react to any situation, which she does patiently, professionally and with loving care. Lunch call-over at 12.55pm is a repeat of the morning but with girls away at dance lessons, sporting commitments, teacher meetings, outside visits and so on. This session is brief, as we always have hungry girls wanting to get to lunch: yes, they do eat heartily, just like the boys. Afternoon lessons take place on the ‘long days’ and sports on the ‘short days’. Mac’s girls have had a very successful recent history of House competitions. This year our senior girls have won the steeplechase and the Senior House Hockey. They have

Mac’s (D) St Edward’s may be celebrating its 150th anniversary but my reign as Housemistress of Macnamara’s House has only just begun … I am the fifth Housemistress in Mac’s after a succession of Housemasters, and no doubt any Mac’s Old Boy would notice huge changes if they came to visit – not least the fragrant atmosphere and the tasteful cushions. Please do not be fooled by the more superficial feminine touches, though. Mac’s girls are serious about themselves and their futures and display a healthy

Above: Lara Paul in the Shell play.

Right: Lucy Poffley.

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