Chronicle 2017

FORMER STAFF NEWS

Last summer, Norm Martin went on a 10-day tour of England with one of the choirs of which he is a member ‒ Pax Christi Chorale. Not only does Norm sing in the choir, he was also the primary organizer of the tour that was enjoyed by half of its members (50 people). He writes: “We visited Windsor, Stratford-upon-Avon, where we performed in Holy Trinity Church by Shakespeare’s grave; and Oxford, where we sang evensong in Queen’s College chapel. We also had the opportunity to perform in some major churches, such as Coventry Cathedral, Worcester Cathedral and Great Malvern Priory. In Gloucester Cathedral, we sang both morning and evening services. More intimate visits included singing at both Edward Elgar’s birthplace and his grave and in the parlour of Gustav Holst’s birthplace. “Probably the most moving for us was at the composer Hubert Parry’s estate, where the owner allowed us private entry to Parry’s music room. Next to Parry’s piano, we sang a piece that he had composed in that very room. We also had many non-musical excursions, including tours of Birmingham, Cheltenham and Bath and visits to Cadbury World (I’ve never seen so much chocolate…) the Coventry Transport Museum (… nor so many vintage cars!), Windsor Castle, a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Hamlet and the Malvern Hills, where we took a daylong hike. “After the official tour ended, I stayed on to rent a car and explore the area west of Birmingham around Telford, which was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution. It contains many fascinating museums and, on the River Severn, you can still walk across the world’s first iron bridge. Driving back south, I visited Wells ‒ whose cathedral has perhaps the most spectacular façade in England ‒ and Lacock Abbey where, in 1839, Henry Fox Talbot took the first photograph in Britain. I ended my personal tour in London, where I spent four days. Highlights there included a day at the RAF Museum and the Museum of London, a performance of The Taming of the Shrew at the Globe Theatre, and dinner at the Royal

Automobile Club as the guest of Irene and Gerry Courage, parents of former Havergal students Jennifer and Laura. And now I’m making plans to return in 2018!” Dale Matthews , a former member of the support staff, died in December after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer the previous February. Typical of Dale, she did not want to burden her Havergal friends with the knowledge of her illness, so the news of her death came as a great shock to all who had known her. A celebration of her life was held in Kingston in April. We will remember her generosity, her lovely sense of humour, her optimism and, of course, her recipes. Vicky Morris (co-head physical and health education) and her husband were skiing in Whistler, B.C. and they saw Pat Garrow (physical education), who was there for the whole season. They had a wonderful day on the mountain together as Pat is a terrific guide who knows the mountain well. While in Alberta, they stopped in at a small town called Mountain House, where they met up with Vicky’s university friend Jill Bennett 1970 and her husband Jeff. They run a B&B and dogsledding operation and Vicky and George had a terrific time with them. Jill would be delighted to welcome any Old Girls who are travelling in the area. Vicky and George also went to Portland, Maine in February to meet the second child, a daughter, of their son Geordie Morris and his wife Caroline Kennedy. In April, they were in New York where Caitlin Morris 2002 and her husband Corey Gleason added a second child to their family ‒ a girl ‒ so both families now have a boy and a girl! Pat Parisi (head of social sciences) is working as a consultant to St. Michael’s Choir School and is the mother of two very busy Crescent School boys (Grades 7 and 9).

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