Service to mark anniversary of a moving occasion

John Roberts Education Correspondent

A NINETEENTH century Palladian-style villa built in the North Yorkshire countryside for a local politician has been home to a former Lord Mayor, a cotton magnate and the Canadian Air Force.

But for the past 25 years Baldersby Park, near Thirsk, has provided a home to the staff and pupils at Queen Mary’s School which moved there after leaving its original base in a country house.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The switch came about when Lord Feversham decided to return to his home at Duncombe Park, in Helmsley, meaning the private all-girls school needed to find a new base.

Now 25 years on, pupils, staff and parents are celebrating the anniversary of a move which has seen the school go from strength to strength.

To mark the silver jubilee of Queen Mary’s School’s arrival at Baldersby Park, a service is being held at Ripon Cathedral where a piece of music which has been composed for the occasion will be sung for the first time. The school is urging as many former pupils as possible to attend the event, on Friday October 15, to celebrate the life of Queen Mary’s in its current home.

Former pupil Victoria Vivian was in her final year at Queen Mary’s when the school moved in 1985. Now her 12-year-old daughter Daisy is following in her footsteps as a pupil.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: “The move was done very smoothly. As pupils we hardly noticed. But Baldersby Park is a really nice building and felt more like a home for everyone that was boarding.

“The facilities for the girls now are better and there are more activities for them to do. They do everything and the activities are much cooler, a lot of the girls are in rock and pop bands and they perform concerts, but the feel of the school is the same.

“It’s not just that the school does well in exams, but when I was here I made friends for life. I moved to London when I left but came back to Yorkshire because we wanted our children to grow up in the countryside and to have the type of education that I had.”

She said the celebrations had inspired her year group to plan a reunion and she hoped as many former pupils as possible would attend the service at Ripon Cathedral next week.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Queen Mary’s director of music, Nicholas Carter, is one of three members of the current teaching staff who taught at the school at its former home at Duncombe Park.

He said: “Duncombe was a fine stately home but I think today’s girls would not think of it as the kind of place they would want to stay. It was very spartan and austere. Baldersby Park is better suited to the school and is far better placed.

“Throughout my time at Queen Mary’s it has kept the same ethos. It is a very family- orientated place.

“You will always see 16-year-olds playing with the seven-year-olds and I don’t think that is something you would see at your average school.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We are a Christian school and it was our chaplain who thought that we should be marking our 25th anniversary here.”

Mr Carter will play a key role in leading the school’s celebrations.

Leeds Parish Church’s organist Dr Simon Lindley has composed music for the service which will be performed by Queen Mary’s Chapel Choir and conducted by Mr Carter.

A solo performance will also be given by Claire Strafford, a former pupil who is now a singing tutor at Queen Mary’s.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The service will taken by the school’s chaplain, Father John Payne.

Guests will include former headteachers Peter and Felicity Belwood who led the school from 1978 to 1997 and oversaw the move to Baldersby Park. They also introduced the Queen Mary’s tartan kilt as the school’s uniform.

Any former pupils who wants to attend should contact the school office on 01845 575000 for further details.

john.roberts@ypn.co.uk

Related topics: