Red Letter Years: Rye in the 80s
The 80s at Rye were a decade of red jumpers, Afghans with Miss Sumpter and adventures in the New Forest.
Thank you to Ryetonians Julie Furber née Marriott (1985), Helena Malhomme de La Roche née Mieczkowska (1988), Emily ‘Oggy’ Ogden (1988) and Olivia Vandyk née Lane-Nott (1995) for sharing their memories with us.
Helena
I remember my first day; we walked - in a crocodile - through Headington Hill Park and into Oxford. For the first time, I saw Magdalen College, with its tower reaching into the blue sky. Our walk continued, leaving the High Street, along the banks of the river, with punts gliding past. My new shoes pinched and my winter uniform felt too hot.
Emily
I was the first granddaughter of the former founding pupil Jean McCann.
Julie
I was a day girl and desperate to be a boarder. I found every reason for my dad to pick me up later in the day just so I could spend more time in school!
Olivia
I was young for my year, just eight years old the day I arrived at the official opening of the King House, with its funky globe lighting. There were just four of us boarders in that first year.
Life as a Border
Helena
My dorm was Duff, in The Croft (run by the formidable Mrs Snow, whose hair was as white as snow!), on the ground floor, with windows overlooking the swimming pool. There were 5 or 6 bunk beds. A cuddly toy and a poster personalised one’s own space. A tuck box was a necessity! These prized possessions were kept in the year group common room and were a lockable box of home with a stash of sweets, comics (Smash Hits!), diary, single records - and at some point, the Sony Walkman! I remember the ‘Clanger’ ringing through the Croft to awaken us, then sleepily dressing in bed, washing and on the next bell, walking over to Langley Lodge for Breakfast.
Olivia
The payphone played a big part in the life of King House; chatting in the queue waiting to use it, sprinting to answer a ringing call and then racing around the house to find the required recipient or just hanging out to see who was calling whom.
Photo in Duff courtesy of Helena. A wooden chair next to each bunk bed held a towel, wash bag and uniform. An under-bed drawer held all other clothes (only 3 changes of home clothes) and necessities. Drawers had to be kept tidy as were inspected often - so no chance of contraband!
"Midnight feasts. Water fights. Prep in the school hall. House mothers. Whispering after lights out. Making jumps in the woods between the Franklin Building and The Croft."
Emily
Our Mentors
Rye wouldn’t have been what it was without its staff, inspiring, caring and brilliant. Our teachers always went above and beyond, leaving their mark on us all.
Outdoor Mass on Langley Lawn
Julie
Some of those close to my heart include Mrs Evans, who really supported me as I was preparing for the Oxbridge entrance exam. We all remember Mrs Harrison and Miss Harris in English, Miss Merry as Deputy Head and teaching French, Dr Badger for Chemistry and Mrs Walker, with great fondness and could recount memorable times in class. The memory of Mrs Harrison acting out the wild and windy moors in Wuthering Heights is a particular standout for me. The teachers were wonderful and their commitment to all the girls has had a lasting impact.
Helena
In December 1981, due to heavy snowfall, we were allowed to stay in bed and Heads of Dorms went over to Langley Lodge to collect bacon butties and hot chocolate for a dorm breakfast! Patsy Sumpter was in the kitchen preparing everything, likely because no day staff could get in due to the roads.
"The memory of Mrs Harrison acting out the wild and windy moors in Wuthering Heights is a particular standout for me."
Helena
Weekends Together
The Friday bell might have ended lessons, but life at Rye continued
Olivia
Saturday mornings often had us going “shopping” into Headington - walking neatly in pairs. Lucky people were allowed to choose which film we would watch that evening from the tiny video rental shop in Headington.
Emily
The weekly films put on by Miss Owen, generally a James Bond film—saw them all!
Olivia
Sunday mornings saw us all trekking down the hill in a long crocodile to St Anthony’s on Headley Way for mass.
Emily
With Father Thomas Moore and early chapel at the Convent down Pullens Lane.
Olivia
On Sunday afternoons we sat in a classroom for letter-writing. Housemistresses wrote up reminders of things we had done to make our letters more exciting - you had to write a minimum of one letter home a week but could write to other people too.
Playtime
Life at Rye wasn’t all lessons and letter-writing; there were dens in the woods, sunny days by the pool, and adventures down into Oxford.
Olivia
I remember trips to the ice rink where we drank blue slush puppies and gave record requests to Trevor the DJ, or to Cotswold Wildlife Park or Blenheim Palace, or sometimes a Shakespearean matinee in Stratford upon Avon. All of these expeditions were sartorially challenged as we were all dressed in red cagoules and jeans no matter what the weather!
They were usually accompanied by brown paper bag lunches - a roll, a packet of crisps, a Tuc sandwich biscuit and a dairylea triangle! The two big highlights of the year were the annual trip to Chessington World of Adventure and camping in the New Forest - there was always a huge build up and plenty of excitement about both.
Emily
Trips to Ben's Cookies in the Covered Market! Eating Blueband margarine spread on Weetabix— the only food we could find out of hours. Afghans! Climbing apple trees for Miss Sumpter so we could all have apples. The 7-11 shop in Headington. Slush puppies. Forty pence to spend in the tuck shop.
Olivia
With Dr Rosser’s help I ran the tuck shop which sold Chomp bars at just 10p each from the back stairs of the Rendall Building.
Julie
I remember playing vinyl records at double speed in the common room and dancing to them.
Camping in the New Forest
Diving Lessons beside The Croft
"Hockey, netball, the outdoor swimming pool and the gardener Jeremy who always needed to mow when we were swimming. The tennis board and climbing on the roof to retrieve the balls."
Emily
Helena
The lovely Mr Snow rigging up his small mower tractor, with a toboggan attached to the back of it - and giving endless rides around the hockey pitch!
Emily
The pet shed. My brown hamster Moley, who we tried to mate with Alex Richter's blonde hamster— I think they might have both been boys…
Although the red jumpers have been packed away for many years, Rye’s impact goes on.
Julie
My time at Rye has stayed with me for the rest of my life. I now live in the United States but a whole group of us keep in regular contact.
Olivia
If I was in need - Rye Girls would help in any way they could - and vice versa.
Helena
It really doesn’t feel that long ago, and the friendships made in those shared years of living and growing up together, became like no others and are ever strong and as important today.
Photo courtesy of Olivia