A.O.S.A. 2000 ANNUAL REPORT
Summer Reunion '99 - Sunday lunch
at Riverdale Country Hotel, Bainbridge -
President Dorothy Dawson (Easton) with our
hostess and chef, Anne Harrison (Hindle)
The grounds were well used for play and recreation, as well as for organised games and athletics, and were enhanced by having the beck running through. Now onto the development section. We move on to the period of major expansion in the life of the School. From the mid-fifties onwards, the 'red brick' buildings appeared - the 1955 classroom block with stunning views from the library, the biology laboratory, girls' changing room, improvements to the swimming pool, Millfield House, a new home for the Head and his family, which made rooms available for office staff in the vacated previous home, all culminating in the opening of Leven Hall in 1970. Rosehill Chapel was acquired as a centre for music teaching and later became a theatre and drama centre. In the 1980s, the sports' hall was built and the old school gym demolished to become a car park and Tourist Information Centre.
Early in the 1960s, it became evident to members of the local Friends' meeting that the expanding school was growing too large for the existing Meeting House. Friends appealed for funds and the Meeting House was altered to serve the needs of the school at that time, and it is now too large and unsuitable for the needs of the present Friends' meeting.
The buildings were always being adapted for a variety of purposes according to changing needs and circumstances. Now those same buildings, if built of stone, are undergoing complete renovation to fit them as homes in the future.
Recapitulation. When the school opened in 1841, there were on the site of Rawdon House two run-down houses built for weavers at the mill, known as Dewey's cottages. These were adapted into one house and became the home of George Dixon and later his son, Ralph, who guided the school through its early years. It was rebuilt as Chestnut House, housing the San and as a home for the Head, Frank Arundel, in 1895. He and his wife had three small children, including Ruth, to whom the music prize was dedicated, and he was the first Head to move over to live in the Head's house on the green. A photo of his family graces the cover of the 1999 Annual Report.
At the Summer Reunion '99 - Joe Tillott
handing over the spouses pin to Ted Dawson,
husband of our President pin to Ted Dawson,
husband of our President.
In 1920, a new San was built in the school gardens and Chestnut House was renamed Rawdon House, when that school closed in Leeds and some of the children moved to Ayton. When the San that most of us remember became too big, as children's health improved, the girls' music and practice rooms became the new San. They, in turn, were relocated upstairs in Rawdon House where I spent the last twenty years of my life at Ayton as a visiting teacher of piano. The views of Roseberry and Cook's from the back windows, and the glorious view along the terrace to the bridge built by Thomas Richardson for £10 in the 1840s, will always remain the mind's eye. Rawdon House is now renovated and fully furnished as a show house; whenever I am in the village, I take the opportunity to call in before it moves on to the next stage in its life, with new occupants in due course.
The coda. All of us came to Ayton as scholars because someone, usually a parent, though not always, thought it would be good for us. Some here in the hall have been privileged to serve on the school committee; as staff in teaching and non-teaching posts; as parents and guardians - all drawn in to this warm family that is Ayton and which continues to live on in our hearts over so many years. Gatherings such as this refresh our memories and nourish thoughts of happy years spent together. But I would like us to spend some time today to think of all those who are not with us for whatever reason: those at a distance unable to make the journey: those who remain loyal members of the Association but who have sad memories of homesickness and other problems which they remember but we do not. Renew your contacts with your contemporaries: write to the magazine editor with your news and rest assured that you are an important part of Ayton's memory. Remember also those who have deep hurts which are taking a long time to heal. Let us bear one another up with compassion and give deep and heart-felt thanks for all our individual experiences over the years. The spirit of Ayton lies within each one of us, no-one can take that away - may it be renewed and refreshed by our gathering this weekend.
Thank you.
Dorothy Dawson (Easton 1947-53)
Our President and friends, winter 1951.
Top row: Elizabeth pearson (Wrightson), Gillian Glasper (Cornforth).
Bottom row: Debbie McMurdo (Robinson), Dorothy Dawson (Easton),
Betty Barton (Murdin), Ann Gardner (Bell).
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