Mrs Phillips on
retirement lived in Seaford and, sadly, died on 16th
March 2013. She came to King's Mead as a matron in about
1962 and remained there until its end in 1968. She had been able to attend the opening of the KM Memorial Garden
some 10 years earlier. I recall meeting her again a few
years ago when she was an inpatient at Eastbourne DGH,
where I work, and being very impressed by her recall of
those days.
Warm memories of her were held by a
number of boys/men whose contact details I still have and
I have set these out below.
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Erick Curzon: She
had a very good innings, but it is sad to lose that link
with KM. She and I exchanged Christmas cards for many
years until quite recently, and she always took an
interest in what I was doing.
Rupert Bravery: She seemed quite old to me at
the time but would have only been 43.
I always remember the matrons being very kind to us and
very caring when we were ill.
Robert Gibbs: I'm sure others will remember the
sound of her approaching footsteps, accompanied by a cry
of 'Up get' as she drew curtains. A call I still use in
the morning to my dog. A firm but kind lady.
Mark O’Neill: I
remember her as kind and caring.
John James: I remember Wendy - quite a bouncy
character who always wore thick pullovers even in the
Summer!!
Stephen Kerruish: I remember her well. I left KM
in Dec 63. She was very kind and, of course, very old
then! I cannot believe that she has only just passed
away.
Jonathan Lassen: I think of Miss Phillips every
time I squeeze the last drop of toothpaste out of the
tube by pressing it on the wash hand basin. It was a
lesson I learnt from her when I turned up at the sick
wing door looking for a new tube of Signal. I still have
the kind letter she wrote to my mother and father,
reassuring them about me when I was a new boy too.
Piers Robinson: I well remember Miss Phillips
(as we used to call her). She frightened the living day
lights out of us. Strict, but no doubt an excellent head
matron!
James Birdwood: I remember Wendy Phillips very
well. She was wonderful when I had appendicitis and had
to be carried down the fire escape from the sick wing to
the ambulance. It was on a scholarship half day (Michael
Shellim’s?). I also remember her being less
sympathetic when she thought I was skiving (I probably
was!)
Justin Urquhart-Stewart: The best provider of
Gees Linctus we could ever have had. Also allowing me to
sneak in to watch Wimbledon on very special occasions.
What a lovely lady and will always be remembered by me
very fondly.
Julian Hill: I am pretty sure that Wendy arrived
at King’s Mead exactly the same time as me as I have
a vague memory of her re-assuring me on the first day
that she was just as nervous as I was ! I do remember
that she was an immensely kind and caring lady. She also
had a fine “waking up voice” as she clip
clopped her way down the corridor in the morning.
Michael McInnes-Skinner: Having visited the
school dentist in Seaford my 1st term 62, and developed
blood poisoning, and been carted off to a nursing home in
Eastbourne, not returning to school until 3 weeks into
the Easter term,and been on penicillin for 2 years. I
must have got to know her as well as most. We all had the
utmost respect for her, and knew that we received the
best possible care. She had a cape that she wore
occasionally with commendations, and nursing awards, she
had received during the war. She enjoyed Wimbledon
fortnight. And I too can remember the curtains being
drawn in the mornings hearing her march down the passage
to get us all up !
Robin Jacobson: Wendy Phillips succeeded the
glamorous Miss McAlpine and combined firmness and
kindness in equal measure.
Ronald Maxwell: I recall her well. Although 'no
nonsense' & very strict, she was also very kind to
me, particularly my first year when I was the youngest by
a considerable margin; not that I was necessarily ever
homesick (I don't ever recall being so at Kings Mead) but
there were obviously a few others that were (but the fact
that there were far fewer cases at KM rather than
SH&B probably says a lot about how well our welfare
was looked after at the school). She also had a soft spot
for Charlie sometimes commenting about how he seemed to
get into scrapes and how like him I was whenever I seemed
to be in some sort of trouble.
David Maxwell 30/3/2013
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(The Times: 25/3/12)