Wednesday 23 January 2013 Members of the Old Girls’ Club London branch, with friends and family, gathered at the Friends’ Meeting House, for the autumn meeting which included a talk by guest speaker Dr Abigail Harrison Moore. Jackie Chalmers opened the meeting by welcoming everyone, especially Margaret Bone who had travelled from Cumbria, Ruth Jowett from Stockport, Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, Dr Harrison Moore and Rachel Cockburn, from GSAL’s external relations department. Reporting on the club’s finances, Jackie acknowledged these are healthy, thanks to the generosity of members’ donations. She also thanked GSAL for their financial input which enabled the meeting to take place at the new autumn venue of the Friends’ Meeting House, in Euston Road. As agreed at the spring meeting, donations will now be made towards a bus pass fund to help pay for the travel expenses of a bursary student at GSAL. Jackie said that the members were pleased to have a worthwhile project to support and a donation of £200 was agreed. Rachel Cockburn gave a brief update on GSAL’s sporting and academic achievements over the summer and thanked the London branch for their contribution to the bus pass fund. Dr Abigail Harrison Moore, who is acting head of the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies at Leeds University, gave a fascinating and spirited talk on the furniture designer Thomas Chippendale. She took her audience on a journey from his home in Otley to St Martin’s Lane in London, which was the centre for furniture design in his day, to Harewood House in Yorkshire, the home of Edward Lascelles. She described how he was not only an important designer but also a good businessman, employing many workers to supply the entire fittings for a house. The spring meeting will be held at the home of Lady Solti on Saturday March 16, when the speaker will be Jennifer Bray MBE (OG 1961). Those on the mailing list will be reminded nearer the time, but any OGs in the London area are welcome. Please contact Jackie Chalmers on 01483 579343 or email jackie.chalmers@ntlworld.com Alumni
