Mrs Kerry Friend (nee Mockett) is appealing for anyone who went to St Mary’s Gate School in Belle Vue Road, Southbourne, to come to a reunion June 22.

Kerry, a pupil at the private school for several years, left in 1985, three years before the school closed.

St Mary’s began as Grassendale School and by 1914 was ‘perhaps better known than any other high-class young ladies school in the United Kingdom’ according to a book written by Mrs Kathleen Cook, who took over the school in 1950 after it got into difficulties following the death of the previous principal.

For 39 years she ran it, single handed, greatly improving the buildings, gardens and academic standards.

Pupil numbers increased from 98 to 270.

At the age of 87 she was forced to close down the 102 year old school in 1988, following an accident in which she broke her hip. She died the following year.

Many of the girls transferred to Homefield School in Christchurch. The building was sold and replaced with sheltered retirement homes.

The reunion is to be held on Saturday June 22 from 4pm to 8pm at St Katharine’s Church Hall, Southbourne. Contact Kerry at bigstoryworker@btinternet.com or phone 07876 028381 if you would like to attend.