To mark the anniversary of the opening of Marwood House in 1983, I spoke with Mrs Anne Williams, wife of Peter Williams, Housemaster, to get an idea of the what it was like back then, and also to the current Head of House, Nemone Rogers, to get a glimpse into Marwood life today.

The opening of a new boarding house is quite an event in the life of a school.  Marwood House welcomed its first girls in the Michelmas Term of 1983, when it became home to 65 Sixth Form girls, many of whom had moved over from Hazeldon where they had resided previously. It was an exciting yet unpredictable time and at first, Mrs Williams admitted she wasn't sure about the idea of so many new girls but after no time at all she “absolutely adored it”.  Marwood became a family, and the house was filled with competitive spirit, laughter and lifelong friendship. It didn't take long for the House to get involved in sports across the school, whilst they also took the arts to a new level by putting on various forms of entertainment for the rest of the school! Plays and concerts became a usual display by the girls and in no time, they had made their mark on the School's community. Marwood was a special place and Mrs Williams remains in touch with many of 'her' girls to this day.

Lifelong relationships are still developed within the House and speaking to Nemone, it became clear that the special atmosphere remains to this day; there is a real sense of community within the House.  Of course, boarding can be both challenging and fun, and living in a nice environment makes all the difference to a pupil, their personal development and success within school. From the moment Marwood opened in 1983, the House was a place for the girls to not just live, but socialise, study, eat, enjoy entertainment, compete and develop social skills that would stay with them for the rest of their lives. Forty years on, and Marwood has maintained this atmosphere, and is now a place full of thriving individuals from vastly different backgrounds and upbringings who play a significant part in each other's lives at school. 

Speaking to Mrs Williams about her fondest memories with the girls painted a picture of the Marwood we still know today. Nemone is hopeful that forty years from now the House will still be the special place it has always been, a home from home where girls can grow and develop. She says: “Marwood has a soul that the girls give it, and I hope it stays that way. Even just being able to hear girls laughing and working, it's like a sisterhood”.  Something tells me that this won't change!

Aiya Zaleski, Year 13

Alumni Committee 2023-24