The King’s Hospital School was filled with memories, laughter and old friendships last night as we welcomed alumni back to the school for a special Mercer’s Reunion.
Bringing together former students from across the decades, the evening was a wonderful celebration of the enduring connections formed during their time at KH. Alumni from as far back as 1946 returned to reconnect with friends, revisit familiar surroundings and share stories from their school days.
It was particularly special to welcome back a number of alumni who attended our last reunion and to see friendships that have lasted for more than 70 years continuing to thrive. Muriel Ahern and Hilda Hennessy, who left KH in 1953, were among those reunited at the event and arrived together, having remained close friends since their school days.
The reunion also highlighted the connections that extend beyond individual generations. Several alumni were accompanied by their daughters, with some of those daughters also having attended The King’s Hospital School themselves. Dorothy Carter, from the Class of 1951, returned with her daughter Caroline Lynch, who is also a former KH student. Similarly, Joan Wild, who left in 1946, attended alongside her daughter Sue Morrow.
Family connections to the school continued throughout the evening. Sylvia Mollison and Olive Glynne, both alumni from the early 1950s, attended together as sisters, while their wider family also has strong links to KH. Sylvia’s son-in-law, Robert Edge, is a member of the Class of 1991, while Olwyn Bourke, who accompanied Sylvia, is a 1978 alumna and cousin of former student and archivist Andrew Whiteside.
The evening also brought together alumni who had travelled through different eras of school life, with attendees representing the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. From those who left more than eight decades ago to those whose memories of KH are more recent, there was a shared sense of connection and affection for the school.
A special moment came in Chapel, where former PPU President Avril Nason, who attended KH in the 1970s, gave a reading. The Mercer Hymn was also sung providing a particularly poignant reminder of the traditions and shared experiences that connect generations of Mercer’s.
For many of those attending, the reunion was not simply an opportunity to return to the school, but a chance to see friends they had known for much of their lives, introduce family members to an important part of their history and reflect on the experiences that shaped them.
We would like to thank everyone who joined us and contributed to such a warm and memorable evening. It was a pleasure to welcome you home to The King’s Hospital School. 💙
