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JSB
For over a quarter of a century, the
costumes for Summer Fields plays have
been in the safe hands of Jane Bishop (JSB).
She joined the school with husband Andy in
September 1990, as house parents of Upper
House, which back then was filled with First
Year boys, together with a few Second Years.
The school was rather different in those
days, with 48 new eight-year-old boarders
split between Upper House and Borva, and
in pre-Savage’s days, the majority of the
Second Year boys below them in Lower
House. She took on the role of librarian and
joined the teaching staff on a part-time
basis. After training at Homerton College,
Cambridge, Jane had begun her teaching
career at Belmont School (Mill Hill Junior
School), where she met her future husband,
after which they both spent five years at
Caldicott. Together they then provided a
happy and stable start to boarding life for
hundreds of young Summerfieldians.
In 1998 JSB became the Form “Master”
of 2B, a responsibility she enjoyed for the
next eighteen years, teaching them English
and Maths, providing a solid framework
for boys who benefited from time being
taken to cement the basics of language
and numeracy. She also taught English and
Drama to other forms in the Second and
Third Year. Her first 2B included, amongst
others, Jamie Laing (well known to many
following his appearances on “Made in
Chelsea”!). Jane’s love of books and reading
became clear from her teaching of English.
We learned from her recently that, as a child,
she and her sisters were brought breakfast in
bed every day during the school holidays by
their mother who was then free to complete
her tasks of the day. This enforced time
provided ample opportunity for a bright
young girl to work her way through great
swathes of children’s literature!
The Bishops later switched from Upper
House to Cottage, shifting from the
youngest boarders to the oldest. Soon after
this, Andy became Deputy Head and one
of JSB’s key roles throughout the fourteen
years of his tenure was to support him in
his many onerous tasks. It often seemed
that he was both captain and crew of ship
Summer Fields. Everything was talked
through and discussed, Jane providing a
sounding board that, I am sure, Andy found
invaluable. Meanwhile, Jane was involved in
many areas of school life, as a tutor, singing
in the Red Choir (one of the first female SF
choristers), playing her flute in the orchestra
and, notably, running the school costume
cupboard. She provided costumes for over
seventy productions, ranging from junior
plays to Shakespeare, from one-man shows
to full-blown musicals with enormous cast
lists. Many of the costumes were hand-
sewn by her and it is worth noting that,
over the 25+ years of her involvement, she
very rarely ever got to see any performance
from start to finish as she was always busy
backstage, sorting out costume changes or
making essential last-minute alterations.
When they retired from house-parenting,
after eighteen years, they moved to
Meadow Barn with their beloved cats,
becoming part of the “farm community”,
where Jane was able gradually to fill the
house with her collection of blue and white
china! Through the years they continued to
host the traditional staff party at the end
of every Michaelmas Term, to say farewell
to each group of departing gappers, always
a memorable end to a long and tiring
term. Jane has always been one to cherish
traditional values and standards and she did
her utmost, over the years, to try to hold
back the all-pervasive modern tidal wave of
casual attitudes that threaten the stability
of the school.
The bicycle was JSB’s preferred means
of transport and the sight of her pedalling
down the drive, with her books and marking
safely in her basket, immaculately turned
out (as always), long hair streaming behind
her, will be a long-lasting memory.We will
miss Jane hugely and wish her, and Andy, a
long and happy retirement.
JDAN and SJN
“Janehas always
beenone to cherish
traditional values
and standards”
S u m m e r F i e l d s
2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 6
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