Old Scholars will be saddened to hear of the death of Dr Shirley Ann Wickenden (YG 1954) who died on 16th January 2023 and was a pupil at Friends' School Saffron Walden from 1949 to 1953. Ann worked as a nurse at Great Ormond Street. At the end of her career, she spent 4/5 years at Guildford (Surrey) University doing a PhD on orthopaedic nursing. She worked for a short while at the university as a lecturer, subsequently leaving to care for her mother. Old Scholar Jane Gorman (née Goodrich, YG 1954) has provided the following account of Ann's life.

"We were at Friends' School Saffron Walden together. She didn't like to be called Shirley and there were a lot of Anns so we called her Wick - it seemed quite acceptable. Wick joined school in 1949 when she was 13. The rest of us had been there for two years already. I don't know why she came late; maybe it was to do with when the family moved from Nottingham to Rustington.

I emailed my children when I heard of Wick's death. She had known them since they were babies. My middle child, a son, who lives in Canada, emailed me back: "I never really knew her as an adult, but she was a practical, tough old boot with a softer side. I liked her."

Wick and I went through school together. I went to Walden in 1947 and Wick went in 1949. We both stayed to 1953. That year we watched the coronation of Queen Elizabeth on the smallest TV you've ever seen in the Headmistress' sitting room. 1 don't think Wick particularly enjoyed sport at school, which I did. I'm afraid I don't remember her in class and think that from when she arrived to O-levels we were in different classes. In about the 4th year (aged 14/15) we were housed (that is to keep our belongings and have our bed) in Croydon House. It was the Domestic Science block and upstairs had some sleeping arrangements. Wick and I slept in a 2-bed room. One night Wick had an asthma attack. This was not a surprise to Wick but I had never heard anybody have an asthma attack and I was frightened to death. Wick also had eczema. As we approached O-levels Wick declared she wanted to be a nurse nothing else. But nurses don't have eczema. That year I think Wick went through one of the most miserable times of her life: to be banned before she even started. But, in the end, it turned out OK, and in 1954 she started in Great Ormond Street.

I was also in London at Battersea Poly. In those days theatres with tickets left on the day would ring up the nurses’ home to say there were x number of tickets available if they wanted - free, I think. Wick would ring up and say: "We've got tickets for tonight do you want to come?", and so I was able to go to the theatre fairly regularly, mostly to see musicals.

In February 1982/3 we started the "girlie hols". It all started because my husband, who was a teacher when we first married, always went as extra staff on the school ski trip in February. One year I suggested to Miff: "How about a week in the sun?" "Definitely," she replied, and we invited Rish and Wick to join us and the girlie hols were born. Rish was really Patricia Webb (née Chuter, YG 1954) and Miff was really Janet Smith (YG 1954). The four of us went on a week's holiday in the sun for 10 years. We always went self-catering, drew lots for sleeping arrangements and hired a car. 40 years ago, holiday places were very different. The first year we went to Lanzarote and we then worked our way through the Canary Islands. Somehow during these holidays, we reverted to our school status. Wick was the bossy, organising one and hired the car and drove it (we did all take our driving licences just in case). In fact, Wick was an excellent organiser and organised many group events, always down to the last detail.

One year I think fairly well on in our 10 years, as we were going out in the evening for dinner, Wick stumbled on the kerb and twisted her ankle. We were going home the next day so this presented a few problems. I think we were in Madeira and at the airport we put Wick in a luggage trolley in order to get round. At Gatwick we managed to rescue her luggage and emerged outside to meet my rather astonished husband: "What have you been up to...?"

I met my husband at Battersea Poly and Wick came to our wedding in 1958. Geoff and I had a flat in Muswell Hill and Wick came and stayed regularly. She came and stayed all our married life wherever we lived: be it North London, West Cumberland, or East of Scotland. When Geoff died the next day Wick appeared on my doorstep and took me out to lunch. Then, a month later, 6 years ago, Wick came and did at his memorial service what I am doing at her funeral today.

As so today I say goodbye to Wick. After 74 years of friendship, she will leave a gap in my life. Thank you Wick for being my friend."