The Old Cornelians
About The Old Cornelians
Becoming a member
Forthcoming events
Recent events
Coming soon
Key contacts
The Old Cornelians is a network of women distributed across the globe who share a common educational experience. The vast majority of members spent at least part of their schooling at Mayfield – and many spent all of it there – but others attended schools at St Leonards-on-Sea, Cavendish Square, Combe Bank, and Harrogate. What links all of them is a Holy Child education. For many years, these 'old girls' have been invited to join the Cornelian Association, a volunteer-led network aimed at keeping individuals in touch with each other and disseminating news of the schools and the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. Since 2007 management of that network – now labelled The Old Cornelians – has been undertaken by staff at St Leonards-Mayfield School. The association also includes former members of staff at these schools: Holy Child educators and lay teachers, housemistresses and support staff.
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All former pupils and staff who have previously been members of the Cornelian Association are automatically granted free membership of The Old Cornelians; and since 2007 school leavers have been offered lifetime membership for a single subscription of £100. Members are entitled to receive copies of the association magazine, which is published twice per annum and contains personal updates submitted by former pupils, articles on life at school past and present, anniversaries and obituaries for former pupils and staff, and much more. Members are invited to reunions and school events throughout the year and can also request the assistance of the Old Cornelians Office in seeking and contacting old school friends. The annual programme of events is becoming increasingly sophisticated: the last twelve months have seen a number of decade reunions at the Old Cornelians’ Day in June, a reunion at the Holy Child convent in Oxford in April, a reunion of Spanish-based ‘old girls’ in Madrid in February, and a 50th anniversary reunion in Mayfield in October for the leavers of 1958. St Leonards-Mayfield school itself also benefits from an ongoing relationship with its former pupils and others who value their Holy Child education: Old Cornelians offer careers counselling and work experience to current pupils, return to school to run master classes and clinics for the pupils in their areas of expertise and, of course, choose to send their own daughters to Mayfield. For all that you do for the school, thank you.
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For information on any of these events, or to promote your own reunion on the website, contact the Old Cornelians Office here. Please get in touch if you are interested in organising your own reunion, or in locating friends to persuade to come with you!
Old Cornelians' Day 2010
Our annual June reunion will be held in 2010 on Sunday 6th June. All Old Cornelians, staff and pupils are warmly invited back to Mayfield for a day of reminiscences and catching up on several year's worth of news!
The OCs celebrating decade reunions this year are class of 2000, class of 1990, class of 1980, class of 1970, class of 1960, class of 1950, class of 1940 and so on. Leavers from these years are especially encouraged to make the effort to come this year and celebrate a notable anniversary.
Click <here> for further information and to book your place.
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The school gallery contains images from recent Old Cornelian events.
Old Cornelians' Evening Reception at the House of Lords
This exciting event, a first for Mayfield reunions, took place on Thursday 18 February 2010. The evening was a great success. To read more about it, click <here>.
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Later this year a new, more interactive website for Old Cornelians will be launched: former pupils and staff will be able to search the online directory of members, create their own profile, promote their own reunions and networking events, upload photos, sign-up for e-newsletters, and more. To register your interest now, send an e-mail to the Old Cornelians Office by clicking here.
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To find out more about joining The Old Cornelians, make arrangements to revisit Mayfield, or track down an old school friend, please contact Tara Sinha (herself an ‘old girl’ - a leaver of 2000) in the Old Cornelians Office on 01435 874636 or e-mail her here.
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