Re-connect with Dominique Lamy (nee Le Luyer)

and Lucy Le Cornu

I recently had the pleasure of meeting up with two of my former students over lunch.  Dominique and Lucy first met at the age of four on arrival at Reception Class at Beaulieu.  This was a particularly daunting time for Dominique as she had been brought up at home to speak only French.  However, she says that this gave her a strong affinity with the Sisters.

They agreed that one of their earliest memories concerns the rocking horse in Mrs Sinclair’s class.  (“And wearing navy knickers!” adds Dominique.)  But back to the horse.  It seems that turns on it were strictly rationed and Lucy remembers having a ride only on special occasions.  Bringing Pets to School Day was popular and Lucy’s guinea pig attended one of those.  Friends at this time included Solene Le Gall, Catherine Le Huray, Giulia Mausolle (“We could tell even then that she would grow up to be a journalist!”) and Natalie Ranise.  Other memories of Junior School days include sewing with Sister Suzanne and macramé with Mrs Charlton (“Who could be a bit scary on occasions but she kept us in order!”)

Both friends agreed that transfer to the Senior Department was intimidating.  “There were 34 new girls to meet and a form of competition took place to see who, of the Beaulieu contingent, could make most new friends,” says Lucy.  (At this point in the interview, I mentioned that our current Year 7 is 100 strong, a fact which surprised both former pupils.)  “There was a bit of a rebellious element in our year and although we mainly all got on well, there were couple of volatile ones who could rub each other up the wrong way.” 

History lessons with Mr Thomas were popular, especially the gory films and the “Haggis Breakfast” brought in to show what a medieval diet would have been like.  Science with Sister Marie Elizabeth (known, of course, to all generations as Sister Bubbles) or Mrs Smart was also enjoyable, especially when there was an opportunity, during a more boring lesson, to cause the latter teacher to go off on a tangent!  I asked about cultural events, but Lucy admitted attending one choir practice just to get the badge then giving up!  Also, hiding in book cupboards was regularly used as a way of not being sent out of the classroom at lunchtime.  Less pleasant memories include communal showers after PE and changing at the poolside for swimming at De La Salle.

“When we were feeling a bit under the weather, a visit to Mrs James in the office would always provide sympathy, while Sister Helene would supply crisps and snacks to those who had forgotten their packed lunch,” remembers Lucy.

“And who could forget Mrs Omer’s potted plants,” adds Dominique.

Lucy’s own rebellious moment came on a notorious PE trip to Greece during the summer between Year 10 and Year 11.  “A few of us absconded from our hotel for a night on the town. We must have been keen as it included climbing a wire fence and tripping over some geese.  We were found out and detention sessions followed when we got back to school!”

In the sixth form, both girls decided that they would not seek a university place but would take up careers in Jersey.  One slight criticism from Dominique was that there was so much emphasis put on university entrance that they were rather forgotten.  But thanks to good teaching and some tuition from Sister Marie-Louise, both passed their French ‘A’ level, a feat described to Lucy by her French teacher as “a miracle!”

Both now hold diplomas from the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators.  And since it was now time to return to work, Lucy at Ogier's and Dominique at LGL Trustees, we finished our lunch, having enjoyed reminiscing about school days.