24 Doors of Merchants’ – Day 21
Today’s door is at the far end of the corridor leading towards the dining room at the Girls’ School, next to the kitchens, which were built in Miss Brash’s time.
This photograph posed for publicity purposes was taken in 1959. Miss Brash had a particular drive to improve the buildings in the Girls’ school.
It was during her tenure as headmistress that the gym, the Derby wing, the music rooms (now the Staff room) and this new kitchen were all built. Miss Brash had a particular flair for fundraising and engaging and encouraging others to do so!
It should also be recognised that two of the largest donations to the Girls’ school both came from Miss Brash, one when her sister died unexpectedly in 1968. This was used to improve the dining room and the then cookery room in 1969 and then later in her own will in 1976 she bequeathed money to the Girls’ school which was used for bursaries.
The catering staff look slightly bemused by the photograph, it is hard to establish what exactly they were cooking, maybe afternoon tea for a staff meeting – it looks likes sandwiches, cakes and scones.
At the school prize giving Miss Brash praised the new kitchen which provided dinner (sic) for 300 which was the maximum accommodation then – the extensions to the dining room came just ten years later.
