Page 54 - Headingtonian Magazine 2017

THE HEADINGTONIAN 2017
FORMER STAFF
Anne Badenoch
(1923 – 2017), in February 2017
Sonia Vichniakov
(1952 – 2016), in December 2016
Jean Cooke
HEADINGTONIANS
Daphne Elizabeth Fallows
(1931 – 2016), in November 2016
Ann Stileman
(1923 – 2016), in July 2016
Linda Tilbury
(1934 - 2016), in May 2016)
Elise Tompsett
(1934 - 2016), in June 2016
OBITUARIES
Anne Badenoch
Lady Badenoch, who died in February 2017 aged 94, came to Headington in 1935, having returned from Hong Kong where her father was professor of education at the university there. When she left she went to St Anne’s College, Oxford to read History. Miss Marsh taught
her History in School and remembered with pleasure her great interest in the subject. In 1944AnnemarriedJohn,laterSirJohn,much respected in the medical profession. They had four children and the two girls, Lindsay and Catherine, followed in their mother’s footsteps and came to Headington.
Anne played her full part in the life of the city, as a magistrate for over thirty years, as a volunteer with the League of Friends in the John Radcliffe Hospital as well as being a long standing member of the Oxford Bach Choir, working
for the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and being one
of the School governors and chairman of the Headingtonians. Anne‘s own love of music led to her great support for the Music Therapy Charity.
Throughout her life Anne was most supportive of the School, often attending the Janet Young Memorial lectures as well as many of the
School functions. In 1965 a dinner was held in the Randolph Hotel to celebrate fifty years of the School, every year being represented and Anne, as the ‘President of the League of Old Girls’, replied to the toast to the League. She also presented a cheque to the School, on behalf
of the Old Girls, for some trees and a projector with a sound track – much appreciated! Twenty five years later, in 1990, the School celebrated its seventy fifth anniversary and Anne made
a splendid speech with reminiscence of her
own fifty years connected to the School and proposed the toast to the Headingtonians – ‘That they may here forever flourish and abound.’
Anne’s last visit to the School, at the age of 92, was to celebrate the start of the Centenary Year.
Sonia Vichniakov
Sonia Vichniakov became Director of Music at Headington when Mervyn Loft Simpson retired and during her time developed an already powerful musical tradition further, putting her own mark of excellence on all she did. She met her husband, Misha Vichniakov, when she joined a History Department tour of Moscow and Leningrad in 1990. Enchanted by his playing, she invited him to Oxford, and after another year, they were married, and he taught at Headington until they left in 1998. Her death in December 2017 from Motor Neurone disease was untimely and a great tragedy. I have consulted Juliet Allen who has sent me thoughts about music in her time at Headington, and in this appreciation I shall quote from her enthusiastic memories.
“I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Mrs. Vichniakov. She was such an important
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