Page 11 - Through a glass brightly

Judith Stainer neé Adams (Judy)
After doing a third year in the Sixth at QEGGS, I gained a place at Girton College, Cambridge to read History. After my degree, I trained as a teacher for a year at Hull (Philip Larkin was then in residence at the University Library, but I never saw him, unfortunately!) I then had a teaching job at Roedean for a year, having married at the end of my teacher training to a fellow Cambridge graduate, who was doing a further degree at Sussex University.
After my year at Roedean, we moved to Exeter, where
my husband had a job at the Sixth Form College. I joined the Civil Service in the DHSS. During the years I worked for them, my first marriage broke up and I met and married my second husband and started a family. We then moved to Guildford, where he was promoted, and where we have lived ever since. Both now long retired of course. We have three children, two boys and a girl who work as a solicitor, in publishing and accountancy respectively. My elder son has also appeared on many TV quiz shows.
Our two elder children are married and have produced families. David has two sons, aged 7 and 5. Vicki has twins , a boy and a girl, of 5. Being a grandmother is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
Since retirement, most of my life revolves around books. I run one book club and am a member of a second and I used to work with the Guildford Book Festival. I also do charity work for Oxfam. At our local Oxfam bookshop obviously! I’ve been there eighteen years and have found it an absolute treasure trove, as well as making some good friends. Sadly, it’s been closed since the pandemic and no word on when or ever it will re-open.
I continue to attend the Commemoration reunions as often as possible and can testify that it’s great to keep in touch with friends from the past!
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