Pipers Corner - News and Events

Hilda Jeacock - Headmistress 1961-74

It is with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Miss Hilda Jeacock, Headmistress of Pipers Corner School from 1961 -1974, who passed away peacefully in her sleep on 20 February 2011, aged 98.

A portrait of Miss Jeacock which hangs in the Senior Library

The following are extracts taken from "The History of Pipers Corner School" by Elizabeth Waghorn which reflect on Miss Jeacock's time at Pipers Corner.

"Writing in the school magazine, just before she retired, Jessie Cross wrote 'I shall hand over my work to her (Miss Jeacock) with the utmost confidence, feeling as I do that her ideals for the future of Pipers are those we all most wish for the school.' Hilda Jeacock, a Mathematics graduate from Newnham College, Cambridge, had twenty five years teaching experience, some spent at Wadhurst College and in more recent years at St Monica's School in Clacton where she was Senior Mistress in charge of one of the boarding houses."

1970 School photo - Miss Jeacock is seated in the centre of the front row.

"During the period when Hilda Jeacock was Headmistress (1961-1974) times were difficult, not just for Pipers Corner School, but for small Independent Schools all over the country. As Miss Jeacock herself wrote, 'Each time a school in Buckinghamshire closed, I wondered whether we could weather the storm.' To add to the economic difficulties of the mid and late sixties with staff shortages and soaring costs, 1963 was one of the coldest winters on record. Boss Lane became one complete snowdrift and the swimming pool became a skating rink for the seniors, whilst the juniors used the pond for sliding and everybody enjoyed tobogganing down the hills. Whilst the girls were thoroughly enjoying the snow, for Miss Jeacock and her staff, for whom the welfare of the girls was all-important it was becoming more and more of a worry, trying to keep the buildings warm and to prevent the pipers from freezing."

"Despite all these difficulties, recalling her time at Pipers Corner, Miss Jeacock wrote, 'We were a happy, developing community trying to meet the needs of a changing world', and this feeling was endorsed by many of the Old Girls who were at school at this time. An example of the ingenuity shown during these 'difficult times' to provide something out of almost nothing was when the plain glass of the Chapel window was transformed by Mrs Huxford and her Art Department to give the appearance of a stained glass window by means of cellophane paper and black book laces, the latter a suggestion of Miss Jeacock."

1974 School photo - Miss Jeacock is seated in the centre of the front row.

"Miss Jeacock was aware of the growing interest of parents in their daughters' education and on her suggestion, a small committee was formed to try to find a way in which parents could become more involved and this led to the formation of the Fellowship in 1967, an organisation still in existence today."

"Miss Jeacock retired in 1974 and one of the reasons why the school had survived the difficult times when so many other schools were forced to close was well expressed in an article in the school magazine of that year, 'She (Miss Jeacock) could inspire confidence, loyalty and regard of parents, staff and children, and she was able to stand serene above the difficulties of those difficult days.'"

Were you at Pipers Corner between 1961 and 1974? If you were and have any memories of Miss Jeacock that you would like to share with other Cornerstones please email cornerstones@piperscorner.co.uk