Ash Grove House – the Sevenoaks mansion that became West Heath has a 250-year history
For generations of former West Heath pupils, the rambling mansion and extensive grounds in the middle of Sevenoaks Common was simply ‘school’. However, West Heath School – both old and new – represents less than half the life of the…
Old school ties really do last – an 80s reunion
It was another trip down memory lane for members of the West Heath 1981–1987 year group when they gathered for a reunion recently. The venue was the London home of Mr and Mrs Wellesley-Smith, where their daughter Louisa grew up…
Do Diana’s schooldays feature in new book? We are still waiting for an answer…
Last month we promised that we would try to discover whether Charles Spencer’s much-anticipated book about his sister, Princess Diana, contained any details about her years at West Heath. Well, we have to admit that we still don’t have the…
From West Heath to Albert Square: Tishy Potter makes EastEnders debut
Patricia ‘Tishy’ Potter made a dramatic debut in BBC1’s EastEnders recently when she crashed a car into Albert Square. Tishy, who was a pupil at West Heath in the 80s, has joined the long-running soap as Gemma Hawkins. She is…
Will Earl Spencer’s book on his sister Diana mention her West Heath schooldays?
The prospect of fresh revelations about Princess Diana’s childhood and schooldays is already generating considerable interest ahead of the publication on 22 September of a new book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, written by her brother Earl Spencer. Described as…
More pictures from the past
As reported in last month’s story, Gorringe’s Auctioneers sadly denied the West Heath Old Girls Association permission to use the photographs and letters featuring Diana Spencer which had been put up for sale by former pupil Katherine Hanbury. However, the…
West Heath golfers win The Silver Tassie for the first time
A team of golfers from West Heath won The Silver Tassie Trophy for the first time on Monday, 1 June, at The Berkshire Golf Club. The Silver Tassie was founded in 1961 by Gerty Hubbard and West Heath has competed…
BBC pioneer’s path to success began at West Heath
What have Queen Victoria, Lord Nelson and Lord Byron, all got in common? They have all been the subject of BBC television documentaries, written and produced by a former West Heath School pupil. West Heath has an impressive list of…
Memories of Diana go under the hammer
A remarkable collection of photographs and mementoes belonging to former West Heath pupil Katherine Hanbury is due to be auctioned by Gorringes on 7 July, and among the treasures are several previously unseen photographs of a young Diana Spencer during…
Meeting up with old friends
A year group of former pupils, who started at West Heath in 1981/82, reunited for a trip down memory lane over lunch at The Phene, Chelsea recently. The consensus from those who attended is that the reunion was a wonderful…