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 story did remind old girl Henrietta Graham (nee de Salis) that she had her own photographs of other fellow pupils from around the same time.
Henrietta now runs her own antiques business – www.henriettagrahamantiques.co.uk. After 15 years working for Bonhams Auctioneers as a representative and general valuer covering the Northeast, plus 12 years previously working for Sotheby’s, she set up Henrietta Graham Fine Art and Antiques Consultancy based near Ripon, North Yorkshire.
She does not appear in any of the photographs fom the 70s as she was behind the camera, but they do feature Katharine Hanbury who provided her own recent West Heath memorabilia for the auction by Gorringe’s.
The collection of Diana Spencer photographs, letters and other memorabilia was subsequently sold at Gorringe’s Fine Art & Interiors auction in Lewes for £4,000 on 7 July. The lot, which included four photographs from Diana’s West Heath days, a handwritten letter, a birthday card and a programme from a 1997 thanksgiving service, had been estimated at £4,000 to £6,000.
Like Katherine’s photographs, Henrietta’s delightful images summon up the atmosphere of the school when they were both pupils during the 70s.
Henrietta said: “I have only managed to keep up with a very few of my year, and it would be interesting to see who is still around, and what we have all got up to since 1977.
“I don’t think they did school photographs in those days, so no records exist. My photographs are the only reminders I have of my school days.”
If you were at West Heath at the same time as Henrietta and would like to reconnect with her, you can make contact by using the contact details on her website.
* If you have any of your own nostalgic photographs or stories from your days at West Heath, we would love to see and hear them. You can send them to WHOGA by using the email at the bottom of this website.
