| Royal Occasion.....
Published in the Sheffield Telegraph, Saturday, November 30, 1963 - by Joe Steeples
Grey skies and drizzling rain couldn't dampen the enthusiasm at St. Elphin's School, Darley Dale, yesterday – for the school was receiving the first Royal visitor in its history. At the climax of a day-long official visit to Derbyshire, Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret opened a new £40,000 assembly hall there, named after Miss Stopford, a former headmistress. Photos:
Wearing a full length black swagger coat and a beehive hat of black and white fur, the Princess was introduced to the Lord Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt. Rev. C. R. Claxton, chairman of the governors; Her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire, and Miss P. M. Robinson, the headmistress. In the front hall 16-year-old Penny Thornton, daughter of Mr. J. Stanley Thornton, treasurer of the school's Society of Friends who raised the money for the hall, presented her with a bouquet.
Right: Conversation piece – after unveiling the commemorative plaque.
After meeting distinguished guests the Princess went to the Stopford hall where 600 schoolgirls, parents and teachers were eargerly waiting. So many people wanted to see her that hundreds of others crammed four other rooms to watch the ceremony on closed circuit television. Princess Margaret told them: "I am so pleased to be present on this important occasion in the history of St. Elphin's School. We are celebrating the achievement of the Friends of St. Elphin's who by their unremitting efforts and unflagging devotion, have provided this marvellous new hall in which we are now assembled.
"It is an extremely hard thing to raise such a large sum of money by private appeal. I know that there has been generous support from parents and old girls, and I congratulate the Friends on the splendid and successful result of their work." She added: "I want now to speak to the girls of the school, both those of you who are approaching the end of your schooldays and those who still have some years of school life ahead. St. Elphin's has a long and honourable tradition, and for more than a hundred years, former pupils throughout the world have played their part in every part of public life.
The Aim "You have a school to be proud of in this lovely countryside, and fresh opportunities are now offered through the building of this hall. In ancient Athens when young men came of age and assumed the cloak of manhood, they took this vow: 'I will hand on my city greater and better than I found it.' "I think this is quite a good aim for each of you to set before yourself – to hand on this school a better place by the faithfulness of your life and work in it, and apply the same aim to whatever you choose to do in your future lives." The Lord Bishop of Blackburn made a speech welcoming the Princess to the School.
Following the service the head girl, 16-year-old Miss Roberta March-Penny gave a vote of thanks to Her Royal Highness. The deputy-head girl, Barbara Riley, age 17, presented a commemorative gift of Crown Derby Dolphin trays to the Princess. Princess Margaret unveiled a plaque in the foyer of the hall and signed the visitor's book in the headmistress's study, before leaving to spend the weekend at Chatsworth House. Above: A gay smile and a wave . . . Below: . . . and a tumult of hats are flung in the air as the Princess drives away at the end of this historic visit.
Among those presented to Her Royal Highness at St. Elphin's were:- Mr. J. Stanley Thornton (treasurer of the Society of the Friends of St. Elphin's); the Rev. W. Speakman (secretary of the Society of Friends of St. Elphin's); Squadron Leader H. A. Ashton, D.F.C. (School Bursar); T. N. Cartwright (architect); A. G. Aldridge (representing the building contractors). The Rev. Canon J. C. Longbottom (Rector of Warrington, a trustee and chairman of the finance committee); Col. A. P. V. Pigot (representative of Liverpool Diocese and a member of the finance committee); T. A. Whittam (representative of the Manchester Diocese, a trustee and member of the finance committee); J. Ackers (representative of the Manchester Diocese, trustee and member of the finance committee); W. E. V. Burgess (secretary and treasurer of the School). W. H. Linnell (chairman of the Society of the Friends of St. Elphin's). Miss E. E. Stopford (Headmistress from 1941 to 1959); Miss A. Thomson Smith (Deputy Headmistress); Miss H. C. Thompson (Senior house mistress); Miss W. G. Harrison (Senior house mistress); Miss M. Lamb (Senior Mistress); Mrs. E. Wass (Senior Mistress); Miss P. A. Lavender (Head of Junior School); Miss M. Sapwell (Secretary of the Old Girls' Guild). |
Bishop of Blackburn. 
Television
'Splendid'
Photos: Above: Excitement among some of the pupils waiting to see and hear the Princess.
The Lord Bishop of Derby, the Right Rev. Geoffrey Allen, conducted a service of dedication in the hall, during which the choir, conducted by Miss H. C. Thompson, sang Farrar's three part setting of The Lord's Prayer and "Lift Thine Eyes" from Mendelssohn's "Elijah".
They were presented
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