I went to DWS in 1948 as a boarder at the age of 11. I was brought up in Aberdyfi and although fairly local it was too far to travel daily as a day girl. Miss Lickes was the headmistress and one day in 1953 I was summoned to her office and she said 'Elizabeth Wynne Thomas get into your guide uniform, you are going to meet the Queen'. That was the start of a wonderful trip representing the Guides of Merioneth along with Ruth Townsend who was a Cadet. We marched from Buckingham Palace HQ to Westminster Abbey and saw the coronation throne. Later we were presented to the Queen outside the wall on the road by the tennis courts. She was lovely with blue eyes and the same height as me and wore white gloves. The other young people there were Scouts and Sea Cadets all representing Merioneth.

My grandmother (nain) was Mary Williams who was one of the first pupils to enter the school in 1878 and was a close friend to Margaret Owen who later became the wife of Lloyd George. She was also the daughter of Abraham Williams who built Barmouth, Penmaenpool and the Dyfi Bridge. So I am told nain was allowed out of DWS to see the opening of the Penmaenpool Bridge.

I remember well throwing my hat out of the train over Barmouth Bridge on the last day of term.

Thanks to Miss Davies for all her hard work many years ago and overseeing my application to join Great Ormond Street as a nurse.