Chalet Girls Grow Up : A Summary
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The Seventies: Chapters 11 - 22
In 1969, Miss Wilson died after a stroke three years after Madge's death. Miss Annersley continues to be Head, despite urging from Miss Wilmott to step aside. Sir James dies in 1970, the Chalet School Ltd. shares going to the six Russell children. Numbers at the school had been steadily declining, with the lack of patients at the San and people not sending children abroad to be 'finished'. They were also perceived to be old fashioned. In 1971, there came a crisis meeting with the School in the "red" between the two Russell girls, Sybil - now Lady Stornoway, living in London (she divorced her Australian husband after she had an affair then married again after 'his' divorce) and Josette (still married and living in Melbourne), Miss Annersley, Miss Wilmont (her deputy) and the accountant - Herr Braun. The School was to close.
Miss Annersley was to move to England to Miss Wilson's old home willed to her. Reg married Mary-Lou. Jack Maynard was having problems with Jo since the crisis meeting, and the San was to close also. His assets were dwindling fast - his job gone and the Tyrol home sold years ago for school fees. Freudesheim could be sold for a hotel again and they would move to Plas Gwyn. Cecil gets engaged at 19, Jo gets told by her publishers that they won't take any more of her books and Anna wants to stay in the Tyrol. Jack gets very depressed about all this, and commits suicide.
Len and her five children move with Jo to Plas Gwyn with Phil and Geoff, now 16. Jo is getting more forgetful, e.g.. believing Anna is still with them. Len plans on doing part-time translating and decides to be known as Helena Maynard. Margot was in Johannesburg in 1975, working in a Soweto clinic and a member of the Black Sash movement. Bernard was also working there as a priest.
Len's younger twin girl, Tessa, dies of meningitis in 1975 at the age of 9 while the two boys were away for their first visit with Reg in America. Reg abuses Len on the 'phone, accusing her of not looking after the children properly. He doesn't make contact ever again after the boys return to Len.
Margot is ill, suffering pernicious anaemia and exhaustion, and is sent back to England from Soweto after the riots in June, 1976. Con is living with a man, Des Romano, and after he goes away to Italy as a teacher with a group of sixth formers she discovers she is pregnant. She miscarries with an ectopic pregnancy before he returns, and discovers he has had an affair with one of the girls in his charge. She kicks him out of her flat and doesn't tell him about the miscarriage. Felicity is having marital troubles - her husband is having an affair with his secretary.
In 1979, Len has been on Valium for four years to get her through the day. She gets invited to Clem Barass' second marriage in London and meets a number of old Chalet girls there, including Tony Barass and his wife and their two children. Len thinks about suiciding under a train as she returns home. Margot is now in Buenos Aires, having been banned from South Africa, and Felicity is divorced with two children.
contributed by Sandra Fitzgerald, Australia __ working from the paperback edition