I was privileged to attend a ceremony today at the wooden seat at the junction of Selcroft Road and Downs Court Road. It commemorates the life and tragic death exactly 100 years ago today of Mary Finch who was a former pupil at Croydon High School and who lived at Oakwood Avenue just up the hill.
She had a stellar academic career at the school, excelled in netball and lacrosse and also became Head Girl. After she left, she studied to become a doctor at the Royal Free Hospital.
While on a family holiday in Cornwall, her sister and another friend Stuart got into difficulty in strong sea currents. Mary plunged in and saved her sister and then went back to save Stuart, but unfortunately both she and Stuart were drowned. The family erected the bench as a memorial to her, and Croydon High School is kindly arranging for it to be re-furbished in this centenary year of her death.
In a brief but poignant ceremony, the current Deputy Head Mistress gave a short speech and two current pupils both laid a simple wreath. As it happens, my own daughter also attended Croydon High, so I felt a strong connection to the occasion.
