Rosemary Groves (CR 1992-2005)

Rosemary Groves (CR 1992 – 2005) died in June 2020 following a long illness. Rosemary was Deputy Head and Senior Admissions Tutor during her time at Marlborough.

She also held the post of Acting Master from October to December 1999 and remained a valued supporter of the College. You can read a full obituary in the Times here.

Terry Rogers (CR 1964-2014) wrote to us to share his memories of Rosemary:

“When I started as Second Master in 1988, with full co-education about to begin a year later, I knew that a female Co-Deputy would be appointed very soon. In the event this took a little longer than we had hoped as we had no suitable applicants from our first advertisement. Then, just as we were about to re-advertise, Rosemary applied and as soon as she came for interview we all felt that she was exactly what we were hoping for. Having grown up in a boarding house at Wellington College, she had an instinctive “feel” for the job and her temperament – thoughtful, considerate, confident, flexible and unflappable – made her the ideal person to introduce MC to senior female authority.

Rosemary soon won the confidence of Common Room and it was an even greater testimony to her that senior boys and girls were quick to accept her also.

There was certainly enough work to keep two Deputy Heads fully occupied and when she first arrived I invited her to choose the areas of responsibility she wished to take on. I explained that my official job title was Second Master and asked her what title she wanted to have? Her reply was immediate: “Anything but SECOND Mistress!” In the end we were both known as co-Deputy Heads, with me having the alternative title of Second Master while she chose to be Senior Admissions Tutor. Over the following 6 years before I retired Rosemary and I formed a strong team and I can honestly say that she was a joy to work with and we became very close friends. How very fortunate MC was to have had RSG as the College’s very first female Deputy Head!

I retired in 1996 and Rosemary served a further decade as Deputy Head, including a term as Acting Master while Ed Gould (Master 1993-2004) was away, and I am sure that Bob Pick (CR 1980-2017), who succeeded me as Second Master, and who worked with Rosemary for even longer than I did, would entirely endorse my opinions of her. RSG was a superb character and a great colleague.

Terry Rogers (CR 1964-2014)”

If you have any memories of Rosemary you would like to share, please send them to marlburianclub@marlboroughcollege.org