FRAN D’ALCORN

Fran died from cancer on Tuesday March 12 th 2024 after four years of illness, which she bore with great fortitude. While her body let her down, her intellectual capabilities remained sharp to the end and she was able to make many of the arrangements necessary for her funeral and for the care of her two precious cats.

Fran arrived at Saint Felix, Southwold in Autumn 1972, straight from the Munich Olympics where, as a recent graduate of Birmingham University’s joint honours degree in physical education and history, she had been selected to play a supporting role. Appointed by Miss Oakley as Head of the Physical Education department her plan was to stay at Saint Felix for just a year and then carve out a career in forensics and criminology. Initially Fran taught physical education, leading that department with real distinction. Fran’s leadership of that department was legendary and the school teams reached exceptionally high standards under her guidance and coaching. Her reputation as a hockey player for Lowestoft Ladies lives on amongst younger generations of players. In more recent years she put her trainers to the back of her wardrobe and took on the leadership of the history department, teaching the subject with flair and imagination and enthusing her pupils to share in her love of the subject. While at Saint Felix she took on a myriad of roles in addition to her original PE role, including tutor roles throughout the school, careers work and was Head of VI form. She was a resident member of staff in Gardiner, D of E organiser, leader of ski-trips, marker and moderator of history public examination scripts at A Level, director of studies, time-tabler, deputy head, organiser of all big events and the natural link person between school and the Old Felicians, becoming both Chairman of the OFC and archivist. Throughout her time at the school she held the role of ‘chair monitor’ because no one could do it better. (How many chairs did she move in 44 years?) Fran juggled her roles very skilfully and was prepared to work exceedingly long hours to achieve the high standards she set for herself, and expected, from others. Having worked for twelve Heads she was appointed as Headmistress of Saint Felix School in 2013 and retired in 2016.

Fran was able to hush the whole school community with one steely glare. Students respected her, many loved her. Her great strength at Saint Felix was upholding and promoting the essential ethos of the school throughout the good times and the bad. It is the ethos of a school which acts as its keystone. It provides the integrity which binds everything together despite the necessary whirlwind of change which can embrace and yet challenge at every step. Her service to the school was dogged and devoted. Fran was a ‘lifer’ in the very best sense of the word.