1937-1941 Thello Hancock 

 

Gerrard McCulloch, Thello's son, has kindly donated treasures from his mother's time at St. Hilda's.  We are very pleased to be able to share these memories with the St Hilda's School Community. Thello lived an intelligent and loving life, as Gerrard begins to explain, "Then, when looking down the list of names included with the Prefects' Medals, I saw at least two more names very familiar to us.  My mother has maintained her friendship with Alison Goleby and Jocelyn Warland ever since those days at  school.  Alison often visited our family when we were growing up- staying overnight with us on occasions, and continuing this when we later moved to Sydney.  For quite a few years when I was in primary school, a regular Boxing Day trip was for the family to visit Alision and her (by then)  incapacitated mother at their home in inner Ipswich.  Jocelyn also visited us in Brisbane, on occasions, but not as frequently.  The family name "Cribb" is also a familiar name, but I think now because my grandparents and probably her parents were very good friends, also in Ipswich, and I regularly heard the name mentioned.  Also, in a strange turn of fate, one of the prize donors has the name "McCulloch"- which became her married name (spelt the same way) some years later.

 

Looking down the 1937 Prize List, I can also see the name R. Hughes. This is probably Rosemary Hughes, with whom both Ailson and my mother have also maintained a very great friendship ever since St. Hilda's.  I think Rosemary was school secretary for many years.

 

To see my mother's name mentioned for knitting socks for the war effort, shows she has come full circle.  For the last ten years or so, she has taken to knitting woollen squares for the charity "Wrapped With Love".  As her mental capacity has deteriorated, she has maintained her ability to continue knitting, and has so far knitted over 100 squares.  She comments regularly to us, that she is very thankful that she has not been afflicted with arthritis, and can continue knitting."