School Celebrates 125th Anniversary With Alumnae Portrait Exhibition

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Photographer Anita Corbin, herself a Putney old girl captures twelve pioneering women


Anita Corbin captured by Y13 pupil Antonia Cheema-Grubb - winner of PHS Anita Corbin Award

In celebration of the school’s 125th Anniversary, Putney has commissioned a series of portraits, of 12 trail-blazing Alumnae, who attended the school over the generations and have gone on to make their mark in the world.

The exhibition is a legacy to the generations of Putney pupils to come, inspiring them to go on to achieve their goals in whatever field they choose to pursue.


Aicha McKenzie (Anita Corbin)

Photographer Anita Corbin, herself a Putney Alumna, and the artist behind the critically acclaimed Visible Girls and First Women UK exhibitions, has gathered twelve pioneering women who attended the school over the generations and have gone on to make their mark in the world.

Her subjects are:
Sophy Gardner. Former RAF Wing Commander
Sophie Simnett. Actor
Mary Coombs. Computer Programmer
Baroness Virginia Bottomley of Nettlestone. Chancellor, University of Hull; Trustee, The Economist & Life Peer. Formerly Secretary of State for Health and for National Heritage
Aicha McKenzie. Director of AMCK and Choreographer
Dr Sandie Okoro. Lawyer and Senior Vice President at the World Bank Group
Jenny Beavan OBE. Oscar-winning Costume Designer
Sophie Raworth. Journalist and Broadcaster
Madeleine Wickham. Author, (pen name) Sophie Kinsella


Pippa Greenwood (Anita Corbin)

Pippa Greenwood. Botanist, TV and Radio Broadcaster and Writer (above)
Ailsa Bosworth MBE. Founder and CEO of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society

Anita Corbin said: "My overall impression from meeting all the women was their absolute ‘can do’ attitude. They all had such great energies and were all so confident in their own identity, they also had a spirit of non-conformity - not feeling the need to fit into a norm. They were all very up for being photographed in any situation that I felt made the message clear. Most representative of their career or status whether it was business or sport or acting”.

“Putney was always very respectful of the individual – finding what everyone was good at. They knew everyone was good at something and they helped you find it”.

November 9, 2018