Rosie Davey
Bit of background, where you live, what you do for a living.
I live in Sydney working as the sustainability manager for Glencore Coal which includes environment, health, safety, community and human rights aspects for mine sites in Australia, Colombia and South Africa. The job is fairly new but I’ve been enjoying the chance to work in the different countries.
Age: 34
When were you at Princethorpe - years from and to?
1996-2002
What was the school like in your day?
The school was a fair bit smaller when I was there which suited me perfectly. I started there because of their dyslexic department and was one of the first group of girls to enter Year 7. We were all very well looked after (my first form teacher was Alex Darkes so I think that goes without saying) and the school had a great knack for tailoring its approach to the student.
How did Princethorpe affect the person you are today?
The school played a big part in building my confidence. Having struggled at my first junior school the extra help available at Princethorpe made a massive difference to me.
What advice would you give to your teenage self?
I would tell myself that life is still a lot of fun (if not more) once you finish school and uni and that there are some amazing opportunities out there if you’re prepared to move out of your comfort zone. Basically what my mum was telling me at the time!
Who or what has been the greatest influence on your life?
I’m lucky that I can answer ‘my parents’ to this as they set me up to have as many opportunities as possible.
What keeps you awake at night?
Any irregular noise, I’m a bit of a precious sleeper….
What has been your proudest moment/greatest achievement so far?
I was working at Pike River Coal Mine in New Zealand when it blew up and, despite it being a horrible experience for us, I’m proud of the part that I played working in the emergency response effort.
What’s your biggest indulgence?
Taking time to do absolutely nothing except maybe sit on the beach, read and nap.
If you had to have one last meal, what would it be?
Probably a chip butty with some proper British chips with cheese and tomato sauce. The chips aren’t quite the same over here.
What is your favourite TV Show and why?
I have the occasional Netflix binge but nothing that I’m really hooked on.
If you could be anywhere right now, where would it be and who would be with you?
Skiing with a big group of friends and family. There are a lot of people that I miss spending time with having moved so far away so I am always happy to get them all together.
Lasting memories of Princethorpe:
There are a few to choose from, the highlights would be ski trips, house parties and summer break times spend out on the grass. My very first Princethorpe memory though, is when I took my entrance exam. I had to take it earlier than everyone else for some reason so was on my own in an office with Bertie the dog to supervise me and some chocolate kindly donated by Mrs O’Keeffe, not a bad start.
Are you in touch with any other Old Princethorpians, if so whom?
A few but probably see the most of Fliss King-Evans, Jethro Towers and Melissa Franklin when I get back to the UK as well as Angela Hales and Paul Shaw who both worked with my mum there. Otherwise, I see a lot of people’s news come up on Facebook which is always nice.
Is there anyone you would like to track down?
No one specifically but I like hearing what old class mates and teachers are doing now. There were a lot of people that I lost touch with after our GCSEs.
