Oakham School is delighted to introduce its first-ever full-time Archivist, Miss Aurore Guillomot-Bonnefond. Known affectionately by her tutees and pupils as ‘Miss G-B’, Aurore has worn several hats at Oakham in her five years at the School.
Having read History and English Studies at Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, Aurore arrived in 2016 as a French Assistant. In 2017, after staying on for a second year in the French Department, Aurore joined Rushebrookes as a Resident Tutor, where she resides to this day. In 2018, she began to split her time between the French Department and the Archives, joining as Assistant Archivist, before making the swap permanent in 2019 (although that hasn’t stopped the French Department from calling on her experience from time to time, particularly during the first lockdown).
A keen and talented historian, she has stepped into the role of School Archivist following Charlotte McCrory’s departure. Their joint custodianship included a major research project on Oakhamian WWI soldiers, as well as exploring and expanding the Collection, and bringing the Archives up to industry standards.
In her budding sole proprietorship, Aurore hopes to continue the fine work of digitising the Collection and bringing the catalogue online, thus making it more widely available to Oakhamians and Old Oakhamians alike. She hopes to work closely with the OO Club, having experienced first-hand the love and passion OOs hold for their old school, as well as providing stellar educational materials so that current pupils will benefit from the School’s rich history.
Aurore came to England having always liked the language, culture & history (c.f. her university degrees!) and wanted to spend more time in Great Britain, having crossed the Channel for various holidays. She didn’t imagine she would still be at Oakham five years later, but has loved her time here so far, especially tutoring and spending time with the Rushebrookes girls.
A keen rugby fan and an avid reader, she is also a talented baker, as the Rushebrookes girls and tutors would no doubt attest.
Congratulations Miss G-B; we wish you every success in your new role!
