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Georgina Anastasia Mavis
Philips was born in the small Oxfordshire village of Chipping Hampton
to Sir Piers Beowulf Philips and Tamara Viktorovna Durashkina on a
date we aren't at liberty to disclose. From her earliest years Georgie
displayed a love and talent for music, which pleased her mother who had
been the leading soprano in the State Theatre of Operetta in Novosibirsk
before she defected whilst on the final part of a European tour in East
Grinstead. Tamara Viktorovna took Georgie’s early musical education upon
herself, instructing her in piano and voice.
From an early age Georgie started to sing in the local church
choir. However, she was politely, but firmly asked to leave after her very first
Carol Service following a rather unfortunate incident during her solo verse of Once
in Royal David's City involving a choirboy and a hassock. This event did
nothing to discourage her musical career, but she would never again be able to
sing in the Nine Lessons and Carols without a smile on her face.
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Georgie began her education at the local primary school in
Chipping Hampton and threw herself with her boundless enthusiasm into school
life. At the end of her third year, at the annual parent's evening, the
headmaster advised her parents that Georgie was a very “special” child and
in view of her “extraordinary” talents she would benefit from being educated
elsewhere. He wasn’t able to suggest any other suitable educational
establishment, but concluded the interview with the words “if ever THAT child
comes within five miles of my school…” and was escorted back to his office
ranting and raving in an incoherent fashion by two of the larger members of the
female staff and the caretaker. |
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Consequently at the age of nine Georgie was sent by her
somewhat desperate parents to St. Etheldreda’s Academy for Young Ladies run by
the Sisters of Our Lady of the Immaculate Reflection in the hope that they would
be able to develop her talents and because it was the only place that
would take her.
From the very start of her time at the academy her enthusiasm
for the stage was apparent and the mistresses there did all they could to
encourage her. In her first year she was given the part of Ophelia
in the school production of Macbeth.
It wasn't until they were well into rehearsals that she realised that it wasn't
quite the part she thought it was. But in her own indomitable fashion she
decided to make the most of it and make the most of it she did. That year's
production made the headlines of the Times Ed and was talked about for
many years after.
During her time at St Etheldreda’s she entered the local
music competition, The Long Todmingdon Festival of Music and Speech,
several years running and managed, at the age of sixteen, to win the
much-coveted Rose Bowl. This was particularly auspicious as it was the
last time the festival ever took place. Georgie still has the rose bowl, which
she uses every time she dyes her hair.
Unfortunately, she never
managed to complete her A’ level studies and left the academy under a cloud.
That is to say the entire sixth form left under a cloud... a cloud of smoke. The
west wing was destroyed by a small explosion during a chemistry practical when a
few members of 6B were trying to create a longer-lasting waterproof mascara.
 
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