Wellington Girls' College
| Wellington Girls' College Te Kāreti Kōtiro o Te Whanganui-a-Tara | |
|---|---|
 Wellington Girls' College from Pipitea Street | |
| Address | |
 | |
Pipitea Street, Thorndon, Wellington, New Zealand | |
| Coordinates | 41°16′29″S 174°46′50″E / 41.2748°S 174.7806°ECoordinates: 41°16′29″S 174°46′50″E / 41.2748°S 174.7806°E |
| Information | |
| Type | State Single Sex (Girls) Secondary School (Year 9–13) |
| Motto | Lumen Accipe et Imperti "Receive the light and pass it on"[1] |
| Established | 1883 |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 272 |
| Principal | Julia Davidson |
| School roll | 1482[2] (November 2021) |
| Color(s) | Teal Black Gold |
| Mascot | The Teal Seal |
| Socio-economic decile | 10Z[3] |
| Yearbook | The Reporter |
| Website | wgc.school.nz |
View from Moturoa Street circa 1935
Wellington Girls' College was founded in 1883 in Wellington, New Zealand. At that time it was called Wellington Girls' High School. Wellington Girls' College is a year 9 to 13 state secondary school, located in Thorndon in central Wellington.[4]
History[]
Seeing a need for higher education for girls the founding fathers of Wellington College leased a building in Abel Smith Street in 1882 and appointed Miss Martha Hamilton as the Lady Principal of the school. It opened on 2 February 1883 with 40 students. However, by the end of its first year the roll increased to almost 100 girls, and when the Premier, the Rt. Hon. Robert Stout visited the school in 1884 the building was overcrowded with 130 students. As a result of his visit the school was moved to its current site in Pipitea Street.
In 1925 the Wellington East Girls' College was established to serve the southern and eastern suburbs.
Notable alumnae[]
The Arts[]
- Fleur Adcock – poet
- Isobel Andrews – playwright, novelist, short-story writer and poet
- Sylvia Ashton-Warner – writer, poet and educator[5]
- Vidyamala Burch – writer and mindfulness teacher
- Joe Cotton – pop singer
- Anne French – editor and poet[6]
- Rebecca Gibney – actor
- Robin Hyde – poet, novelist, biographer and journalist
- Annabel Langbein – celebrity cook, food writer and publisher
- Katherine Mansfield – writer
- Elizabeth McRae – actor[6]
- Marjory Nicholls – poet
- Anna Paquin – actor
- Beverley Randell – children's author[6]
- Jo Randerson – writer, playwright, theatre director and performer[7]
- Fran Walsh – screenwriter and film producer
- Bridget Williams – publisher[8]
Public service[]
- Nellie Coad – teacher, community leader, writer
- Cathy Dewes – Māori language advocate, educator
- Luamanuvao Winnie Laban – politician[7]
- Margaret Shields – politician[7]
Science and medicine[]
- Elaine Gurr – doctor
- Helen Deem – doctor
- Theodora Clemens Hall – doctor
- Ocean Mercier – scientist
- Marion Robinson – professor of nutrition
Sports[]
- Gina Crampton – Silver Ferns and Southern Steel netballer[9]
- Beth Jurgeleit – hockey player
- Jackie Kiddle – rower
- Trish McKelvey – cricketer[7]
- Melissa Moon – athlete
- Thamsyn Newton – cricketer
- Rebecca Perrott – swimmer[7]
- Jade Wilson – squash player[10]
Notable staff[]
- Airini Beautrais – poet
- Edith Searle Grossmann – novelist and journalist[11]
- Edith Howes – writer and educationalist[12]
Principals[]
| Period | Principal |
|---|---|
| 1883–1900 | Miss M G Hamilton |
| 1900–1926 | Miss Mary McLean |
| 1926–1938 | Miss V M Greig |
| 1938–1950 | Miss E M North |
| 1950–1958 | Miss M J Clark |
| 1958–1978 | Miss B Fraser |
| 1978–1995 | Mrs E C Barnett |
| 1995 | Mrs K D Kelly (Acting) |
| 1995–1996 | Miss N R Newton |
| 1996–1997 | Mrs K D Kelly (Acting) |
| 1997–2006 | Ms Marg McLeod |
| 2006–2007 | Mrs Denise Johnson (Acting) |
| 2008–present | Mrs Julia Davidson |
References[]
- ^ "WGC Prospectus 2021" (PDF). Wellington Girls' College. 2020.
- ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
- ^ "Education Review Report: Wellington Girls' College 25/05/2009". Education Review Office. 25 May 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ^ "School Ties Newsletter" (PDF). School Ties (14). May 2010.
- ^ a b c "School Ties Newsletter" (PDF). School Ties (15). November 2010.
- ^ a b c d e "School Ties Newsletter" (PDF). School Ties (16). December 2012.
- ^ "Alumni Reconnect: Bridget Williams, publisher". chamber music blog. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
- ^ "In the News ..." (PDF). School Ties. No. 20. Wellington Girls' College. December 2016. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2018.
- ^ "Young squash star remembered". Stuff. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Grossmann, Edith Searle". www.teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
- ^ Murray, Heather. "Howes, Edith Annie". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
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Categories:
- Educational institutions established in 1883
- Girls' schools in New Zealand
- Secondary schools in the Wellington Region
- Schools in Wellington City
- 1883 establishments in New Zealand
- Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia
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