Wellington Girls' College

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]

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	41.2748°S 174.7806°E / -41.2748; 174.7806
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
Color(s)	Teal      Black      Gold
Mascot	The Teal Seal
School roll	1521[2] (March 2020)
Socio-economic decile	10Z[3]
Yearbook	The Reporter
Website	wgc.school.nz

View from Moturoa Street circa 1935

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

• Fleur Adcock – poet
• Gina Crampton – Silver Ferns and Southern Steel netballer[5]
• Sylvia Ashton-Warner – writer, poet and educator[6]
• Nellie Euphemia Coad – teacher, community leader, writer
• Anne French – editor and poet[7]
• Rebecca Gibney – actor
• Robin Hyde – poet, novelist, biographer and journalist
• Beth Jurgeleit – hockey player
• Jackie Kiddle – rower
• Luamanuvao Winnie Laban – politician[8]
• Annabel Langbein – celebrity cook, food writer and publisher
• Katherine Mansfield – writer
• Trish McKelvey – cricketer[8]
• Elizabeth McRae – actor[7]
• Ocean Mercier – scientist
• Melissa Moon – athlete
• Thamsyn Newton – cricketer
• Marjory Nicholls – poet
• Anna Paquin – actor
• Rebecca Perrott – swimmer[8]
• Beverley Randell – children's author[7]
• Jo Randerson – writer, playwright, theatre director and performer[8]
• Margaret Shields – politician[8]
• Fran Walsh – screenwriter and film producer
• Bridget Williams – publisher[9]
• Jade Wilson - squash player[10]
• Vidyamala Burch - mindfulness teacher

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

1. "WGC Prospectus 2021" (PDF). Wellington Girls' College. 2020.
2. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
3. "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
4. "Education Review Report: Wellington Girls' College 25/05/2009". Education Review Office. 25 May 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
5. "School Ties" (PDF) (20). Wellington Girls' College. December 2016: 5. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
6. "School Ties Newsletter" (PDF). School Ties (14). May 2010.
7. "School Ties Newsletter" (PDF). School Ties (15). November 2010.
8. "School Ties Newsletter" (PDF). School Ties (16). December 2012.
9. "Alumni Reconnect: Bridget Williams, publisher". chamber music blog. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
10. "Young squash star remembered". Stuff. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
11. Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Grossmann, Edith Searle". www.teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
12. Murray, Heather. "Howes, Edith Annie". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 14 November 2016.