Wellington Girls' College Explained

Wellington Girls' College
Native Name:Te Kāreti Kōtiro o Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Motto:Lumen Accipe et Imperti
"Receive the light and pass it on"[1]
Type:State Single Sex (Girls) Secondary School (year 9–13)
Established:1883
Address:Pipitea Street,
Thorndon,
Wellington,
New Zealand
Coordinates:-41.2748°N 174.7806°W
Principal:Julia Davidson
Roll:
Decile:10Z[2]
Moe:272
Colors: Teal
Black
Gold
Mascot:The Teal Seal
Yearbook:The Reporter

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.[3]

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.

Before the school the Colonial Hospital, Wellington's first public hospital, was built on the site in 1847.[4] It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1848[5] and a new building large enough to meet the needs of the city was built in 1855.[6] It was replaced by Wellington Hospital.

In 1925 the Wellington East Girls' College was established to serve the southern and eastern suburbs.

Notable alumnae

The arts

Public service

Science and medicine

Sports

Notable staff

Principals

PrincipalPeriod
align=center 1Martha Hamilton1883–1900
align=center 2Mary McLean1900–1926
align=center 3Violet Greig1926–1938
align=center 4Esther North1938–1950
align=center 5Maida Clark1950–1958
align=center 6Betty Fraser1958–1978
align=center 7Elaine Barnett1978–1995
align=center Kath Kelly (acting)1995
align=center 8Ngaire Newton1995–1996
align=center Kath Kelly (acting)1996–1997
align=center 9Marg McLeod1997–2006
align=center Denise Johnson (acting)2006–2007
align=center 10Julia Davidson2008–present

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WGC Prospectus 2021. 2020. Wellington Girls' College.
  2. Web site: Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools . Ministry of Education . 12 February 2015.
  3. Web site: Education Review Report: Wellington Girls' College 25/05/2009. Education Review Office. 25 May 2009. 22 March 2013 .
  4. Book: King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for Children: opened 13th March 1912 . 1912 . Wellington . 155838330.
  5. News: 18 October 1848 . Earthquake . 2 . New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian . Papers Past.
  6. News: 5 February 1848 . Medical . 3 . New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian . 11 July 2023 . Papers Past.
  7. School Ties Newsletter. School Ties. 14. May 2010.
  8. School Ties Newsletter. School Ties. 15. November 2010.
  9. Web site: Alumni Reconnect: Bridget Williams, publisher. chamber music blog. 30 April 2015 . 3 December 2015.
  10. School Ties Newsletter. School Ties. 16. December 2012.
  11. Web site: School Ties – Wellington Girls' College Alumnae Newsletter – December 2016. www.wellington-girls.school.nz. https://web.archive.org/web/20170410161219/http://www.wellington-girls.school.nz/sites/default/files/School%20Ties_December%202016.pdf. 10 April 2017. 19 May 2022. dead.
  12. News: Young climber striving to be faster, higher, stronger: As climbing becomes a new Olympic sport, 18-year-old Sarah Tetzlaff is reaching heights no Kiwi climber has reached before. Newsroom. Suzanne. McFadden. 30 July 2018. 2024-07-11.
  13. News: Young squash star remembered. Stuff. 2 August 2018. en.
  14. Web site: Grossmann, Edith Searle. www.teara.govt.nz. 7 February 2016. en. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. Taonga.