Malvern Girls' College
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| Malvern Girls College | |
| Motto | vincit qui se vincit |
| Established | 1893 |
| Closed | 2006 |
| Type | independent girls boarding school |
| Religion | anglican |
| Founder | Miss Greenslade and Miss Poulton |
| Location | Avenue Road Worcestershire |
| Students | ~300 (varied) |
| Gender | girls |
| Ages | 11 to 18 |
| Houses | 6 at closing |
| Colours | maroon and blue |
Malvern Girls' College was a leading independent school for girls in Great Malvern, Worcestershire, England.
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[edit] History
Malvern Girls' College, commonly known as MGC, was founded in 1893 by Lily Poulton and Isabelle Greenslade. It was located at the foot of the Malvern Hills, one of the most beautiful parts of England. The main school and the Poulton boarding house were situated in a building which had formerly been the large Imperial Hotel next to the Great Malvern railway station during the town's heyday as a spa and resort town in the second half of the 19th century. Other boarding houses were in scattered locations in the immediately surrounding area. In 2006, the school merged with nearby St James's School to become Malvern St James (MSJ).
[edit] The Boarding Houses
All pupils of the College (including day pupils) belonged to a boarding house. The names of the boarding houses were:
- Parkfield (for the youngest pupils)
- Hatfield (for lower-middle school pupils)
- Benhams (for middle school pupils)
- The Mount (for middle school pupils)
- Greenslade (for sixth form pupils)
- Poulton (for sixth form pupils)
In the 1980s, the school was much larger (around 500 girls). There were seven middle school boarding houses, all of which housed girls from Upper 3 - Upper 5 (11-16 year olds). These were:
- The Benhams
- The Mount with Ryall
- Ivydene
- Summerside
- Avenue
- Lindfield
- Hatfield
Of these, only Hatfield, a structure based around hexagonal shaped rooms, was purpose-built. The rest were converted houses, including Ivydene Hall, the house in which the school was originally founded. Day girls were all assigned to a house, where they ate lunch and tea and were involved in social activities and house competitions. Only Ivydene, Lindfield, Avenue and The Benhams had day girls.
In the early 2000s, Lindfield was converted into the new Health Centre replacing the old San which was sold off. In 2004, Ivydene Hall was also sold to a development firm due to the expense of removing asbestos from the building. Avenue House was refurbished in 2002 to become a designated Music Centre. This replaced the old music rooms in the Main Building, and led to the extension and refurbishment of Poulton House.
All sixth-formers were housed in the main building until 1990 when a purpose built house was constructed on the Ivydene site. This was named Greenslade and the original sixth-form house was called Poulton, in honour of the school's founders. These remain the two boarding houses specifically for sixth form boarders.
Much excitement was caused when one of Marlon Brando's daughters, Petra, attended the school for just a few weeks in the late 80s.
[edit] The Edinburgh Dome
The school was host to one of the most interesting sports halls ever constructed: The Edinburgh Dome, so named as it was unveiled by the Duke of Edinburgh. It consists of a round, green, balloon-shaped building, containing squash courts, a gym area and a large games area, all surrounded by a murky moat.
[edit] Fees
Current school fees of Malvern St James are between £6,180 (for junior day pupils) and £24,885 per year (for the most senior boarders).
[edit] Traditions/Peculiarities
- Dead Dog
- Summer Dresses
- L6 Community Service Week
- Christmas Dinner
- Fireworks Display- legendary!!
- VINCIT QUI SE VINCIT" Meaning: she conquers who conquers herself.
[edit] Notable Alumnae
- Barbara Cartland, novelist
- Elizabeth Lane, first female high court judge
- Caroline Lucas, MEP, leader of the Green Party
- Jane Davidson, Minister for the Environment, Sustainability and Housing
- Mary Hayley Bell, playwright and author of Whistle Down The Wind
- Tania Long, WWII journalist
- Frances Lynn, journalist
- Peggy Jay, Politician and campaigner
- Anna Kavan, author
- Philippa Rakusen, notable horticulturist
- Jean Goodman, journalist
- Margaret Hampshire, former heamistress of CLC
- Donna Ong, artist
- Joanna Van Gyseghem, actress
- Thandie Newton, actress
