Queen's College, London
Encyclopedia
Queen's College is an independent school
for girls aged 11–18. It is located in central London at numbers 43-49, Harley Street
. Founded in 1848 by F. D. Maurice, Professor of English Literature and History at King's College London
along with a committee of patrons, the College was the first institution in the world to award academic qualifications to women. In 1853, it also became the first girls' school to be granted a Royal Charter
for the furtherance of women's education. Ever since, the College patron has been a British queen, currently Queen Elizabeth II.
The College has a distinctly liberal ethos based upon the principles of F. D. Maurice. Competition is therefore minimised and an informal atmosphere pervades. The College claims to produce confident and open-minded young women. It is not narrowly selective, and like other colleges of its type, follows a broad curriculum, offering an array of extra-curricular pursuits.
In 1845 David Laing, chaplain of the Middlesex Hospital
raised the money with a committee of patrons to acquire the building at 47 Harley Street with the intention of creating a home for governesses who were between jobs. Laing was keen to develop the institution to provide governesses with an education and certification. In 1847 he acquired the agreement of professors from King's College London
to give lectures in the Home. Queen Victoria gave her assent, the promise of funds and agreed to be patron. In 1847, the first lectures took place, a Committee of Education was soon established under the chair of F. D. Maurice, and number 45 was purchased. In December of the same year the first certificates were issued. Meanwhile it was decided to offer education to other women as well as governesses.
In the early days of the College the education took place in the form of lectures initially delivered to all girls alike aged 12 to 20. The younger pupils were soon to be given their own 'school' at the back of the buildings, which was also open to boys. The Waiting Room became the place where girls would gather and be introduced by the Lady Resident to their chaperones who remained with them throughout their classes and were known as the 'Lady Visitors'. When the College was separated from the Governesses' Benevolent Institution in 1853, a new Governing Council was established, with the 'Visitor', the Bishop of London
as its figurehead, an institution which still runs the College to this day. Following the resignation of Maurice in 1853 Richard Chenevix Trench became the first Principal and took over as Chair of the Committee of Education.
By 1900 the College was offering a broad, liberal education to young women, and had resisted attempts become or amalgamate with a college of London University. The tradition of offering lectures remained and a number are still held each term by teachers and visitors today.
During the Second World War, the College narrowly escaped destruction when a bomb exploded on the other side of Harley Street. The windows at the front of the building were smashed and plaster work damaged. The College continued to function during the war with classes even held in bomb shelters constructed in the main corridor. Evacuation of the pupils to the Lake District and then to Northamptonshire did occur but was short-lived.
The College has been visited by its patrons three times. Queen Victoria came on 9 May 1898. She herself wrote of the occasion:
"On my way out stopped at Queen's College in Harley Street, the first Ladies College ever founded in England, which is this year celebrating its jubilee. All the girls and ladies were drawn up outside. The Principal, the Dean and Mrs Robinson were presented to me. The Principal handed [me] an address, and Miss Coudace, the Queen's scholar for the year, a beautiful basket of roses."
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother visited for the centenary in 1948 and again in 1972 for the opening of a new science laboratory.
The College ceased to offer boarding accommodation in the 1980s and Kynaston House was re-modelled from the old accommodation to provide offices, a senior common room and the Blue Library.
In 2002, Queen's College Preparatory School opened at 61 Portland Place
.
acquired its reputation as the centre of the medical profession in London. Today, it occupies numbers 43-49, four tall houses, three of which date from the mid-eighteenth century and are fronted by Georgian
facades. Number 49, known as Kynaston House, was built in the early Twentieth century in the Art Nouveau
style.
Prior to the establishment of the College, number 47 was the practice of the first doctor to set up on Harley Street, Dr William Rowley. Next door at number 45 once worked Allan Ramsay, the official portrait painter to George III, whose portrait of Queen Charlotte required the transportation of the Crown Jewels
, under continuous guard, to his on-site studio. Number 43, meanwhile, housed the poet and politician Lord Strangford who claimed to have fought the last duel in England.
The joining of adjacent houses has left its mark upon the physical character of the College. There are more than a hundred rooms, many at different levels and created by the repositioning of internal walls. They are accessed by over thirty staircases, giving the internal space a labyrinthine quality and necessitating the issue of maps to new pupils and staff. Original features survive from the earlier houses, including fireplaces, Adam style
mouldings and two ornate and spacious eighteenth century atriums which are listed by English Heritage
.
As the College has grown, the buildings have evolved and expanded. Extensions include the Somerville Hall and gymnasium. The stable block at the rear was converted in 1849 to house the School and the original wine cellars are today music rooms. The main corridor, itself a Victorian creation from the joining of ground-floor rooms in number 43, was restored in the early 1990s. The classrooms are currently under-going refurbishment, and the basement is being re-organised to accommodate shower and changing facilities as well as a more spacious dining room which opens onto the yard with rolling glass doors.
The yard is the only outdoor space left on the site and is mainly used at break times. Sport, only compulsory for pupils in the School, takes place at the nearby Regent's Park
.
The names of the Sections and Years are as follows:
With these words F. D. Maurice laid out the ethos which would guide Queen's College to the present day to an audience gathered in London's Hanover Square Rooms
on 29 March 1848. In doing so, he was marking out the College as different, not merely in its endeavour to educate women, but also in its opposition to the competitive and strict spirit which characterised existing public schools for boys.
The College continues to place emphasis on education for its own sake. There are no houses, few competitions, no formal award ceremony, and few medals or trophies handed out. Rewards for academic work are limited to requests for girls to show work in which they excel to their form tutor, a 'Show Form Tutor', or to the principal, a 'Show Principal'.
There are few formal rules and with the exception of expulsion or suspension, only one formal penalty known as 'chores' whereby girls collect dining room plates and litter during their lunch break. Otherwise discipline is dealt with on an ad-hoc basis, through dialogue with the girls, their tutors and parents. Academic failures are addressed by direct contact with parents and 'catch-up' sessions.
. The 'Visitor', the Bishop of London
, or his representative, is introduced by form tutors and the Principal to every girl in the College from Class 1 upwards and selected representatives of Classes 2 and 3. The event is followed by the Principal's report to the governors, parents, staff and pupils on the academic year and an address from the Visitor. Each end of Term also features "Entertainments" when pupils perform their talents before the whole College in the Hall.
A notable event during the Summer Term is the five-day Northumberland
trip, organised by the Classics Department for the whole of Class 3. Girls visit Hadrian's Wall
, Roman forts, Durham and the Farne Isles. Other trips abroad or to London attractions, museums and theatres are organised regularly by departments.
Known as Old Queens, alumnae have included many notable women over the school's history, including:
Founded in 1891, the Old Queen's Society exists to connect former pupils with each other and the school. The first Honorary Secretary was Miss Frideswide Kekewich and the first President, Miss Ellen Howard.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
for girls aged 11–18. It is located in central London at numbers 43-49, Harley Street
Harley Street
Harley Street is a street in the City of Westminster in London, England which has been noted since the 19th century for its large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery.- Overview :...
. Founded in 1848 by F. D. Maurice, Professor of English Literature and History at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
along with a committee of patrons, the College was the first institution in the world to award academic qualifications to women. In 1853, it also became the first girls' school to be granted a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
for the furtherance of women's education. Ever since, the College patron has been a British queen, currently Queen Elizabeth II.
The College has a distinctly liberal ethos based upon the principles of F. D. Maurice. Competition is therefore minimised and an informal atmosphere pervades. The College claims to produce confident and open-minded young women. It is not narrowly selective, and like other colleges of its type, follows a broad curriculum, offering an array of extra-curricular pursuits.
History
Founded at a time when educational opportunities were restricted for women in Britain, Queen's College became a pioneer in the field of women's education and emancipation. At the time, the establishment of the College was met with criticism in the press and the founder F. D. Maurice even had to defend the intention of teaching mathematics to women against the accusation that this would prove 'dangerous'.In 1845 David Laing, chaplain of the Middlesex Hospital
Middlesex Hospital
The Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, United Kingdom. First opened in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally closed in 2005. Its staff and services were transferred to various sites...
raised the money with a committee of patrons to acquire the building at 47 Harley Street with the intention of creating a home for governesses who were between jobs. Laing was keen to develop the institution to provide governesses with an education and certification. In 1847 he acquired the agreement of professors from King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
to give lectures in the Home. Queen Victoria gave her assent, the promise of funds and agreed to be patron. In 1847, the first lectures took place, a Committee of Education was soon established under the chair of F. D. Maurice, and number 45 was purchased. In December of the same year the first certificates were issued. Meanwhile it was decided to offer education to other women as well as governesses.
In the early days of the College the education took place in the form of lectures initially delivered to all girls alike aged 12 to 20. The younger pupils were soon to be given their own 'school' at the back of the buildings, which was also open to boys. The Waiting Room became the place where girls would gather and be introduced by the Lady Resident to their chaperones who remained with them throughout their classes and were known as the 'Lady Visitors'. When the College was separated from the Governesses' Benevolent Institution in 1853, a new Governing Council was established, with the 'Visitor', the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
as its figurehead, an institution which still runs the College to this day. Following the resignation of Maurice in 1853 Richard Chenevix Trench became the first Principal and took over as Chair of the Committee of Education.
By 1900 the College was offering a broad, liberal education to young women, and had resisted attempts become or amalgamate with a college of London University. The tradition of offering lectures remained and a number are still held each term by teachers and visitors today.
During the Second World War, the College narrowly escaped destruction when a bomb exploded on the other side of Harley Street. The windows at the front of the building were smashed and plaster work damaged. The College continued to function during the war with classes even held in bomb shelters constructed in the main corridor. Evacuation of the pupils to the Lake District and then to Northamptonshire did occur but was short-lived.
The College has been visited by its patrons three times. Queen Victoria came on 9 May 1898. She herself wrote of the occasion:
"On my way out stopped at Queen's College in Harley Street, the first Ladies College ever founded in England, which is this year celebrating its jubilee. All the girls and ladies were drawn up outside. The Principal, the Dean and Mrs Robinson were presented to me. The Principal handed [me] an address, and Miss Coudace, the Queen's scholar for the year, a beautiful basket of roses."
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother visited for the centenary in 1948 and again in 1972 for the opening of a new science laboratory.
The College ceased to offer boarding accommodation in the 1980s and Kynaston House was re-modelled from the old accommodation to provide offices, a senior common room and the Blue Library.
In 2002, Queen's College Preparatory School opened at 61 Portland Place
Portland Place
Portland Place is a street in the Marylebone district of central London, England.-History and topography:The street was laid out by the brothers Robert and James Adam for the Duke of Portland in the late 18th century and originally ran north from the gardens of a detached mansion called Foley House...
.
Buildings
Originally, the College was located at number 66, later renumbered to 45, before Harley StreetHarley Street
Harley Street is a street in the City of Westminster in London, England which has been noted since the 19th century for its large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery.- Overview :...
acquired its reputation as the centre of the medical profession in London. Today, it occupies numbers 43-49, four tall houses, three of which date from the mid-eighteenth century and are fronted by Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
facades. Number 49, known as Kynaston House, was built in the early Twentieth century in the Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style.
Prior to the establishment of the College, number 47 was the practice of the first doctor to set up on Harley Street, Dr William Rowley. Next door at number 45 once worked Allan Ramsay, the official portrait painter to George III, whose portrait of Queen Charlotte required the transportation of the Crown Jewels
Crown jewels
Crown jewels are jewels or artifacts of the reigning royal family of their respective country. They belong to monarchs and are passed to the next sovereign to symbolize the right to rule. They may include crowns, sceptres, orbs, swords, rings, and other objects...
, under continuous guard, to his on-site studio. Number 43, meanwhile, housed the poet and politician Lord Strangford who claimed to have fought the last duel in England.
The joining of adjacent houses has left its mark upon the physical character of the College. There are more than a hundred rooms, many at different levels and created by the repositioning of internal walls. They are accessed by over thirty staircases, giving the internal space a labyrinthine quality and necessitating the issue of maps to new pupils and staff. Original features survive from the earlier houses, including fireplaces, Adam style
Adam style
The Adam style is an 18th century neoclassical style of interior design and architecture, as practiced by the three Adam brothers from Scotland; of whom Robert Adam and James Adam were the most widely known.The Adam brothers were the first to advocate an integrated style for architecture and...
mouldings and two ornate and spacious eighteenth century atriums which are listed by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
.
As the College has grown, the buildings have evolved and expanded. Extensions include the Somerville Hall and gymnasium. The stable block at the rear was converted in 1849 to house the School and the original wine cellars are today music rooms. The main corridor, itself a Victorian creation from the joining of ground-floor rooms in number 43, was restored in the early 1990s. The classrooms are currently under-going refurbishment, and the basement is being re-organised to accommodate shower and changing facilities as well as a more spacious dining room which opens onto the yard with rolling glass doors.
The yard is the only outdoor space left on the site and is mainly used at break times. Sport, only compulsory for pupils in the School, takes place at the nearby Regent's Park
Regent's Park
Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
.
School organisation
Each girl is assigned to a form of approximately 15-18 members. The forms are headed by a tutor and deputy, and take their name from the initials of the tutor. Each year is under the watch of a year head and each section of the College also under a delegated head.The names of the Sections and Years are as follows:
Ethos
"The teacher in every department, if he does his duty, will admonish his pupils that they are not to make fashion, or public opinion, their rule; that they are not to draw or play, or to study arithmetic, or language or literature or history, in order to shine or be admired; that if these are their ends, they will not be sincere in their work or do it well."With these words F. D. Maurice laid out the ethos which would guide Queen's College to the present day to an audience gathered in London's Hanover Square Rooms
Hanover Square Rooms
The Hanover Square Rooms or the Queen's Concert Rooms were assembly rooms established, principally for musical performances, on the corner of Hanover Square, London, by Sir John Gallini in partnership with Johann Christian Bach and Carl Friedrich Abel in 1774. For exactly one century this was the...
on 29 March 1848. In doing so, he was marking out the College as different, not merely in its endeavour to educate women, but also in its opposition to the competitive and strict spirit which characterised existing public schools for boys.
The College continues to place emphasis on education for its own sake. There are no houses, few competitions, no formal award ceremony, and few medals or trophies handed out. Rewards for academic work are limited to requests for girls to show work in which they excel to their form tutor, a 'Show Form Tutor', or to the principal, a 'Show Principal'.
There are few formal rules and with the exception of expulsion or suspension, only one formal penalty known as 'chores' whereby girls collect dining room plates and litter during their lunch break. Otherwise discipline is dealt with on an ad-hoc basis, through dialogue with the girls, their tutors and parents. Academic failures are addressed by direct contact with parents and 'catch-up' sessions.
Uniform
Few rules have existed regarding school uniform, although girls had been required to wear a blazer up until the 1970s. Zealous fashion-consciousness amongst the girls and the occasional wearing of inappropriate items led to the introduction of a full uniform, for the first time, for the School (Years 7-9) in September 2011. In an attempt to avoid over-formality, it includes fitted jackets, round-neck sweaters, and optional berets or pashminas.Religious Affiliation
The College is Anglican in affiliation, stemming from its foundation under Christian Socialist F. D. Maurice. Half the principals since the College's inception have been vicars or canons of the Anglican Church. Today, the College is associated with the nearby All Souls Church at Langham Place, whose vicar is the school chaplain. Prayers are said daily in the hall (except on Thursday), and the year begins with the reading of a prayer written specially for the College by Maurice. Members of other faiths are welcomed and a weekly Jewish assembly takes place.Charity
The College's charity work was singled out in the most recent inspection as a prominent extra-curricular pursuit. Forms regularly raise money for chosen charities and present assemblies to the whole College on charitable causes. Charity cake sales take place in the main corridor almost weekly and other means of raising money are devised on a regular basis.Calendar
The three terms are named: Michaelmas, Hilary and Summer. At the end of the Hilary Term, Founder's Day takes place, when thanks is given for the foundation of the College at All Souls Church, Langham Place, which is also the location of the carol service at the end of the Michaelmas Term. The Summer Term closes with the Annual Gathering, when pupils continue the long tradition, begun in 1854, of lining the school corridor dressed all in white, accompanied by the staff in academic dressAcademic dress
Academic dress or academical dress is a traditional form of clothing for academic settings, primarily tertiary education, worn mainly by those that have been admitted to a university degree or hold a status that entitles them to assume them...
. The 'Visitor', the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
, or his representative, is introduced by form tutors and the Principal to every girl in the College from Class 1 upwards and selected representatives of Classes 2 and 3. The event is followed by the Principal's report to the governors, parents, staff and pupils on the academic year and an address from the Visitor. Each end of Term also features "Entertainments" when pupils perform their talents before the whole College in the Hall.
A notable event during the Summer Term is the five-day Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
trip, organised by the Classics Department for the whole of Class 3. Girls visit Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
, Roman forts, Durham and the Farne Isles. Other trips abroad or to London attractions, museums and theatres are organised regularly by departments.
Notable Alumnae
Known as Old Queens, alumnae have included many notable women over the school's history, including:
- Asma al-Assad, First Lady of Syria
- Gertrude BellGertrude BellGertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell, CBE was an English writer, traveller, political officer, administrator, and archaeologist who explored, mapped, and became highly influential to British imperial policy-making due to her extensive travels in Greater Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, and Arabia. Along...
(1884-6), archaeologist, cartologist, diplomat - Susannah ConstantineSusannah ConstantineSusannah Caroline Constantine is an English fashion journalist, advisor, television presenter, author and designer. Her second book, entitled What Not to Wear, has won her a prestigious British Book Award and sold 670,000 copies....
(1978), journalist, television presenter and fashion guru - Emma FreudEmma FreudEmma Vallencey Freud OBE is an English broadcaster and cultural commentator.-Early life:Emma Freud was born on 25 January 1962 and is the daughter of politician and broadcaster Sir Clement Freud and June Flewett. She is the great-granddaughter of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud...
(1973–80), broadcaster, member of the prominent Freud familyFreud familyThe family of Sigmund Freud, the pioneer of psychoanalysis, lived in Austria and Germany until the 1930s before emigrating to England, Canada and the United States... - Daisy GoodwinDaisy GoodwinDaisy Georgia Goodwin is an award-winning British television producer, poetry curator and best-selling novelist.Having attended Westminster School in London and Queen's College, London, Goodwin studied history at Trinity College, Cambridge and attended Columbia Film School before joining the BBC...
(1972-7), BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television producer - Katherine MansfieldKatherine MansfieldKathleen Mansfield Beauchamp Murry was a prominent modernist writer of short fiction who was born and brought up in colonial New Zealand and wrote under the pen name of Katherine Mansfield. Mansfield left for Great Britain in 1908 where she encountered Modernist writers such as D.H. Lawrence and...
(1903-6), poet and author - Professor Hermione LeeHermione LeeHermione Lee, CBE is President of Wolfson College, Oxford and was lately Goldsmiths' Professor of English Literature in the University of Oxford and Professorial Fellow of New College. She is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Society of Literature.-Biography:Hermione Lee grew up in...
(1963-5), biographer and Goldsmith Professor of English Literature, Oxford - Claudia RosencrantzClaudia RosencrantzClaudia Rosencrantz is a journalist and was the Controller of Entertainment for ITV for over ten years, and was responsible for commissioning some of ITV's biggest hits and changing the landscape of entertainment programming in the UK...
(1975-9), journalist, Controller of Entertainment, ITV, Commissioner of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a television game show which offers large cash prizes for correctly answering a series of multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty. The format is owned and licensed by Sony Pictures Television International. The maximum cash prize is one million pounds...
, X FactorThe X Factor (UK)The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
and I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here is a reality television game show series in which 8 to 15 celebrities live together in a jungle environment for a few weeks. They have no luxuries, and compete to win a cash prize...
, Director of Programming, Living TV, Director of Television, Virgin MediaVirgin MediaVirgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom... - Sofka SkipwithSofka SkipwithSofka Skipwith was a Russian émigrée to England who became a well known Communist after working for Laurence Olivier and being interned by the Nazis in France in World War II...
(Princess Sofka Dolgorouk), Russian émigré, Communist, political prisoner, recipient of British Hero of the HolocaustBritish Hero of the HolocaustThe British Hero of the Holocaust award is a special national award given by the UK government in recognition of British citizens who assisted in rescuing victims of the Holocaust. On 9 March 2010 it was awarded to 25 individuals posthumously, and to two living people, Sir Nicholas Winton aged 100,...
honour - Lady Soames Mary Churchill (1940), Chairman, Royal National Theatre Board and daughter of Winston ChurchillWinston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
- Diana Barnato WalkerDiana Barnato WalkerDiana Barnato Walker MBE FRAeS was an English aviatrix and horse rider, the first British woman to break the sound barrier.-Biography:...
(1928–34), author and aviatrix - Anna WintourAnna WintourAnna Wintour, OBE is the British-born editor-in-chief of American Vogue, a position she has held since 1988. With her trademark pageboy bob haircut and sunglasses, Wintour has become an institution throughout the fashion world, widely praised for her eye for fashion trends and her support for...
OBE (1960-3), editor-in-chief, Vogue magazine
Founded in 1891, the Old Queen's Society exists to connect former pupils with each other and the school. The first Honorary Secretary was Miss Frideswide Kekewich and the first President, Miss Ellen Howard.
Heads of Queen's College
style="font-size:100%;"- Principals
- Revd. F. D. Maurice (Chair of the Education Committee 1848-53)
- Revd. Richard Chenevix TrenchRichard Chenevix TrenchRichard Chenevix Trench was an Anglican archbishop and poet.-Life:He was born at Dublin, in Ireland, son of the Dublin writer Melesina Trench, his elder brother was Francis Chenevix Trench. He went to school at Harrow, and graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1829. In 1830 he visited Spain...
, Dean of Westminster (1853-54) - Revd. A. P. StanleyArthur Penrhyn StanleyArthur Penrhyn Stanley was an English churchman, Dean of Westminster, known as Dean Stanley. His position was that of a Broad Churchman and he was the author of works on Church History.-Life and times:...
(1863–1872) - Revd. J. LLewelyn Davies (1873–1874)
- Revd. Edward Hayes PlumptreEdward Hayes PlumptreEdward Hayes Plumptre was an English divine and scholar, and was born in London.-Life:This son of E.H. Plumptre was born in London. A scholar of University College, Oxford, he graduated with a double-first class degree in 1844. In the same year he was elected Fellow of Brasenose College. Married...
(1875–1879), theologian - Revd. J. Llewelyn Davies (1879–1886)
- Canon R. Elwyn (1886–1894)
- Revd. C. J. Robinson (1895–1898)
- Revd. T. W. Sharpe (1898–1903)
- Canon G. C. Bell (1904–1910)
- Sir Henry Craik (1911–1915)
- Revd. J. F. Kendall (1915–1918)
- Mr Joseph Edwards (1919–1931)
- Miss G. E. Holloway (1932–1940)
- Miss A. M. Kynaston (1940–1963)
- Mrs S Fierz (1964–1983)
- Mrs P. J. Fleming (1983–1990)
- Lady Goodhart (1991–1999)
- Miss Margaret Connell (1999–2009)
- Dr. Frances Ramsey (2009–Present)
- Deans
- Revd. C. G. Nicolay (1848-54)
- Rev. E. Plumptre (1854-75)
- Sir Henry Craik (1875-81)
- Mr H. G. Seeley (1881-1909)
- Mr Joseph Edwards (1909-1919)
- Revd. R. Bayne (1919-1922)
- Revd. T. W. Crafer (1922)
- Headmistresses of the School
- Miss Parry (1849-57)
- Miss Hay (1857-1893)
- Miss Palethorpe and Miss Wood (1893-1895)
- Miss Luard (1895-1907)
- Miss Teale (1907-1919)
- Position merged with Principal (1919)
Notable former members of staff
- Terry Bagg, poet
- Dorothea BealeDorothea BealeDorothea Beale LLD was a suffragist, educational reformer, author and Principal of the Cheltenham Ladies' College.Born in Bishopsgate, England, she was the founder of St Hilda's College, Oxford....
, suffragist and educational reformer - David BedfordDavid BedfordDavid Vickerman Bedford , was an English composer and musician. He wrote and played both popular and classical music....
, composer - Louisa Bovell-Sturge, pioneering female doctor
- Isidore Brasseur, tutor to the Prince of Wales
- Émile CammaertsÉmile CammaertsÉmile Leon Cammaerts was a Belgian poet.He became Professor of Belgian Studies at the University of London in 1933, and his papers are held there in Senate House Library....
, Belgian poet - John Pyke HullahJohn Pyke HullahJohn Pyke Hullah , English composer and teacher of music, was born at Worcester.He was a pupil of William Horsley from 1829, and entered the Royal Academy of Music in 1833...
, composer - Lady Kay-Shuttleworth
- Charles KingsleyCharles KingsleyCharles Kingsley was an English priest of the Church of England, university professor, historian and novelist, particularly associated with the West Country and northeast Hampshire.-Life and character:...
, author and social reformer - Revd. David Laing, chaplain and secretary of the Governesses' Benevolent Institution
- Fiona McIntosh, Olympian and former British number 1 fencer
- Tessa Millar, Olympic rower and coach
- Anne Smith, world record holder for running the mile in 4 minutes and 37 seconds in 1967
- Lady Henrietta Maria Stanley
- William Sterndale BennettWilliam Sterndale BennettSir William Sterndale Bennett was an English composer. He ranks as the most distinguished English composer of the Romantic school-Biography:...
, composer, Principal of the Royal Academy of Music - Ethel Truman, first woman to achieve a first in physics at London University
Secondary Sources
- Queen's College 1848-1948: Founded by Frederick Denison Maurice by Rosalie Glynn Grylls, London: George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1948.
- A History of Queen's College, London 1848-1972 by Elaine Kaye, London: Chatto and Windus, 1972.
- Queen's College: 150 Years and a New Century by Malcolm Billings, London: James & James, 2000.