Christchurch Girls' High School in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

, New Zealand, was established in 1877 and is the second oldest girls-only secondary school in the country, after

Otago Girls' High School , motto_translation = The Right Education Makes The Heart As Strong As Oak , type = State , grades = 9 - 13 , grades_label = Years , gender = Girls-only , established = ; years ago , address = 41 Tennyson Street ...

History

Christchurch Girls' High School was established in 1877, four years before Christchurch Boys' High School. The first headmistress was Mrs. Georgiana Ingle (a daughter of

Richard Deodatus Poulett-Harris Richard Deodatus Poulett-Harris (26 October 1817 – 23 December 1899) was an educationalist in England and Tasmania. Early life and education Harris was born on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, the eldest son of Captain Charles Poulett ...

and half-sister of

Lily Poulett-Harris Lily Poulett-Harris (2 September 1873 – 15 August 1897) was an Australian sportswoman and educationalist, notable for being the founder and captain of the first Women's cricket team in Australia. Poulett-Harris continued to play until forced ...

). The second principal

Helen Connon Helen Connon ( 1860 – 22 February 1903) was an educational pioneer from Christchurch, New Zealand. She was the first woman in the British Empire to receive a university degree with honours. Early life Connon was born in Melbourne, in 1859 o ...

(later Helen Macmillan Brown) is better known as she was the first woman in any British university to gain an Honours degree. The school's original building on

Cranmer Square Cranmer Square is an urban park in central Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located northwest of the city's centre, Cathedral Square. The major arterial route of Montreal Street skirts the edge of the square. The square (actually a rectangle) is ...

, which was renamed the

Cranmer Centre The Cranmer Centre (originally: Christchurch Girls' High School) was a historic building in Christchurch, New Zealand. Its original use, until 1986, was as the Christchurch Girls' High School, the second high school for girls in the country. Regi ...

, features prominently in the 1994 film ''

Heavenly Creatures ''Heavenly Creatures'' is a 1994 New Zealand biographical psychological drama film directed by Peter Jackson, from a screenplay he co-wrote with his partner, Fran Walsh, and starring Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey in their feature film debuts ...

'' based on the 1954 Parker–Hulme murder case involving two students. The school featured in national and international news in 1972 when two students led a "walkout" from school assembly to protest against the inclusion of religion in school morning assemblies. At the time, schools in New Zealand were supposed to be secular but this was largely ignored and students were usually told to bring a note from their parents if they wanted to opt out of the religious component of school assemblies. In June 2020, students complained that posters they had put up promoting the

Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...

movement were removed without adequate explanation. Students reported that some staff had said the posters could damage the walls, but that other posters were allowed to remain, while the staff member who took the posters down reportedly said it was because "all lives matter". The incident followed similar complaints at two other New Zealand schools, where students had alleged racist motivations for removing posters. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, commenting on the issues across the three schools, said that the matters were for schools to deal with, but she did not discourage the students' actions, while Massey University sociologist Paul Spoonley said it was censorship and appeared to be "institutional racism – racism that has come from the school itself".

Present day

Christchurch Girls' High School, known to many as Girls' High or CGHS, provides boarding facilities for 95 students from years 9 to 13 at Acland House, located 20–30 minutes walk away from school. The school stands by the Avon River, on a site it has occupied since 1986. Previously, the area was occupied by a mill that was first built in 1861 by William Derisley Wood, which became known as the Riccarton Mill. The February

2011 Christchurch earthquake A major earthquake occurred in Christchurch on Tuesday 22 February 2011 at 12:51 p.m. local time (23:51 UTC, 21 February). The () earthquake struck the entire of the Canterbury region in the South Island, centred south-east ...

had a large impact on the school: it caused extensive damage to the current site; the old Cranmer Centre site was damaged so badly that it was later demolished – and the school's principal at the time, Prue Taylor, lost her husband Brian in the CTV Building collapse. CGHS was the first school to go into lock down during the Christchurch mosque shootings at approximately 1:52pm on 15 March 2019. The current principal is Christine O'Neill, who started the role in July 2019. Pauline Duthie, previous principal of the school, held the role from 2014 to March 2019 and left to be a principal at Columba College in Dunedin.

Notable alumnae

Ursula Bethell Mary Ursula Bethell (pseudonym, Evelyn Hayes; 6 October 1874 – 15 January 1945), was a New Zealand social worker and poet. She settled at the age of 50 at Rise Cottage on the Cashmere, New Zealand, Cashmere Hills near Christchurch, with her co ...

(1874–1945), poet and social worker *

Alice Candy Alice Muriel Flora Candy (9 July 1888 – 18 May 1977) was a New Zealand teacher, academic and historian. Born in West Oxford, New Zealand on 9 July 1888, Candy attended Christchurch Girls' High School and got a Junior Scholarship. She earned ...

(1888–1977), academic and second woman lecturer at Canterbury College *

Eileen Fairbairn Eileen Fairbairn (27 June 1893 – 9 August 1981) was a New Zealand teacher and geographer who pioneered the teaching of modern geography in New Zealand secondary schools. Biography Fairbairn was born in Dunedin, New Zealand on 27 June 1893. ...

(1893–1981), teacher and geographer *

Ivy Fife Ivy Grace Fife (1903–1976), born Ivy Grace Hofmeister, was a New Zealand painter based in Christchurch and Canterbury. Known for her portraits, her work also includes landscapes and is reflective of life in Canterbury and the South Island of N ...

(1905–1976), painter *

Marama Fox Marama Kahu Fox is a former New Zealand politician who was elected to the New Zealand parliament at the 2014 general election as a representative of the Māori Party. Following her election to parliament, she was named Māori Party co-leader al ...

, politician and co-leader of the Māori Party *

Ruth France Helena Ruth France (née Henderson; 12 June 1913 – 19 August 1968) was a New Zealand librarian, poet and novelist. Early life and education France was born in Leithfield, North Canterbury, New Zealand in 1913, the daughter of Francis and Hele ...

(1913–1968), novelist and poet *

Helen Gibson Helen Gibson (born Rose August Wegner; August 27, 1892 – October 10, 1977) was an American film actress, vaudeville performer, radio performer, film producer, trick rider, and rodeo performer; and is considered to be the first American profess ...

(1868–1938), founder of

Rangi Ruru Girls' School Rangi Ruru Girls' School is a New Zealand private girls' day and boarding secondary school located in Merivale, an inner suburb of Christchurch. The school is affiliated to the Presbyterian Church, and serves approximately girls from Years 7 ...

Mary Gibson Mary Victoria Gibson (28 October 1864 – 1 September 1929) was a New Zealand teacher and school principal. Born in Lyttelton in 1864 soon after her mother came to New Zealand, her father was Frederick Denhame Gibson, a port officer in Lyttelto ...

(1864–1929), Principal of CGHS for thirty years * Edith Searle Grossmann (1863–1931), writer and teacher * Stella Henderson (1871–1926), first woman Parliamentary reporter for a major New Zealand newspaper *

Elizabeth Herriott Elizabeth Maude Herriott (1882 – 13 March 1936) was a New Zealand scientist and academic. She was the first woman appointed to the permanent teaching staff at Canterbury College, now the University of Canterbury. Education Herriott was born i ...

(1882–1936), academic and first woman lecturer at Canterbury College *

Margaret Lorimer Margaret Lorimer (9 June 1866 – 29 October 1954) was a New Zealand school principal and mountaineer. Early life and education She was born in Inverness, Scotland and moved to Lyttelton, New Zealand with her family in 1874. She attende ...

(1866–1954), mountaineer and Principal of

Nelson College for Girls , motto_translation = Loyalty, honesty and wisdom , type = State secondary, day and boarding , established = 1883; years ago , address = Trafalgar St , city = Nels ...

for twenty years *

Elsie Low Elsie Low (later Dohrmann; 25 July 1875 – 14 February 1909), was a New Zealand botanist, teacher and temperance campaigner. Early life and education Low was born in Horndon on the Hill, Essex, England on 25 July 1875. She was the youngest of ...

(1875–1909), temperance campaigner *

Pauline Parker Pauline may refer to: Religion *An adjective referring to St Paul the Apostle or a follower of his doctrines *An adjective referring to St Paul of Thebes, also called St Paul the First Hermit *An adjective referring to the Paulines, various relig ...

(born 1938), convicted murderer *

Edna Pengelly Edna Pengelly (5 July 1874 – 20 August 1959) was a New Zealand teacher, civilian and military nurse, matron. She was born in Canada in 1874 and came to New Zealand as a child. She attended primary schools in Waddington and Annat. She then ...

(1874–1959), teacher, civilian and military nurse * Anne Perry (born 1938 as Juliet Hulme), English author and convicted murderer * Christabel Robinson (1898–1988) *

Myrtle Simpson Myrtle Lillias Simpson (née Emslie; born around 1930) is a Scottish skier and the tenth woman to receive the Polar Medal. She has been called the "mother of Scottish skiing". She was the first woman to ski across Greenland on an unsupported expe ...

(1905–1981) *

Gwen Somerset Gwendolen Lucy Somerset (née Alley, 16 November 1894 – 31 October 1988) was a New Zealand teacher, adult education director, educationalist and writer. Early life Somerset was born in Springfield, New Zealand in 1895. She was the second o ...

(1894–1988), adult educator and writer *

Lucy Spoors Lucy Spoors (born 24 December 1990) is a New Zealand rower. She is a 2019 world champion winning the women's eight title at the 2019 World Rowing Championships. Private life Spoors was born in 1990. She received her secondary education at Chri ...

(born 1990), Olympic rower * Phoebe Spoors (born 1993), Olympic rower *

Joyce Watson Elizabeth Joyce Watson (born 1955) is a Welsh Labour politician who has been a Member of the Senedd (MS) for Mid and West Wales since 2007. Career Watson was educated at Manorbier School, Cosheston School and Cardigan Comprehensive before goin ...

(1918–2015) *

Fay Weldon Fay Weldon CBE, FRSL (born Franklin Birkinshaw; 22 September 1931 – 4 January 2023) was an English author, essayist and playwright. Over the course of her 55-year writing career, she published 31 novels, including ''Puffball'' (1980), '' The ...

, (born 1931), English author

Notable staff

* Catherine Alexander (1863–1928), first known woman to publish a paper in the Royal Society Te Apārangi's Transactions * Kate Edger (1857–1935), first woman university graduate in New Zealand * Emily Foster (1842–1897) *

Christina Henderson Christina Kirk Henderson (15 August 1861 – 27 September 1953) was a New Zealand teacher, feminist, prohibitionist, social reformer and editor. Early life Henderson was born in Emerald Hill, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 15 August 186 ...

(1861–1953) *

Leila Hurle Leila Agnes Sophie Hurle (5 June 1901 – 24 February 1989) was a New Zealand principal and senior school inspector. She was born in New Plymouth, New Zealand on 5 June 1901. She is buried at Te Henui Cemetery in New Plymouth. As a high school ...

(1901–1989) *

Stephanie Young Stephanie Young-Brehm is an American voice actress and singer primarily known for her voice-over work in English-language dubs for Japanese anime. Her best-known roles include Nico Robin in the Funimation dub of ''One Piece'', Arachne in '' S ...

(1890–1983) *

(1875–1909)

References

External links

School websiteEducation Review Office (ERO) reports

at Geocities.com {{Authority control Educational institutions established in 1877 Boarding schools in New Zealand Girls' schools in New Zealand Secondary schools in Christchurch 1877 establishments in New Zealand Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia