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Link to Marsden School

In 1878 Mary Ann Swainson, recently widowed (with five children under ten) opened a small school in Fitzherbert Terrace to educate her own children, and those of her country friends. She built No 20 Fitzherbert Terrace (now a motorway) and as her school grew she rented other houses. There were small boarders and there were boys. Amongst her students she had the children of Harry Beauchamp , including Kathleen (better known as Katherine Mansfield), the daughters of the Williams family of Hawkes Bay and the Taylor girls (friends of Charlotte Bronte).

Boarding fees were £21, and education for a daygirl was £4. Extras such as music, dancing, drawing and French, like today, cost more. There was nothing in particular except a straw boater with blue and green striped hat band to identify the students of Fitzherbert Terrace School

In 1897 the school passed into the hands of Mrs Swainson’s daughter Mary, and then in 1907 it was sold to Miss Baber.

Esther Mary Baber had taught briefly at FTS under Mrs Swainson, and had opened a school of her own (Pipitea Street School). She was a highly educated woman with an MA from Canterbury University and a determination to offer a sound education to send her "gels" equipped to face the changing world of the twentieth century. A parallel course of study was offered to those who wanted to matriculate, and to those who didn’t. A wide variety of subjects were offered, and sporting activities were not forgotten.

Miss Baber’s school prospered. In 1907 she had 47 pupils, by 1920 she had 193. The physical limits of the School were being stretched and demands of running such a school were taking their toll on the Headmistress, so in 1920 Miss Baber sold her school to The Church of England. The Synod of the Diocese of Wellington gave their new school the name Samuel Marsden Collegiate School for Girls and set about planning new buildings for it in Karori on 10 acres of land given to the Church by the Riddiford Brothers.

Two buildings were planned – a hostel and a school block designed by Mr E. C. Luttrell of Christchurch. The buildings grew rapidly and so did the roll, so much so that in 1925, before the school was officially opened, girls were coming up from Thorndon by tram for lessons.

The school was opened by Sir Charles Ferguson in 1926 and before long “green frogs” were part of the Karori community, although some primary school students remained in Thorndon until 1930. Buildings grew on the site to cope with the new subjects offered and the new students – the Founders’ Hall, a new storey on the school block, a swimming pool, the annexe and Mrs Cooper’s residence was bought for the Lower School pupils. The war slowed the building progress and trenches were dug on the Karori Road frontage in case of emergencies.

An integral part of the life of the School were the Boarders, and they probably had a major impact on Karori and it on them. From 1926 until the 1980s the Boarders worshipped at St Mary’s. At quarter to seven every Sunday night a green crocodile would appear out of the gloom, cross the road and take up position on one side of the Church. They swelled the congregation, listened quietly, if not attentively and probably did not add much to the collection.

The links with St Mary’s were not only as a congregation. In the 1930s before the Founders’ Hall was complete, gym lessons were held in the Parish Hall, until recently the School dances were held in there also, the Vicar took on duties as School Chaplain (and taught Divinity lessons), girls sang in the Church choir and senior girls took Sunday School. Parish fairs were a source of finance for the Parish and food for the Boarders. There is lovely description in the School History of the 1930 Parish Bazaar…
“There was a mighty wind and behold Marsden rushed the sweet stall. A host of green locusts and all was desolate.” *

While Sundays were for church-going (amongst other things) Saturdays were when the Boarders got into the village. In the 1950s and 60s Saturday walks were the order of the day and regardless of weather untidy lines of girls struggled up Johnson’s Hill, Wrights Hill, down to the cemetery, to the Botanical Gardens, Otari, Karori Park or just down to Benburn Park. On the way back they queued tidily outside Mr Mac’s dairy to spend their 6d on lollies.

The late sixties saw major developments on the Karori site which seem to have been continuous since. The Southern Teaching Wing was completed in 1969, followed by the gym, Clere House and the Chapel in 1975; the Founders’ Hall was demolished when it became an earthquake risk and was replaced by the current Hall and Music Block, the Lower School was extended in 1987, the Gymnasium refitted and the Intermediate area refurbished with a large activities room in 1989, the Athfield designed Senior School and new Library in 1994, the Lower School was replaced in 1999, the Science Laboratories were renewed and extended in 2000, and most recently the Will Chapman Green – an all weather Astroturf, was opened on the Marsden Avenue boundary of the school. It is an ever-changing site, and many an old girl initially gets confused on her return.

Karori connections are important to the School. Community spirit is part of the School’s Christian philosophy. There has been a long connection with Sprott House, with Homewood, with Rotary. The choirs are always singing somewhere in the community. Like community, family is an important part of the School’s philosophy. Many generations of girls have attended the School, many parents have taught and served on the various Boards, and many Old Girls have returned to teach. In the early days Mrs Swainson was very reliant on her Old Girls to help her provide quality education. Three of the School’s ten Principals have been past pupils, and today there are nine old girls on the staff.

As the School reaches its 125th birthday it is well aware of the strong women (and men) who have led it, the strong and diverse young women it has and continues to launch into society and the strong community that has supported it.

* Murray, Tosti. Marsden. The History of a New Zealand School for Girls. Wellington, Marsden Old Girls’ Association, 1967. pp155