The Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) was founded in 1872 by four pioneering women, Mrs Maria Grey, her sister Miss Emily Shirreff, Lady Stanley of Alderley and Miss Mary Gurney. They believed that girls should be entitled to the same academic education as their brothers. At that time, girls of means were educated either at home or at the ladies’ academies, where the focus was more on accomplishments than academics.
Miss Mary Gurney
Founder
One of the four founders of the Girls’ Day School Trust, along with Mrs Maria Grey, Miss Emily Shirreff and Lady Stanley of Alderley, and a British educationalist.
Emily Shirreff
Founder
One of the four founders of the Girls’ Day School Trust, along with her sister Mrs Maria Grey, Lady Stanley of Alderley and Miss Mary Gurney. Emily Shirreff was a pioneer in the movement for the higher education of women and the development of the Froebelian principles in England.
Lady Stanley of Alderley
Founder
One of the four founders of the Girls’ Day School Trust, along with Mrs Maria Grey, Miss Emily Shirreff and Miss Mary Gurney. Lady Stanley of Alderley was a British Canadian-born political hostess and campaigner for the education of women in England.
Mrs Maria Grey
Founder
One of the four founders of the Girls’ Day School Trust, along with her sister Miss Emily Shirreff, Lady Stanley of Alderley and Miss Mary Gurney. Maria Grey went on to be a campaigner for votes for women and and a number of GDST girls grew up to be active in the Suffragist and Suffragette movements.
After a public meeting at the Royal Albert Hall in June 1872, the founders launched The Girls’ Public Day School Company, selling shares to raise the funds to open girls’ schools. In January 1873 the first school opened in Chelsea, with many more to follow. The founders wanted a GDST education to be accessible to able girls, whatever their background, and offered scholarships from the outset. This principle is still fundamental to the GDST today and we provide financial assistance (means-tested bursaries) to approximately 1,100 girls every year.
One of the founders, Maria Grey, went on to be a campaigner for votes for women. And a number of GDST girls grew up to be active in the Suffragist and Suffragette movements.
Enshrined from the GDST’s early beginnings, the pioneering principles of breadth, fearlessness, inclusiveness and developing the individual to achieve her potential – the GDST spirit – live on across our 26 schools over 150 years later.
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