It’s Our 150th Birthday!

Published by St Mary's Calne on Thursday 16th of March 2023

On 20th January 1873, St Mary’s Calne opened its doors to its first set of students, with just six Day Girls and three Boarders on the register.

The school's origins lie firmly in the local community of Calne. Its foundation in 1873 was the inspiration of the incumbent Vicar of Calne, The Reverend John Duncan, who had a keen interest in education. These founding nine students were daughters of local tradespeople and farming families.

With the support of others in Calne a school was opened on The Green, taking the name from the local church. Gradually, St Mary's expanded under its first superintendents and fellow founders, Miss Ellinor Gabriel and Mrs Penelope Murray. In 1907, St Mary’s moved to its present premises and, as numbers increased, boarding houses and new buildings were established.

Since then, the school has grown, developed and adapted to modern standards of education to become the school it is proud to be today – a warm and inviting home to around 360 students, mostly Boarders, living across seven boarding houses.

The 150th Anniversary is a wonderful opportunity to bring together all the communities, past and present, associated with St Mary's, and to celebrate 150 years of friendship, experiences, ambition, and positive social change for all those connected with us.

During the year, the school will be celebrating the people who have shaped the school over the past 150 years through three key themes – Educate, Celebrate and Connect. Our aim is to ensure the St Mary's Calne Community of parents, former parents, alumnae, staff, Governors and the local community are included in the celebration.

To find out more about the many ways we are celebrating the 150th Anniversary, please visit https://www.calneconnected.org/pages/150th-celebrations