Commemoration Day
In 1922 Miss Whyte introduced another important event into school life, Commemoration, which perhaps surprisingly was held in June when the school had opened in September. This was because Miss Whyte chose to commemorate the date Queen Elizabeth I donated land and property to Kettering to finance a grammar school. The decree was made on June 15 1577 and Commemoration was held on the Saturday nearest that date.
Southfield School for Girls
The High School moved to new purpose built premises in Lewis Road in 1964 and in 1976 became a comprehensive school, Southfield School for Girls.
Kettering High School Old Girls' Association
The first meeting of the Old Girls' Association, known initially as the Old Girls' Club, was held in the School on 28th July 1915. The first Committee had 11 members, including the Head Mistress, members of Staff and the Head Girl; in addition to old girls, membership was open to Lady Governors, Staff and Sixth Formers. Today the Association has over 100 members. All 14 members of the present committee are old girls. An annual lunch and a summer outing enable members to keep in touch. 2013 saw the centenary of the opening of the school and the Association held will not be holding extra events to celebrate.
Hillside History
Hillside at 10 Headlands was purchased in 1917 for £1,800 from the Misses Worter to provide additional space due to an influx of pupils. The Misses Worter had previously operated a school from this building.
It was initially the ‘junior’ department where girls aged 8years+ could attend. There was a flat at Hillside for the use of the Headmistress and Miss Whyte and Miss Woodrow both lived there, the rooms being offered to them as part of their salary package, rent and rates free.
After the Second World War, Hillside was used as overflow classrooms for various forms.
Hillside pictured in 2024 but looking much the same as it did in the early years when it was used as part of the school. The house had been built in the 1880s but became a school early on.
The house is now converted to offices. The garden has inevitably been converted into a car park.
"In 1952 I was in the 5th form which was based at Hillside where Miss Woodrow lived in a flat upstairs. A corridor ran in front of her front door, leading to a room where apples were laid out for storage purposes. Some 5th formers used to creep up the stairs, pass her front door to the apple storage room and help themselves to an apple to prove they had been there."
(From a pupil who wishes to remain anonymous to avoid repercussions! 1948—1953).
High School Bowling Green Road 1913
A view of the school in 1913 with scaffolding still in place. Although Manor House field is now gardens and bullocks are no longer herded down Bowling Green Road, the wall with the slots in it is still there and the building is basically externally unchanged (2024).
Lewis Road History
The Lewis Road building opened in 1964 with 4 floors in the main block linked by ‘the bridge’ to the hall, gym, sixth form suite, offices, kitchens and dining room.
An aerial photograph of the Lewis Road site shortly after opening in 1964 looking towards Pytchley Road.
Miss Edith Bristol - Headmistress 1913 - 1920
Miss Bristol was the first headmistress of Kettering High School for Girls. She was a native of Yorkshire and had been educated at King Edward’s Grammar School, Birmingham and Birmingham High School. She then attended Westfields College, London where she gained her MA with first Class honours in history.
She came to Kettering following working as senior history mistress at the Girls High School in Glasgow and was responsible for training teachers. Her starting salary at the High School was £300 per year rising to £400 by the time she left.
She was a personal friend of Mr J I Scott the head of the Grammar school which led to an harmonious atmosphere on the founding of the joint schools.
At the end of her contract in 1920 she left to become Headmistress of Loughborough High School.
Former pupils describe her as small and energetic who was very strict.
She obviously had fond memories of the school as she returned on several occasions to attend reunions of ‘old girls’.
She was instrumental in setting up the Guide company at the school and became the first Guide Captain.
She returned on a number of occasions to join in celebrations at the school including the 50th anniversary of the school opening where she is pictured (below) proudly wearing her Guide badge.
Miss Janet Whyte - Headmistress 1920 - 1945
Miss Whyte succeeded Miss Bristol as headmistress. She was a softly spoken Scot who read classics at Newnham college, Cambridge followed by a teaching career in Bristol, Darlington and Montreal. She beat 54 other applicants to get the job as headmistress. Her starting salary was £400 a year with rent and rates free accommodation provided at Hillside.
She established many of the High School traditions during her 25 years as headmistress.
When she became headmistress, the school had 270 pupils but the numbers increased gradually each year until there were 437 by the time she retired.
She would attend morning prayers wearing her university gown. She actually had to pay a fee to become an honorary member of Dublin university because Newnham College did not permit the wearing of gowns in those days and she felt a bit out of place when all the other staff had a gown and hood to wear.
Some of the traditions she established include the annual carol service, she introduced the ‘house’ system and Commemoration, which began as an open-air tea party but became a programme lasting for 3 days.
She became very involved in other organisations including the Headmistresses Association, the Caledonian Society and was a member of the Social Service League.
Miss Joyce Woodrow: Headmistress 1945-1972
Miss Woodrow read modern languages at St Hugh’s College, Oxford. She then taught at schools in southern Britain before becoming Senior Language Mistress at Bristol High School.
She moved to Kettering in 1946 and lived in a flat in ‘Hillside’ in the Headlands.
She was keen on tradition and the school continued as before. Like her predecessors she always wore her university gown for morning assembly but seemed to constantly have trouble with the hood staying on her shoulders.
She was a quiet steely woman who earned respect from all the pupils and staff.
Towards the end of her time at the High School Miss Woodrow’s health was poor and she finally retired in July 1972, celebrating with a dinner for former and existing staff.
Miss Eileen Lake: Headmistress 1972—1985
Miss Lake took over as Headteacher after Miss Woodrow’s retirement in September 1972.
Miss Lake had been educated at Cambridge and went to university in London. She had taught in a British Forces boarding school in Germany, a Malaysian student teacher training college in the Midlands and a college in Edinburgh. She came to Kettering following a 4-year spell as an education lecturer at Keele University.
The end of the grammar school system was on the horizon.
She introduced staff meetings, parents’ meetings and committees to review various aspects of school life. She also introduced curriculum analysis, a statistical assessment of the use of school staff resources. Some of the school traditions were updated, which were not always well received.
Miss Lake left in 1985 and at that time summarised in detail her time at the school (both the High School and Southfield) and it is clear from her notes that her aim on arrival in 1972 was to prepare the school for both the Comprehensive system that was shortly to be introduced but also to cope with socially changing times.
It must have often seemed an uphill struggle!
Two of the original staff at Kettering High School
Miss Charlotte Butcher
Miss Charlotte was known as Miss Butcher to avoid confusion with her sister, Miss Edith who was known as Miss Baskerville. Charlotte was disabled, walked with two sticks and wore a surgical boot and some sort of calliper. She wore a long wrap around skirt which covered up the calliper. She made her way from her home in Station Road to Bowling Green Road each day in a hand propelled wheelchair with Edith walking alongside.
She taught English and Scripture and was active outside school running a young men’s Bible class. The family were very active in the life of St Peter & St Paul Parish Church.
Miss Charlotte had an accident and retired in 1933 when the Station Road school closed, and the family moved to Queensberry Road. She died in 1942.
Miss Edith Baskerville
Miss Baskerville was sister to Miss Butcher. Miss Baskerville became a music teacher at Bowling Green Road following working with her sister at their own school in Station Road.
She was instrumental in introducing the Carol Service to Kettering High School.
100th Anniversary Celebrations
To celebrate the centenary of the founding of Kettering High School in 1913, the Old Girls' Association organised an exhibition at the Manor House Museum. As part of this they appealed to former pupils to record their memories. We have used many of their memories in the newly published book "Memories of Kettering High School 1913-1975" which is available to purchase from the Chair. Please see details of committee members' emails on the home page. Click Here
A get together was organised at the Manor House Museum and many ‘old girls’ met to view the exhibition and reminisce.
As well as the exhibition there was a celebratory lunch held at Southfield School (formerly the High School) in October 2013.
The flower bed in The Manor House gardens next to the Alfred East Gallery was planted up for the occasion with the High School badge.
Pictured above are members of the Kettering High School Old Girls' Association with the Deputy Mayor Duncan Bain.