Meriden, An Anglican School for Girls is an independent, Anglican, day school for girls, located in Strathfield, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Founded in 1897 by Mrs Jane Monckton, the school has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 850 students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12.

Meriden is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Girls’ Schools (AHIGS),[1] the Alliance of Girls Schools Australia,[2] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),[3] and the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA).[4]
History

Meriden was founded by Jane (Jeannie) Monckton in 1897, at Agnes Street, Strathfield. Monckton had decided to home school her two sons due to a lack of suitable educational facilities for boys in the Strathfield area. Friends and neighbours clamoured to have their children join the two boys under her instruction, and so it was decided to establish Meriden, a school with approximately 19 students and two staff to assist. Boarding facilities were available and fees for tuition were from 1 ½ guineas ($3.15) to 2 guineas per quarter for the regular curriculum, which included English, French, Latin, Mathematics, Australian History, Music, Needlework and Dancing.[5]
Meriden, c.1920-1945

In 1907, Meriden moved to Woodward Avenue, where it was sold to Bertha Turner in 1908. Turner continued at Woodward avenue until larger premises could be found near Santa Sabina College on the Boulevarde, moving again soon after to its current location in the original Redmire Estate, on Redmyre Road. The school expanded in 1914 with the purchase two properties, The Briars, located adjacent to Meriden, and the original site at Redmyre Road.[5]

In 1918, following the 1916 changes to Department of Education requirements, Turner approached the Sydney Church of England Girls’ Grammar School (S.C.E.G.G.S) in Darlinghurst with the concept of amalgamation. Further negotiations were however prevented due to financial commitments, and the S.C.E.G.G.S council suggested that a group of local church people might be interested.[5] The first school uniform and the school logo were introduced in 1921, and in 1922 the Meriden flag was presented by the Old Girls’ Union.[5]

As Turner’s health deteriorated, there was a suspicion that the school might close, and subsequently a group of local people met to discuss the future of Meriden. It was agreed that a Council should manage the school, and debentures were sold in order to obtain the necessary finance. The original home, Wariora, of which was owned by Turner, was not included in this transfer but remained her property. On her death, Wariora was transferred to her brother, who sold it on to the gardener and his wife, who in turn ran it as a boarding house. This property was eventually purchased by Meriden.[5]
Meriden, view from Redmyre Road

After Turner’s death, Grace Overy was appointed by the Council as the new Headmistress. In 1927, sports practice was carried out at the cow pastures in the grounds of a ruined mansion named Milroy in Broughton Road, Strathfield. The end of this decade saw a growing and profitable school.[5]

In 1942, Meriden temporarily became the home of two schools as the Presbyterian Ladies’ College (P.L.C), from the nearby suburb of Croydon, was occupied by the Royal Australian Air Force for the purpose of establishing a top secret Radar Unit. Meriden offered to accommodate the P.L.C boarders and the school’s singing, domestic science, and physical education classes. In spite of the apparent happy relationship between the two schools, the P.L.C Principal, recommended that further integration between the two school’s should not proceed, and thus at the end of 1942, Meriden indicated that they could no longer house the P.L.C boarders.[6]

In 1979, as with numerous other schools at the time, Meriden closed its boarding facility due to a steady decline in enrolments.[7]
[edit] Principals
Period Details[1]
1897 – 1908 Mrs Jeannie Monckton, Founder
1908 – 1925 Miss Bertha Turner
1926 – 1940 Miss Grace Overy
1941 – 1957 Miss Elsie Hannam
1958 Acting Principal – Miss Eleanor Colborn
1959 – 1961 Miss Evelyn James
1961 – 1965 Miss Joy Fox
1966 – 1984 Miss Sheila Morton
1985 – 2002 Mrs Denise Thomas
2003 – 2006 Mrs Carolyn Blanden
2006 Acting Principal – Mrs Denise Thomas
2007 – Present Dr Julie Greenhalgh
[edit] School crest

Meriden’s crest was designed by the school’s art teacher, Mr Albert Collins, in 1921. The crest features Meriden’s motto of Semper Fidelis (translated from Latin as “always faithful”), together with a representation of the lilies of Parnassus. In ancient Greece, Mount Parnassus was regarded as the mountain sacred to the muses and the centre of the earth. The muses were said to preside over the realm of learning, with each having a special province, such as poetry, science or history.[8]
[edit] House system

Meriden school currently has four houses:

Warwick (Yellow)
Cumberland (Blue)
Kent (Green)
Sussex (Red)

Each year, the students are to vote for their new captain (Year 11 student). Supporting their house captain are the positions of sports captain, arts captain and service captain.

Through the house system, students participate in inter-house sporting and non-sporting competitions in order to gain points for their house. The house with the most points at the end of the school years is awarded the Wallis Cup.[9]
[edit] Notable alumnae

Public Service

Elizabeth Broderick – Sex Discrimination Commissioner and former partner and head of legal technology at Blake Dawson Waldron[10]

Academic

Silma Ihram – Muslim Advocate, Founder of the Noor Al Houda Islamic College (also attended Presbyterian Ladies’ College)

Business

Julia Marion King (née Moufarrige) – Director of Opera Australia; Current Director of Servcorp Ltd, Fairfax Media, and Carla Zampatti Pty Ltd; Former Chief Executive of Louis Vuitton Australia, Executive Chair of Retail Cube, Country Road Clothing, Australian National Railways etc. (also attended SCEGGS Darlinghurst)[11]

Entertainment, media and the arts

Desmonde Florence Downing – Stage designer[12]
Kellie Hoggart – Member of Australia’s Hi-5 group
Chrissie Rose – Former co-host of television program Girl TV (also attended Presbyterian Ladies’ College, MLC School and Reddam House)
Nadia Wheatley – Writer
Sarah Monahan – actress on Hey Dad..!
Natalie Tran- Community Channel

Medicine and science

John Nelson Sevier – Physician (also attended Sydney Church of England Grammar School)[13]

Sport

Danielle LeRay – Olympic Rhythmic Gymnast- Sydney 2000
Naazmi Johnston – Olympic Rhythmic Gymnast- Beijing 2008 and Commonwealth Games Gymnast- 2010 (2 time gold medalist)

[edit] Associated schools

Meriden’s ‘brother school’ is Trinity Grammar School at Summer Hill, an Anglican Day and Boarding School for Boys.

Every year, Meriden hosts an “Interact Dance”. Participating schools are often Santa Sabina College, MLC School, Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney, Trinity Grammar School at Summer Hill, Newington College and St Patrick’s College, Strathfield.