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Our Story: The Former Pupils Guild 1884 - present

One evening in December 1884, a small group of young women met in the home of one of them at 57 Albany Street to form an Association which has grown from these modest beginnings, to a membership of over three thousand scattered throughout the world.

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They appointed a committee and declared their aims which were:

  • To encourage united work and a feeling of sympathy.
  • To urge members to undertake a definite course.
  • To inform of ways in which they could assist others.

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As the idea of higher education for girls was novel and stimulating, it is not surprising that "a definite course of study" to be pursued after schooldays was such a serious aim of these early former pupils. An annual Social was soon an established and popular event. The intention had been to confine membership to those who had been pupils at The Edinburgh Educational Institution between 1870 and 1876 but the infant Guild found that” it was in danger of dying of exclusiveness” and with some misgivings, it opened its doors in1891 to all who had attended the Edinburgh Ladies College, as the Institution had been renamed.

To celebrate its Jubilee in 1935, the Guild held a ball, a luncheon and a service of thanksgiving in St. Giles. In 1984, the Guild celebrated its Centenary with a series of events designed to involve as many members as possible, and to strengthen the links with the School and the Merchant Company. These included the Annual Dinner, an Informal Evening at Gladstone’s Land with a concert of music from Mary Erskine’s day, a large attendance at Founders’ Day Service and the handing over by their President of the Heather Garden, the Guild’s gift to the School. The Summer Reunion at Ravelston, the Mary Erskine Memorial Service at Greyfriars and a Tea Party at the North British Hotel attracted large numbers.

Branch Clubs

Please contact our Guild Coordinator for more information on our Branch Clubs.

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The Aberdeen branch are actively looking for new members and we would be delighted to hear from you if you live in the Aberdeen area.

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Nancy Noble presides over a lively bunch of FPs who meet up several times each year to represent the Borders, most often for lunch in Galashiels. 

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The Highland branch is a firmly established branch, meeting up for lunch in Inverness in the spring and the autumn. Sheila Crosbie organises the venue with help from the Guild Office for publicising the events.

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Tayside Branch still has a President and Secretary and holds an AGM and Annual Dinner as well as a number of informal lunches throughout the year.

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Venues are mostly in either Perth or Dundee. Now firmly established, this group targets the 25-60 age group and offers the chance for working FPs to network in an informal setting. Quarterly events alternate between lunch in the city centre and evening functions. Please register your email address with the Guild Office if you would like to be put on our mailing list.

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A small group which meets up twice a year for lunch. Sheila Booth would love to hear from other MES FPs in the Manchester area so that she can pass on details of the events. 

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Sports Clubs

Information coming soon on our sports clubs including Golf, Hockey and Curling.

 Guild Presidents

  • MISS MASSON.                       1884 - 1886

  • MRS STEEL                               1886 - 1888

  • MISS AIMERS                           1888 - 1894

  • MRS B J STEEL                       1894 - 1896

  • AGNES JOHNSTON              1896 - 1899

  • ELIZABETH ANDERSON     1899 - 1901

  • MISS AGNES JOHNSTON  1901 - 1903

  • MRS ISABELLA H POLE      1903 - 1905

  • MRS ALICE M ASHER           1905 - 1907

  • MISS HELEN BOWACK        1907 - 1909

  • MISS JANE DARLING           1909 - 1911

  • GEORGINA S SPEARS         1911 - 1913

  • MRS JEANNIE YOUNG        1913 - 1914

  • MISS SARA MUNRO             1914 - 1917

  • MARGARET ROBERTSON 1917 - 1919

  • MARY G WILLIAMSON         1919 - 1921

  • MISS MARY TWEEDIE          1921 - 1923

  • MARGARET ROBERSTON 1923 - 1925

  • ELIZABETH ROBERTSON  1925 - 1927

  • MRS CECIL BARTLEMAN   1927 - 1928

  • MRS EFFIE BALLANTINE    1928 - 1930

  • DR MARIAN ERSKINE          1930 - 1932

  • MISS LENIE WILKIE               1932 - 1934

  • BEATRICE CAMPBELL         1934 - 1936

  • JESSIE R. PETTIGREW         1936 -1938

  • ETHEL M. McCUBBING        1938 - 1941

  • ELIZABETH GLOVER            1941 - 1943

  • JEAN GAULDIE                       1943 - 1945

  • JOANNE F. THOMSON*       1945 - 1947

  • WINIFRED M. SIMPSON      1947 - 1949

  • ANNE REDMAN                      1949 - 1951

  • JANET L. BORTHWICK        1951 - 1953

  • M. J. HOWAT                             1953 - 1955

  • MARY C. LINDSAY                 1955 - 1957

  • BARBARA M. HENDERSON   1957 - 59

  • GLADYS M. J. WRIGHT        1959 - 1961

  • CATHERINE M. BURT           1961 - 1963

  • CHRISTINA LUMSDEN        1963 - 1965

  • ELIZABETH S McEWAN      1965 - 1967

  • CAROLINE BATT                    1967 - 1969

  • JESSIE WILLIAMSON           1969 - 1971

  • MARY AMBROSE                   1971 - 1973

  • MARGARET HUME                1973 - 1975

  • MARY PARNABY                    1975 - 1977

  • MONA SMITH.                          1977 - 1979

  • ANNE WILSON                        1979 - 1981

  • JOAN W. BASSETT                1981 - 1983

  • JOAN PAPE                              1983 - 1985

  • SYBIL BLAIR                             1985 - 1987

  • CHRISTINE PEGGIE              1987 - 1989

  • EDITH MARTIN                        1989 - 1991

  • AUDREY LAWRENCE          1991 - 1994

  • ANNE EVERETT                      1994 - 1995

  • ALYSON K. RINTOUL            1995 - 1997

  • SHONA FORREST                 1997 - 1999

  • CHRISTINE COLLINGWOOD 1999 - 01 

  • LYN MITCHELL                        2001 - 2003

  • OLIVE SKINNER                     2003 - 2006

  • PAT TULLOCH                         2006 - 2008

  • NOËL PROVEN                       2008 - 2010

  • MARGARET ALLAN              2010 - 2012

  • SUSAN MURRAY                   2012 - 2015

  • RACHEL SNEDDON             2015 - 2018

  • CLAIRE CUNNINGHAM       2018 - 2023

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*died in office. 

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