MES Former Pupils' Guild
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.
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.
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.
Presidents of the Guild
MISS MASSON | 1884 - 1886 |
MRS STEEL | 1886 - 1888 |
MISS AIMERS | 1888 - 1894 |
MRS B J STEEL | 1894 - 1896 |
MISS AGNES JOHNSTON | 1896 - 1899 |
MISS 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 |
MRS GEORGINA S SPEARS | 1911 - 1913 |
MRS JEANNIE YOUNG | 1913 - 1914 |
MISS SARA MUNRO | 1914 - 1917 |
MISS MARGARET ROBERTSON | 1917 - 1919 |
MISS MARY G WILLIAMSON | 1919 - 1921 |
MISS MARY TWEEDIE | 1921 - 1923 |
MISS MARGARET B ROBERSTON | 1923 - 1925 |
MISS ELIZABETH K 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 RODGER PETTIGREW | 1936 - 1938 |
ETHEL M. McCUBBING | 1938 - 1941 |
ELIZABETH GLOVERe text | 1941 - 1943 |
JEAN GAULDIE | 1943 - 1945 |
JOANNE F. THOMSON (died in office) | 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 - 1959 |
GLADYS M. J. WRIGHT | 1959 - 1961 |
CATHERINE M. BURT | 1961 - 1963 |
CHRISTINA LUMSDEN | 1963 - 1965 |
ELIZABETH SOPHIA 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 - 2001 |
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 - |
Branch Clubs
Please contact our Guild Coordinator for more information on our Branch Clubs
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.
Please contact Sam Roger, our Guild Coordinator, in the first instance and we will put you in touch with other members from the Aberdeen area.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Sports Clubs
Information coming soon on our sports clubs including Golf, Hockey and Curling.
2019 Presidents Lunch