When speaking with many of our old girls during Reunion Weekend, so many of them mentioned that they still had their school badges – some even wore them on the day!

Our badges have changed through the years – from the first one in 1895 – at Eton High School through our time as the Church of England High School in 1910, the Church of England Girls School in 1928 and then finally St. Margaret’s Anglican Girls School 1986.

 The Link, 1917, published a description of our St. Margaret’s Badge –

“A shield of blue and silver on a hat. That’s the sign we show to the outside world. Blue, the colour of devotion, in work, in prayer and in love. Silver, that which has been tried by fire and found pure. Faithfulness and single heartedness shining out from the brown background of hard energetic work. This is the lesson of our colours.

On the top right hand corner is the Guild Cross, which reminds us of the great Sacrament from which we draw the strength for this life and work. It also tells us of the Sisterhood of the Sacred Advent and of how each member of the School is linked with the Sisters. In the left corner is the Bishop’s Mitre, showing our allegiance to him and the Church of England. Across the shield stretches the ‘bend’ on which stand our initial letters. This ‘bend’ symbolises strength and stability. Beneath the shield is our motto – Per Volar Su Nata – Born to soar upwards.

May every girl who passes through this School be proud and glad that she is privileged to wear this badge.”

Our house badges came into existence in a staggered fashion. Our first houses introduced by Sister Teresa in 1924 were Bede, Chaucer, Milton, Spenser and Tennyson.  Herrick and Lawson arrived in 1965 and Kendall in 1972. 

There have been other badges as well which have made an appearance through our history. The Pro-Prefect and Prefect pins, the present-day Prefect badges, the Old Girls Association badges, and the special badges created for our Centenary and Quasquicentennial.

How many do you still have??

 A special ‘thank you’ to the old girls who bought in photos and other memorabilia over the Reunion Weekend. Some were left as donations to the Archive Centre and some photos were lent to us so that they could be scanned and added to our collection.  Thank you!!

Per Volar Sunata

Mary Surtees
Archivist