A HISTORY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE 



It was resolved at a meeting of proprietors in May, 1879, that the com- 

 pany should register itself with limited liability under the Companies Acts, 

 and on 31 January, 1880, the college was duly incorporated. The new 

 constitution provided for a governing body of 24 members, of whom 18, 

 namely 12 men and 6 women, were to be elected by the shareholders, and 

 the remaining 6, each holding office for six years, were to be appointed by 

 (i) the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, (2) the Hebdomadal Council of the 

 University of Oxford, (3) the Council of the Senate of the University of 

 Cambridge, (4) the Senate of the University of London, (5) the Lady 

 Principal, and (6) the teachers. At that time the numbers were 469, and 

 with the kindergarten, 501. There were 10 boarding houses. In 1889 

 ' Eversleigh ' was opened as a boarding house, and Cambray House, the 

 original College, was bought by Miss Beale for 2,000, and started as a 

 boarding house and school for those waiting admission to the college. It was 

 enlarged in 1895, and two years later Miss Beale made over the property to 

 the Ladies' College by deed of gift, though it was arranged that she should 

 still continue there the school and boarding house. More boarding houses 

 were added in 1891. The limit of numbers was raised from 500 to 600, 

 which necessitated an extension of the college buildings. A new house for 

 the Principal was added, and the whole work was completed in 1894. 



Meanwhile, in 1892, Miss Beale bought Cowley House, Oxford, for 

 5,000, and opened it as a hall for women students from Cheltenham, under 

 the name of St. Hilda's Hall. Mrs. Burrows was appointed Principal, and the 

 hall was opened with 7 students in October, 1893. I* was enlarged in 1895, 

 and again in 1897, anc ^ i n I 9 I was amalgamated with St. Hilda's College, 

 Cheltenham, the name of the joint association being ' St. Hilda's Incorporated 

 College,' and to this Miss Beale has presented the Oxford property. Mr. John 

 Alexander Hay, of Cheltenham, in 1903 bequeathed 3,000 to the college for 

 exhibitions to St. Hilda's Hall. From this bequest an exhibition varying from 

 25 to 45 a year, and tenable for three years, is awarded annually. 



In 1902 the total number on the books reached 1,014, including ordi- 

 nary pupils, kindergarten pupils, foundationers of St. Hilda's, students in 

 the training department, and by-students, a euphonious term for girls staying 

 at school beyond the ordinary school age. 



Numberless honours have been gained by Cheltenham girls, and many 

 of the High Schools all over the country have chosen their head mistresses 

 and assistants from among them. In 1902 the University of Edinburgh 

 conferred on Miss Beale the honorary degree of LL.D, only once before given 

 to a woman, in recognition of her services to education and of the position 

 attained by the ladies' college. She died in November, 1906, leaving all 

 her money to the college, of which she had been Principal 48 years, having 

 raised it from a small and tottering establishment of some 70 pupils to the 

 vast and firm organization of over 1,000, which has been the model to so 

 many other foundations for girls' education. 



On 20 March, 1907, Miss Lilian Mary Faithfull, M.A. Dublin, Vice 

 Principal of the Women's Department, King's College, London, was elected 

 Principal. Miss Faithfull had been an exhibitioner at Somerville College, 

 Oxford, where she obtained a First Class in the Honours School of English 

 language and literature. 



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