Withington Girls’ School: 1889 – 1921 | The Marion Project

[Information on this page could not have been gathered without the considerable help of Hannah Brown, WGS Archivist, for which we are extremely grateful.]

Although in the late 1880’s there were plenty of Day and Boarding schools for boys, at 12, ageing out of the primary schools, such was not the case for girls. And there were no schools which would carry on the ideas of Frobel and Pestalozzi. So, in the late 1880’s, Louisa joined with others to create such a school, and took on the position of Secretary for the founding Governing Board of the new school, Withington Girls’ School; she remained a Governor until her death in 1936, a total of 47 years.

As shown by the Committee minutes below, while there were a large number of people keen to see a school for girls age 12 to 18 established in Withington, six of those present were directed to undertake the task, carefully chosen for their influence, resources and proven ability.

C.P. Scott, Editor of the Manchester Guardian newspaper
Caroline Herford, Head Mistress of Lady Barn House School
Henry Simon, of engineering Henry Simon Ltd and a major supporter of education
Emily Simon, wife of Henry and a passionate advocate for girls education
Aldolphus Ward, history professor, later principal, Owens College, Manchester
Louisa Lejeune

From its founding in 1890 there was a close connection between Withington Girls’ School and the Lejeune and Enke families. Louisa Lejeune stayed engaged with the school for the balance of her life. Each of Louisa Lejeune’s five daughters (Franziska, Marion, Juliet, Helene and Caroline) were students at different times, the twin Enke girls (Paula and Adeline) were also students, and so was Ruth Enke, daughter of Marion Lejeune, granddaughter of Louisa Lejeune and niece to both Paula and Adeline Enke. Isabel Alice Lunt, a close friend of Franziska and Marion, was a classmate; she later married Peter (Enke) Armstrong, the elder brother of Max Enke who married Marion Lejeune.

Date	Event
1889	Decision made to seek to establish a school for girls; Louisa Lejeune one of the founders
1890	WGS founded and opened Twins Paula and Adeline (Ady) Enke admitted, as was Isabel Alice Lunt in Michaelmas Term
1891	Form IV: Franziska Lejeune, Marion Lejeune and Isabel Lunt
1892	Form III Lower: Juliet Lejeune
1894	Helene Lejeune
1894	Franziska Lejeune is Lacrosse Captain
1895	Marion Lejeune is 2nd Cricket Captain
1897	Marion Lejeune is 2nd Cricket Captain
1898	Marion Lejeune is Hockey Captain
1899	Marion Lejeune is Hockey Captain
1900	Helene Lejeune is Hockey Captain
1904	Franziska and Helene Lejeune appear as cast members in a July performance of “Done On Both Sides”
1906-07	– July 1906: Juliet Lejeune passed Ling’s First Certificate (for free standing exercises) – December 1906: Juliet Lejeune gained the Higher Certificate of the National Froebel Union May 1907: Juliet Lejeune gained the Board of Education Certificate for Physiology and Hygiene, Stage I
1907	Newsletter snippet reports that Marion is sailing on October 4th for Canada (Quebec City initially) where she will be married to Max Enke after which she will travel to her future home on Galiano Island, BC
1910	Form IVA: Caroline Lejeune admitted
1914	Caroline Lejeune and Carol Simons win the Lancashire Lawn Tennis Shield for W.G.S.
1915	Caroline Lejeune and Carol Simons win the Lancashire Lawn Tennis Shield for W.G.S.
1919	Form I: Ruth Enke admitted
1919-20	School reports about Ruth Enke for December 1919, Spring, Summer and Autumn 1920 terms, and Spring, 1921
1921	Ruth Enke plays Una in “Gloriana”
1929	Newsletter reports that Ruth Enke is a home student at Oxford reading English
1935-36	The 1935-36 newsletter reports the passing of J.L. Lejeune, the last of the Foundation Governors.