Annie Walsh Memorial School

The Annie Walsh Memorial School is an all-girls secondary school in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was established in 1849 originally in Charlotte, a newly established village for recaptives. It is claimed to be the oldest girls school in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the years, the school has consistently outperformed its peers in terms of academic achievement. The school's principal is currently Ophelia Morrison (née Barber).

School history

The first school open for girls in Freetown was the school of Sarah Hartwig, but this school had been temporary.

Annie Walsh Memorial School was named after an Irish or English girl whose dream was to become a missionary to Africa. Unfortunately Annie Walsh died in a tragic accident at the age of 20. Annie Walsh's last few days are described in 'Dear Annie: A Brief Memorial' published for private circulation and undated. On 19 January 1855 she returned from a week in Bath. On 23 January she went, with her father, to a meeting of the Irish Church Missions, despite having the symptoms of a cold. On 24 and 25 January she remained in bed, apparently because of the cold. On 27 January a doctor was called. The next day, Sunday, inflammation of the lungs was apparent. Leeches were applied and again on Monday. On that Monday morning she spoke with her parents - 'that conversation had all the air of a final interview between friends that parting for longish voyage'. She died at 4.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 31 January 1855. Her parents provided substantial funding for the school when it was started, by the Church Missionary Society, which ultimately became the Annie Walsh Memorial School. The present location is a new location as the school quickly outgrew its original building.

Past principals

• Miss Julia Sass (1849–1869)
• Mrs. Caiger (1869–1870)
• Ms. Caspari, (1875-1878)
• Ms. Bisset (1894-1917)
• Miss Winifred Hamblet (19**-1930)
• Miss Pole (1930–1954)
• Miss Colebeck (1954–1961)
• Mrs. Lati Hyde-Forster (1961–1975)
• Mrs. Europa Wilson-Agwu (1975–1985)
• Madame Gracie Williams (1985–1995)
• Mrs A. C. Roberts (1995-2005)

House system

The school is divided into six houses, named after the first principals.

• Dunkley - [Red]
• Sass - [Blue]
• Pole - [Green]
• Caspari - [Yellow]
• Hamblet - [Pink]
• Bissett - [Purple]

Notable alumni

• Zainab Bangura: Foreign Minister of Sierra Leone, and founder of Campaign for Good Governance
• Hannah Benka-Coker: educator; founder of Freetown Secondary School for Girls (FSSG) in 1926
• Sara Forbes Bonetta: African Princess and Queen Victoria's (England) goddaughter
• Irene Ighodaro: first female medical doctor in West Africa
• Sia Koroma: First Lady of Sierra Leone
• Nemata Majeks-Walker, women's rights activist
• Lati Hyde-Forster: first female graduate of Fourah Bay College,
• Yema Lucilda Hunter, née Caulker: author and retired WHO Librarian
• Jeillo Edwards: actress
• Stella Thomas: lawyer
• Nkechi Agwu: mathematician
• Chidi Blyden: foreign policy advisor

See also

• Sarah Hartwig (missionary)

External links

• Annie Walsh Memorial School Old Girls Association
• Annie Walsh Old Girls Association UK Branch