Annie Kendall (Headmistress/Early advocate for girls’ education)

 

A Prize, A Pioneer, and a Forgotten Name: The Legacy of Annie Kendall and a Mysterious Student

Tucked inside a two-volume edition of The Life of Christ by Frederic William Farrar lies a modest bookplate that tells a story of achievement, ambition, and mystery. The inscription reads:

 The High School Plymouth 

Senior English Prize 

Gained by Catherine Square Smids (?) 1875 

Annie C Kendall 

Head Mistress 

 

Though faded and partially illegible, this prize volume offers a glimpse into the early days of girls’ education in Plymouth, UK and into the life of one of its most formidable champions, Miss Annie Kendall.

 

Annie Kendall: An Innovator in Girls’ Education

Appointed as the first Head Mistress of Plymouth High School for Girls in 1874, Annie Kendall was a visionary educator at a time when academic opportunities for girls were still limited. She demanded high standards and encouraged intellectual curiosity, setting the tone for a new era of learning.

She was described as “a remarkable woman of great culture and attractive appearance, always well-dressed.” Her piercing blue eyes, framed by thick wavy grey hair and a signature lace cap, were said to “look straight through you, though sometimes dancing with fun.” Progressive in her methods and firm in her discipline, Kendall stood out among her peers.

In contrast, Frances Gray who would later become the founding headmistress of St Paul’s Girls’ School in London recalled the staff at Plymouth High in 1878 as “tired looking mistresses in their thick serge, close-fitting, high-necked bodices, and long, dusty trains sweeping the floor.” Annie Kendall, it seems, was the exception.

 

Credentials and Contributions

Kendall’s academic credentials were impressive: she held a First Class Honours Higher Cambridge Local Certificate, a Bevet d’Aptitude from the Hôtel de Ville in Paris, and a Brevet de Capacité from the Sorbonne. She was also one of the eight founding members of the Head Mistress Association, a pioneering group that helped shape the future of girls’ education in Britain.

In 1886, she stepped down from her role at Plymouth High and founded Plymouth College for Girls on the Hoe, which continued until the outbreak of World War II.

 

The Enigma of Catherine Square Smids

The recipient of the prize book, Catherine Square Smids, remains a mystery. No records have yet surfaced to shed light on her life or academic journey. Was she a star pupil? A future educator? Or simply a bright young woman whose name has faded into history?

The spelling and structure of her name suggest Dutch or German origins, and a possible match—Anna Catharine Smid, born in Hannover in 1875 has been found in genealogical records. Whether this is the same person remains uncertain, but the possibility adds another layer of intrigue to the story.

 

A Bookplate as a Time Capsule

This prize volume is more than just a relic it’s a testament to the values of education, excellence, and empowerment. It captures a moment when girls were beginning to claim their place in academic life, guided by leaders like Annie Kendall and marked by achievements like Catherine’s.