Gertrude McCroben (1863–1933) was a pioneering educator and Headmistress of Wakefield Girls’ High School. She introduced new approaches to teaching, championed sport, art, music and science, and helped shape educational thinking beyond Wakefield.
Gertrude McCroben’s Early Life and Education
Gertrude was born in Bradford on 30 March 1863 to Edward Ripley McRoben and Sarah (née Hesslegrave).
She attended Bradford Grammar School for Girls and, at the age of 17, received distinctions for her essays in English Literature.
Building on this early promise, Gertrude then attended Newnham College, Cambridge, and gained Triple Honours in Mathematics.
Hoping to share her love of learning, Gertrude became a teacher and took a position at Manchester School for Girls, where she taught a varied curriculum.
Headmistress of Wakefield Girls’ High School
In 1894, aged 31, Gertrude became Headmistress of Wakefield Girls’ High School, where she would make her most meaningful contributions to local and national education.
Gertrude was instrumental in introducing sport to the district’s curriculum, but also placed a groundbreaking emphasis on teaching art, music and science.
She was keen to reward excellence and regularly held prize-giving and community-inclusive events.
Gertrude McCroben and Educational Reform
At the age of 43, Gertrude was well known enough to be among a select group of educators chosen as part of the Mosely Commission’s mandate to reform UK education.
As part of that effort, she journeyed to New York in the United States to observe the teaching styles being used and explore how they might be adapted to British education.
Gertrude retired from her position as Headmistress in 1921 but continued as an inspector for many of her remaining years. She died on 25 July 1933 in Richmond, London. Her legacy endures as a leading example of holistic education.
Gertrude McCroben’s Wakefield Blue Plaque
Gertrude is Number 3 in our campaign for Blue Plaque Parity.
We unveiled Gertrude’s blue plaque for International Women’s Day 2019 as part of the theatre production Difficult Women? at the Mechanics’ Theatre.
Gertrude McCroben Broadsheets
Find out all about Gertrude and her work in education with our free PDF broadsheets below.
Press and Further Information
Yorkshire Post: Meet the Yorkshire group fighting for blue plaque parity for men and women
Pontefract & Castleford Express: Fight to honour extraordinary women who forged the city of Wakefield