From the eminent Gandhian and freedom fighter Amrit Kaur, a student at Sherborne Girls from 1902-1905 who became the first female Health Minister of India, to the feted British biologist Rosa Beddington, whose career had a major impact on developmental biology, the exhibition brings together former students who helped shape history.
Former Sherborne Girls archivist Christine Stones, who recently returned to the school to talk about Amrit, said: “In a crumpled envelope in the archives we found the most incredible life. Amrit was one of Ghandi’s companions and secretaries for many years, and was imprisoned three times by the British for pushing for independence. She was a pioneer, a woman of real presence and importance – the first Christian woman in the Indian Cabinet, president of the World Health Assembly, and an example to us all.”
Headmistress Jenny Dwyer said: “In an age when celebrities are often held up as role models for young people, we are proud to have such inspiring old girls who made a profound difference. This exhibition is a celebration of their lives and what they stood for, from Amrit and Rosa through to more recent old girls such as the Kids Company founder Camila Batmanghelidjh. We are very grateful for the work of our archivists in piecing together all the details of their young lives at Sherborne Girls, and for helping to mount such a great exhibition.”
