Alumnae
The Old Collegiate Girls’ Guild (OCGG) is an association of past pupils of Collegiate Girls’ High School.
The OCGG was founded in 1910. Its chief aim is the cultivation of friendship among former pupils of Collegiate and the maintenance of their active interest in the school and its current pupils.
All girls who have left the Junior and Senior schools, provided they attended the high school for at least two years, are eligible for membership. Girls who spent only their Matric year at Collegiate are also eligible.
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Old Girls’ Committee
| President | Louise Erasmus, CGHS Principal |
| Vice President / Bursary Secretary / Archives Assistant | Patricia Bransby (née Mellon) |
| Treasurer | Claire Loyson (née Chowles) |
| Secretary | Nicola Unwin (née Peters) |
| CGHS Representative / Minuting Secretary | Shelly-Anne Arthur (née Wakeford) |
| CJS Representative | Siobhan Day |
| Archives | Faith Biggs |
| Events | Suzanne Fincham (née Schoeman) |
| Events Assistant | Kim Comley (née Johnson) |
| Committee Members | Shelley van Rooyen CJS Principal |
| Jenny Yates | |
| Gaynor Berry (née Lake) | |
| Rosemary von Wildemann (née Cocks) | |
| Catherine Waudby (née Bransby) | |
| Chelley-Anne Heyneke (née Richards) | |
| Arwen Bowman | |
| Claire Phelps (née Charlton-Perkins) | |
| Malindré King (née Gerber) | |
| Rachel Heyneke | |
| Annie A. Kamya | |
| Kate Comley |
Latest alumnae news
A tribute to Ms Linda Louise Swain
heartfelt tribute to Linda-Louise Swain - It is with deep sadness and heartfelt gratitude that we remember a remarkable member of the Collegiate community, Linda-Louise Swain, an Old Girl of the Class of 1977.
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OCGG SENIORS' TEA
The OCGG Seniors' Tea is an annual celebration of memories old and new. A special highlight was the presence of Mrs Thelma Beveridge from the Class of 1947 whose legacy and grace reminded everyone of the enduring spirit of the College. With more than 70 Old Girls joining the gathering, the event was one of the most warmly supported moments on the OCGG calendar. It was a testament to the lasting bonds formed at a school of excellence, where friendships flourish long after the final school bell rings.
“Reunions remind us that no matter how far we roam, the moments and people who shaped us remain close to the heart.”
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Aletta Rochat (née Brune), Class of 1978: International President of Toastmasters International
Please forward any news, updates or photos to be shared with the Collegiate community to heatherd@cghs.co.za. We would love to hear from you!
Honouring the memory of Pam Ellis
Donate to the school’s Collegia Trust Legacy Project, please. Your contributions will help fund your choice of academic or performing arts development (scholarships and facilities). The proposed Music Centre, designed by Millennia Architects, will be situated behind the gym hall, between the tennis and squash courts. It will provide rehearsal rooms for the bands, choir and various ensembles, as well as individual and class teaching rooms. It has also been designed in such a way that a second-floor auditorium and drama and dance studios can be added in a second phase. Visit these sites to find out more:
https://www.collegiatehigh.co.za/advancement-and-development/2024-legacy-and-fundraising-project
https://www.collegiatehigh.co.za/advancement-and-development/music-centre
May 2026: A great evening, with superb decor and delicious food , was enjoyed by all at the annual OCGG Reunion dinner. Old Girls, from various year groups, travelled from far and wide to reminisce and celebrate their school memories
The OCGG Seniors' Tea was held in March 2026. It was a morning of laughter, camaraderie and memories old and new. The earliest matric Old Girl, Mrs Thelma Beveridge, from the class of 1947, also joined us for the morning. It was a well-supported event on the OCGG calendar with a turnout of over 70 past Girls of the College
In September, 2025, a small OCGG reunion lunch was held in Sydney ,Australia at the home of Sandy Mace (Formo). The front row includes Sandy Mace (Formo) 1986, Gail Cunningham (Gatley) 1974 and Bronwyn Greager (Rowe) 1993. The back row includes Judith Pretorius (Invernizzi) 1988, Kim McEwan (surname kept) 1996 and Alicja Blackburn (Agopsowic) 1988.
SOME RECOLLECTIONS OF MY COLLEGIATE DAYS (An extract taken from Margaret Parkes’ (neé Fraser) book
“A Memoir for my Sons” published in 2013)
Started at the Junior Collegiate School for Girls boarding school, Port Elizabeth, in January 1937. The school was opposite the Grand Hotel in Belmont Terrace and the newly opened boarding house was Nahoon on Park Drive, run by Mr & Mrs Hops.
In 1938, in my first year of senior school, I was sent to Collegiate School for Girls in Bird Street, Port Elizbeth. I took Domestic Science in the senior school – neither science nor maths. I was in St Michael’s House and we were only allowed two hot baths a week and cold baths on the remaining five days of the week.
Meals were taken in the dining room with the Headmistress at her table in the centre of the room and each week a different group of girls would sit at her table moving down one place each day so that she had a different couple of girls sitting next to her at the head table. We had to change every evening for supper and our Headmistress at the time was Miss Tilley, followed by Miss Brock, who always wore a long dress to the evening meal. We did study in the classrooms in the late afternoon and again in the evening.
At boarding school we all had tuck boxes which looked like paraffin tins and perhaps some were made from paraffin tins.
Once a term we had leave-out and your hostess had to write a letter to the headmistress inviting you out. This would be read out at evening prayers.
I went to my first school dance in Standard 8, which was held once a year together with Grey High School pupils. We had to parade our frocks before the dance for inspection by the housemistress to make sure that they conformed. We were only allowed to wear white dresses with sleeves and the only colour decoration was silver.
Margaret Parkes (neé Fraser)
