St Hilda's Alumnae Association/St Hilda's College Council

On 5 June 1897 a group of alumnae decided that there were now enough graduates of St Hilda’s College (namely 22) to form an alumnae association. The first official meeting of the St Hilda’s College Alumnae Association (SHCAA) took place on 17 November 1897. The objectives of the association set out at that meeting were to assist (1) in placing the College on a self-supporting basis, (2) in acquiring a suitable building for the College, (3) in providing a scholarship fund, (4) in fostering among graduates a spirit of interest in College affairs. It was also agreed that women who had been students at the College would be eligible to be associate members of the association. The annual fee was to be 50 cents (June 1898) but it was also urged that members donate one book a year to the library and in 1900 the association agreed to furnish one room in the new building which opened in 1938. The association’s constitution was revised many times over the years as it developed more and more activities. The association was represented in various other organizations and was active in raising funds through its own social activities (eg teas, lectures, art shows) and through support for the general activities of Trinity College. During the war the association was deeply involved in support of the St. Hilda’s School (Whitby England) which had been evacuated to Canada in 1940. In 1921 the St Hilda’s College Council was created to deal with of the work of the executive committee but in 1965 that council was dissolved and its activities reverted to the SHCAA (see series 2). In June 1981 it was proposed that the St Hilda’s Board of Trustees (whose function was to deal with monies specifically linked to St Hilda’s) be more formally constituted. The SHCAA remained active during subsequent decades but as of 2016 it is dormant.

07/08/2019