Freda Howitt Gwilliam (1907–1987) was a British educationist concerned about the education of girls and women in the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

. She was referred to as the "Great Aunt of British Colonial Education".

Life

left, Gwilliam and the Hong Kong Council of Women of the YWCA, 19 October 1953 left, Gwilliam at Tanjong Katong Girls' School Singapore's newly opened English Girls School in 1954 Gwilliam was born in Feltham in 1907. Her parents were Kate Elizabeth (born Howitt) and Frederick William Gwilliam. Her father was a prison governor. She left Rochester Girl's Grammar School to read history at Girton College in Cambridge. She graduated in 1929 with an honours degree and went to teach at Falmouth county high school and then at

Francis Holland School Francis Holland School is the name of three separate private day schools for girls in central London, England, governed by the Francis Holland (Church of England) Schools Trust. The schools are located at Clarence Gate (near Regent's Park ...

for girls. In 1936 she became a lecturer in

Chichester Chichester ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in the Chichester District, Chichester district of West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher ...

at Bishop Otter Teachers' Training College. Five years later, in 1941, she went to lead Brighton Training College. Space was at a premium and some of the colleges lessons were held in the

Royal Pavilion The Royal Pavilion (also known as the Brighton Pavilion) and surrounding gardens is a Grade I listed former royal residence located in Brighton, England. Beginning in 1787, it was built in three stages as a seaside retreat for George, Prince o ...

. In 1947 she gave up being a college principal to work at Britain's

Colonial Office The Colonial Office was a government department of the Kingdom of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom, first created in 1768 from the Southern Department to deal with colonial affairs in North America (particularly the Thirteen Colo ...

in a newly created role of "woman educational adviser". She worked for Sir

Christopher Cox Charles Christopher Cox (born October 16, 1952) is an American attorney and politician who served as chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a 17-year Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the United States House ...

and it was her job to travel around the huge British Empire to meet Directors of Education to find out about the education of women and girls. She wrote one of her early reports with Margaret Read about the education of women and girls education in

Nyasaland Nyasaland () was a British protectorate in Africa that was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Between 1953 and 1963, Nyasaland was part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. After ...

. In the 1950s she guest lectured at

UCL Institute of Education The UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is the faculty of education and society of University College London (UCL). It specialises in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and is one of UCL's University College London#Facultie ...

. When she was not touring the empire she interviewed women for key roles in education. She joined a large number of voluntary organisations including the executive committee of

Voluntary Service Overseas VSO is a not-for-profit international development organization charity with a vision for "a fair world for everyone" and a mission to "create lasting change through volunteering". VSO delivers development impact through a blended volunteer model c ...

in 1963, which in time she chaired. In 1966 her 1954

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

was upgraded to a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in the

Birthday Honours list The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning monarch's official birthday in each realm by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are p ...

. She retired in 1970 as Deputy Chief Education Adviser to the Minister in the Ministry of Overseas Development, but she returned in 1972 to join the Pearce Commission which was tasked with deciding whether the newly proposed constitution for Rhodesia was acceptable. She was the only woman on the large team. Gwilliam died in her home in Feltham in 1987. She known as the "Great Aunt of British Colonial Education".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gwilliam, Freda Howitt 1907 births 1987 deaths category:People from Feltham Alumni of Girton College, Cambridge Members of the Order of the British Empire British civil servants