The Annie Walsh Memorial School is an all-girls secondary school in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was established in 1849 originally in Charlotte, a newly established village for recaptives. It is claimed to be the oldest girls school in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the years, the school has consistently outperformed its peers in terms of academic achievement, making it the most prestigious secondary school for girls in Sierra Leone. The school's Principal is currently Mrs OPhelia Morrison.
School history
Annie Walsh Memorial School was named after an Irish or English girl whose dream was to become a missionary to Africa. Unfortunately Annie Walsh died in a tragic accident at the age of 20. Annie Walsh's last few days are described in 'Dear Annie: A Brief Memorial' published for private circulation and undated. On 19 January 1855 she returned from a week in Bath. On 23 January she went, with her father, to a meeting of the Irish Church Missions, despite having the symptoms of a cold. On 24 and 25 January she remained in bed, apparently because of the cold. On 27 January a doctor was called. The next day, Sunday, inflammation of the lungs was apparent. Leeches were applied and again on Monday. On that Monday morning she spoke with her parents - 'that conversation had all the air of a final interview between friends that parting for longish voyage'. She died at 4.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 31 January 1855. Her parents provided substantial funding for the school when it was started, by the Church Missionary Society, which ultimately became the Annie Walsh Memorial School. The present location is a new location as the school quickly outgrew its original building.
Maisie Osora, the English born wife of a Sierra Leonean Anglican clergyman, co-founder of Freetown Secondary School for Girls in 1926
Yema Lucilda Hunter, nee Caulker: author and retired WHO Librarian
Daphne Pratt nee Barlatt: poet and playwright; Head Teacher of a number of schools including The International School Ltd., and retired as the first principal of Limount College
Ethel Ashwood: Founder Red Lion Bakery
Rev Victoria Gladys Wilson-Cole: first female graduate from the Evangelical College of Theology, 1995, B.A Theology - Christian Education. First female missionary assigned from 1999 to 2005 by the Wesleyan Church of Freetown Provional district, to start the first Wesleyan in Dakar Senegal. First African to gain BA honor giving the student speech in International Business Administration in 2010 and double MBA - Healthcare Management and Environmental Management from the Colorado Heights University Denver Colorado USA in 2012
Rachel P Coker nee Caulker First female Sierra Leonean Justice of the Peace; AWMS teacher & boarding mistress
Filomena Chioma Steady Professor at Wellesley College, USA, and the author of numerous books
Nyamacoro Sarata Silla Head nurse for the International Medical Corps’ Ebola response programme, health and women's rights lobbyist and activist, poet, commentator
Gladys Adeyomi Ernestine Rosenior nee Johnson Mother of celebrated professional Footballer Leroy Rosenior and Grandmother of Liam Rosenior
