Miss Mary Rose Bateman, Headmistress of The Perse School for Girls from January 1981 to March 1989, sadly passed away on 8 September 2021 at the age of 86

When she joined us in January 1981, Miss Bateman was immediately drawn into the celebrations of our Centenary year. With characteristic energy and enthusiasm she threw herself into all the attendant activities and occasions and very quickly became one of us.

It was, indeed, her exceptional capacity for positive action and tireless participation which were to become the hallmark of her time at Stephen Perse. In July 1985, by 9 o’clock in the morning, after a serious fire had effectively removed from use a considerable percentage of teaching space, Miss Bateman had workable contingency measures ready and was assuring the local press that this was no tragedy, but temporary inconvenience, and we are sure that at that time, plans for the new building were already forming in her mind!

The building project was ambitious and inspiring, and, once again the Headmistress herself led the project and entered wholeheartedly into an exhausting programme of meetings and fundraising activities as well as day-to-day attention to the progress of the plans.

It was with a similar positive response that Miss Bateman met every challenge from a break-down of the heating system to the introduction of GCSE.

It seemed to those watching her, that she packed more than 24 hours into her day and still she found time to read a very great deal and to indulge her love for the operas of Wagner and for foreign travel.

Our sincere condolences go to Miss Bateman’s family and friends at this sad time.