Miss Elizabeth Diggory

It is with great sadness that we inform you that Miss Elizabeth Diggory, formerly Head of Manchester High School for Girls, passed away peacefully on Saturday evening, 17th March 2007, surrounded by her family.

Miss Diggory was the Head Mistress at Manchester High School for Girls, from 1994 to 1998.

During her time at Manchester High, Miss Diggory focussed on promoting the development of the School, both in buildings and in curriculum, as well as providing “facilities and education befitting the 21st century.” 

She saw the future of the school as promoting educational opportunities for young women in the spirit of its founders – that is providing academic education to all girls regardless of financial, social, religious or ethnic background. 

Miss Diggory brought her own personality to the School, in being good fun to work with, whilst being a charismatic figurehead. She was particularly interested in the sixth form, hoping to see it grow in size & scope. 

As a child, she failed the 11-plus and though her parents paid for her to go to school in Shrewsbury, she managed one A at A-level, in History, and took what she described as “undistinguished  Ds and Es in Geography and French”.

Nonetheless, she had a distinguished career in education, becoming Head Mistress of St Albans High School for Girls and president of the Girls’ Schools Association prior to 1994, and moving South in 1998 to St Paul’s Girls’ School.

Miss Diggory was a vocal campaigner for single-sex education, arguing that girls and boys develop at different rates and respond to different methods of teaching.  Single-sex schooling, she maintained, helped girls to find their own voice, free of the sort of pressures to conform to “feminine” stereotypes imposed on them by boys.

She was always keen to emphasise that education was about more than passing exams.  A thoughtful, committed teacher of great personal conviction, she had a genuine belief in young people, and fostered in them high standards and expectations.

Before she left Manchester High School, she gave the girls the following words of guidance: “Be proud of your School.  Contribute whatever you can to the community.  Take full advantage of the opportunities you have now and in the future.”

On her retirement last year, Miss Diggory planned to take a gap year – a road trip in America, then the Silk Road.  However, three months after she retired, the breast cancer that was first diagnosed in 1991, returned. 

Elizabeth Diggory was unmarried.