Christina Smith Montgomery

Christina Smith Montgomery (March 21, 1870 – August 27, 1965) was a Scottish born Australian headmistress. She was the founding head of Melbourne Girls' High School which became the Mac.Robertson Girls' High School.

Life Montgomery was born in Kelso in the Scottish Borders where she gained a love for classical studies at Kelso Grammar School. When she was a teenager, her parents William and Janet (born Smith) emigrated. Christina and her sister, Margaret, renewed their education in Melbourne at Cambridge Street State School where they became pupil-teachers. Together they studied at Melbourne Teachers' College from 1891 where they both won prizes. Christina went on to the University of Melbourne where she graduated in 1897. She gained a Master's degree in 1900. and it had begun to employ women graduates. Montgomery was one of the first.

Tate noticed the Junior teacher, Montgomery, had respect from her classes despite her small size, but she had to wait to find promotion.

Sybil Llewelyn was appointed as head in 1933 when the school moved again, In 1934 the school re-opened in new buildings as the Mac.Robertson Girls' High School in 1934 with Mary Hutton as head.

Montgomery enjoyed a long retirement. She travelled and in 1950 her well illustrated travel book, Recaptured in Tranquility, was published which included her accounts of her travels and essays. Montgomery died in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton.