Mary Alger

Mary Jemima Alger (4 February 1838 – 17 March 1894) was a British headmistress. She was the founding head for three schools started by the Girls' Public Day School Company at Clapham, Sheffield and Dulwich. She had no formal academic qualifications but she created and ran three successful schools when girls were first being offered high school education.

Life Alger was born on 4 February 1838 at Diss, Norfolk, she was one of several daughters of John Alger, a corn merchant, and his wife Jemima (born Goldworth). Her only brother was the journalist John Goldworth Alger. Her brother went to school and he was writing for the Norfolk News at age sixteen. She had a varied private education and she taught in private schools. She became the first headmistress of the Girls' Public Day School Company (GPDSC) (later Trust) fifth school at Clapham when she was 37. The GPDSC was transforming education for girls in Britain and Alger became one the trusts major assets, despite lacking the formal academic training of other heads.

In 1878 she was moved to Sheffield taking with her Miss E.Woodhouse. The Sheffield High School thrived and Miss Woodhouse was left there as head as Alger was again moved the same year to another school planned by the company for Dulwich. She enjoyed thanks from the Sheffield students but it is Woodhouse who is usually credited as the first head.