Mary Broad

Mary Aylett Broad (13 December 1860 – 13 July 1942) was a British entrepreneur and Bournemouth headmistress. She founded Bournemouth High School for girls now known as Talbot Heath School.

Life Broad was born in Kennington in 1860. Her mother was Sarah Ann (née West) and Arthur Broad. She was the first of their twelve children of whom seven survived. Her father was a mercantile clerk. The school was called Bournemouth High School and it intended to supply a liberal education for reasonable fees to the daughters of the middle classes. Broad converted from a non-conformist to the Church of England at this time. Miss Thresher left in 1889 when she married and Mary Broad was left solely in charge.

Broad was known for doing what she thought was right ignoring criticism and tradition. Her pupils were taken on nature walks, they played hockey and cricket and they were taken on trips abroad. and the writer and film critic Dilys Powell. As Buss predicted there were no new substantive school buildings for twenty years.

Broad died in 1942 in Warrington.