In “Forks and Hope”, published in 1964, Elspeth Huxley travelled to several newly independent African countries, including Kenya. She records her visit to Alliance Girls’ High School after attending a graduation ceremony in Nairobi because many of the African female graduates would have received their earlier education in this school. She called the school “Kenya’s Benenden” in her chapter on “Nairobi”.
Edited by Ann Jessett (née Thompson), who taught English at Alliance Girls’ High School, Kenya, from January 1969 to December 1974.
Kenya’s Benenden
Alliance Girls’ High School
ISBN: 9781389479649
Paperback book
272 pages
I taught English at Alliance Girls’ High School from January 1969 to December 1974.
In my first term I asked the 3 alpha girls to write their autobiographies, which were so interesting that I kept them to make a collective, class one. I did start it in 1969 using a typewriter but in 2014 after many months re-reading, selecting, typing then re-reading again twenty nine autobiographies I know that I had no idea then how long it would take.
I’ve given contexts and commented in places but I’ve altered as little as possible of the autobiographies, so this book contains what you, “girls”, wrote in 1969.
I apologise most sincerely to you, who must now be grandmothers, even great-grandmothers. I hope you will agree that “it’s better late than never”.
I think this class autobiography should be read by your children and your grandchildren because it details hardships, determination and a frankness in your accounts which I’m sure would prove inspirational to all of them.