The tradition of gifting a birthday hyacinth has taken place for over 50 years, since 1967, and has been passed from Miss Scott (Headmistress until 1967) who started the tradition on her retirement, to Miss Graham-Campbell and then to Miss Tice and Miss Milne.

Katie Milne says: “Miss Rosemary Tice, former Deputy Head of Senior School, Head of Geography and School Examination Officer, and I are delighted to present blue hyacinth bulbs to mark the 141st birthday of the Stephen Perse Foundation. The tradition of former staff members bringing hyacinths to school on 17 January dates back many years and it allows everyone associated with the Foundation to reflect on the school’s rich history. The last two years have been particularly notable and it is wonderful, on the occasion of this birthday, to celebrate the outstanding success with which the Foundation met the challenges of the pandemic. We offer our congratulations on this achievement and also on the award of East Anglia Independent Secondary School of the Decade and, most recently, an excellent report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate. As the Cambridge Junior School community settles into its new learning environment at the Fitzwilliam Building, and Rosedale House is renovated for Sixth Form use, it is really encouraging to know that the Foundation is in very good heart and that future generations of Stephen Perse students can look forward to extraordinary opportunities, within and beyond their classrooms. Happy Birthday and all the very best for the year ahead!”

Richard Girvan, Principal of the Stephen Perse Foundation says: “It is a real honour to receive this wonderful gift from Katie Milne and Rosemary Tice on behalf of everyone at the Stephen Perse Foundation and to ensure this tradition continues on our birthday. We are proud that 141 years after our foundation, we continue to hold to the core values and original vision of our Founder, Dr Stephen Perse, offering an outstanding education and inspiring our young people to question, evaluate and improve society. As we mark this momentous occasion, we look forward to soon launching a new digital platform that will enable our alumnae and wider Stephen Perse Foundation community to keep in touch with one another and with their School. We hope this will encourage past students to share their memories and for us all meaningfully reconnect and keep in touch.”