WHPS Houses
Known fondly by generations of boys as “Ma” Lloyd, Meggis lived a life deeply bound to the school, leaving an indelible mark through her profound influence, courage and dedication as a teacher. Born in Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales, on 31 January 1884, she was the daughter of a reverend. Growing up she developed a deep, enduring Christian faith that would later guide her life’s work.
She joined the staff of the school around 1927 and is remembered with immense affection. As an outstanding teacher of English, she possessed the ability to instil a love of the language in young minds. Crippled by rheumatoid arthritis and seldom free of pain, it is recalled how she would make the slow, painful walk from her cottage on the grounds to her Form 2 classroom, located at the bottom left-hand corner of Pop’s field, to teach English; yet young boys would faithfully walk alongside her to support her. On rainy days, the boys would gather inside her cottage, sitting on the floor as she read David Copperfield aloud. She also taught Divinity and History.
When her physical condition worsened, her passion for teaching did not wane; she hosted small groups of boys in her cottage. There, the boys sat on the floor while she gave lessons from her wheelchair, a blanket spread over her knees. It is said that these periodic gatherings for earnest discussions left the boys filled with a distinct missionary fervour. This unique blend of learning, philosophy and kindness made her a trusted confidante to all and earned her a similarly esteemed place in the boys’ eyes as Molly Ruddell.
Her contributions reached far beyond the classroom. She participated in everything at school, famously leading the Work Party, which regularly raised vital funds for the war effort by contributing money and crafted articles to several fêtes. Her enduring spirit was a pillar of stability during World War II.
In the 1942 school magazine, Headmaster Ernest Ruddell published a special word of appreciation, noting how Miss Lloyd was ever-ready to step into the breach and give wholehearted co-operation as male teachers left one by one to join the military forces. By 1948, he noted that he simply could not imagine the school without her, describing her as a wonderful friend, a brilliant colleague and a woman deservedly loved by everyone connected to the institution.
Ill health eventually forced her formal retirement in 1950, prompting Headmaster Wilf MacRobert to write a glowing tribute in the school magazine. He celebrated her as a “born teacher” whose kindness, firmness and innate ability invariably brought out the best in every boy, as evidenced by her pupils’ outstanding results in numerous Entrance and Scholarship examinations. Even in retirement, she continued to live in her school cottage and gave a few lessons whenever she could.
In 1953, Lloyd House was established in her honour. During a particularly touching incident at a subsequent sports meeting, the Head Boy of the House, Eddie Barlow, realised that Lloyd House was accumulating the most points. Without being prompted, he hopped onto his bicycle and sped off to Nazareth House, where Miss Lloyd was then residing, to let her know of her House’s grand victory.
Miss Lloyd spent her final years in Pretoria, where she passed away on 12 May 1968 from myocarditis and osteoarthritis, leaving behind a legacy of devotion, academic excellence and a profound influence for good that fundamentally helped shape the character and name of WHPS.