• Sometime after 1815 Captain Underwood also purchased part of De Oude Wijnbergh and called it Waterloo Estate. Captain Underwood had served under the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo which marked the end of the Napoleonic wars in Europe.

• In 1839, one year after the Emancipation Proclamation , some newly freed people settled and worked in Wynberg. The Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) decided that Wynberg required its own dominee to serve the growing community. Part of Captain Underwood’s estate was purchased for the pastorie (Dominee’s home) which was named Waterloo-aan-den-Berg.

• The DRC established Wynberg Girls’ in 1884 and the first school building, now the ballet hall was built behind the pastorie’s orchard

• The school was opened as Wynberg Girls’ Seminary but accepted boys into the kindergarten classes up until the 1930’s. Dominee PA Strasheim acted as headmaster until Miss Stewart was appointed.

• As the 1891-1892 school calendar shows, the school offered a variety of subjects that were considered necessary to produce educated young women of the British Empire who would go on to fulfil the traditional roles of wife and mother.

• The school motto was chosen in 1890. The phrase “Honour before Honours” means “Personal integrity and character are more important than winning prizes and awards.” The first Standard Ten class matriculated in 1892, and until 1936, the school included pupils from Sub A to Standard Ten. The Cape Education Department took over the running of the school in 1905.

• In 1936, the Junior School became a separate school, but still wore the same uniform as the High School. School colours were originally brown and gold, but changed to navy and blue, until Miss Hawkins discovered an original silk banner and changed the colours back to brown and gold.

• The land the school was built on originally belonged to Captain Underwood who fought under the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. He named his estate Waterloo. A new hostel was built and Miss Hawkins named it Waterloo House. Miss Hawkins asked the 5th Duke of Wellington if she could use his coat of arms as the new school badge.

• A new gymnasium was built, and opened in 1944, after the other one was damaged in a gale force wind.

• The classroom which is called Room B today was the only new classroom built during the difficult years after World War 11. In 1958, the new hall, the Aileen Currie Hall, as we now know it was opened.

• In 1990 all government schools were officially desegregated in South Africa.

• The library was completely refurbished in 1993: a mezzanine floor put in and the library administrative area extended. A new tuck shop between the hall and what was then the art
room was built.

• In 1994, South Africa had its first ever Democratic elections.

• In 1995 the Muslim Students Association was established at WGHS.

• Significant technological developments were made between 1996 and 1998: more television sets and video cassette recorders were bought; the new state of the art computer room was opened in 1997; and scanners, a digital camera and a hi-tech digital projector system were purchased, establishing this computer training centre as one of the finest in the country.

• In 1997 the Ubuntu Society was established by Mrs Thandi Sibhukwana. WGHS teacher 1997-2011.

• The hostel and the hockey clubhouse were renovated in 1997. Wynberg became the first South African school to lay an Astroturf. Computer Studies was introduced as an academic subject in 1998, and A-levels courses were offered either as a post matric course or as one which could be studied concurrently with Grades 11 and 12.

• Mrs S Harding, Principal 1999-2019

• Mrs Harding officially took over as Principal in 1999 after serving as School Counsellor, Head of Department and Deputy Principal at various times since 1977. Mrs Harding made significant changes to buildings and policies since taking over as Principal. The computer room, a project Mrs Harding coordinated, is one of the most modern, advanced computer centres to be found in any school in South Africa.

• The magnificent Art Studio, with spectacular mountain views, and a large classroom teaching venue, was opened in October 2002. The Life Skills wing followed, catering for Life Skills classes, counsellors and the extensive social work and support programme.

• The students’ welfare was of main concern with extensions to the tuck shop and the building of the rain shelter at the new Aliwal Road entrance, now allowing Wynberg girls to wait for their parents safely inside the school gates and to be protected from the weather.

• In 2006 – 2017, Mrs Nazeeba Moerat was appointed at the school as a Mathematics, Physical Sciences & Mathematical Literacy teacher; she was the first Muslim teacher at WGHS.