1899

Building of Ying Wa Girls’ School

  • The first $1,000 from London Missionary Society
  • Ms Helen Davies also dug into her own pockets by donating her savings
  • A two-storey building and a boarding school for girls’ education
1900

Opening of Ying Wa Girls’ School

  • Ms Davies became the First Headmistress of Ying Wa
  • The School was referred to in English as ‘Training Home’. It was not until 1920 that the name of Ying Wa Girls’ school was officially adopted.)
  • Started as a privately-run school with a boarding section for primary pupils
1911

The kindergarten was officially established.

1915
  • The first student organization, Wah Kwong Club was established.
  • YW Initiated her own teacher training programme.
  • ​The Anglo-Chinese secondary section re-opened.
1917

First batch of “Normal School’ (Ying Wa Teacher Training College) – 6 students (4 remained to teach in Ying Wa after graduation)

1920
  • Ms Muriel Hogben served in Ying Wa as the ‘Headmistress’ while Ms Davies served as ‘Principal’
  • ‘Ying Wa Guild’ was established. (This name was kept until after the war when a name change took place and the name ‘Ying Wa Girls’ School Alumnae Association’ was came into effect.)
1925
  • The outbreak of Canton (Guangdong)- Hong Kong Strike, affecting the construction work of school extension
  • End of Normal School
  • Ms Dorothy Hutchinson served in Ying Wa as the Headmistress
1926

The Small Block was established for kindergarten. Originally housed in a mat shed, the kindergarten moved into the small cottage around 1926 and had remained active until 1963, except for the war years in the 1940s.

More

1927
  • Fundraising programme with the slogan ‘For God, for country, for Ying Wa’
  • The new 1927 Block was completed
  • 4 students of Ying Wa took the Junior Local Examination, a level similar to the former School Certificate Examination
1930

Leung Tsui Hor, the first Ying Wa girl to enter University of Hong Kong

1935

Wong Sau Han, the first YW girl to enter medical school in the University of Hong Kong

1937

Ying Wa Student Relief Committee was formed with the aim of gathering financial support for the anti-Japanese activities in China.

1939
  • Ms Vera Silcocks took up the position of Headmistress
1940

Boarding section was officially closed

1941

Fall of Hong Kong under the Japanese
Ms Silcocks was caught and interned in the infamous concentration camp at Stanley

1945

Reopening of Ying Wa on 1st Oct
Ms Dorothy Shilston took over as Acting Headmistress

1947

Return of Ms Silcocks to take up the leadership as Headmistress

1948

Establishment of School Council

1949

Establishment of Ying Wa’s Student Association

1950s

Beginning of the summer school of the underprivileged

1966

London Missionary Society restructured to become the Congregational Council for World Mission. Ying Wa became one of the related schools of the Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China.

1967
  • Completion of the Robinson Block
  • Silcocks’ retirement, ended a career of service for 4 decades in Ying Wa (from 1927 to 1967)
  • Ms Evelyn Jenkins became Principal
1968
  • Closure of primary section
  • Ying Wa took in the first time male students (It came to a halt in the mid-1970s)
1969

Ying Wa held a sponsored walk as part of the Thanksgiving service to raise money for the charity.

1972
  • Mrs Chau Ma Pui Kin Katherine became the first Chinese Principal in Ying Wa history
  • Rev. Lee Ching Chee was appointed to take up the position of Vice-principal and school chaplain
1980

The first swimming gala was held.

1993

The Inter-house Committee was established. The five houses were named after the five previous headmistresses.

1994

The re-establishment of the Parent-teacher Association.

1 Sep 2001

  • Retirement of Mrs Chau

  • Mrs Lee Shek Yuk Yu Ruth was appointed to be the new Principal.

7 Oct 2004

The New Annex was officially handed over to the school under the School Improvement Project on 17th September 2004. An opening ceremony was held on 7th October. Our former Principal, Mrs. Katherine Chau, Council members, School Chaplain and Chairpersons of Parent-Teacher Association as well as Alumnae Association were invited to officiate at the ceremony.

11 Dec 2006

The Alumnae Association held a fund-raising Movie Gala on 11 Dec 2006 at the HK Cultural Centre for the YWGSAA Charity Trust Fund set up in March 2006. The film "Traces of a dragon - Jackie Chan & his lost family (龍的深處─失落的拼圖)", directed by Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting, YW alumna, was shown.

27 Mar 2010

The anniversary dinner, held in the Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was the highlight of the YW's 110th anniversary celebration. The dinner programme included the opening address by Mr. Michael Suen Ming-Yeung, Secretary for Education, alumnae choir performance, progress report of the school redevelopment project by Professor Chiu Lai-Har and fund-raising kick-off ceremony.

21 Feb 2014

At the meeting of the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee on 21 February 2014, Ying Wa’s redevelopment project gained approval for an increased funding of $220.7 million (on top of the approved $432.7 million in 2012).

22 Nov 2014

The Annual Sponsored Walk was successfully completed with the added event of "Walk an Extra Mile for Ying Wa". Students, teachers and parents joined the meaningful programme to raise funds for the needy and also for the School Redevelopment Project by going barefoot on the last stage of the route.

1 Sep 2015

  • Retirement of Mrs Ruth Lee on 31 Aug 2015.

  • Mr Kwan Hon Cheung Francis was appointed as the first male Principal from 1 Sep 2015.

19 Mar 2016
As the highlight of fundraising events for school redevelopment, Ying Wa Girls’ School held an unprecedented Spring Bazaar on March 19. Nearly 10,000 students, alumnae, parents and teachers came and supported the event, contributing over $1.7M for the redevelopment of the Robinson Road campus.
24 Mar 2018
Distinguished guests including representatives from the Education Bureau, School Council, School Redevelopment Committee, parents and alumnae joined principals, teachers and students to witness a milestone in the history of Ying Wa Girls' School, the Topping-out Ceremony at its Robinson Road campus on 24th March 2018.
Mar 2019
After a long journey, Ying Wa has eventually embarked on a new page of its history in mid-March 2019 with the “Big Move” from the decanting site of Sham Shui Po back to our home – the Robinson Road Campus.
16 Mar 2024

First Formal Homecoming Day after COVID

  • 7,000 enthusiastic alumnae and friends of Ying Wa gathered together, creating a vibrant tapestry of colours and smiles. (Details: Click)
16 Mar 2024

Opening of 1926 Heritage Block

  • Built in 1926, this small cottage once housed the kindergarten of Ying Wa Girls’ School.
  • Transformed into the School History Room, it stands as a testament to the school's enduring legacy.
01 Sep 2025

Appointment of New Principal

  • Retirement of Mr Francis Kwan on 31 Aug 2025.

  • Ms Chuk Wai Kan Tiffany serves the next principal of Ying Wa Girls’ School, effective September 2025.  (Details: click)