History La Rochelle Girls’ Primary School

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In 1860, Hugo (born Du Buisson) established a school for 40 girls and young ladies. (She was the widow of Pieter Hugo, organist and music teacher). This school was probably the first school where girls were taught in English and the school was situated on the premises of the present primary school.

In 1872 the school was taken over by Prof and Jan de Villiers. (He was a descendant of a Huguenot, de Villiers, who came from La Rochelle in France.) Jan Orrelis was a music teacher in Paarl and, together with his wife, started a hostel. Now with 200 pupils, Jan Orrelis taught music while de Villiers was the headmistress of the Ladies Seminary. Tuition was in English with French and Dutch being two of the subjects.

Andrew Murray realised the great need for educating girls and he founded the Huguenot Seminary in Wellington. Meanwhile, Professor and De Villiers asked the Northern -Paarl Church Council to take over their school in Paarl, but the Council declined their request. Andrew Murray offered to intervene, resulting in the Ladies' Seminary becoming part of the Huguenot Seminary and the Department of Education in 1890. The principal of Huguenot Seminary, Ferguson, supported this move and consented for a property to be purchased
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