Editing Abbotsleigh (section)

==History==
Abbotsleigh was founded by Marian Clarke in 1885 in a small [[terrace house]] in [[North Sydney, New South Wales|North Sydney]]. The school then moved to [[Parramatta, New South Wales|Parramatta]]; first to Honiton House, then to more spacious premises at the corner of Church and Marsden streets, a site now covered by a car park. The school proved successful in Parramatta, but in 1895 Clarke left 80 pupils behind to set out for a year in England to visit her family. The school declined during her absence, and on her return only a small number of boarders remained.<ref name=History>{{cite web |url=http://www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au/index.cfm?page_id=D0D194D7-3474-DCCC-88C5A2B05BEA34E2 |title=History of Abbotsleigh since 1885 |access-date=2 March 2008 |work=History |publisher=Abbotsleigh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080202142746/http://www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au/index.cfm?page_id=D0D194D7-3474-DCCC-88C5A2B05BEA34E2 |archive-date=2 February 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1930 a new headmistress, [[Gladys Gordon Everett]], was chosen from a long list of candidates.<ref name="geadrb" /> Everett had been head of [[Pymble Ladies' College]] before she left to study in France. She had taught in France and England before she led [[Katanning Church of England Girls' School]]. In 1931 Gordon Everett arranged the students into houses and in 1933 the school celebrated founder's day. In the same year the school began buying land and nearby houses. The school's expansion plans involved more land purchases in 1937. The plans succeeded and by 1938 there was a waiting list for families who wanted to enrol their daughters. Gordon Everett taught lessons in Divinity and in French.<ref name="geadrb" />

In 1939 new classrooms opened, but the waiting list continued to grow. Some schools closed during the Second World War, but Abbotsleigh continued.<ref name=geadrb>{{Citation |last=Teale |first=Ruth |title=Gladys Gordon Everett (1888–1971) |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/everett-gladys-gordon-10134 |work=Australian Dictionary of Biography |access-date=2023-09-27 |place=Canberra |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |language=en}}</ref>

By the time Gordon Everett retired in 1954, there were 660 students, a separate junior school had started, and there was still a waiting list.<ref name=geadrb/>

Buildings that developed over the years include the Marian Clarke building facing the [[Pacific Highway (Australia)|Pacific Highway]], Vindin House, Lynton House, and Poole House on the junior campus. The last three are listed on the local government heritage register.<ref>{{cite NSW HD|1880077|Lynton House in Abbotsleigh College|access-date=21 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite NSW HD|1880098|Poole House, Abbotsleigh Junior School|access-date=21 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite NSW HD|1880076|Vindan House in Abbotsleigh College|access-date=21 April 2019}}</ref>