To The Future Whanau of Margaret College

My name is Margaret and I am the school's treasured 'Old Girl'. I have created 135 years of memories, starting from sheltering my first family to being the school's heart and soul for generations of Queen Margaret College girls.

With the passing years, I have achieved status and fame as a historic house with a Category 2 Listing but now I am in need of a face lift and reconstructive surgery to strengthen my structure against earthquakes.

I had my piles reblocked two years ago so my foundations are solid although to level my floor they are going to jack me up.
My braces aren't strong, so they are going to brace me with plywood and then gib-board.
My face is showing its age with cracks and holes that only replacing my mud and horse hair plaster can repair. In some places only my paper is holding me together.
My heart was warmed by eight fireplaces but these days I am cold. During my face lift they will remove the dangerous chimneys to leave one which will heat my old hall.
Fires could burn me down but the new sprinkler system should be safer
My delicate plaster rosettes and mouldings will crumble during the operations so new ones are being made from moulds taken off the originals to recreate my beauty.
My glasses are cracked and some are mismatched. The glaziers are going to use matching imported glass to smarten up my appearance.

My renovations are due to start as soon as the girls start their summer holidays in December 2004. The architect hopes my rehabilitation will be finished at the end of Term Two 2005.

I am the 'Old Girl,' the oldest of them all yet soon I will be the grandest of all Queen Margaret College.
Yours faithfully

Queen Margaret