A blue plaque will be unveiled this Friday (6 June) at North London Collegiate School in Stanmore to honour Dr. Beryl Gilroy – London’s first Black head teacher and a groundbreaking figure in British education and literature.
The plaque, installed by the Nubian Jak Community Trust, will mark the 115th in their blue plaque series. The event is part of an ongoing programme by Black History Walks to highlight the contributions of Black Britons to UK society.
Dr. Gilroy was born in 1924 in Skeldon, British Guiana (now Guyana), and moved to the UK in 1951. In 1954, she began teaching in East London. Fifteen years later, she made history by becoming head teacher at Beckford Primary School in Camden – the first Black person to hold such a role in London.
In addition to her work in education, Dr. Gilroy was a respected author. Her memoir, Black Teacher, published in 1976, documented her personal experiences navigating the British school system. She later earned a doctorate in counselling psychology and worked on multicultural education at the University of London’s Institute of Education.
The plaque unveiling will take place at North London Collegiate School, Dalkeith Grove, Stanmore HA7 4SQ – a school with a long-standing commitment to educational advancement since its founding in 1850. The event reflects the school’s ongoing work with the African Caribbean Education Network (ACEN) to promote equality and inclusion.
Headmistress Vicky Bingham said: “We are deeply honoured to host this plaque for Dr. Beryl Gilroy. As a school that has long championed academic ambition, leadership, and equality, it is a privilege to recognise a woman whose courage and conviction helped to reshape British education. Her story is an inspiration to our students and staff alike.”
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