Dorothy Brock

Dame Madeline Dorothy Brock DBE (18 November 1886 – 31 December 1969)[1] was an English educationist. She served as Headmistress of the Mary Datchelor Girls' School, Camberwell, London from 1918 to 1950.[1] She oversaw the evacuation of the school during the Second World War and was succeeded in 1950 by Miss Rachel N Pearse.[2]

In 1919, Brock was appointed a member of the Prime Minister's Committee on Classics and from 1927-29, she was chairman of the Committee of the Association of Headmistresses. She became vice-president of the Classical Association in 1930, and a member of the Lancet Commission on Nursing the following year. From 1931 to 1940, Dame Dorothy was a member of the Consultative Committee of the Board of Education. From 1933-35, she was President of the Association of Headmistresses. During World War II, Brock led the evacuation of Mary Datchelor Girls School to Ashford then latterly to Llanelli. She published a pamphlet called "An Unusual Happening" telling the story of the evacuation years. She was a much-loved and caring headmistress. Many Old Girls of the school still talk about what a wonderful woman she was. Her contribution to the life of the school is also given coverage in 'The Story of the Mary Datchelor School 1877-1977'.[3] From 1951 to 1968, Brock was a director of the University of London Press.