Margaret Cornwell OAM

With her family so firmly woven into the fabric of CGGS, it’s no surprise Margaret Cornwell is a familiar face to both students and staff when she walks through our School grounds.

Yet even when she is not here, there are symbols of Margaret’s years of dedication everywhere: evidenced by the Archer bell she donated for the Chapel of the Annunciation in memory of her late father, Keith Archer OBE, to the thriving garden and rose bush at the Junior School that she tends to regularly.

Even at 90 years old, Margaret’s energy and devotion to the School has never wavered. You will often spot her rolling up her sleeves in the campus gardens or delivering newspaper clippings to the Archivist and her homemade marmalades to sample.

Margaret’s journey with CGGS began as a five-year old student in 1938, when she would catch the bus to the School from her home in Reid, crossing through bush terrain and two rickety bridges.

“It was a lovely avenue, but the School was very different to what it is now,” she said.

“There were fewer than 100 students at the time, and money was hard to come by.”

Margaret says her family’s philanthropy journey is one of generations, tracing back to her beloved father Keith. Seeing the potential in the School, he became heavily involved in the CGGS Board, Parents & Friends Association and became a foundation member of the Gabriel Foundation, playing an instrumental role to support the School to thrive during difficult financial times. Keith also started the popular Garden Stall at the now iconic School Fete, which he continued to run for decades until Margaret took over in 1970 (the stall does a roaring trade to this day).

“He could see the School’s potential, and he just loved this School,” Margaret said.

Margaret’s mother Tilley was a Kindergarten teacher at the Junior School for three years while Margaret was a student. There is a tree planted in Tilley’s memory next to the Archives office. “She loved teaching here,” smiles Margaret. Keith and Tilley’s son also attended CGGS during his early years of education, as did four of their grandchildren and two of their great grandchildren. Margaret’s children and grandchildren have also passed through our doors as students too.

Throughout the years, the Archer family made considerable donations to CGGS, including the Baptismal Font in the Chapel of the Annunciation. After Keith’s passing, Margaret donated the Chapel bell in her father’s honour, along with a set of vestments for the Chaplain in 2023.

After finishing School and returning from England, Margaret followed in her father’s footsteps, joining the School Board and the Gabriel Foundation, along with her husband and fellow supporter of the School, Mr Greg Cornwell AM.

Margaret is especially proud of her profound impact on the CGGS Bursary and Scholarship Program, as her annual donation funds the Archer Family Bursary that she and her daughter Jane Lewis established in 2022. This Bursary is specifically for a Year 10 student, supporting the duration of their senior studies in Years 11–12.

For her dedication to service to the community, including the CGGS community, Margaret was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2020.

When asked why others should contribute to the CGGS community, Margaret talks about the “joy of giving.”

“When you are giving to the School, you are seeing these young students benefit from the giving spirit. It’s a lovely environment.”