Margaret Lorimer

Who is Margaret Lorimer?

Margaret Lorimer was a New Zealand school principal and mountaineer. She was born in Inverness, Scotland and moved to Lyttelton, New Zealand with her family in 1874. She became headmistress of Mount Cook Girls' School, Wellington in 1897 and was subsequently principal of Nelson College for Girls in 1906, remaining in this role for 19 years.

Margaret Lorimer climbed Mount Moltke in 1912 and continued to have a number of successful climbing seasons in her 50s, ascending Mount Cook – New Zealand's highest mountain – in 1918. She was a member of the New Zealand Alpine Club from 1924, also joining the Ladies' Alpine Club in London.