In fact, she was born there in 1877, the daughter of the principal William Fox and his wife Emma.

Although it was a boarding school for boys, she was educated at Horton up until her father retired to St Leonards in 1889, where they bought Maplestead homestead.

The family were devout Methodists, and as the equally-devout Miss Martha Murray had a school in her Dunira home in Tamar St, Mary was initially enrolled there.

Her parents soon became involved with the Methodist Ladies College in Elphin however, and moved Mary there to complete her education.

She graduated with entry to the University of Tasmania in 1896, eventually gaining a Master of Arts degree. These were pioneering achievements at the time, especially for a woman.

Mary became a teacher at MLC, and when the principal retired at the beginning of 1903, she was an obvious choice to replace him.

In reality she proved to be an inspired choice, reinvigorating and expanding the institution. Enrolments increased rapidly.

In 1914 she began a junior school and in 1915 an Old Girls' Association, of which she became president.

She founded a Headmasters and Headmistresses Association and was a member of the university examination board.

Mary was also passionate about sport, and with her vice-principal, introduced women's hockey to Launceston in 1906, forming an MLC team and for the first years playing with the girls as captain.

They took the 1907 Premiership against the Launceston Ladies Hockey Club in what was described as the greatest match ever seen in Launceston.

By 1923 student numbers had increased to 190, including 40 boarders, and she contracted J and T Gunn to build a new wing.

In 1927 she took 18 months' leave and travelled across Canada and the USA to England, spending a year at Oxford to do a post-graduate course on education.

She visited the best girls' schools in England to see how they operated, attended an international hockey tournament in England, and returned in January 1929 complete with a film on improved techniques of hockey play.

In 1936 MLC celebrated its 50th anniversary with the completion of the Mary Fox Jubilee Wing, opened by Governor Sir Earnest Clark.

Mary laid the first brick with a specially inscribed trowel.

Immediately afterwards, as president of the All Australia Women's Hockey Association, she sailed with the national team to America.

Mary retired in 1941 after 38 years as principal. Her association with MLC as pupil, teacher and principal had extended over 50 years.

Shortly after, she was awarded an MBE for extraordinary contributions to education and women's sport.

Mary died in Melbourne in 1962 and was brought back to St Leonards for burial.

It was a life of service and integrity, and an inspiration to over 2000 girls.