School History

St. Edward's origins began with St. Edward's Primary School which was established in 1865 by a French Roman Catholic priest, Rev. Father Edward Blanchet. In 1921, the board of directors which consisted of a group of priests from Italy, France and Ireland decided to start a secondary school for the students. On February 6, 1922, the new secondary school opened its doors to seven St. Edward's Primary School graduates: Anthony Tucker, Sylvester Tucker, James Massallay, Edward Farrah, William Luke, Joseph Luke and Albert M. Margai - future prime minister of Sierra Leone. At that time, the secondary school was located at the same address as the primary school at Howe Street in Freetown. St. Edward's is the third oldest secondary school in Sierra Leone.

The first head master of St. Edward's was Father Michael O'Connor, but six months after the school opened, Father O'Connor retired due to illness and was replaced by Father Mulcahy. Under the stewardship of Father Mulcahy, St. Edward's Secondary School became a first rate academic institution which followed a strict, old-fashioned British curriculum and enforced discipline by means of corporal punishment. The sports programs at St. Edward's became a source of general admiration.

Past headmasters include:

• Rev. Father Michael O'Connor (1922)
• Rev. Father Mulcahy (1922-1956) - the school's indefatigable and definitive founding father who devoted most of his life to St.Edward's.
• Rev. Father Jeremiah O'Sullivan (1956-1979) - who introduced the co-ed sixth Form and founded the school band.
• Mr. A.J. Robinson (1979) - known affectionately as 'Sir Rob'.
• Rev. Father Curran
• Rev. Father Hamelberg - St. Edward's alumnus and Sierra Leone's first indigenous priest and headmaster.
• Mr. M.A.C. Renner.