This House was named after Lady Mary McKell who was born Mary Minnie May Pye in 1894 and attended Forest Lodge Public School during the 1900s. At the age of 26, when working as a tailoress, Mary married William McKell, who became Sir William McKell, 27th Premier of NSW and the 12th Governor-General of Australia. Lady McKell was a mother of three who took an active interest children's welfare. The McKells both passed away during the year 1985. The green House, however, wasn't always called McKell. Before the mid-1970s the Houses were named after four men. In addition to Mawson and Bardsley, there were Donald and Stevens, after old ‘Flodgers' W.H. ‘Chinese' Donald, a writer and diplomat, and former NSW Premier, Sir Bertram Stevens. As part of International Women's Year in 1975, it was decided that women should be represented in the school's Houses and former pupils Lady Mary McKell and Agnes Robertson were chosen. It's a shame the men got bumped but great that a gender balance was created.
