Born and brought up in Rosedale, in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, Elizabeth was the daughter of local landowner, John Stamper and his wife Sarah and the youngest of six children.
She was educated at Sneaton Castle Public School, Whitby and attended St Margaret’s College, Ripon for teaching training, where she gained her Cert Ed.
She went on to teach in a variety of State and Independent schools, achieving her first deputy headship at the age of 24. She also went on to serve as a Schools Inspector for Surrey County Council, specialising in Special Education.
1973 was a watershed year for her when her entrepreneurial inclinations led her to found her own school in Liss, Hampshire.
A strong- minded, independent woman and an inspiration to many, Elizabeth then bought her next school, Merton Court Prep, in Sidcup in 1979. From then, she ran Merton Court with the help of her sons, Christopher and Dominic and spent many happy years there.
Elizabeth died peacefully on 8 February 2016.
She is sorely missed by her children, her three grandchildren, family, friends, staff, pupils, parents and past pupils of Merton Court.