eb e ▁Child , ▁two ▁former ▁students ▁of ▁Maria ▁Mont ess ori . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁the ▁trust ees ▁purchased ▁No . ▁ 2 3 ▁Prin ces ▁Gate ▁while ▁the ▁co - pr inci p als ▁acquired ▁No . ▁ 2 4 ▁and ▁later ▁allowed ▁the ▁trust ▁to ▁purchase ▁it ▁from ▁them . ▁By ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁the ▁Centre ▁held ▁full - time , ▁part - time ▁and ▁Saturday ▁courses . ▁It ▁also ▁had ▁a ▁successful ▁Mont ess ori ▁school ▁and ▁facilities ▁for ▁resident ▁students ▁and ▁children . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁the ▁two ▁co - pr inci p als ▁retired ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁America . ▁The ▁leadership ▁of ▁St ▁Nicholas ▁was ▁entr usted ▁to ▁Br idget ▁Bir ts ▁who ▁served ▁the ▁Mont ess ori ▁community ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁and ▁in ▁whose ▁name ▁the ▁Bir ts ▁Sch olar ship ▁was ▁founded . ▁ ▁The ▁Centre ▁continued ▁to ▁expand ▁and ▁fl our ish ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Mont ess ori ▁St ▁Nicholas ▁celebrated ▁its ▁golden ▁j ub ile e , ▁having ▁successfully ▁trained ▁Mont ess ori ▁teachers ▁for ▁ 5 0 ▁years . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁the ▁London ▁Mont ess ori ▁Centre ▁founded ▁by ▁Les ley ▁Brit ton ▁and ▁Mont ess ori ▁St ▁Nicholas ▁formed ▁Mont ess ori ▁Centre ▁International , ▁cons olid ating ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁two ▁intern ation ally ▁acc laimed ▁Mont ess ori ▁cent res . ▁M CI ▁has ▁trained ▁ 4