In July 1887, the committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New South Wales advertised for an appropriate Principal for its new school, The Presbyterian Ladies' College in Sydney.
In 1916, due to the overwhelming popularity of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, and under Marden's guidance, the school bought at Pymble for £15,000, and established a second campus, The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Pymble (now Pymble Ladies' College).