The history of St Catherine’s can be likened to a tapestry. We have the warp – our buildings and glorious grounds with our historic magnolia tree. And we have the weft woven through – the events, people and achievements over 160 years. It has produced a rich, colourful and detailed pattern.

Mrs Evangeline Galettis OAM SCHOOL ARCHIVIST

yearspast, present and future

18561856 – 1860 Miss Loftus becomes superintendent.

1859 The school moved to the Stone House in Waverley.

Stone House

1860 – 1883 Miss Law Headmistress.

1869 British Parliament ends transportation to Australia.

1876 Jane Barker died.

Miss Law

18831884 – 1890 Miss Phillips Headmistress.

1884 Art studio is built (it is now the museum). Enrolment is 14 boarders including non-clergy daughters. The school constitution is modified and the first School Council is formed. First prize-giving ceremony.

1880s map of the School, drawing by Eirene Mort.

1890 First uniform is a navy hat band with red badge.

1891 – 1895 Miss Darling Headmistress.

1894 Women in South Australia get the vote.

1895 – 1903 Miss Fox Headmistress.

1895 First scholarship exams are held and the first day girls are admitted.

Jane Barker establishes St Catherine’s School for clergy daughters and enrols three boarders.

A dining room and first floor is added to the Stone House.

1886First time the students are entered for public examinations.

1896 Miss Fox submits the first set of school rules to Council.

1898 Formation of the Old Girls’ Union.

Miss FoxRegulations for Boarding

+ Jane Barker

Library Classroom 1982

1902 Miss Fox and pupils, Stone House

1903 – 1934 Miss Lenthall Headmistress.

1912 The first new building was built on Albion Street.

1915 The Catherineian yearbook is published for the first time.

1917 First school chapel (formerly the art studio, now the museum).

1921 Edith Cowan elected first woman MP.

1933 House system introduced.

1935 – 1947 Miss James (Mrs Hall) Headmistress.

1935 The Student Representative Council and a new uniform are introduced. Chapel classrooms are built and the first boy is enrolled.

1937 New Chapel wing opened

1941 Evacuation to Parramatta cancelled; air raid shelters are built instead.

1943 Miss James becomes Mrs Hall with prefects as her bridesmaids.

1948 – 1949 Miss Mitchell Headmistress.

1948 Drama performances and concerts became regular events.

1949 Physical Culture (PC) competition and hockey are introduced.

1941 Lady Owen opening extensions

Miss James becomes Mrs Hall

Federation of Australia.19011915 Interior of new building

1932 Peggy Davis wearing the tunic

1940 Extensions to Stone House; third floor, new wing, dining room and cloisters.

1920 Navy box pleat tunic is introduced as uniform and enrolment exceeds 100.

1930 Parents’ and Friends’ Association formed and registered as a charity in 1936.

Miss Una Fitzhardinge

Bow summer dress in 1939

Miss Ella Mitchell

The Cottage at 2 Macpherson Street is acquired. Maroon uniform is introduced. First PNG boarders join the school and former student Joan Sutherland wins the Mobil Quest singing contest.

1952 The school wins the Tildesley Tennis Shield and the former science lab becomes new Kindergarten classrooms. New words are written for the school song and there are now 100 girls boarding.

19501950 – 1954 Miss Fitzhardinge Headmistress.

1916 School swimming at Bronte

1971 Swimming pool opened without any water! The Cottage becomes part of the change rooms.

1974 Macallum Junior School is opened.

1976 A time capsule is buried to commemorate the 120th anniversary and 5 Macpherson Street is purchased.

1977 Enrolment reaches 500, of which 200 are Juniors.

1978 Extensions to Macallum Junior School.

Pool opening

1956 Dining Room

160 YEARS – PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

19541955 – 1987 Miss Patterson Headmistress

1955 The words ‘Clergy Daughters’ were officially dropped from the School name.

1956 Centenary celebrations and Miss Hind appointed as Resident Mistress.

1958 St Johns a house on Albion Street is acquired and a new yellow summer dress is

introduced.

1960s St Johns

1960 Opening of Jane Barker Hall

1960s Overseas students are enrolled under the Colombo Plan and enrolment exceeds 300 students.

1962 Interhouse choral competition introduced. Now known as Clubs and Choirs. Senior School extended to six years under the Wyndham Scheme.

1960

1970

La Vicompte a house at 1 Leichhardt Street is acquired.

1956 Centenary celebrations

Opening of the Jane Barker Hall.

1974 Macallum Junior School opening

1965 Crown Prince of Laos visit

1965 The Crown Prince of Laos visits five Laotian students at the School.

St Gabriel’s School, Waverley closed and the students transferred to St Catherine’s.

1967 Lenthall Science Block opened and first HSC examinations held.

1968 Isabel Hall Wing opened.

Enrolment exceeds 400.

1976 Burial of time capsule

120th Birthday celebrations

Miss Faith Patterson

1980 – 1987 Enrolment steadily increases from 600 to 895, with 120 boarders.

1984 Advance Australia Fair becomes the national anthem.

1987 Hulme-Moir and Sutherland Houses are introduced. The Faith Patterson Study Centre is opened (now the Research Centre). Miss Patterson retires after 33 years and Faith Patterson Place is created by Waverley Council in her honour.

1988 – 2000 Mrs Karaolis Headmistress.

1988 Enrolment is capped at 830, School rules are rewritten and the first school archivist is appointed.

Work experience is introduced for Year 10.

1989 Miss Nan Hind retires.

2001 – 2009 Mrs Stone Headmistress.

2001 Revision of the HSC.

2002 Jo Karaolis Sports Centre opening.

2003 NAIDOC week celebrated with 345 in our sea of hands.

2005 New summer dress introduced.

2006 Sesquicentenary celebrations; memorial quilt unveiling by Dame Joan and ‘new’ Isabel Hall Wing opening. Time capsule created to be opened on 175th anniversary in 2031.

Miss Hind retires 1989 1987 St Catherine’s Foundation is formed.

1994 The music hut is airlifted onto the base of our demolished air raid shelter to become the museum.

Robert Burton Uniform

2000 Plaque placed on Jane Barker’s grave in Waverley Cemetery. Inaugural Boarders’ Reunion.

1987 Two new houses introduced

Mrs Karaolis

Dame Joan Sutherland at opening of the theatre

1993 New uniform designed by Robert Burton is launched for 1994.

1994 Dame Joan Sutherland Centre opened by Dame Joan OG 1934-1943.

1995 Ohtani Junior High School in Japan becomes our sister school.

1996 140th anniversary; 140 trees planted in Dubbo, 140 entrants in the City to Surf and 140 hampers were distributed to needy families.

2010 – Present Dr Julie Townsend Headmistress.

2011 155th anniversary celebrations. The Nan Hind Centre is opened and rowing is reintroduced.

2015 Patterson and Phillips Houses are introduced. Enrolment reaches 1000.

2016 160th anniversary, launch of the new summer dress designed by Robert Burton.

2016 Development of an integrated complex approved; the Research, Performing Arts and Aquatic Centre (RPAC).

1996 Barbara Croft’s book St Catherine’s School 1856 - 1996 is published and launched by Dame Joan Sutherland. The museum is dedicated and opened, 840 students enrolled.

1997 Email introduced.

1998 100th anniversary of Old Girls’ Union and enrolment begins to increase.

1999 Redesigned Junior School opened.

Mrs Lynne Stone Dr Julie Townsend

Faith Patterson Study Centre opened

1990 Peer support is introduced and the School begins its participation in all IGSSA competitions.

1991 Reverend Kimberley Sawyer is appointed first female Chaplain of the school.