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Houses in the Senior School EACH student at All Saints' College is a member of a House. The names of each House remember a person significant in the history of Western Australia. In the Senior School the Houses are the basis for pastoral care and interhouse competition. In 1981, the foundation year of the College, the four inaugural Houses - Forrest, Murdoch, O'Connor and Stirling were established. As the College increased in size the need for a further two Houses became apparent, and in 1994 the House names of Cowan and Durack were adopted.
Forrest House (green), established 1981
Murdoch House (red), established 1981
FORREST House is named in honour of Sir John Forrest (1847-1918), a West Australian born explorer, administrator and politician. John Forrest was born in Bunbury and gained qualifications as a surveyor. Between 1869 and 1874 Forrest led three expeditions to explore uncharted territory inland from Perth. The first expedition in search of the lost explorer Ludwig Leichardt resulted in surveying land in the area now known as Leonora. The second expedition resulted in the first crossing of the Nullabor from west to east, and the third expedition set off from Geraldton following the Murchison River inland then on through the interior, finishing in Adelaide. In 1875 Forrest published an account of his three expeditions and travelled to London where he gave several well received talks about his adventures. In 1876 on his return to Perth, he married Margaret Hamersley, a member of a wealthy local family. They did not have children. Forrest was employed by the Lands and Surveys Department and in 1883 he was appointed to the senior position of Surveyor
MURDOCH House is named in honour of Emeritus Professor Sir Waiter Murdoch (1874 -1970), the foundation Professor of English at the University of Western Australia, where he later served as Chancellor. Waiter Murdoch was born in Scotland, the youngest of 14 children of Reverend James Murdoch, a Minister of the Free Church of Scotland, and his wife Helen. In 1884 the family migrated to Melbourne where he was educated at Camberwell Grammar School, Scotch College and the University of Melbourne. Murdoch worked as a teacher in country and suburban Victoria and in 1897 he married a fellow teacher, Violet Catherine Hughston. His academic career began when he was appointed assistant lecturer in English at Melbourne University. Murdoch published essays and wrote for the Argus newspaper. He was selected as founding Professor at the University of Western Australia where lectures began in 1913. Murdoch was wellknown outside his department and was active in encouraging closer links between the university and the community. He often supported the underdog and challenged
General and given a seat in the Legislative and Executive Councils. In 1890 when Western Australia was granted its own constitution and responsible government, Forrest was appointed the first Premier. When gold was discovered and the influx of people to WA began, Forrest borrowed money to enable the construction of railways, bridges, jetties, Fremantle Harbour works and the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme. Forrest was also involved in negotiations leading to Federation. In 1901 he resigned as Premier and entered the new Commonwealth Parliament as the Member for Swan. Forrest served as Postmaster General, Minister for Defence, Minister for Home Affairs and Treasurer. In early 1918 he was
FORREST
informed that he was to be raised to the British peerage as 1st Baron Forrest of Bunbury. He died while travelling to England prior to the official creation of the peerage. Forrest is buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.
popularly accepted practices and beliefs. He contributed a column to the Life and Letters page of The West Australian newspaper, and from 1933 he broadcast occasional well received talks on radio. Some of his essays were syndicated through the Melbourne Herald network and published as a collection. Murdoch was President of the local League of Nations Union from its foundation in the early 1920s until 1936. He was also President of the Kindergarten Union from 1933-1936, and supported movements for women's rights. Murdoch was appointed Chancellor of the University of Western Australia from 19431948, and was appointed CMG in 1939 and KCMG in 1964. In 1948 he was awarded an honorary D.Litt. In 1970, just before his death, Murdoch was told of the government plan to name the second university in Western Australia after him.
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