STORIES FROM THE ARCHIVES

From time to time, the Archivists are prompted by events (e.g. the Olympic Games) and queries (e.g. was my grandmother enrolled at Queen’s?) to explore the School’s historical collection and, if necessary, other sources, in search of the relevant truths. Nola and Ross Squire strive to carry out careful research and to report findings as accurately as possible.

STAFF MEMBERS AND SCHOOL PARENTS

John Vernon (OG 1947) and Bob Bath (past staff member) pictured at the 2013 unveiling of one of the original Olympic flags that flew in Ballarat when the rowing for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics was held on Lake Wendouree.

From the Archives: Our Olympians

With the excitement of Lucy Stephan winning a Gold Medal at the Tokyo Games it was an opportune time to consolidate the information for all our “Grammar Olympians” and to celebrate them. The summary below resulted. Is it complete and accurate? Readers are invited to contact us at the School if there are any errors or omissions!

YEAR LOCATION NAME AND PEER YEAR DISCIPLINE

1956 1996 2000 Melbourne, Australia Atlanta, USA Sydney, Australia

2004 Athens, Greece

2008

2012 Beijing, China

London, Great Britain

2016 2020 (2021) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Tokyo, Japan John Vernon (1947) Bronwyn Thompson (1990) Tamsin Barnett (now Hinchley, 1997) Katie Foulkes (1994) Emily Martin (now Carmody, 1996) David Nathan (1983) Bronwyn Thompson (1990) Stuart Brehaut (1996) Ashley Brehaut (1998 Katie Foulkes (1994) Tamsin Barnett (now Hinchley, 1997) Erin Carroll (2004) Tamsin Hinchley (Barnett, 1997) Tom Swann (2005) Lucy Stephan (2009) Lucy Stephan (2009) High Jump Rowing Volleyball Rowing Rowing Fencing Rowing Badminton Badminton Rowing Beach Volleyball Badminton Beach Volleyball Rowing Rowing Rowing – Gold Medal in Womens’ Coxless Four

Bob Bath - Prior to joining Ballarat Grammar (staff member 1958 to 1995), Boxing - Melbourne 1956.

Tony Benson - School Parent, Father of Jacqui (1985), Athletics - Munich 1972. Anthony Edwards - Director of Rowing between 2003 and 2006, represented Australia five times in Rowing - Atlanta 1996 (Bronze Medal), Sydney 2000 (Silver Medal), Athens 2004 (Silver Medal), Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

Garry Gullock - Father of Scott (2010) and Campbell (2012) Rowing (Silver Medal) Los Angeles 1984.

SEARCHING FOR QUEEN’S GIRLS!

Sometimes the journeys prompted by queries can be quite amazing with unexpected consequences and messages of appreciation, sometimes from individuals with no previous connection to our School.

Heather Coddington rang the School to inquire about her grandmother, Mavis Nixon, and cousins, Constance, Gladys and Elsie Bailey and their father, J.J. Bailey, Music Teacher. We were able to provide scans of several photographs including this one from 1915. Mavis is on the right in the front row. (See also Mainly About Girls, page 50 and 65)

The following is an extract from Heather’s appreciative response:

Back row: Hope Champion, Ethel Valentine, Olive Reynolds, Kath Must, Une Ure, Dolly Brown, Lillie Chamberlain, Katia Montgomery, Aimee Autcliffe Front row: Itya Doepel, Millie Gribble, Glynis Humphries, Elaine Thomas, Mavis Nixon.

Many thanks for your efforts in locating and forwarding the photos of Mavis Nixon and the Baileys. They were much appreciated and will be most helpful for our family history. I had not been able to procure a photo of Gladys Bailey until now. My mother who is nearly 96, and currently in hospital, will be very happy to see the smiling photo of her mother, taken in 1915. The only other photos we have of her in her youth are two serious ones taken as a member of a hockey team at Ballarat CEGGS.

Heather forwarded scans of two further School hockey photographs, new to the School’s collection. A happy reciprocal outcome! Susan Manson contacted the School wanting to confirm the enrolment of her grandmother, Thea Coltman, at Queen's. Archival records showed that Thea attended from 1937 until Grade 4 in 1941, as a “Kindergarten” student when the Kindergarten at Queen's was the equivalent of the Junior School of today. We located a photo of Thea (below) with other Kindergarten students, taken around 1939.

And in the Queen's CEGGS magazine, M.A.G. (Mainly About Girls), December 1941, page 25, we found the following: We would like to congratulate Thea Coltman who won first place in the Kindergarten section of the Flower Show, and Margaret Thomas who came second. Thea would have been 8 years old.

Of interest to readers will be the query from the new owners of the property leased by Esther Larritt and Sarah Hayhoe from 1891 and as the Church of England Grammar School for Girls from 1902 until 1918 as Queen’s College. The current address is 801 (rather than 803) Mair Street and the new owners are very interested in the connection of the School with the history of their new home. Refer to Sue White’s book, Mainly About Girls, pages 45 and 46. The old stables still exist today!

Back Row: Honor Hassel, Mavis Naples, Gladys Bailey, Louisa Heinz, Rita Jones, Dorothy Allenby, Mira Bull. Front Row: Beatrice Young, Nessie Reeves, Lyall Holmes, Elwyn Maddern, Ettie Commons. From left: Thea Coltman, Margaret Thomas, Ruth Marsh, Elizabeth Robinson, Kira Mather.