Archives

The PLC Community plays an important role supporting the vibrant, agile and meaningful archive collections stewarded in the Archive. Recent donations to the PLC Archive acknowledged by Jane Dyer, PLC Archivist include;

Helen Clyne (1984) donated her PLC backpack and school bag.

Aileen Stooke (1943) former Music Staff and current PLC Archive Volunteer donated her PLC East Melbourne and Burwood memorabilia that included the Address to the PLC Old Collegians Association. 17 March 1975 by Kathleen Fitzpatrick and documents from Miss Pearl M Richards, PLC piano and music theory teacher 1923 – 73. PLC East Melbourne invoices and receipts 1916. In 1989, Miss Richards donated the Ronisch Grand Piano currently gracing the Principal’s Foyer.

Carolyn Blyth (Gray 1960) Birmingham donated her great aunt’s, Emilie Marianna Bryant, PLC Crested Book Prize – The decisive battle of the world by Sir Edward Creasy, awarded for Arithmetic in Dec 1908. 1.

Emilie is also listed in Patchwork as receiving a Roll of Honour Listing in July 1908, Dec 1908 and July 1909 and a Junior Public Examination in April 1910.

Marcia Topic (Robinson) donated her mother’s, Marjorie Robinson (Neish) PLC Crested Book Prize The poetical works of Felicia Dorothea Hemans, awarded to Marjorie by Her Excellency Lady Foster in December 1923. Marjorie was enrolled at the College at the age of 7 in 1915. Her older sisters, Mary and Dorothy were respectively enrolled in 1912 and 1906.

Lorna Watson (Aitken 1958) donated a collection of PLC East Melbourne memorabilia:

Geography Student Exercise Book, 1954; Geography Practical Book, 1954;

People in a Medieval Village in the Country, Middle IV; People of the Old Testament, Upper IV; Geography Student Exercise Book, Middle IV; 1955 General Science Practical Book, The British Isles, VA. 1956 and Geography Practical Book, VA, 1956.

Mary Carter (Grieve 1976) descendent of PLC East Melbourne foundation student, Annie Brown, donated a copy of her mother’s, Bronwen Johnston (Grieve 1944), autobiography and a beautiful Autograph Book. The autograph book’s original owner was Gladys Wilson (1912) a PLC East Melbourne boarder from Nurmurkah. The book was given to Mary’s grandmother Margaret Grieve (Jones 1912) and includes the autographs of, and delicate illustrations by, PLC East Melbourne staff and students, including Hilda McKay and Margaret Jones, and PLC East Melbourne’s Director of Music Mr G. B Fentum 1887 – 1914.

Sue Dalglish (1971) donated a PLC crested card--book-corner-protector from the estate of Mrs Betty Lynch (Everard 1934).

Catherine Wilson (2012) donated a Junior school summer uniform.

1. This delicate PLC doll was recently donated to the Archive. It is wearing our East Melbourne winter uniform 1939- 1965 and has the name Honey Quin inside the hat. We don’t have a student on record by that name but “Honey” was often used as a name of endearment. We speculate it was dressed by one of the Quin sisters in the 1950’s.

Heather Oldfield (Macvean 1963) donated her collection of PLC Patchwork magazines, 1937 – 1951, and PLC Song Book by Raymond Fehmel1961.

Diana Cork (1970), PLC Art Teacher (1977 – 1990), donated her collection of PLC memorabilia including Junior School Winter Beret; Senior School Winter Beret; PLC Centenary Medal; 3 x PLC notecards; PLC Book Prize, Serious Business by J.H Dowd and B. E Spender, 1937; photograph negatives and digitised copies of the PLC Chrystal Creek Camp and PLC Weaving Studio [1980s].

Archives Inspire Service and Community

Student Volunteers, Year 7 – Year 12, are rostered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the term to assist the PLC Archivist with research, outreach and collection management duties. Volunteers also have the opportunity to work with other Old Collegian Volunteers, Archive staff and visitors from our wider communities. Each hour of student service contributes towards a Service Award. This year PLC Archive staff are mentoring over 25 student volunteers, some of whom have been assisting in the Archive since Year 7.

Earlier this year, it was an additional pleasure to welcome Old Collegian, Tiffany Chang (Library Captain, Class of 2015) as an Old Collegian Volunteer. Tiffany’s 40 hours of voluntary work in the Archive will enable her to fulfill a component of her Master of Engineering (Biomedical with Business) at the University of Melbourne. The Archive celebrates the contributions of current and former staff and students to global, national and local events, including International Women’s Day 2020 and this year’s PLC Discovery Night. We also celebrated the success of portrait artist, Paul Nelson, in the 2020 Portrait Society of America International Members Competition https://www.portraitsociety. org/international. Last year Paul Nelson painted the portrait of PLC Principal, Dawn Clements, the most recent addition to the PLC Portrait Gallery in Wyselaskie Hall. The College has direct links with many other well known artists including Walter Withers, Arthur Lourerio and Violet Teague. To learn more about the PLC Melbourne Archive contact our Archivist, Mrs Jane Dyer, jdyer@ plc.vic.edu.au