10 minute read
From The Archives
A recent enquiry focused on the whereabouts of the Bunbury (Lifesaving) Cup, in which PLC Perth had a team compete from at least 1952-1982. While we don’t have it, or know its whereabouts, we were reminded of our Stella Elford Clarke’s (1927) sad role in the 1925 formation of the Bunbury Amateur Swimming and Lifesaving Club.
Stella was born in 1910, the daughter of Charles and Elvina Clarke nee Lowe, from ‘Boongarra’, Burekup. She was their oldest daughter, third of six children, and blessed with a lovable, bright, sunny nature.
Her early schooling was at Burekup State School where, in 1922, she was the top student of Standard V. She came to PLC at the start of third term in September 1923, aged 13. Earlier in 1923 PLC had purchased ‘Duff’s House’, the old Macbean and Gawler residence at 1 View Street (now Finlayson House), directly opposite what is now Scorgie House. Back then it was dubbed ‘Junior House' and Stella boarded there with the “younger fry”.
She settled in well. She was a good swimmer, but neither overly sporty nor robust. She was interested in science and proved to be a clever illustrator. But her greatest love was gardening, and she was often found tending to the soil and plants in a tiny, sunny patch near the Summer House, in its original location. (Also known as the Gazebo, it was moved to the eastern side of View Street in the 1970s.)
In 1924 Stella passed several life-saving certificates and was delighted to be joined in the Boarding House by *May Verschuer, aged 15, an old family friend from Bunbury. The next year she won the Science and Gardening Prizes at Speech Day on 8 December, before going down to Bunbury with May to stay with the Verschuers for a few weeks’ holiday.
May was the only daughter of John and Maud Verschuer, nee Chalmers. She had one older brother, Paul, and three younger: Peter, Jack and Ivan. Peter was 15, the same age as Stella, and had a glass eye from a childhood accident. While his good eye was fixed on Stella, she had her heart set on trying surfing! Doctors encouraged her as they thought it would help her weak heart. The weather was too rough for the first few days, but on 21 December it cleared. It looked safe...
At around 10am Peter and Stella walked into the water at Back Beach between Rocky Point and the Surf Bathing Clubhouse. Stella was about 12 metres from shore, a little ahead of Peter, when she turned with a look of alarm, saying she was in trouble. Peter was a strong swimmer and went to her aid immediately, but the undertow swept them both nearly 400 metres out to sea. They both began screaming for help but unfortunately, right then, the beach was just about deserted.
Peter held onto Stella and tried to reassure her, but as she lost consciousness in his arms, he began desperately screaming for help once more.
The South West Times of 22 December 1925 described the unfolding tragedy: "... Medical opinion is that finding herself in grave danger, the girl’s heart … gave way. The boy’s position became critical … After a few minutes, during which he courageously fought to hold up his companion, his cries attracted the attention of a couple of firemen off the Seattle who were strolling along the sea beach… One of them, named Victor Boswell, hastily stripping off his jacket as he ran and not even stopping to divest himself of his boots, sprang into the sea ... In the meantime, the grim fight for life on the part of the two young people was evidently nearing its close as far as the girl was concerned.” Boswell unlocked Peter’s grip on the unconscious Stella and in the doing, was immediately swept out to sea himself. Peter, who was nearly done in, grabbed hold of Stella once more as the fickle tide swept the pair closer to rocks near the shore. He briefly lost his grip on her and the waves tossed him up the beach, where the gathering crowd restrained the exhausted lad from going back in to try to save his friend. When he saw Stella floating at the edge of the breakers he grabbed a rope and valiantly brought her to shore, 40 minutes after she’d first got into difficulties.
Dr Joel, who’d arrived on the scene, knew Stella and her family well, but he realised she was dead before Peter brought her to shore. He worked on her for an hour, but to no avail.
Peter, who came close to drowning, was awarded the Royal Humane Society Certificate of Merit for his brave actions that day in trying to save Stella. Victor Boswell, who needed artificial respiration to survive, received the Bronze Medal.
An ‘In Memoriam’ appears in our 1926 Kookaburra: "A cloud was cast over our holidays just before Christmas by the news of the death of Stella Clarke, who was drowned while bathing at Bunbury on December 21st. Our deepest sympathy goes out to her parents and brothers and sisters. We know that Stella was one of the sunniest members of the School, and realise what the loss of her must mean in her home. Stella’s garden is still being tended, and her name will be commemorated by the prize for gardening, which has been very kindly promised by Mrs Clarke."
The Stella Clarke Memorial Prize for Gardening was first awarded in 1926, as Mrs Elvina Clarke had promised, and awarded every year thereafter, until 1951.
Journalist and author Patrick Cornish drew on our Archives in writing ‘A Watch on the Waves’ in 2015 which explained the decision to establish the lifesaving component of the Bunbury Surf Bathing Club had been made the day before Stella drowned. He wrote that the night she died, Peter’s mother, Maud Verschuer, called everyone in town and campaigned hard to ensure it went ahead, because she never wanted any other 15-year-old to dive into rough waters with nothing but a rope around their waist to retrieve a body, as her boy had done.
Mrs Verschuer was successful. Within days the life-saving component was fully operational and is today known as the Bunbury Surf Lifesaving Club.
*May Verschuer married Harold Nash in 1933. Her daughter-in-law, granddaughters and great granddaughters have all come through PLC. One is here now, in Year 12. Stella Clarke (1925) with siblings Middle back: Frank Clarke (b 1901, KIA Crete 1941) Front, L-R: Nancy Clarke (b 1914), Michael Clarke (b 1918, KIA Kokoda), Stella Clarke (b 1910, drowned 1925).
In November 2019 Stella Clarke’s niece Debbie Scott (Clarke 1969) donated two incredibly poignant photos to our Archives; one is the only one of Stella we’ve seen, with all of her siblings. The other was of 15-yearold Peter Verschuer, with his younger brother.
Peter Verschuer (right) aged 15 in 1925, with younger brother Ivan.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
PLC Pipe Band practising at Stirling Castle during the 1988 Pipe Band tour.
Recent Accessions
Unknown Donor
1978 PLC Band single
Mrs Merle Page nee Dorrington (Music Mistress 1954-1993)
Sonafen fur Pianoforte solo von L Van Beethoven (German version) originally sold at Nicholsons in Perth. Inscribed with Mrs Page’s mother’s maiden name, Ruby E M Scott, “Alviston”, 20 Campbell Street, Subiaco. This copy was clearly well-loved, with repairs tended to, and copious notes and adjustments pencilled onto the music and in the margins; Sonatas for the Pianoforte L van Beethoven and Augener’s Edition of Novelletten fur das Pianoforte von Robert Schumann, both once belonging to Dorothy Hutchinson (Music Mistress 1920-1965), dated 20 June 1916 (her 20th birthday); Beethoven Sonatas, once belonging to Noreen Else of 137 Sewell Street, East Fremantle; 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1989 Kookaburras.
Jane Thompson (Stimson 1958)
Orders of service for the 1990 Diamond Jubilee Appeal Community Leaders’ Breakfast; 1984 and 1985 Founders’ Day Services and for the 1985, 1998 and 1999 Speech Night; the OCA’s 70th Anniversary Dinner, 1987 (70th anniversary of the opening of the Cottesloe campus); the 1981 and 1982 Service to conclude Secondary Education for Year 12 Students; the 1984 Induction of Rev Margaret Zayan (Reverend 1983-1993). 1940 Kookaburra; Strategic Plan 1994-2004; Stewart House 50th birthday brochure; Letter advising Dr Stimson that Jane had been awarded a Carmichael Bequest scholarship for 1958, to the value of £50; OCA circular, January 1967; photo of Mog Gadsdon (Gordon 1957) and Dr Vera Summers (Principal 1934-1961; on staff from 1920) in the country c1981; book of attendees at OCA events, started by Valerie Barrett-Hill (Hubbard 1941), 1959 President, and going through to 1979; two rolls of proof photos taken during 1980s OCA events (see photo).
Vaughn Bisschops, glass artist
Framed artwork showing the making of the Heather Barr Memorial Chapel stained glass window. It was given to him by Chris Rumble who worked on the window with Leon Pericles and Colin Montfort.
Wendy MacLeod (Emmott 1963)
Items Wendy used at School: engraved ink pen and pencil case; beret with her name tag sewn in; Mothercraft folder; blanket used in the Boarding House; enamelled tie pin.
Alison Carroll (Coates 1966)
Fourteen tiny photographs once belonging to Alison’s husband’s aunt, Bobbie Stanley-Low (Carroll 1922). See photos.
Kym Patiniotis (1989)
In contribution to the Pipe Band’s 40th anniversary commemorative history: Kym’s drumsticks; 1988 Pipe Band tour diary; VHS video of Scotland 1988, filmed by Kym during Pipe Band tour; 135 photos from the Pipe Band tour.
LEFT (Left - right) Joanna Farrell, Joanne Jarrott and Dorothy Hatch wearing their white tracksuits. Inter-School Rhythmic Gymnastics Competition c1984. BELOW LEFT This is ME, December 23 1918. BELOW RIGHT Edna (Rose) at PLC 1919.
Penny Moir (Leighton 1977) via Jo Cruickshank (1977)
Penny’s 1977 Summers Arts Captain badge (inaugural); Penny’s Year 12 blazer pocket with Summers emblem (inaugural); embroidered PLC crest (old style) on blue cotton; PLC felt banner.
Digital Accessions
Jo Pope (Lapsley 1981)
Jo’s bagpipe chanter first used in 1977 with Eric Page (Director of Music 1975-1981).
Anne Maroni (Hood 1981)
Two photos of Ashley Mottershead (Fraser 1981) and Jo Pope (Lapsley 1981) dressed in Fremantle Ladies’ Pipe Band uniforms on Anzac Day 1981.
Dr Margaret ‘Margo’ Warburton (Humanities staff 1996-2012) and Dr Joan Pope OAM
The University of Western Australia and the Second World War Nominal Roll Project: Remembering the service of staff, students and graduates of UWA by Drs Margaret Warburton and Joan Pope OAM, and to which our Archivist contributed a brief history of Roma Gornall (Craze 1932).
Kate Goldie (1988)
USB with scans of 383 photos of 1988 cohort used for the 1988 Reunion in 2018.
Jane Bell Bandack (Bell 1984)
Twelve minutes of wonderful colour footage of the Junior School play from the early-1970s.
John Dowson (Kindy c1952)
Nine photos relevant to PLC, once belonging to his aunt Gwen Dowson (French teacher 1929-1930).
Janine Tate (Bruce 1987)
Two photos: Janine competing in the Inter-School Rhythmic Gymnastics Competition of 1984 or 1985; and Joanna Farrell, Joanne Jarrott and Dorothy Hatch wearing their white tracksuits, waiting to compete in the same competition.
Penny Moir (Leighton 1977) via Jo Cruickshank (1977)
Penny’s 25 Year Reunion speech, 2002; Letter Penny wrote to Jo Cruickshank (1977) in May 2020; ‘My MND Journey’ by Penny; ‘She’s Our Hero’ in the Albany Advertiser, 11 June 2020.
