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THE COLLEGE CREST AND COLOURS

In the early days of our College when it was Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) at 1 St Georges Terrace Perth, the school colours were red and black. The earliest crest was the De La Salle’s ‘Signum Fidei’ as seen in the stained-glass panel which was originally above the main entrance to the Brothers’ residence in St Georges Terrace, but now safely restored in the entrance to Gibney Hall at Trinity College.

At the end of the 1937 school year, when the boarders from CBC Perth moved to the new Aquinas College they took with them the colours of red and black. The Headmaster of CBC had to introduce new colours for the Terrace. Br P L Duffy, who had recently arrived from CBC St Kilda in Melbourne decided to replicate their colours – two blues and a green. The colour blue has always been associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary and the green acknowledges our strong Celtic links with Catholic Ireland. Not only was the Founder of the Christian Brothers, Blessed Edmund Rice, an Irishman but so too were the co-founders of CBC Perth – Brother Ambrose Treacy and Bishop Matthew Gibney. The first Headmaster of the Terrace, Br T A O’Brien was also an Irishman. From 1938 to 1961 ‘the Terrace’, as the school was affectionally known, continued to use an adaptation of the Christian Brothers’ crest as the school crest, but when the whole school moved from St Georges Terrace to what was then Riverside Drive, now Trinity College, Brother Stan Mullen designed a new coat of arms for the new school. The following is taken from the 1963 Trinity College Annual: After a good deal of consideration and professional advice the College Council formally approved the new Coat of Arms for Trinity College. The new arms present in bold outline the three golden crowns upon the royal blue background as symbolic of the dedication of the College to the three Divine Persons of the Blessed Trinity. The overall shape is that of the simple male shield. Crowns are traditionally associated with kingship and dominion and they are arranged in the form of an equilateral triangle to emphasise the unity and equality of the Divine Persons. The arrangement of the whole was taken from the arms of the Irish Republic, being the Arms of Munster where the Congregation of Christian Brothers was founded (Waterford). The Cross is the cross of our salvation, the sign of a Christian school, while the Marian symbol signifies the devotion of the order and its schools to the Blessed Mother of God. This symbol was taken from the coat of arms of Bishop Gibney, co-founder of Christian Brothers’ College, Perth. The motto is taken from Psalm 123: “Adjutorium nostrum In Nomine Domini qui fecit caelum et terram.” “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made the heavens and the earth.” The official school colours for Trinity College are royal blue, pale blue and emerald green. Only the royal blue appears on the Coat of Arms. In heraldry, the colours white, silver and gold are never considered official colours, but may be used with red for adornment or extra decoration. Hence the three crowns are gold (never yellow) and the jewels in the crowns are red. The three crowns from the Trinity Coat of Arms must never appear in any other formation other than the equilateral triangle. And the three colours are of equal importance. None is a minor colour. White and yellow are not our school colours. Written by Br Rob Callen, past Trinity College Director Campus Ministry.

Mrs Robyn Jennison

Trinity College Archives

THE OLD TREES AT TRINITY

Norfolk Island Pines in front of Boatshed – planted 1961

River Gums (euc. Camaldulensis) – planted 1966

When Trinity College first opened its doors in 1962 it was a new school situated in a landscape of white sand. It was an enormous challenge for the Christian Brothers of the day to establish playing fields and outdoor recreational areas for the students especially when they had little, if any money.

Recently, Ross Beatson who manages the College’s buildings, grounds and services, wanted to know the history of the old trees on the grounds. The person he asked was Br J R Carrigg, Headmaster of the College from 1966–1971 and planter of many of those trees. What follows is Br Carrigg’s story. “When I visited Trinity with Br J A Kelly recently I was asked about the ‘trees on the property’. Here is a considered response – I still have an affection for the school after all these years – as does my friend Br Kelly, Headmaster for 13 years. I was a young teacher at Christian Brothers’ College, Perth with Br Kelly from 1958–1961 and then I spent ten years at Trinity, firstly as a teacher then as Headmaster, from 1962–1971. I was, more-or-less, the unofficial grounds manager and worker at Trinity in the early days – I came from a Roleystone orchard family and my Dad used to give me sound advice and free fertiliser! When I was leaving Trinity in 1971, I wrote the following for the school annual.”

Green thoughts in a Green Shade

The small playing field of the old Christian Brothers' College in St Georges Terrace was delightfully planted to the west with Morton Bay figs and on the east by the iconic Oriental Plane Trees of Victoria Avenue – which still survive. When Trinity College was established in 1961–1962 it presented at first about as unfavourable a site for landscaping as could be imagined. No tree had ever grown on these salty river flats and the beach sand brought in as filling did little to improve the situation. In addition, the site was windswept, the ground water brackish and the whole area badly drained in winter. Some of the early plantings were poorly chosen and the original entrance avenue of Oriental Plane Trees simply died. Gradually, however, the grounds settled down, good soil was trucked in when the school could afford it, a system of French drains lowered the water table and an increasingly effective irrigation system ensured that trees and playing fields had summer water – and life. Correct fertilising of the ovals reduced the alkaline content of the soil and the professional advice of Dr John Beard, Director of Kings Park at that time, ensured the planting of native trees more appropriate to the conditions – notably melaleucas and casuarinas. The principal trees at Trinity are now (1971) eucalypts, of which a number of different varieties have flourished. In the sandy, better drained areas, lemon scented and river gums (citriodora and camaldulensis) have grown well and in the more exposed areas, mahogany trees and spotted gums. The white stemmed paper barks (melaleucas) have flourished

Trinity College – under construction 1960-1961

along the drive and peppermints (agonis) will grow almost anywhere. The small leafed native fig, Ficus Hillii, has been used extensively and with it the Norfolk Island Pine, a slow growing but stately tree seen extensively in Cottesloe. Sheoaks or native pines (casuarinas) have grown well, as have New Zealand Christmas Trees and other less well-known varieties. Of deciduous trees only the poplar and the willow would originally grow and then, because of the wind, only on the lee side of buildings. However, now (1971) that some shelter is being provided by existing growth, a few plane trees, elms, ashes and liquidambars have begun to make their appearance. Apart from providing shade to students in summer and protection from the winds of winter, trees have the effect of softening the, sometimes, utilitarian lines of contemporary architecture.

They, too, have a particular purpose in the modern world where the air pollution inseparably associated with city living gives them an added importance. Most of all, perhaps, they help to create that indefinable atmosphere associated with all those things which are caught, rather than taught in good schools. When I was asked about the College grounds, I can pass on this history regarding the oldest surviving trees at Trinity and when they were planted: • the Norfolk Island pines near the boatshed (1961) • the two sugar gums near the grandstand (1962) and the sugar gum (Eucalyptus Cladolcalyx) and

Ficus Hilli near where Trinity Avenue becomes Hay Street i.e. the very corner of the property (1962) • the large river gums (Euc.

Camaldulensis) near the Junior School (1966) and the Nelson Crescent Gums (1967-68), mostly Camaldulensis All Eucalyptus trees tend to shed branches in strong winds and benefit from serious pruning when in playgrounds in my view.

Br J R Carrigg As the years have passed and conditions at the College have changed Trinity has lost many of these original trees and other plantings. But the magnificent old trees, which line our boundaries and are part of our heritage, create a magnificent landmark in East Perth. We must thank Br Carrigg and his fellow Christian Brothers for this. Mrs Robyn Jennison

Trinity College Archives

Engineer and Builder of Exceptional Pipe Organs

1983 – Mr Lynn Kirkham preparing plans of the organ “No church or chapel is was assisted for 12 complete without a pipe organ months by several to enrich the liturgy,” were skilled tradesmen the words of Br J A Kelly, and was helped by Headmaster of Trinity College others who gave when, in 1982, he engaged their time freely out Lynn Kirkham to design and of interest, including build a pipe organ for the his family members. Trinity College Chapel. Before any organ Sadly, on Easter Sunday, Lynn building commenced Owen Kirkham, Mechanical Lynn had colleagues Engineer, mentor to countless mechanical from UWA carry out extensive acoustical engineering students at the University of testing on the chapel. Some difficulties Western Australia (UWA) and builder of were encountered and to better the magnificent Trinity College pipe organ, assess the quality of the sounds, Lynn passed away following a very short illness. wished to ‘fire a gun’ in the chapel. Lynn was born into a family with a love of swing music (his father played the saxophone This he did at a time when all students were off the College property. in dance bands) and despite several shortApart from the imported handmade lived attempts to learn the piano he would pipes which were specifically designed develop a love of classical music. This later to suit Lynn’s overall tonal concept and extended to organ music, when during acoustic characteristics of the College his years as an undergraduate mechanical chapel and the solid jarrah casement which engineering student at UWA, he enjoyed was built by local firm Arcus Shopfitters, listening to the newly installed Winthrop all the major internal components Hall organ and was able to appreciate, firstof the organ were made by Lynn. hand, the artistry of renowned organists, Michael Brimer and Annette Goerke. Incorporated into the organ are 1720 pipes whose ‘voicing’ is that of the Dutch In 1982 Lynn began a long association Classical type of the 18th century and as with Trinity when Br J A Kelly, Headmaster such, is rare among organs in Australia. of the day, on recommendation from Mrs The pipes in front of each tower group are Goerke, asked him to design and build the embossed according to a tradition dating chapel organ. The College was approaching from the 15th century and were the first its 21st birthday on its present site in to be decorated in this way in Western East Perth and to mark this occasion the Australia. The most important asset of Auxiliary ladies wished to gift a pipe organ a pipe organ is its ability to produce a to the College to complete the interior of high-quality sound. Each of the many the chapel. At the time, Lynn was a busy pipes grouped in 23 stops transmits its senior lecturer from the Department of own particular sound which has to blend Mechanical Engineering at UWA. He had in with the sounds of the other pipes. a reputation for his work in the field of Lynn’s mechanical engineering background acoustics, particularly musical acoustics and was used to its fullest and was said to was very experienced with organs, having be evident when viewing the internal assisted in the installation of the Perth construction and design of the instrument. Concert Hall organ. He was also responsible for maintaining and servicing this organ as well as the St Mary’s Cathedral organ. The console of the organ consists of two manuals made in Germany with a 32- note radiating pedal board. The organ With a meticulous approach to his work Lynn, possesses a floating mechanical action would spend the next eight months at the using wire trackers under tension, with the drawing board designing the new chapel air supplied by means of an electric blower organ down to the finest detail. The organ situated downstairs in the sacristy. The would take up Lynn’s time ‘so completely’ organ, when completed, stood 4.5 metres he took a leave of absence, without pay, high and weighed about four tonnes. from UWA for nearly two years. He set up a factory where he could undertake this work,

On 21 June 1984 the Blessing and Inauguration of the Trinity Chapel Pipe Organ took place with formalities of the ceremony followed by a program of choral music performed by the St Mary’s Cathedral Choir accompanied by Mrs Goerke on the new organ. Br Kelly thanked and congratulated Lynn for “such a splendid addition to the cultural, artistic and spiritual life of the College” at which Lynn humbly replied: “I was very pleased to be asked to design and build the organ for this chapel. Before this I had seen the chapel a few years ago and it was a rather beautiful place and it would be finished off well with the organ I would like to put there – which I could see then in my mind’s eye.”. Over the past five years additional work on the organ has been undertaken as several features of the 1984 organ were left incomplete due to financial constraints at the time. It is with great sadness that Lynn Kirkham will not be here to see the completion of his work but his name and gifted craftmanship will live on at Trinity through his pipe organ which sits proudly in the choir loft of the College chapel. Lynn and all he accomplished has been acknowledged by many and his name is recorded in the history of Western Australian organ builders. Following are the words of his long-time work colleague and friend Mr Patrick Elms who has looked after the organ since 1998 … “Lynn Kirkham was a person of rare ability in that he was able to combine extreme artistry, an intelligent and extremely skilled design talent and a general workshop ability (especially in wood-working) almost second to none. Added to these abilities he was generous to a tee with sharing his skills and knowledge, especially to those who showed a real interest in understanding his methods. He was a giant in the Perth organ scene and will be sorely missed”. This article has been written in conjunction with Mr Patrick Elms and Br J A Kelly.

Mrs Robyn Jennison

Trinity College Archives

THANK YOU

The Archives of Trinity College and the Trinity-Terrace Old Boys’ Association extend a sincere thank you to:

John Trainor (‘71) for donating his Trinity Senior School blazer and Trinity tie, badge, school jumpers, annual, TOBA memorabilia, a framed etching of Christian Brothers’ College, Perth and a 1980 and 1981 Headmasters’ Series vintage port. Chris Allanson (’91) and his mother, Lesley Allanson, for their donation of school academic records of Chris and his brother, Cy Allanson (‘97), from their time at Trinity College, as well as school photos and Trinity Pipes & Drums memorabilia belonging to Cy Allanson. David Chokolich for donating a copy of Father John Chokolich’s (’38), (David’s uncle) memoir of his time at CBC Perth, beginning in the year 1933. Margaret Cane for her donation of a beautiful 1906 Western Australian Education Department Examination Certificate to the value of £15 awarded to Christian Brothers’ College, Perth student M O’Mahony for gaining a Government Junior Exhibition in April 1906.