Rockhampton Girls Grammar School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rockhampton Girls Grammar School |
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Rockhampton Girls Grammar School, Paterson House, 2009
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| Location | 155 Agnes Street, The Range, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1890 |
| Architect | Edwin Morton Hockings |
| Architectural style(s) | Gothic |
| Official name: Rockhampton Girls Grammar School | |
| Type | state heritage (built, landscape) |
| Designated | 20 October 2000 |
| Reference no. | 600780 |
| Significant period | 1890s–1900s (fabric) 1870s (historical) |
| Significant components | school/school room, garden/grounds |
| Builders | Moir Cousins and Co |
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Rockhampton Girls Grammar School is a historic private school located at 155 Agnes Street in The Range, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Edwin Morton Hockings and built in 1890 by Moir Cousins and Co. This school is so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 20, 2000, meaning it's a special place protected for its history and beauty.
Contents
The School's Beginning
Rockhampton Girls Grammar School first opened its doors on April 19, 1892. There wasn't a big party or ceremony because George Barnsley Shaw, who had worked very hard to start the school, was very sick. He passed away the very next day. The first headmistress, or principal, was Helen Downs.
This school was the ninth "grammar school" to be built in Queensland and only the third one specifically for girls. Grammar schools were a special type of independent school that received help from the government. They were like the first high schools in Queensland before the government started building its own public high schools in the 1910s.
For a while, the nearby Rockhampton Grammar School had both boys and a smaller group of girls. But the government didn't want to give extra money for the girls' section. So, in 1886, the girls' part of that school closed. People in Rockhampton kept talking about how important it was for girls to have their own school. Finally, in 1890, enough money was raised from private donations and government help to start a new girls' school.
Designing the School
In 1890, a competition was held to find the best design for the new Girls Grammar School. The building needed to have homes for the Headmistress and staff, rooms for 20 boarding students, and classrooms for 50 day students. It had to be made of brick and cost no more than £4,000.
Thirty-two different designs were sent in! The first prize went to Edwin Morton Hockings from Brisbane. He later became a very important person for the school, not just as its architect but also as a member of the school's board for many years.
The company Moir Cousins and Co won the bid to build the school for £3,890. Before they started building, the school's design had to be flipped around because the land wasn't flat enough for the original plans. There were also some delays because of changes to the building, like adding more air vents and special cedar window shutters.
Paterson House: The Main Building
The new main building, which has two floors and is made of brick, was finished in 1890. Since 1971, it has been known as Paterson House, named after a long-serving chairman of the school's board, AH Paterson. The building's style looks a bit like old castles, with a "Gothic" feel.
On the ground floor, there was a big assembly hall, two classrooms, a drawing room, and dining rooms for students and staff, plus a kitchen. Upstairs, there were music rooms, two large dormitories for boarders, bedrooms for teachers, and bathrooms. There were even three different staircases: one for students, one for teachers, and one for staff! The total cost for the building was £5,666.
When the school first opened, the grounds were quite rough. Only the school area and the tennis court were flat.
Early Additions and Gardens
In 1892, a wooden cottage for the caretaker and a playshed were built. The playshed was later turned into a gymnasium.
Soon after the school opened, on a day called Arbor Day (a day for planting trees), 46 trees were planted. Each tree represented a student, teacher, or board member. These included mango trees, silky oaks, jacarandas, and bunya pines.
As the school grew, more parts were added to the main building.
- In 1897, a new single-story section was added to the south side. This included a new assembly hall, two classrooms, and an office for the Headmistress. The old assembly hall was then split into two new classrooms.
- In 1899, another two-story section was added. This part had new dormitories and bathrooms for 18 more boarders, two new classrooms, and music rooms. This work also included making two new tennis courts.
- In 1901, more changes were made, like combining a classroom with the dining room, adding two new classrooms upstairs, and building a new laundry and other service rooms.
Other improvements included new fences, driveways, gates, and even painting the brickwork red to help with dampness.
In 1898, the Headmistress, Miss Downs, started a kindergarten for younger students. It was first in a room behind the main building and later in a separate small building. This kindergarten closed during World War II.
Changes Over Time
After an initial period of growth, the school faced challenges. For example, a new state high school opened in Rockhampton in 1919, and the Great Depression in the 1930s meant less money for the school. This caused student numbers to drop.
In 1945, more additions were made to the upper floor of Paterson House, including a staff room, bathrooms, and a sick bay. The old gymnasium was turned into a music building with practice rooms.
Major new buildings started to appear in the 1960s as the school grew again:
- Luck House (1962) - for boarding and classrooms.
- Science Laboratory and Clarice McKeague Hall (1968).
- Principal's residence (1971).
- Colin H Grant Library and Resources Centre (1972).
- Millicent Jackson House (1977).
- Music Centre (1986).
- Primmer House (1987).
- Centenary Arts Building (1991) - built to celebrate 100 years of the school.
Paterson House also changed over time. Teaching moved to other parts of the school, and the dormitories were updated. Today, Paterson House is used for boarding students and for the school's administration offices.
Since 1978, the school has also worked on improving its gardens and outdoor areas. Students have helped plant trees and create special paved areas.
What the School Looks Like Today
Rockhampton Girls Grammar School is located on a hill called the Athelstane Range, overlooking Rockhampton. The main building, Paterson House, stands out with its strong Gothic style. It's at the south of the school grounds, with terraced areas leading down to sports fields and other school buildings.
Paterson House is a two-story building made of painted brick. It has a complex roof with different sections and even some small towers called turrets. Over the years, some of the open verandahs (porches) and courtyards have been enclosed.
The front of the building, facing northeast, has three sections that stick out, with verandahs in between. You can see arched wooden supports and narrow windows with timber shutters.
The side of the building facing the driveway has a wide archway that says "AH PATERSON DRIVE" above it.
Inside, the ground floor has offices for the school's administration, including the Headmistress's office. These areas have beautiful wooden fireplaces, staircases, and doors. The kitchen and laundry areas have been updated. The Assembly Hall has a high ceiling with wooden beams.
Upstairs, the first floor has dormitories for boarding students and rooms for nurses. These areas have been changed many times over the years to keep them modern and comfortable.
The school is entered from a driveway at the corner of Denham and Agnes Streets. This driveway has a cast iron gate and brick pillars and is lined with pine trees. There are many more trees scattered around the school grounds. A wide path leads around the main building to a tennis court and other buildings.
Below the tennis court is a netball court. The music building, which used to be the open-sided gymnasium, is next to it. This building now has walls and a ceiling, creating many music practice rooms. The Centenary Art building is also nearby.
Why the School is Special
Rockhampton Girls Grammar School is important for a few reasons:
It Shows How Queensland's History Changed: It's one of the first grammar schools in Queensland. These schools were the beginning of high school education in the state. The school opened in 1892 when Rockhampton was becoming a very important city in Central Queensland. As the third grammar school for girls, it also shows how important education for women became.
It Shows What a School Should Look Like: Paterson House, built in 1891, was the original and main school building for many years. It was designed by a famous Rockhampton architect, EM Hockings. The school community sees it as the heart of the school. Its "Collegiate Gothic" style was often used for educational buildings back then to show the serious and traditional nature of learning. It's part of a group of old school facilities, including the former gymnasium and tennis courts.
It's Beautiful to Look At: The school, surrounded by tall pine trees, is built on a prominent hill. It's a significant and beautiful part of the Rockhampton skyline.
See also
- List of schools in Queensland
