The Cloisters (Perth) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Cloisters |
|
|---|---|
The Cloisters frontage onto St Georges Terrace
|
|
| General information | |
| Type | Heritage listed building |
| Location | Perth, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | 20 October 1995 |
| Reference no. | 2119 |
The Cloisters is a cool old building in Perth, Western Australia. You can find it at 200 St Georges Terrace. It's a two-story building made of dark bricks. It stands out at the top of Mill Street, making it a well-known spot.
This building is special because it's one of the few remaining buildings in central Perth that was built by convicts in the mid-1800s.
Contents
The Cloisters: A Look Back in Time
- Further information: Hale School
Building a School for Boys
The Cloisters was designed by Richard Roach Jewell. It was built in 1858 to be a secondary school for boys. Bishop Mathew Blagden Hale helped start and fund the school.
It was called the Perth Church of England Collegiate School. People also knew it as Bishop Hale's School. This was the very first secondary school in the Swan River Colony.
A Special Design
The building's style was inspired by famous English places. These included St. James's Palace and Hampton Court. The design showed the power of England and the Church.
Many important people went to school here. John Forrest became the first Premier of Western Australia. Alexander Forrest later became the Lord Mayor of Perth. Other students included Stephen Henry Parker, Sir Edward Wittenoom, and Maitland Brown.
.jpg)
Changing Uses Over the Years
In 1865, the Anglican Church took over running the school. By 1872, the boys' school moved to a new location. The Cloisters then became a school for girls.
More rooms were added to the building in 1879–80. These included new classrooms and dormitories. But by the late 1890s, the school closed down. This was because fewer students attended.
The building was then divided into two parts. These were rented out as private homes. The eastern side became a boarding house. It was first called The Cloisters in 1904.
The western side became a college for clergy members. This was known as St John's College by 1909. It stayed a theological college until 1918. After that, the whole building became a hostel for the new University of Western Australia.
Saving a Historic Building
In the late 1960s, the owners planned to knock down The Cloisters. They wanted to build something new. But a special business deal saved the building.
Developers agreed to restore The Cloisters to its original look. In return, they could build a larger building behind it.
In 1971, The Cloisters was carefully restored. It was turned into a commercial space. This cost about $100,000, which is like $1.2 million today. A nearby Port Jackson Fig tree, planted in 1887, was also kept.
The outside of the building was kept and fixed up. The inside was changed to create office space.
The Cloisters was recognized as important in 1973. It was added to the state heritage register on October 20, 1995. The area behind it is now called Cloisters Square.
What is The Cloisters Used For Today?
As of 2025, the building is currently empty.
