All Hallows' School

All Hallows' School is a Catholic day school for girls, located in Fortitude Valley, close to the central business district of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Founded in 1861, the school follows in the tradition of the Irish Sisters of Mercy, and caters for over 1,400 girls from Years five to 12.^[1] The school was the first permanent home of the Sisters of Mercy in Queensland, and is the oldest surviving secondary school in Brisbane.^[2]

All Hallows' is a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),^[3] the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australia,^[4] the Australasian Mercy Secondary Schools Association,^[5] and the Catholic Secondary Schoolgirls' Sports Association.^[6]

The school's motto is in French, Dieu et Devoir (English: "God and Duty"). This motto was formulated in 1911, 50 years after the school opened. The French language was chosen for the motto on the basis of the strong French influence in the school's early years.^[7]

Many of the All Hallows' School Buildings have been listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.^[2]

History

19th century

Bishop James Quinn, c. 1860

The story of the foundation of All Hallows' School must be set against the rudimentary "pioneer" education system and bitter sectarian disputes in Queensland education during the 1850s and early 1860s. According to Johnston,^[8] until 1860 "secondary education tended to receive a fairly low priority in state thinking – which was not surprising since the provision of a primary level was so difficult, to difficult to manage". He continues: "There were no state initiatives to provide its own system until 1912. Secondary education, seen as a perquisite of middle-class life, suitable for the children of business and professional men and established pastoralists, was allowed to be offered by private and church bodies."^[8]

Queensland historian Ross Fitzgerald points out that until well into the twentieth century "the majority of (Queensland Catholics) ... belonged to lower socio-economic groups".^[9]

First Catholic secondary school in Queensland

Mother Vincent Whitty, founder of All Hallows' School

Contrary to the development of most schools, All Hallows' School, as the first Catholic secondary school in Queensland,^[10] sought to serve those less fortunate in colonial society while operating under the same legislative framework as the more affluent grammar schools. Serving poorer, often Irish, Roman Catholic, immigrant women in the area of Fortitude Valley, the School did not raise the required subscription for government aid and, in a time of bitter sectarianism within Queensland, the school maintained fierce independence in curriculum from what was seen by many within the Catholic community as attempts by a hostile secular government at interference.

Relocation to Duncan's Hill

All Hallows' Main Building at Duncan Hill, c. 1889

In 1863, with pupils and Sisters growing in numbers, it was soon realised that a suitable place for a convent must be found. It was envisaged that a small House of Mercy would be established on the site of what would become All Hallows' School. 1 November 1863 saw the transfer of the party from a small structure adjacent to what is now Saint Stephen's Cathedral to 'Adderton House' overlooking the Brisbane River from high upon Duncan's Hill.

The Bishop has lately purchased the finest house and situation in Brisbane for a convent. The purchase money is 6,000 – where it is to come from I know not – but I trust God will send it. As soon as we get into it, we are to commence a House of Mercy ... The constant influx of Emigrants renders a House of Mercy desirable but it will not be a big one.^[11]

Mother Vincent Whitty marvelled at the position of the new house in a way that many visitors to the school have done since 1863. Writing to Ireland with news of the move to Duncan's Hill she stated:

I wish I could give you an idea of the beauty of the situation of this house. The view of the river from the Balcony is lovely and in the distance the thick bush, is here and there cleared away, with the town at one side of the River, it certainly is very beautiful.^[12]

Adderton House

Adderton House was constructed in 1858 by John Petrie for Dr. George Fullerton (Mahoney, 1985 p. 6).

St Ann's Industrial School

All Hallows' School 1861–1863 location within the building in the foreground of St Stephen's Cathedral, c. 1910

A 1914 image of St Ann's Industrial School (part of All Hallows' School). Road level of Ann Street, Brisbane, has been lowered on numerous occasions since 1861 and this has affected the proportions of the current gate.

St Ann's Industrial School was opened on 15 July 1894 by the Governor of Queensland Henry Wylie Norman. Its purpose was to provide a home and education to neglected or delinquent girls. It was designed by architect F. D. G. Stanley. In the 1940s it was partially converted to a boarding house for young women working in the Brisbane central business district or studying at the University of Queensland. In 1964 it was remodelled as classrooms for the All Hallows' School.^[2]

House system

All Hallows' has a mixed age house structure. Every student and staff member belongs to one of the eight houses which are named after people or places within the history of the school. Each house is given a color.^[13]

• Adderton – green, named after Adderton House, the first building on the school grounds.
• Coolock – blue, named after the house in Ireland where Catherine McAuley lived.
• Gorry – gold, named after Queensland born Mercy Sister Jane Gorry.
• Loretto – pink, named after long serving school principal Sister M. Loretto Flynn. Principal: 1916, 1933–1959.
• McAuley – silver, named after the founder of the Mercy Sisters, Catherine McAuley.
• Mercedes – orange, pronounced /mɛərˈseɪdɛs/ mair-SAY-dess as per the Spanish word for 'Mercy'.
• Tighe – purple, named after the first enrolled student at AHS, Annie Tighe.
• Whitty – red, named after the first principal of AHS, Mother Vincent Whitty.

Notable alumnae

Former students of All Hallows' are known as "Old Girls"; they may elect to join the Past Pupils' Association.^[14]

• Thea Astley, author and novelist^[15]
• Fran Bailey, member of the House of Representatives, Parliament of Australia.^[16]
• Verity Barton, LNP member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for Broadwater^[17]
• Isabella Bliss, winner of Junior MasterChef Australia in 2010^[18]
• Ellen Fanning, journalist^[19]
• Diane Fingleton, first female Chief Magistrate of Queensland^[20]
• Teresa Gambaro, LNP member of House of Representatives, Parliament of Australia^[21]
• Ernestine Hill, writer^[22]
• Marguerite Houston, Australian rowing team^[23]
• Miranda Kerr, model^[24]
• Mary Emelia Mayne (1858–1940), philanthropist^[25]
• Maxine McKew, ALP member of the House of Representatives seat of Bennelong^[26]
• Sarina Russo, entrepreneur ^[27]
• Grace Sewell, singer and songwriter ^[28]
• Tracey Wickham, Australian swimmer (Olympics and Commonwealth Games)^[29][30]

Gallery

Historic images of All Hallows' 1860–1942

• 

  A class, with their Mercy Sister teachers, at All Hallows' in 1890

• 

  All Hallows' School (Main Building) dominated the Brisbane skyline during the 1893 Brisbane floods. This view shows the flood waters at Kangaroo Point in the foreground.

• 

  An image from Main Street, Kangaroo Point looking north across the Brisbane River to All Hallows' School. The architect for the main building was Andreas Stombucco.

• 

  This photograph taken in 1915 of the staff of the Austral Carriage Company shows the facade of what is now beneath the Claver Theatre and Consilo Aquatic Complex. This facade is heritage listed and provides part of the All Hallows' School Boundary Street fence line.

• 

  The Story bridge under construction in 1938 with All Hallows' School (Main Building) clearly in the background

• 

  During World War 2, Brisbane was the headquarters of the Supreme Commander Allied Powers (Pacific), US General Douglas MacArthur and as such a major military staging point. In this image, Australian troops take part in a parade along Ann Street during 1942. Note the All Hallows' gates in the background.

Modern images of All Hallows'

• 

  The Consilo Aquatic Centre (part of the 2006–7 Dodge Lane Project) incorporated an Olympic standard water polo pool (2 side by side courts), a gymnasium, 300 seat auditorium (the Claver Theatre), and piazza as well as seating, performance and parking areas. Visible in the background of this image are the Loretto and Mercy Hall indoor courts and assembly complexes (curved roof structure) and Aquinas classroom block.

• 

  Front view of the Potter Building. Showing the entry to the Potter Library (Secondary School), branches of one of the many Moreton Bay Fig that are found on the grounds, and the two levels of science laboratories located above the Potter Library.

• 

  The Ann Street frontage of the school is defined by this retaining wall which dominates the landscape. The wall is a result of the street level being lowered on three occasions until it reached the current level in 1927.

• 

  A more modern entrance to the school.

• 

  School grounds and buildings.

Other

• 

  Sister Jane Gorry, first Queensland-born Mercy sister.

• 

  Mother Catherine McAuley – founder of Mercy Order.

See also

• Lists of schools in Queensland

References

Sources

• Fitzgerald, R. (1984) A History of Queensland: 1915 to the Early 1980s, Brisbane: UQP.
• Johnston, W. Ross (1982) The Call of the Land: A History of Queensland to the Present Day, Brisbane: Jacaranda.
• Mahoney, J-M (1985) Dieu et Devoir: The Story of All Hallows' School Brisbane, 1861–1981. Brisbane: Boolarong Publications
• Mercy Women Making History: From the Pen of Mother Vincent Whitty (2001) Brisbane: Corporation of the Trustees of the Order of the Sisters of Mercy in Queensland.
• State Library of Queensland, Picture Queensland: All Hallows' School
• Women Making History: A Heritage Exhibition Celebrating the First 40 Years of the Sisters of Mercy in Queensland 1861–1901 (2000), Brisbane: Sisters of Mercy – Brisbane Congregation.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to All Hallows' School.

• All Hallows' School Official Site
• Official Site of the Mercy Heritage Centre based at All Hallows'
• All Hallows' School Aerial Photographs