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With the complications of a second period of remote learning, I apologise for ‘throwing together’ a little reflection on Kilbreda over the years. I have tried to track down an image for each decade from 1910.

The 1910 shot is an image of the total student population at that time, including Dr Inez Parer, of the famous Parer family, noted surgeon, second from the left back row.

 In 1920, a page from the Old Register shows how many of our students came from far and wide. Of this list of students enrolled in 1920, I did meet two, Mille Davis, who ended her days at Avonlea in Patty Street Mentone and Beatrice ‘Billie’ Kelly.

The 1930 photo came from the collection of Kitty Adams and shows a group of juniors from that year. I do have their names somewhere, but not near enough to include here. 

1940 was a difficult year in that there was no annual magazine published. The piece included is the annual prize list which shows the various winners of prizes from the 1940 school year. 

The 1950 photo is memorable for many reasons. It contains two girls who went on to become Brigidine sisters, Margaret Cassidy, at the piano, and Mary Myers (second from left). Maureen Cuddigan is shown leading the Lourdes house team in 1960. 

The photo of the Colonnade shows Mother Aquin Kerr, locking the doors at the end of the day in 1970.

Junior students sitting at old fashioned wooden desks in Room 22 or 23 represent life at Kilbreda in 1980. 

In 1990, I started at Kilbreda and our staff photo from that year includes numerous current staff. 

Learn to Dance has been a perennial favourite for many years and a picture of one of those sessions from 2000 is included. My own Learn to Dance lessons were held mainly on Sunday afternoons in St Bede’s Hall, but at least on one occasion in the old hall upstairs in the Margaret Mary Wing. I remember being filled with terror when we were asked to go and choose a partner. The trials and tribulations of a wallflower! (But that’s another story!) 

The 2010 picture is Year 8 Room 59, showing my dear daughter Julia, now known to many as “Miss Smith”, whom I am delighted to welcome as a colleague, this year. While I’m welcoming people, it’s also nice to see past pupil, past staff member and past President of the Pupils’ Association, Marian Le Bas, back at Kilbreda. 

2020 will be remembered for one thing and one thing only. Remote learning and using Microsoft Teams, so I have included a photo of Teams in action.

Damian Smith 

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