From the Archives
Kilbreda's birthday
The beginning of August is significant for us at Kilbreda as it marks the anniversary of the opening of the school. August 8 marked 112 years since classes first began here. On that day, a small group of three students, Eileen Dempsey, Vera Ryan and Marian Nunan, gathered in what is now the Principals’ office for classes. As the school expanded, classes took place in what is now the Conference Room, which was then a much larger room, the dining room of the former Coffee Palace.
A few days later, they were joined by arguably Kilbreda and MGGS’s most famous past pupil, Annette Kellermann, who is one of a few people credited with the creation of Synchronised Swimming. Annette, whose life was immortalised by Esther Williams in the movie “Million Dollar Mermaid”, had been a student at Simpson’s School, the forerunner of the Girls’ Grammar school. A classmate, Fairlie Taylor, wrote of her brush with the famous swimmer in her autobiography. She spoke of how sad she and her classmates were when the Brigidine Convent opened and their dear friend transferred there.
Interestingly, Kilbreda has another connection with Synchronised Swimming, which is quite appropriate with the Rio Olympics in full swing. Former pupil, Beth Stutterd-Walsh, aunt of Amelia in Year 10, placed 7th in the team competition in Beijing.
Other pupils who joined Kilbreda classes later in 1904 included Theresa Sheedy, who as Sr Genevieve, was the first Kilbreda girl to become a Brigidine sister. Her training took place in the Mentone Novitiate, which still stands in Mentone Parade. It is now known as Bantry and was a former home of Mentone’s ‘founder’ Sir Matthew Davies. Another classmate was Mary McGuffie, whose father James had acted on behalf of the Brigidines in purchasing the Coffee Palace.
Damian Smith
Archives
Iola Tuddenham
A little while ago, I received in the archives some treasures I had not seen for fifteen years! The items included photos, postcards of Mentone from the 1920s, a newspaper article and a holy card. They were the property of past pupil, Iola Tuddenham (nee McDonald), who was a student here from the age of 6 in 1915, until 1925. I travelled to Nazareth House in Ballarat to interview Iola (aunt of AFL great Des Tuddenham) in 2002 for our centenary history ‘A View from the Tower’. One photo, which had been taken by her father of Iola with her classmates, was a photo I had not seen before and fortunately for me, turned out to have my grandmother sitting in the front row! Incidentally, my grandmother was a student here for four years but appeared in no other official photograph, so I treasure this one. As you will see, Iola had written the names on the back, which was a great help to me. The ‘Angel’s Card’, a ‘record of Spiritual works in aid of the Chinese mission’ belonged to Iola’s sister Flora, who later became Sr Genevieve RSM. Sadly, Iola died a few months short of our centenary celebrations and Flora the year before that, but Iola’s reminiscences are recorded in the history which is the richer for her contribution.
It may be of interest to some who have been around the area for some time to know that Mr Ralph Sierakowski, a local hotelier, who had ten children educated here, recently celebrated his one hundredth birthday. His daughters, including former College Captains, Madeleine (1961) and twins Rita and Claire (1965) are regular attendees at our reunions and his son Fr Michael, is a local priest. Mr Sierakowski, along with Mr Chris Ryan (father of Sr Angela Ryan and Mrs Maragert Underwood), were great supporters of the college and often officiated at Kilbreda Sports days in years gone by.
Damian Smith
Archives