The University Archives turns 70 on 3 May this year. To celebrate this milestone, check the blog at the end of each week for the week’s special stories from our collections.
11 March 2024
The River or a Bucket Shower
The Sydney Teachers College (STC) established a camp in 1925 with an agreement drawn up, “We, Alexander Mackie Principal of the Teachers College…do hereby severally solemnly and sincerely declare that :- 1. We hold the land particularised in the Schedule hereto as Trustees for the Students and the Staff of the Teachers College…(1) To utilize and make the same available as a camping ground for recreational and educational purposes for the benefit of such students and staff”.
E Dulce Lindsay reminisced in 1985 about, “…some of the member who were at the first camp held at the site between Richmond and Penrith in December, 1925 – for practice-teaching only…We all slept in tents – the men at one end of the site, girls at the other. Ablution facilities for the girls were the river or a bucket shower in what has been the fowl-house. The boys, I think, had only the river”.
By December 1926, a camp song had been composed by Gordon Cummings part of which went, “Here’s to the camp headquarters, where we meet for our meals. Here’s to the camp headquarters – hear the peals of ladies’ squeals. Here’s to the camp headquarters, where sunburnt college daughters Will dance the water-blisters off their heels…For the candles will be snuffed so very soon. Laugh – Ha ha ha ha ha, etc….Here’s to the Place of Rabbits, where strange up-country habits Develop in the “back-to-nature” man. Hear us rave as we shave With a puddle’s dirty wave, While the boys are singing hoarsely out of tune. Laugh”. The camp song was printed along with the 16 December 1926 menu of Roast Beef of Old England, Baked Potatoes, Boiled Potatoes, Green Peas, Plum Pudding, Brandy Sauce, Nuts, Raisins, Sweets and Tea for dinner with Cake, Biscuits, Ice Cream and Jelly and Cordials for supper.
Jean Everett Shampooing Ivy Hay’s Hair (1925), [REF-00084565]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 11/03/2024, https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/136753.
12 March 2024
Accommodation and Related Problems
On 6 November 1953, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Kenneth Owen (KO) Shatwell, submitted a report titled ‘Accommodation and Related Problems’ to Senate. In the report, he highlighted serious problems with the Law School building, located at Phillip Street in the Sydney CBD. He wrote, “Immediately after the war, it was quite apparent that accommodation at the Law School would be completely inadequate to cope with the student numbers then about to enrol at the Law School. During 1948 and 1949, the accommodation problem became so acute that it became necessary, if the Law School were to remain able to open its doors to students, to improvise a series of arrangements involving the renting of outside accommodation”. In 1953, when the Professor Shatwell’s report was prepared, more than half of the annual lectures in the Faculty of Law were held on external premises, costing the University over £1000 in rent.
While it was widely agreed that a new Law School building was necessary, there was significant debate within the University over where it should be located. Some, including Professor Shatwell, felt that it was, “…academically desirable that the main Law School building should be on the University campus”, situated amongst other University faculties in Camperdown. Others, however, felt that, “…the withdrawal of the Law School from the city area would almost certainly result in a considerable drop in student numbers, because of the impossibility of serving articles of clerkship (necessary for qualification as a solicitor, and equally necessary in actual fact for an intending barrister)”.
In 1959, Senate sided with Professor Shatwell and selected the site of tennis courts in front of the Main Building as the location of a new Law School building (where the Chau Chak Wing Museum stands today). This decision was vehemently opposed by many within the University as well as by some external organisations, including the Sydney University Conservative Association and Council of the Arts Society, over concerns that a new building in that location would impact the Main Building’s vista. The National Trust of Australia wrote to Vice-Chancellor Charles Bickerton Blackburn stating, “This beautiful building group, the finest of its kind in Australia, with its grand scale and breadth of layout, requires the whole of the present landscape sitting extending to Victoria Park and Parramatta Road to preserve its dignity and architectural effectiveness. To encroach on this most important landscape setting in any way, especially with a large building, however well designed, would be architecturally disastrous”.
The Camperdown campus plan was abolished by 1963 in favour of finding a suitable site in the CBD. On 15 March 1963, a decade after submitting his initial report, Professor Shatwell wrote to the Vice-Chancellor, stating, “The investigation of the possibility of locating the Law School in a new city building is extremely urgent…because of the difficulty and danger of continued operation in the present buildings”.
Eighteen months later, in a letter to the Minister for Public Works, Assistant Principal Wilson Harold (WH) Maze identified that, “…the best and possibly the only suitable site remaining in the City is that at the corner of Phillip, King and Elizabeth Streets, Sydney”. The site was occupied by three properties – the Australasian Pioneers Club, the Phillip Hotel and the Balfour Hotel. To the Minister of Education, Maze wrote, “The University asked its managing agents…to approach the owners with the view to ascertaining whether a sale could be negotiated”. Six months later, on 18 September 1964, Maze received word that, “…the State Government has approved the acquisition and resumption of the area facing Phillip Street between Elizabeth Street and Phillip Street as a site for the new Law School”. Construction on the site began soon after and in 1969, 16 years after the issue of accommodation was first raised by Professor Shatwell, the Faculty of Law finally occupied the University Chambers in the New Law School, which came to be known as the St James Campus.
Law School 1967 (1967 to 1969), [REF-00019061]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 12/03/2024, https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/40883.
13 March 2024
The Grub Will Be Good
The Annual Dance of the Sydney University Engineering Undergraduates’ Association (SUEUA) was held at the University Union (now known as the Holme Building) on 22 July 1924. In that year, John Arthur Friend, a 3rd year Engineering student, served as President, while 4th year student, John Sinclair Anderson (the “cove with the ginger “mo””) acted as Honorary Secretary. The program for the night included Fox Trots, Waltzes and One Steps, with a break in the middle for a meal. The night ended with a round of God Save the King.
In 1959, the SUEUA was temporarily removed from the list of recognised clubs and societies, after an incident that occurred on the night of their Annual Dinner. According to the 2 November 1959 Senate minutes, following the Annual Dinner, seeds of the paspalum weed were scattered across the Quadrangle lawns. The SUEUA were fined £25 and excluded from the list of recognised associations until the end of 1960, prohibiting them from hosting any functions on University grounds. The SUEUA appealed the punishment, on the grounds that, “…a society cannot be held liable for misbehaviour by one or two of its members and that the Society had had no opportunity to state its case”. Roderick Pitt Meagher, the Representative of the Undergraduates representing SUEUA before Senate, further added that, “…other functions had been held on the same evening and…the scattering of paspalum seeds must have been premeditated and Engineering students denied having any knowledge of it”. Despite this, the appeal was rejected by Senate.
Engineering Undergraduate Association Annual Dance Invitation (No Date), [REF-00089290]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 13/03/2024, https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/142140.
14 March 2024
Biologists in the Bush
On 2 December 1946, Senate approved the use of the University Seal for, “All documents in connection with the transfer of the Crommelin (Warra) Property and other assets from Miss M.F. Crommelin to the University”, having previously, on 4 November 1946, approved the renaming of the “Warra Biological Station” to the “Cromellin [sic] Biological Station”. The transfer was made official on 3 February 1947 when, “The University Solicitor submitted for the approval of the Senate a Deed covering the transfer from Miss M.F. Crommelin to the University of Sydney of a property known as the Warra property, together with a cottage, household furniture etc. The University Solicitor reported that the document was a proper one for execution by the Senate”.
Minard Fannie Crommelin wrote to the University on 16 October 1947, “I am surprised the appointment of the caretaker must be delayed, as I understood the deed made this provision…I would be glad if you could point out that the position is one of an urgent nature owing to the bush fire hazard. In the event of a bad fire this property would be cut off, I would not be capable of fire-fighting, and would probably be unable to escape…It is not safe for me to leave the place unattended…I am no longer able to do the manual labour and the constant anxiety during the summer months is a big strain…I would rather accept a smaller allowance myself than feel the place is not to be safeguarded and maintained in a fitting manner”. The matter, however, was not resolved by the University, as a month later, on 23 November 1947, Crommelin wrote to Professor Alan Burges of the Department of Botany, “The deed was in preparation for more than two years, and finally arranged to meet the wishes of the Dept. of Botany and upkeep were agreed to, and quiet enjoyment of my home promised. The gift was made thinking I would be saved worry and anxiety…but this has increased beyond all reason…We are now approaching the dangerous period, and everything is overgrown and neglected…A tiger snake 4ft. 5ins. long was killed at the small tank…My isolated position, and the danger of the surrounding undergrowth was quite well understood…The area having been accepted as a Biological Station I have hoped for assistance from other Depts. to help with the problems of bird and animal life…Is it any wonder I am unable to sleep – after months of promises, delays, and disappointments…I can only make a last appeal that the agreement will be kept”.
The issues continued as on 30 March 1950, Professor Burges wrote a lengthy letter to the Vice-Chancellor, “Part of Miss Crommelin’s worries I think arise out of a possible difference in ideas as to how the research station would ultimately be used…Miss Crommelin has always pictured it as an active centre of research with a full time University research officer permanently stationed at Warrah, that students should come at frequent intervals and perhaps spend appreciable periods in residence. Our present University courses make it unlikely…Despite these difficulties the research station would form a most valuable asset to the Department of Botany, and to a lesser extent to the Department of Zoology…for field work…where many of our native species could be grown for class work and as a site for permanent observation…an admirable place to take visiting scientists from overseas.
The venture was ultimately a success however, as when Crommelin passed away on 4 February 1972, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, Mary Besly, wrote a piece in the May 1972 edition of the Gazette about Crommelin and Warrah, “Since that time some thousands of biology students have stayed at Warrah and studied the animals and plants of the area. For many it has been their first introduction to “the bush”…they recall the few days at Warrah as their most pleasurable university experience…Miss Crommelin had great ability in any sort of handicraft and there are several examples of her industry at Warrah…The rugs I will remember especially, they were made from discarded men’s woollen socks, and every man who visited Warrah in those days was asked to contribute towards them; some of Sydney’s leading biologists provided the makings for those rugs”.
Minard Fannie Crommelin, Benefactor, with Dr Mary Besly (1960s), [REF-00051488]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 14/03/2024, https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/79748.
15 March 2024
A Serious International Situation
An internal memorandum dated 25 August 1939 noted that, “In view of the serious international situation, the need for appointing a staff to keep watch over University property (as requested by the Public Service Board) is becoming urgent”. The University was subsequently informed, on 5 January 1940, that, “The general scheme of National Emergency Services (mainly Air Raid Precautions) for the City of Sydney has been worked out by the Chief Warden. The City has been divided into areas designated Divisions – which are subdivided into Groups and Sectors – of which the area occupied by the University, University Colleges and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is one Division…If an emergency is likely to arise provision must be made for the protection of personnel and property in the Colleges and property within the University at night, after students leave. In this event it will be necessary for Group Wardens to arrange to have “reliefs” to carry on. For the University the main consideration will be to provide a watch in case of fire and sabotage and to have a party available to deal with either”. A year later, on 6 January 1941, the University was advised that, “…as owner of the building which we occupy is responsible for the construction of an air raid shelter and the posting of roof spotters etc”.
An Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Committee was formed and consisted of AA Conlon, Professors Alan Ker (AK) Stout, Hugh Kingsley (HK) Ward and Walter Lawry (WL) Waterhouse, and R Wiles. A report, dated 22 February 1941, deemed, “The general object of University A.R.P. is to ensure that the University…shall be able to carry on its normal activities for as long as possible with the least amount of dislocation. Its main specific objects are :- (1) Protection of Personnel (2) First Aid (3) Protection of Buildings against Fire (4) Protection, by removal or otherwise, of Apparatus, Books and other articles, considered irreplaceable or of special value”. The Committee detailed existing and proposed plans relating to evacuation; first aid (“The detachment is well equipped, apart from stretchers of which it has none, but it is to increase its equipment to meet the needs of a possible 200 casualties at a time (i.e. assuming a 2,000 population with 10% casualties – probably a generous estimate”); gas contamination (“Following expert opinion it is not proposed at present to prepare for gas, but…Messrs. Tow and Hughes (Chemistry Dept.) to consider and report on Decontamination”); the protection of buildings (“Little protection can be given against High Explosive, but windows must be dealt with…and arrangements made for cutting off water at different points in case of burst mains…Fire-fighting is therefore the main problem”); shelters; rescue work; and warning systems (“The main Tower will make an excellent look-out for approaching enemy aircraft, but only if a platform is built to raise the spotters above the level of the spires which seriously obscure the view”). £500 was made available for use by the ARP Committee.
The ARP circulated a notice to “members of your Department” to be aware of three points, “1. Gas Fires. The gas will be cut off at the meter if an air-raid warning is sounded, but people in the building should be sure to turn off gas fires, Bunsen-burners etc., so that gas will not escape when the meter is turned on again. 2. Electricity. The same kind of thing applies to lights and radiators. 3. Pictures, etc. Official advice is that pictures, objects on mantel-pieces, etc. may be displaced and glass smashed by blast or vibration from quite distant bombs. It would be advisable, if there seems to be imminent danger of air-raids, to remove such things from walls, etc.”.
The University was put on notice by the City of Sydney, however, in June 1942, regarding, “…the complaint communicated to me by telephone this morning from your Department, in regard to the illumination last night and this morning of the glass-house attached to the Botany School and fronting Parramatta Road”. The University explained, “The work being carried on in the glass-house is part of research which is being carried out for the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. I am advised that the work is regarded by the Council as of national importance. The glass-house has always been screened for “brown-out” conditions, but steps are being taken forthwith to ensure that this screening will also be effective at all times for “black-out” conditions”. The Radiophysics Advisory Board had a similar problem, “…the new wing of the Radiophysics Laboratory may be at fault for a few weeks in the matter of the blackout at nights…Owing to the urgency of the defence work on which we are engaged it is not possible to cease work in the evenings…the lack of blackout in this building is of a temporary nature only and will be rectified within the next few weeks”.
Air Raid Precaution Trenches Being Dug by Sydney Teachers College (STC) Students on Oval No 2 (1940s), [REF-00050156]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 15/03/2024, https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/79974.
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