Meriden School

File:Meriden1920.jpg

File:Ethel B. Wallis Bequest.png

Administratively operating as an Australian company limited by guarantee since 17 March 1997, Meriden was founded by Jane (Jeannie) Monckton in 1897, at Agnes Street, Strathfield. Monckton had decided to home school her two sons due to a lack of suitable educational facilities for boys in the Strathfield area. Friends and neighbours clamoured to have their children join the two boys under her instruction, and so it was decided to establish Meriden, a school with approximately 19 students and two staff to assist. Boarding facilities were available and fees for tuition were from 1½ guineas ($3.15) to 2 guineas per quarter for the regular curriculum, which included English, French, Latin, Mathematics, Australian History, Music, Needlework and Dancing.{{cite book | author=Cook, Anne | title=Visions of Parnassus: Meriden's first 100 years | publisher=Meriden Council, Meriden School, (Strathfield) | year=1997 | id= ISBN}}

In 1907, Meriden moved to Woodward Avenue, where it was sold to Bertha Turner in 1908. Turner continued at Woodward Ave until larger premises could be found near Santa Sabina College on the Boulevarde, moving again soon after to its current location in the original Redmire Estate, on Redmyre Road. The school expanded in 1914 with the purchase two properties, The Briars, located adjacent to Meriden, and the original site at Redmyre Road.{{Citation | author1=Foster, A. G. (Arthur G.) | title=Meriden, Church of England school for girls, Redmyre Road, Strathfield, N.S.W | publication-date=1920 | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/11446295 | access-date=6 May 2019 }}

In 1918, following the 1916 changes to Department of Education requirements, Turner approached the Sydney Church of England Girls' Grammar School (SCEGGS) in Darlinghurst with the concept of amalgamation. Further negotiations were however prevented due to financial commitments, and the SCEGGS Council suggested that a group of local church people might be interested. The first school uniform and the school logo were introduced in 1921, and in 1922 the Meriden flag was presented by the Old Girls' Union.

As Turner's health deteriorated, there was a suspicion that the school might close, and subsequently, a group of local people met to discuss the future of Meriden. It was agreed that a Council should manage the school, and debentures were sold in order to obtain the necessary finance. The original home, Wariora, which was owned by Turner, was not included in this transfer but remained her property. On her death, Wariora was transferred to her brother, who sold it on to the gardener and his wife, who in turn ran it as a boarding house. Wariora was eventually purchased by Meriden and was extended to include the school tuck shop. This building has since been demolished.{{Citation |author1=Foster, A. G. |title=Exterior view of Meriden Annexe, Strathfield |publication-date=1920 |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-142777616 |access-date=6 May 2019}}

After Turner's death, Grace Ovary was appointed by the Council as the new Headmistress. In 1927, sports practice was carried out at the cow pastures in the grounds of a ruined mansion named Milroy in Broughton Road, Strathfield. The end of this decade saw a growing and profitable school.

In 1936, extensive additions were made to the school with the erection of Wallis Hall, seating 450 people. The new building, designed by Thomas Pollard Sampson, encased the existing residence, The Briars, that had become the centre of the school with a new red brick facade along Redmyre Road. The additions included an octagonal chapel forming an apsidal end to the main building with quatrefoil stained glass windows. A library, dormitories, bathrooms and classrooms were part of the development.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17208271 |title=ADDITIONS TO SCHOOL. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=10 December 1935 |access-date=19 May 2012 |page=6 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} This building, with further additions, is still the main wing of the school.

In 1961, a grand face brick Edwardian style mansion, Selbourne facing Redmyre Road, became part of the extended school campus. It housed domestic staff for the boarding house students until it was demolished in 1978 for sports grounds. Originally known by different spelling, Selborne, the house was the family home of George A. Wilson, chairman of the Public Service Board of NSW until the death of his wife Philippa Marion Wilson in 1900.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14293291 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=19,318 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=10 February 1900 |access-date=26 June 2019 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}} Selbourne became the home of the Walsord family in the first two decades of the 1900s{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14481684 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=20,093 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=4 August 1902 |access-date=6 May 2019 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}} and became the Earwaker family home in the 1927.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21205333 |title=EARWAKER—WOOLNOUGH. |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |issue=21,807 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=17 December 1927 |access-date=6 May 2019 |page=24 |via=National Library of Australia}}

According to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, Meriden School was formally registered on 6 March 1929.

In 1942, Meriden temporarily became the home of two schools as the Presbyterian Ladies' College (PLC), from the nearby suburb of Croydon, was occupied by the Royal Australian Air Force for the purpose of establishing a top secret Radar Unit. Meriden offered to accommodate the PLC boarders and the school's singing, domestic science, and physical education classes. In spite of the apparent happy relationship between the two schools, the PLC Principal, Dr Helen Wilkie, recommended that further integration between the two schools should not proceed, and thus at the end of 1942, Meriden indicated that it could no longer house the PLC boarders.{{cite book | author=McFarlane, John | title=The Golden Hope: Presbyterian Ladies' College, 1888–1988 | publisher=P.L.C Council, Presbyterian Ladies' College Sydney, (Croydon) | year=1988 | isbn= 0-9597340-1-5}}

File:Wadham Preparatory School Strathfield, NSW.png

In 1957, Meriden purchased Wadham Preparatory School an independent day, co-educational, preparatory school located at 9–11 Wallis Avenue, Strathfield. The school had been established in 1943 by Kathleen Wyndham. The site was used as a sub-primary campus principally for girls, but also for nursery and kindergarten boys. In 1967 Meriden closed the Wadham campus having purchased land for its entire junior school in Redmyre Road, Strathfield.[https://www.strathfield.nsw.gov.au/assets/Development-Notifications-2017/DA2017-159-Heritage-Report-16-Margaret-St-Strathfield.pdf Heritage Impact Statement]. Retrieved 1 August 2018. After its closure, the building was demolished and two large 1970s style face-brick houses now stand in its place.

In 1979, as with numerous other schools at the time, Meriden closed its boarding facility due to a steady decline in enrolments.[http://www.meriden.nsw.edu.au/uploads/downloads/Strategic_Plan_2007_2010.pdf Meriden School Strategic Plan 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829053116/http://www.meriden.nsw.edu.au/uploads/downloads/Strategic_Plan_2007_2010.pdf |date=29 August 2007 }} (accessed:08-08-2007)

In 1997, Meriden became an Australia public company with its own board of directors.{{cn|date=May 2025}} Although not under the formal organisational structure of the Anglican Church, Meriden emphasises an Anglican ethos. Meriden has been granted exemption from using the designator "Limited" (Ref: Australian Securities and Investment Commission, Document 005320905).

The Greenhalgh Centre for Music and Drama (named for former principal Dr Julie Greenhalgh), was opened in 2022, and a new Design and Creative Arts Building opened for use in 2025.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

Meriden's crest was designed by the school's art teacher, Mr Albert Collins, in 1921. The crest features Meriden's motto of Semper fidelis (translated from Latin as "always faithful"), together with a representation of the lilies of Parnassus. In ancient Greece, Mount Parnassus was regarded as the mountain sacred to the muses and the centre of the earth. The muses were said to preside over the realm of learning, with each having a special province, such as poetry, science or history.[http://www.meriden.nsw.edu.au/index.php?cmd=ViewPage&navId=47 Meriden: The Crest and Motto] (accessed:21-06-2007)

Meriden School's original house system was established in 1931 by the headmistress at the time, Miss Overy, who named the houses after English counties. The original four houses were:

• Warwick (Yellow)
• Cumberland (Blue)
• Kent (Green)
• Sussex (Red)

In 2014, two more houses were introduced to meet the need for improved house-based pastoral care. In line with tradition, the new houses were named after English counties that are famous for their universities.https://ecentral.meriden.nsw.edu.au/Publications/2013%20News%20Letters/Issue%2013%20Term%203%202014.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}

The two new houses were:

• Oxford (Orange)
• Durham (Purple)

Each year, students in each house are to vote for their new Year 11 house leaders – the House Captain who is supported by the Service Officer, Arts Officer, Chapel Officer and Sports Officer. Through the house system, students participate in inter-house competitions in order to gain points for their house. Competitions include the Athletics Carnival, Swimming Carnival, House Choral Competition, House Arts Competition, Inter-house Sport Competition and Inter-house Maths Competition. The house with the most points at the end of the school year is awarded the Wallis Cup.[http://www.meriden.nsw.edu.au/index.php?cmd=ViewPage&navId=101 Meriden School: House System] (accessed:12-06-2007)

In 2024, it was announced by Headmistress Lisa Brown that four more houses will be added to accommodate the growth of the school:

• Lincoln (Hot pink).
• York (Burgundy).
• Cambridge (Teal).
• Norfolk (Navy).

Meriden's brother school is Trinity Grammar School at Summer Hill, an Anglican day school for boys.[http://www.meriden.nsw.edu.au/meriden-community/partner-schools Meriden website – Partner Schools] Retrieved 16 June 2018.

• Helen Halse Rogers {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OBE}} – social worker and chair of Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales[https://www.smh.com.au/national/builder-of-welfares-foundations-20050822-gdlx49.html Builder of welfare's foundations] Retrieved 9 July 2022.
• Silma Ihram – education pioneer
• Robin Morrow {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} – lecturer, critic and editor in children's literaturePaper empires: a history of the book in Australia 1946-2005 By Craig Munro, Robyn Sheahan-Bright and president of the Australian section of the International Board on Books for Young People IBBY Australia.[http://www.ibby.org/index.php?id=405 Australian Section of IBBY]
• Sally Ruston {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} – Head of Junior School Abbotsleigh
• Rev Catherine Wynn Jones – Royal Australian Navy Chaplain and former Vice Chairman of Meriden School Council[https://www.anglicare.org.au/about-us/our-board/rev-catherine-wynn-jones/ Anglicare] Retrieved 12 October 2022.

• Sally Ayre-Smith – producer of SeaChange[https://f-magazine.online/sally-ayre-smith-other-chef/ Producer of SeaChange] Retrieved 21 July 2022.
• Harriet Ayre-Smith – actress and former Chanel publicist[https://foundationsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2008-08-Belle.pdf Belle] Retrieved 21 July 2022.
• Kath Carr – garden designer {{Citation

| title=Remembered gardens : eight women & their visions of an Australian landscape

| author1=Holly Kerr Forsyth

| year=2008

| publisher=Miegunyah Press

| isbn=9780522854992

| language=English

| url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn4274001}}

• Pamela Clark – cooking editor, editorial and food director of the Australian Women's Weekly[http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/07/17/4048346.htm ABC Books] Retrieved 18 November 2014.[http://www.meriden.nsw.edu.au/uploads/downloads/NewKitchen.pdf Meriden Press Release] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203225502/http://www.meriden.nsw.edu.au/uploads/downloads/NewKitchen.pdf |date=3 February 2014 }} Retrieved 12 August 2014.
• Kellie Crawford – singer and actress, Teen Queens and Hi-5[https://au.linkedin.com/in/kellie-crawford-3a965014 LinkedIn] Retrieved 26 February 2022.
• Patti Crocker – actress and author of Radio Days{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120873446 |title=Reliving the golden days of radio in Australia |newspaper=The Canberra Times |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=20 January 1990 |access-date=12 January 2020 |page=20 |via=Trove }}
• Barbara Davidson – printmaker who specialised in etching[https://collection.maas.museum/object/150356 'Historical reference' book by Barbara Abbott] Retrieved 19 May 2022.
• Desmonde Downing – stage designer[https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/downing-desmonde-florence-10044 Desmonde Florence Downing 1920-1975 stage designer] Retrieved 26 February 2022.
• Helen Kenny – literary editor of the Sydney Morning Herald[https://www.smh.com.au/national/helen-kenny-former-literary-editor-of-the-herald-20190617-p51ygm.html Helen Kenny (nee Frizell) former literary editor of the Sydney Morning Herald] Retrieved 26 February 2022.
• Sarah Monahan – actress on Hey Dad..![https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0597546/trivia IMDb]
• Natalie Tran – vlogger, actress, comedian and writer, known by the handle communitychannel{{cite web|url=http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/ebos/static/DSACH_2004_12_T10.htm|title=Distinguished Achievers List – Tran, Eva to Trevithick, Holly Amber|publisher=New South Wales Board of Studies}}
• Nadia Wheatley – writer, journalist[http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/nadia-whweatley Timetoast] Retrieved 12 August 2014.
• Claire McCarthy – screenwriter, director, producer, and visual artist[https://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/ebos/static/OM_CM_1993_12_22251.htm Claire McCarthy Meriden School] Retrieved 10 April 2025.

• Elizabeth Broderick {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AO}} – lawyer and former Sex Discrimination Commissioner{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/executive-women/lets-talk-about-sex-20110302-1beit.html|title=Meet Elizabeth Broderick, the woman who can walk into any boardroom and strike a deal.|last=Keenan|first=Catherine|date=4 March 2011|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=12 August 2014}}
• Jennifer Blackman {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AO}} – retired judge of the District Court of New South Wales[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1056753 It's an honour][http://www.womenaustralia.info/lawyers/biogs/AWE5769b.htm Australian Women Lawyers as ACTIVE CITIZENS] Retrieved 15 November 2018.
• Shirley Chowdhary – lawyer and CEO of the GO Foundation[https://www.unsw.edu.au/law-justice/engage-with-us/alumni/alumni-leaders-spotlight/shirley-chowdhary Shirley Chowdhary LLB 1994] Retrieved 12 October 2022.

• Professor Katherine Georgouras {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} – Fellow of the University of Sydney Senate and Professor in Dermatology at the University of New South Wales[https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Katherine-E-Georgouras-46628885 Katherine E Georgouras’s research] Retrieved 10 April 2025.
• Professor Elizabeth McCusker {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} – neurologist in the field of Huntington's disease[https://huntingtonsnswact.org.au/news/professor-elizabeth-mccusker-awarded-oam/ Professor Elizabeth McCusker OAM] Retrieved 12 October 2022.
• Pauline Taylor (née Larcombe) – zoologist{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article248066427 |title=Tadpole Given Thyroid Diet |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) |volume=IX |issue=178 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=27 October 1944 |accessdate=6 December 2022 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} and wife of actor Frank Taylor{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110761694 |title=TV actors to open Gunning show |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=48 |issue=13,672 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=16 February 1974 |accessdate=6 December 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}

• Elaine Cassidy – former mayor{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/elaine-cassidy-mayor-was-a-champion-bridge-player-20140416-zqvg9.html|title=Elaine Cassidy: Mayor was a champion bridge player|last=Cassidy|first=Derek|date=16 April 2014|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=13 August 2014}}
• Betty Davy {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} – teacher and activist{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20100922045 |title=Tribute to Betty Davy, OAM |date=22 September 2010 |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |access-date=13 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210007/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20100922045 |archive-date=12 August 2014 }}
• Eve Dutton {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} – former mayor[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19371215&id=WZNVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2JYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4826,2624905 Sydney Morning Herald 15 December 1937] Retrieved 13 August 2014
• Anne Aly – Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives{{Cite web |last=Callaghan |first=Greg |date=2016-11-18 |title=Counter-terrorism expert Anne Aly: 'I dream of a future in which I'm no longer needed' |url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/counterterrorism-expert-anne-aly-is-australias-first-federal-female-muslim-mp-20161117-gsreyp.html |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}
• Catherine West – Labour Party member of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom[https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/how-an-australian-expat-may-help-topple-a-british-prime-minister-20220205-p59u0f.html How an Australian expat may help topple a British Prime Minister] Retrieved 26 February 2022.
• Joan, Lady Cutler – (the second wife of Sir Roden Cutler) also attended St Catherine's School, Waverley{{Citation

| title=Roden Cutler, V.C. : the biography / Colleen McCullough

| author1=McCullough, Colleen, 1937-2015

| year=2001

| publisher=Random House Australia

| language=English

}}

{{Portal|Schools|Reformed Christianity}}

• List of non-government schools in New South Wales
• Wadham Preparatory School

{{Reflist|2}}

• Cook, A. 1997. Visions of Parnassus: Meriden's first 100 years. Meriden Council, Meriden School.

• [http://www.meriden.nsw.edu.au/index.php?cmd=ViewPage&navId=1 Meriden School website]

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Category:Strathfield, New South Wales

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