From the Archives

The 110th anniversary year of Pymble Ladies’ College continues this term with a key milestone event in our story taking place. I’ll share details about that in my piece here, plus some other news and updates from the Archives.

An exciting new College building opens!

A milestone event in the current Masterplan of Pymble Ladies’ College was completed this year. This is a state-of-the-art building which has affectionately been known by its working-title name of ‘Grey House Precinct’.

Board members, donors, special guests, staff and some students gathered on a cold night of torrential rain to celebrate the opening of this amazing structure – the biggest building that has ever opened on campus. It is the first teaching building to have opened at Pymble in 10 years.

On the opening night, the official name of this building was revealed – the Hunter and Vicars Centre. This name pays tribute to two very important Pymble families, members of whom both spoke on the night. Some insights into their family stories are below, and will appear on the plaques in the new building:

The Hunter Family

In recognition of the outstanding leadership and dedication of Mr James Hunter

James Hunter’s legacy of visionary leadership at Pymble began in 2011, when he engaged our community and undertook extensive global research on the future of education to design and implement our strategic plan, Towards 2020 – Striving for the Highest.

Appointed as a member of the Pymble Ladies’ College Council in 2013, and Chair of Council from 2017, James led the College for six years, including two years of unprecedented disruption caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to leading the College through ‘lockdown’, he oversaw the establishment of our Watch Us Change the World strategic plan 2021-2030, the Pymble Foundation Board, a comprehensive master plan for 2023-2029 for the construction of numerous new facilities including this centre, and the annual Alumni Networking event which provides a lifetime of mentoring support for all Pymble graduates.

James was also instrumental in the acquisition of Vision Valley as the dedicated site for our K-12 outdoor learning continuum.

A major milestone was achieved in 2020, when James led the incorporation of the College as a public company, following which the Pymble Ladies’ College Council became the Pymble Ladies’ College Board. This strategic and historic initiative secured Pymble’s long-term future and strengthened our relationship with the Uniting Church in Australia as a school of the UCA.

This centre is co-named for James, with our gratitude for his generous gift of time, expertise and service to the College, and in recognition of his wife, Katrina Hunter (Maude,1983), and their daughter, Dr Alexandra Hunter (2015), both of whom we proudly claim as Pymble Alumni

The Hunter family, at the opening of the new Hunter and Vicars Centre, 2026

The Vicars Family

In recognition of the distinguished, long-standing service of the Vicars family

The Vicars family’s long and distinguished association with Pymble began with Robert Vicars serving on the inaugural College Council from 1916 and his eldest daughter, Mollie Jeffrey (Vicars, 1917), enrolled as a foundation student. Robert remained on the Council for 29 years, including two separate terms as Chairman. During his time on the Council, his five daughters graduated from the College.

Robert’s son, Jack, followed in his father’s footsteps to serve on the College Council from 1944 to 1969 and as Chairman for 15 consecutive years from 1946. Jack’s daughters, Jean Single (Vicars,1952) and Susan White (Vicars, 1958), also attended Pymble, as did their daughters, Jane Kessler (Single, 1982) and Megan White (1984).

Continuing the family’s dedicated contribution to the College, Jack’s son, John, became the third generation to join the Council, from 1969 to 1976, and John and Sa’s daughter, Susannah Walter (Vicars, 1992), also attended Pymble.

As owners of Vicars Woollen Mills in Marrickville, the Vicars family developed the Black Watch tartan cloth for the College uniform.

This building is co-named for the Vicars, with our deepest appreciation for generations of service to our community and the treasured relationship that continues today through the many members of the Vicars family.

The Vicars family, at the opening of the new Hunter and Vicars Centre, 2026

The building

The new Hunter and Vicars Centre is home to some amazing facilities at the College, including contemporary facilities for a wide range of learning, wellbeing and performance activities. It includes:

Dance Centre – six studios including one performance space with retractable seating
Health and Wellbeing facilities
Early Years School
Outside School Hours Care
Year 5 and 6 classrooms and learning spaces
Expanded STEM facilities

Photos of the building are included in the Principal’s artticle, which can be viewed here.

History of ‘Grey House’

In a previous Alumni Newsletter (Term 3, 2025), I shared some information about the history of ‘Grey House’, from which Grey House Precinct got its working-title name. Click this link below if you would like to see some of the historic images of the original Grey House residence on Pymble Avenue and the early days of the College … From the Archives – Pymble Alumni Newsletter.

Anzac Day 2026 – Do you remember the Comforts Fund?

The students of the College gathered in the gym to commemorate Anzac Day 2026, complete with the Pymble Chorale, the Pymble Cadets, Pymble board member Rear Admiral Lee Goddard, CSC, QM and some special guests including some of our beloved Alumni.

In her Anzac Day speech, Principal Kate Hadwen referred to various Pymble, war-related elements including the Comforts Fund and the role that Pymble played in supporting the Comforts Fund initiatives. This included Pymble girls knitting squares which were then sewn together to make blankets which were sent to soldiers overseas. One of our special guest Alumni at our Anzac Day ceremony this year recalled knitting squares for this program long ago, during her time as a young student at Pymble. She described her knitting as ‘wonky’! But it was, nonetheless, used and sewn together to form part of a blanket – as part of the Comforts Fund. It was wonderful to see these elements of history come to life through lived experience and the recollections of our Alumni.

Do you remember the Comforts Fund and were you a part of it as a schoolgirl? Please share your stories with us!

From the Archives Collection

An advert, 1941

The Archives of the College are a treasure trove of items that collectively tell the story of our school. In a search I was conducting, I came across this snippet of an advertisement for the College from 1941. It appeared in the publication ‘The Pastoral Review and Grazier’s Record’ (an Australian agricultural and livestock publication that operated from 1891 to 1977. It was a monthly journal related to pastoral and agricultural issues across Australia and New Zealand).

Of note is the information contained therein, which was deemed to be ‘promotion worthy’ to paint the College in the best light at that time. This includes the listing of: ‘Complete Domestic Science and Home Course’ (an attractive and reasonable offering at the time). And in order to receive a College application, a person was required to make contact with ‘the Principal or the Secretary at the Presbyterian Church Offices, Jamieson Street, Sydney’. That seems very official compared to today’s digital processes, with everything on hand simply at the touch of a finger.

This ad, from 1941, was promoted in a time when the attack on Pearl Harbour had occurred, with Australia declaring war on Japan. Closer to home, a new science block was opened at the College during this year and new clubs were established including Leadership, Music Appreciation, Art Appreciation, and more.

It is interesting to look back on times so different from today, but which are part of our many layered story – the story of Pymble.

Ornate, historic chairs

As I mentioned, our Archives really are a treasure trove that document the story of this magnificent school. It is made up of letters and cards and brochures, plans and drawings and documents; a truly vast array of items including furniture. In the last Alumni newsletter, I mentioned some restoration work I had done on some of our furniture collection. And now, I’d like to share some other chairs.

These chairs were featured on stage at many Speech Days and other important occasions at the College. They were gifted to the College by the McIlrath family*.

These are part of the collection of Pymble Ladies’ College and I am wondering … do you remember these chairs? Do you recall seeing them at school, perhaps at a Speech Day or some other such important occasion?

Share your stories with us!

*The McIlrath family have had a long connection to the College. Here are some insights into their relationship with Pymble:

The McIlrath family, prominent Sydney merchants and philanthropists (McIlraths Ltd), were major benefactors and leaders at Pymble Ladies’ College. Their 40-year connection with the College spanned governance, property endowments, and facility funding, culminating in the construction of key campus buildings and the gift of a campus in Turramurra.

Their extensive connection to the College includes:

Campus Buildings & Endowments: The McIlrath family heavily funded major campus infrastructure. In 1938, they helped fund the Gillespie-McIlrath House – the first endowed building on campus, containing seven classrooms and a principal’s residence. They also funded the McIlrath Library in 1953, beneath which the College War Memorial Chapel was built in 1956.

Leadership: Sir Martin McIlrath was a highly influential figure and Chairman of the College Council. He helped guide the school through its mid-20th-century expansion alongside early principals like Miss Dorothy Knox.

The “Ingleholme” Campus: In 1959, the College purchased Ingleholme in Turramurra from Lady McIlrath. This former residence of Sir Martin McIlrath, designed by architect Sir John Sulman, was gifted/sold to the College to establish an additional Junior School.

Awards: The McIlrath name remains permanently tied to academic excellence at the College through the Martin McIlrath Memorial Prize.

Student drawing

‘PLC Four phases of school life in hats 1946’ – 001

This is a drawing by a past student of the College, penned in 1946. This was a time when the College had turned 30 years old and there were 700 students enrolled. It was a year that saw Martin McIlrath (this family name was mentioned in reference to the ornate chairs, above) complete his time as Chairman of the College Council and Mr Jack Vicars was appointed as the new Chairman (our new building is named after the Vicars family, who have had a long association with the College). It was also the year that the Duchess of Gloucester visited Pymble, after which our beloved jacaranda tree was planted (on 25 February 1947).

This student describes her creation she has drawn as the four phases of school life, that she has represented with hats. It’s interesting that it was drawn reflecting the summer hat and therefore, the quintessential tam-o-shanter hat worn in winter for many years at Pymble was not featured.

I wonder whether you created drawings of your time at Pymble? Today’s students would no doubt create images created with technology rather than pen, perhaps.

The College continues to nurture and educate the leaders of tomorrow, but our foundations and history are ever present. I hope you have enjoyed these small insights into just some of the current archives and history-related happenings at your school today.

Yours in history …