From the Archives
A story of a Pymble girl
2025 is in full swing and somehow we have finished a whole term! There’s been robotics competitions at Pymble Ladies’ College, the Principal and team have moved into refurbished offices in the historic Colonnade building, the up and coming new building referred to as Grey House Precinct has continued to take shape and countless hours of learning and growing have transpired for all the current students at the College, from Kindy to Year 12.
Many thousands of students have walked the hallowed halls of Pymble since we opened in 1916. And each girl who has finished their schooling here becomes a valued Alumni, going on to live a colourful life after they walk through our historic gates for the last time. I love to sit with people such as yourselves and hear of stories about your school days but also to piece together your life since then. I recently had the privilege to do just that with a Pymble alumni – Jean Poole-Williamson.
In 2024, Jean turned 102! We believe that makes her our oldest Alumni! Jean started at Pymble in 1936 and spent her secondary school years here. She said it was lovely coming to school at the College; that she was very happy here. Jean vividly remembers Miss Mackintosh as old and thin. She wore her black academic gown and as she walked along the corridor down to the assembly, Jean thought she looked like a bat with her gown billowing out behind her. (Miss Mackintosh was followed by Miss Knox who became the next Principal of the College).
Jean recalls doing subjects at school including history, geography, business principles, maths and English and said that she did home management, cooking and life saving too. Jean was pleased to be Class Captain for a while and was the school junior champion of tennis, playing at White City at the inter schools competition. She thinks she probably talked a bit too too much in class as she had to stand outside on the verandah as punishment sometimes!
Jean Poole-Williamson (right) and her daughter, Linda/Lindy (left), seated at Jean’s home in The Landings, North Turramurra, March 2025.
Jean is 102 years old. This photograph (and others) by Kate Murray, College Archivist.
Jean spoke about her tartan tunic that she wore to school, with a round neck and a white blouse underneath. She was able to describe in vivid detail that her tunic had a flat panel and 3 pleats that went full length, with a matching belt. She had a warmer tunic in winter, made of thicker fabric and a navy blue blazer. She had sport team information on the pocket of her blazer; she said the sport information was given to her to be sewn on. She thought that perhaps her mother sewed the pockets on. She recalls her hard suitcase-style school bag and the oval, the pool, the gym and the tennis courts at school. In her memory, the school desks were wooden, with ink wells in the top and there was not yet a chapel. The Chapel came during the time that her daughter, Linda, went to Pymble Ladies’ College.
Jean went on to speak about going to business college and working; of the war and that she became part of the Women’s Air Force, based in Sydney. She said after that, airlines were starting in Australia and she became an air hostess and met lots of interesting people. She went on to marry and have children and travelled quite a lot.
Today, Jean is in amazing health, movement and spirit and it is hard to believe she is 102 years old. My recordings of her life and times now form part of the recorded story of the College, Each and every student, past and present, is part of the story of Pymble, it’s just that we have more detailed recounts of only a fraction of the memories that people such as you hold. If you would like to write some of your anecdotes, memories and tales of your Pymble days down, please feel free to send them to me in an email at kmurray@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au. or reach out if you would like to have a chat.
Yours in history and stories …
