Stuartholme School is an independent Catholic secondary day and boarding school for girls, located at 365 Birdwood Terrace, Toowong, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Established in 1920 by the Society of the Sacred Heart, the school caters for approximately 700 students from Years 5 to 12, including 150 boarders.[1] Year 5 commences in 2024 and Year 6 commences in 2025.[2]

Stuartholme School
Chapel, Stuartholme School, 2021
Location
Map
,
Australia
Coordinates27°28′09″S 152°58′26″E / 27.4692°S 152.9738°E / -27.4692; 152.9738
Information
TypeIndependent secondary day and boarding school
MottoLatin: Cor Unum
(One Heart)
Religious affiliation(s)Catholicism
DenominationSociety of the Sacred Heart
Established1 August 1920; 104 years ago (1920-08-01)
FounderArchbishop James Duhig
OversightNetwork of Sacred Heart Schools
PrincipalDaniel Crump
Years offered512[1]
GenderGirls
Enrolmentc. 700
SloganCor Unum
Affiliations
Websitewww.stuartholme.com

Stuartholme is a member of the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA),[3] the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[4] the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA),[5] and the Catholic Secondary Schoolgirls' Sports Association (CaSSSA).

The school is listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register.[6]

History

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Stuartholme is a part of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, started in 1800 by Madeline Sophie Barat in France.[7]

In 1882 farmer Richard Wingfield Stuart purchased a 57-acre block of land on the slopes of Mount Coot-tha (then known as One Tree Hill) in Brisbane. He built a house on the property and called the farm and the house Stuartholme. On Good Friday 16 April 1897, the house was destroyed by fire, which was believed to be caused by a meteor or "comet".[6][8][9][10]

In 1914 Reverend Mother Janet Erskine Stuart, Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart, visited Brisbane to meet Archbishop James Duhig and thought it was a good idea to start a school in Brisbane.[7] The order of the Sacred Heart came to Stuartholme in 1917 because Duhig had invited them to run the school.[7]

In September 1917 Duhig purchased the land of the then-deceased Mr Stuart .[11]

Duhig laid the foundation stone of the school building on 25 May 1919. At that ceremony, Duhig revealed the coincidence that Richard Wingfield Stuart was the step-brother of Reverend Mother Janet Eskine Stuart. Although by then deceased, Reverend Mother Stuart was aware sisters from her order had been invited to Brisbane, but not that her step-brother's property would be the site of the new convent and school.[12][13]

 
Sketch of original building, 1925
 
Side view of original school building (centre), 2021

In February 1920 the sisters of the Sacred Heart moved into the school.[14] On 1 August 1920 Stuartholme was officially opened by Apostolic Delegate Bartolomeo Cattaneo assisted by Duhig, although the building was not yet completed.[15][16] In the first year the school was run on the verandas of the cottages. The nuns and pupils lived in the cottages and with five students initially enrolled. The number of pupils grew and between 1925 and 1940 there were 36 students attending Stuartholme.[6]

During World War II the school was used as the United States Army 42nd General Hospital, and the students did their studies at Canungra and Southport.[7][17][18]

In the 1960s and 1970s young women had stopped entering the religious life so Sacred Heart and other Catholic schools were staffed mainly by lay people.[citation needed] David Manning was the first lay principal, appointed in 1983,[19] who served until 2003. Daniel Crump is the current principal.[20]

In the past[clarification needed] ten years Stuartholme has had some significant changes including a lot of re-modelling, but the Sacred Heart education has remained a part of the school curriculum.[21]

On 17 May 2013 the school was listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register.[22]

Co-curriculum

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Sport

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Stuartholme students may compete in sporting competitions conducted by the Catholic Secondary Girls School Sports Association and the Independent Schools Association.[23]

The sports Stuartholme compete in are: athletics, Australian rules football, basketball, cross country running, equestrian, hockey, netball, rowing, sailing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, touch football, volleyball, and water polo.[23]

Notable alumnae

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Stuartholme Community Report Archived 28 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine (accessed:14-05-2007)
  2. ^ "Introducing Years 5 & 6". Stuartholme School. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  3. ^ Butler, Jan (2006). "Member Schools". Members. The Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia. Archived from the original on 19 May 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2007.
  4. ^ "Queensland". AHISA Schools. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. April 2007. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2007.
  5. ^ "Stuartholme School". Queensland Schools. Australian Boarding Schools Association. 2005. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2007.
  6. ^ a b c "Stuartholme School". Brisbane Heritage Register. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d "History". Stuartholme School. Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Fire at Toowong". The Telegraph. No. 7, 636. Queensland, Australia. 17 April 1897. p. 4. Retrieved 22 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "STRANGE OCCURRENCE". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. LIII, no. 12, 261. Queensland, Australia. 30 April 1897. p. 5. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "ELECTRIC TRAMWAY CONSTRUCTION ORDER". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. LIII, no. 12, 267. Queensland, Australia. 7 May 1897. p. 4. Retrieved 22 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "THE ARCHBISHOP OF BRISBANE". The Catholic Press. No. 1135. New South Wales, Australia. 27 September 1917. p. 11. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "£40,000 CONVENT". The Daily Mail. No. 5173. Queensland, Australia. 26 May 1919. p. 5. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "BRISBANE DAY BY DAY". The Catholic Press. No. 1223. New South Wales, Australia. 5 June 1919. p. 24. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "Queensland". Advocate. Vol. LII, no. 2472. Victoria, Australia. 7 February 1920. p. 12. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "STUARTHOLME CONVENT". The Brisbane Courier. No. 19, 511. Queensland, Australia. 2 August 1920. p. 8. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "New Convent for Brisbane". The Catholic Press. No. 1285. New South Wales, Australia. 12 August 1920. p. 24. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "United States Army 42nd General Hospital (Stuartholme School)". Queensland WWII Historic Places. Queensland Government. 30 June 2014. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  18. ^ "US Army 42nd General Hospital in Australia during WW2". www.ozatwar.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Cor Unum by Stuartholme Toowong - Issuu". issuu.com. p. 66. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  20. ^ From the Principal Archived 18 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine, — Stuartholme School
  21. ^ Philosophy Archived 18 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine, — Stuartholme School
  22. ^ "Stuartholme School". Brisbane Heritage Register. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  23. ^ a b "Sports". Extra-Curricular. Stuartholme School. Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2007.
  24. ^ Elliot, Oliver. "Davida Allen Exhibition". Stuartholme School Alumnae. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  25. ^ Brasch, Nicolas, ed. (1996). Contemporary Australian Women 1996/97. Port Melbourne, Vic.: Reed Reference Australia. ISBN 1-875589-92-9.
  26. ^ "Australian Television: H2O - Just Add Water". www.australiantelevision.net. Archived from the original on 9 September 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  27. ^ "Year 10-12 Parent Daughter Breakfast". Stuartholme School. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  28. ^ "Jane Moran". Stuartholme School. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  29. ^ "Katie Noonan wants to "break down the elitism and stuffiness of classical music"". 7 April 2021. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.

Further reading

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  • Nolan, Carolyn; Stuartholme Convent of the Sacred Heart (Brisbane, Qld.) (1995), Ribbons, beads and processions : the foundation of Stuartholme, Stuartholme Parents and Friends Association, ISBN 978-0-7242-6568-8
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