Christian Brothers' College, Perth
Christian Brothers College (commonly referred to as CBC Terrace) was a Catholic college for boys located in the central-business district of Perth at the present-day site of the Duxton Hotel.[1] The College was established in 1894 by the Christian Brothers.[2] [3] In 1905 the college became a founding member of the Public Schools Association along with three other inderpendant boarding schools in Perth.
Initially at CBC Perth only day pupils were enrolled, but due to the gold-rush period in Western Australia, pressure was put on the school to accept boarding students. The first boarding students were enrolled in June 1896.[3]
College Split
In 1937, the college split with boarders and some day boys moving to Aquinas College, and the remained staying on at CBC Perth until it was officially closed in 1961 when it was renamed Trinity College and moved to its current site, next to the WACA Ground.[3]
Aquinas
The brothers entered into negotiations for the purchase of 8 hectares (20 acres) at Point Heathcote on the Swan River, in 1928 they ended up purchasing 95 hectares (234 acres) on the Canning River just east of the Riverton Bridge naming it Clune Park.[4] However, plans to develop this site were shelved due to the Great Depression.[5]
In 1936 at the instigation of Br. Paul Keaney, the Superior of nearby Clontarf Orphanage, 62.4 hecatres (160 acres) were purchased from the Manning family at Mount Henry Peninsula on the Canning River.[6] Early in 1937 the work of clearing the grounds and preparing the site was taken up vigorously with squads of boys from the old college playing a major role.[7]
The Aquinas College foundation stone was laid on 11 July, 1937, and the school opened in February 1938 with 160 boarders and 55 day pupils.[8] Br. C.P. Foley was the first headmaster.[9]
Trinity
When Perth was awarded the rights to host the 1962 Empire Games (now known as the Commonwealth Games), the Perth City Council saw the need to construct a large international hotel, they decided to build it next to CBC Perth.[1] Shortly after, the council expressed interest in purchasing the CBC site to allow for the widening of St Georges Terrace and Victoria avenue.[1] At this time, the college was facing the facts that the site was small and the buildings were becoming run-down, and educationally inadequate.[1]
The Council purchased the site from the College, for £267,000 and provided the Brothers with a new 14 acre site on the riverbank near the Western Australian Cricket Association grounds (WACA).[2][1] Here, a brand new school, costing £270,000 was to be built.[2][1] Building work at the college's new site began in November 1960.[2][1] Trinity College opened on schedule for the start of the 1962 school year, with the official opening on 25th March 1962. [2][1]
External Links
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Trinity College Archives (accessed:19-02-2007)
- ^ a b c d e Trinity College History (accessed:19-02-2007)
- ^ a b c Aquinas College Homepage - About Aquinas (accessed:19-02-2007)
- ^ City of South Perth Municipal Heritage Inventory (No.1). 1994
- ^ Florey, Cecil (1995), Peninsular City: A Social history of the City of South Perth
- ^ South Perth Municipal Heritage Inventory - Origins of street names (accessed:14-02-2007)
- ^ South Perth Municipal Heritage Inventory (accessed:14-02-2007)
- ^ Massam, Katharine (1998).On High Ground: Images of One Hundred Years at Aquinas College, Western Australia University of Western Australia Press ISBN 1876268050
- ^ Curriculum Council of Western Australia (accessed:18-02-2007)