Where she will create an inspiring new story
Building Tomorrow Together
At the urging of some parents, she immediately founded and became the first Principal of the Brisbane High School for Girls with the motto ‘Honour before Honours’. Teachers who had resigned from BGGS in protest joined her along with thirty-one Thestudents.twohundred and twenty-four ‘Foundation Students’ to leave Somerville House between 1899 and 1909 are each represented by a named brick with the year in which they left the School.
Founding and early students, like Winifred Paten (Class of 1906) who later become Queensland’s first female barrister, won scholarships to Trinity College at the University of Melbourne with others achieving honours at Cambridge.
Academics was not her sole focus - Miss Fewings believed in a holistic, multi-faceted education for women, and we are proud that this building is named in her honour.
Acknowledgement: Fitzgerald, Tanya; May, Josephine: Portraying Lives: Headmistresses and Women Professors 1880s-1940s. Information Age in Publishing, INC. Charlette, NC. • Hall, Noeline. A Legacy of Honour: the Centenary History of Somerville House. Boolarong Press, 1999. © Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association. • Washington, Elizabeth, Immediate Past President, Old Girls’ Association. Do You Know the Story of Eliza Fewings? A Story of Perseverance and Strength - A Perfect Role Model for Women as Leaders’. Published online 10 August 2019. https://rb.gy/pevfhn 1
‘Fewings Building’
It is remarkable to note how many of these young women completed Form VI with many sitting for the Sydney Senior and Cambridge University Senior Examinations at a time when it was rare for either boys or girls to undertake secondary Thestudies.School quickly set high academic standards and by 1901 had one hundred and fifty students and eighteen staff, becoming the largest girls’ school in Queensland.
Miss Fewings built an enviable reputation as one of Australia’s leading educators introducing a broad curriculum and transparent external examinations; Somerville House was the first school in Australia to submit the work of the entire school to examination by a university board.
Trailblazer Miss Eliza Fewings founded Somerville House, but did you know the public clash that caused her to establish the School in 1899? ‘A Legacy of Honour’ describes how it all started. In the late 1800s, Miss Fewings was at the forefront of the UK’s struggle for equal educational opportunities for women. At just twenty-eight she was appointed Principal of Dr Williams Endowed School for Girls, in North Wales. Miss Fewings was described as “a giant among the headteachers of the day”. She became a member of practically all the public education bodies set up in Wales. Her service to the cause of women’s education was publicly recognised in 1930 when the court of the University of Wales awarded her the Honorary degree of Master of Arts. In 1896, Miss Fewings became headmistress of Brisbane Girls Grammar School (BGGS). During her short time there she overhauled the curriculum, called for the introduction of external examinations, challenged the allocation of scholarships and questioned trustees’ judgement. Miss Fewings was dismissed by Sir Samuel Griffith, Chairman of the BGGS Board of Trustees. The Trustees expected her to go quietly but she did not. She refuted the charge that the school did not perform well academically which led to an acrimonious debate with many BGGS parents and other members of the public championing her cause. Miss Fewings showed her “strength of character and an indomitable will” in a public confrontation with some of the most powerful men in Brisbane. Her cultured manners, her views on girls’ education, and resolute will were the legacies she left the School, that was to become Somerville House.
‘The Ladies’, as they were known, were described as educationally progressive; a depiction that reflects their legacy to the School.
Upon Miss Harker’s retirement, the OGA honoured ‘the Ladies’ by building the Old Girls’ Library (now the Chapel).
‘The Ladies’ were at the helm through a remarkable period of change; the Great War, the Spanish influenza, the Great Depression, and the beginning of the Second World War and were widely admired for their formidable intelligence, liberal ideals, quirky humour, grassroots approach and pragmatic diplomacy. Both were academically inclined and attended the University of Sydney - Miss Jarrett, won the Sir Edgeworth David prize for Physical Geography, a field dominated by men, and was awarded first-class honours in Philosophy and History and postgraduate honours in Geology in 1900, a rare achievement for a woman at the time. Miss Harker attained triple first-class honours in English, French and History. In 1908, when Miss Fewings left to visit Britain, Miss Harker became Acting Principal. Miss Jarrett joined Miss Harker one year later. When Miss Fewings decided to remain in Wales, she offered Miss Harker an opportunity to purchase the School. At this time women experienced considerable financial inequality, and obtaining a loan was unheard of for single, female professionals. It was remarkable when ‘the Ladies’ combined their limited personal finances to purchase the School, and in 1910, assumed joint control as SoPrincipals.begana powerful partnership that defined female education in TheAustralia.School rapidly grew as ‘the Ladies’ took it from strength to strength. By 1917 rising enrolments necessitated a new location, but the Principals were unable to fund the purchase of a larger space. Around this time, Presbyterian and Methodist church leaders decided to jointly invest in the education sector, as other churches were doing. The PMSA was formed, and its first acquisition was The Brisbane High School for Girls. Until 1922, only the Cumbooquepa building, in which the School was housed, was renamed ‘Somerville House’ – a name chosen with great care, after renowned Scottish scientist and mathematician, Mary Somerville (1780–1872).
In 1940, Miss Jarrett advised the PMSA of her resignation, which they reluctantly accepted. The Deputy Premier, University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Women’s College farewelled her at a VIP event at the Brisbane Women’s Club. During her final assembly, Miss Jarrett predicted that “Somerville House would bring its formidable human resources to bear in facing future challenges”. And indeed, it did. In 1963, a year before her death, Miss Harker was acknowledged in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Miss Harker and Miss Jarrett evoked admiration and inspiration. In a conservative era, ‘the Ladies’ bravely eschewed traditional gender roles. They were astute businesswomen, inspirational academics and epitomised true devotion to each other, and the School.
‘The Ladies’ introduced scholarships and a Student Committee that conferred directly with the Principals, providing feedback and keeping them directly in touch with student sentiments. They generously rewarded loyal and hardworking staff members.
‘The Ladies’ were known for their Sunday jaunts, with their pet cat and parrot. In 1922 they were among the first women in Australia to drive (without the assistance of a man) from Brisbane to Sydney, Miss Jarrett being the driver. In 1931, ‘the Ladies’ resigned on the grounds of Miss Harker’s health; however, the PMSA convinced Miss Jarrett to stay on as sole Principal with Miss Harker continuing to live at the School.
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The Ladies Following Miss Fewings’ 1908 departure, Somerville House was led by Co-Principals Misses Constance Harker and Marjorie Jarrett.
The decision was bittersweet for ‘the Ladies’, who relinquished ownership of the School, but negotiated terms that enabled them to lead the School with minimal interference, securing funding to enable its expansion.
With this astute move, ‘the Ladies’ had taken Somerville into its next Beforechapter.longthe School moved to its current location, with Misses Harker and Jarrett, staff and Old Girls personally moving the School by truck. Classes were conducted in the west wing of Cumbooquepa while the Senior School was built. Miss Harker and Miss Jarrett were closely involved in the building’s design, and meticulously oversaw its development, which was completed in 1920. Somerville House flourished in its new location, establishing a reputation as one of the leading schools in Queensland.
Acknowledgement: Washington, Elizabeth, Immediate Past President, Old Girls’ Association. ‘The Ladies’ Miss Constance Harker (1910 to 1931) and Miss Marjorie Jarrett (1910 to 1940)’.
Connections Volume 20 Issue 1, 2022.
From the very beginning at Somerville House, traditional values were combined with innovation to deliver outstanding educational opportunities for students.
The spiritual home of the School, the Chapel, originally built as a library with funds raised by Old Girls, mirrors the red brick of Cumbooquepa across landscaped gardens. Apart from conservation works, the timeless Chapel will remain untouched.
A successful ‘named brick’ campaign to raise funds for the restoration and refurbishment of the ‘Heritage Heart’ formally commenced in late 2021, though in 2019 the then Foundation Chair Dominique Layt (Class of 1987) and Director Rebecca Bauer (Class of 1988) championed what could be viewed as a precursor to this campaign raising a significant sum for the conservation of Cumbooquepa’s magnificent stained glass windows. More detail can be found on pages 10 and 11.
Heritage Heart Restoration & Refurbishment
Upgrades to this building, will eventually house new Archives with displays of historic and sentimental significance. Museumstyle cabinetry will draw attention to pieces from the School’s collection, inviting visitors to reflect on our school’s unique journey. This will ensure the School’s most prized collections will be preserved and displayed for students at the School now and for those who left decades ago. What better way to celebrate Somerville’s distinguished history than by sharing the treasured artifacts that form our past?
The restoration of the ‘Heritage Heart’ – the oldest part of the School comprised of iconic buildings the Chapel, originally built in 1934; the Senior School, completed in 1920; Cumbooquepa, built in 1890 by the Stephens family; and the South Brisbane Municipal Chambers (The Chambers), built in 1892 and acquired by the School in 1999. The image below shows the newly built Cumbooquepa adjacent to The Chambers around 1892.
The School’s unique heritage and strength in the fine arts will also be displayed and preserved within The Chambers, a home at last for ‘The Betty Churcher AO Art Gallery’.
While Senior School refurbishments will point students to the future, reflecting on the highlights and lessons of the past will follow on from upgrades to The Chambers. The magnificent interior with ornate cornices and ceilings, antique lighting, original tiled staircases, marble handrails and stunning stained glass windows will house the School’s Archives.
Respect for the past, with a keen vision towards the future, characterises the development of an ambitious Master Plan, that conserves and celebrates the School’s unique history.
The revitalisation of the Senior School with the transformation of classrooms into versatile learning spaces that incorporate the latest technology while preserving the elegant façade of the building – will be followed by a widening of the space that runs behind historic Cumbooquepa, home to generations of boarders.
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Somerville House Principal, Mrs Kim Kiepe, said “the multi-million dollar project is of tremendous significance to the School. The first stage of our 20-year Master Plan, blends historical preservation with a visionary heritage upgrade and state-of-the-art facilities.”
Newly built Cumbooquepa, c.1892
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In 1920, architects, Chambers and Powell, designed ‘The Educational Block’ as an L-shaped two-story extension to mark the Silver Jubilee of the School. On the ground floor was an Assembly Hall - with a stage and sets of folding doors which allowed it to be divided into three rooms. The Geography Theatre was along the west side with six classrooms, music rooms and a room for commercial work on the upper level. In its day, this building was regarded as a superior learning asset with purposefully designed facilities.
School Gymnasium, c.1927
Dolls Stall at Fete,1921 Boarders, c.1940 Junior School Prize Distribution, 19315
Specialist areas for Art, Science & Technology, from the original design, will be housed in the new Senior Precinct with the two year construction scheduled to commence in early 2024.
¾ Generous foyers and verandahs enhance student interactions with alcoves and dedicated breezeway lounges.
Extensions completed in 1926 to mark the Silver Jubilee provided additional facilities with a new, beautifully lit gymnasium, with Swedish wall-bars, horizontal ladder, balancing pole, Roman rings, floor mattress, with dumb bells, clubs and wands displayed in wall clips. Well equipped Chemistry and Biology laboratories seated twenty students with broad verandahs enclosed by casement Workswindows.undertaken as part of this renewal project:
¾ Courtyards blend seamlessly with outdoor learning areas to create an historic façade.
The Origins of ‘Senior School’
¾ Eight spacious, light filled, flexible classrooms.
¾ Timber staircase cladding removed to reveal an impressive and historic stairwell.
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¾ Original VJs line classroom walls.
The fully restored ‘slave’ clock, which controlled other timepieces at the School. ‘Senior School’, 1946 Signal Officers of Base Section 3, 1943 Courtesy of NARA Senior Students, c.1959 6
Beautifully restored original timber flooring on the upper level with pavers from the 1920s reused on the ground level below.
The only exterior changes took place during World War II when, in 1942, under General Macarthur, the School became United Army Forces Far East Headquarters, until 1945.
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The distinctive pattern in the original brickwork, obscured over time, would once have been in keeping with the Chapel, Cumbooquepa and ‘Chambers’.
Three hundred and sixty original casement windows, in storage for a number of years, meticulously restored and reinstalled.
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¾ Skilled bricklayers recreated the Flemish Bond brickwork which features across all four Heritage Heart buildings unifying the iconic and irreplaceable.
Cara Phillips led BSPN Architecture in devising an imaginative plan that blends architectural ingenuity and urban design with the conservation of our unique history. Agile learning domains with state-of-the-art facilities will frame a rejuvenated space where students will be inspired to learn in aesthetic environs. Much of the historic façade has been retained.
Coalbrookdale chairs from the turn of the century await restoration.
A New Story Unfolds within the Heritage Heart
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At this time the US Army installed windows along the second story verandahs - as can be seen in the 1946 photo of the ‘Senior School’ below.
As long-standing pieces in our heritage collection, it is time they receive the attention they deserve.
¾ Specialist sandblasting and restoration.
Our School is home to a number of antique Coalbrookdale garden chairs, benches and tables.
Work to conserve these remarkable heirlooms:
¾ Assess the level of corrosion of frame and stability of timbered seats.
Coalbrookdale Conservation
Betty Campbell (Class of 1945) recalls Miss Jarrett, who believed all girls should be ‘capable of undertaking domestic jobs’, supervising the cleaning of the cast iron chairs in Betty’s senior year.
¾ Remove non-original paint and accumulated rust and surface contaminants.
Ornamental sets, featuring ‘Fern and Blackberry’, ‘Nasturtium’, ‘Lily-of-the-Valley’ and ‘Queen Victoria’ patterns, appear in the background of photos, in either green or white, depending upon the era. Authentic Coalbrookdale pieces are stamped with diamond patent marks. These ornate pieces can be identified as early as 1922, in front of the ‘newly’ built ‘Education Block’ (Senior School) once considered the ‘main building’ at the School, where they remained for over a decade.
How these chairs originally came to reside at Cumbooquepa remains a mystery but they may have been acquired by the Stephens family and remained in the house when it was sold. While they may have been relics from the Stephens family residence, the Co-Principals may have been responsible for their acquisition.
More recently, disrepair has forced our marvellous chairs, which were made to be admired, into storage. With a little love these ornate decorative pieces could continue to be both beautiful and functional for another century. With the right care, they will outlive us all.
Cumbooquepa ‘breezeway’, c.1974 7
Since then, these sought after pieces have been displayed at the front of Cumbooquepa, stashed in walkways, and clustered in the breezeway adjacent to the former ‘Boarders’ Dining Room’.
In 1920, the campus was described in a ‘Legacy of Honour’ as being ‘riotously overrun…with unpruned raspberry, blackberry and gooseberry bushes, with fruit and other trees amongst the forest of weed’. Miss Jarrett sought to ‘reform’ grounds in 1920 before the 21st Birthday of the School, which coincided with the opening of the Senior School and Miss Fewings’ final return.
Coveted by today’s collectors, 19 th century Coalbrookdale cast iron garden furniture is considered to be amongst the finest and most intricately decorated, with sets and specialty pieces achieving tens of thousands at auction.
Psalms,Coalbrookdalec.1950 Chairs, ‘Senior School’, 1922 8
Cumbooquepa Stained Glass Window Restoration
A remarkable combination of architectural detail, numerous impossible cuts, acid etching, painting, silver staining, fine enamels, mouth blown and hand spun roundels, they are the beautifully crafted works of an artisan. Although the windows are not signed, there is strong evidence in the aesthetic and style to suggest they were made by William Montgomery (1850 – 1927) of Melbourne, regarded as Australia’s finest stained glass designer and painter.
Described by experts in the field as ‘compositionally superb’ and ‘technically dazzling’, the stained glass windows of Cumbooquepa are treasures the Somerville House community can be proud of.
What is less known is that the windows in Cumbooquepa are considered to be better examples of Neo-Renaissance stained glass than the highly esteemed window in Switzerland’s Vitromusee Themuseum.fame and value of the windows will increase further over time.
The Somerville community rallied to support the Foundation’s 2019 fundraising campaign for expert restoration of Cumbooquepa Dining Room windows and the Shakespeare windows in the vestibule.
Whilst many boarders will have memories of the windows, not all Somerville students have had an opportunity to view and appreciate the stunning Cumbooquepa windows. The symbolism in the windows and the stories that they tell are intriguing and enchanting, the more we look, the more we discover… Delve a little deeper, to look more closely at the imagery and artistry to truly appreciate the extraordinary craftsmanship at play. Our thanks to those who offered their support for this vital restoration which will mean so much to successive generations at the School.
In 2018, the School was advised that a number of windows needed to be removed and repaired to be preserved and protected.
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The Cumbooquepa windows rank amongst his best work.
We acknowledge Stained Glass donors, with gratitude: $5,000 - $10,000 Mrs Helen Barnard Mrs Isabel Bauer, Ms Rebecca Bauer & Mrs Miriam Musgrave Miss Elizabeth & Miss Caroline Cannon Mrs Rosalie Lewis Drs Coralie & Geoffrey Porter Dr Neroli O’Connell Mrs Christine & Mr Dean MsPrangleyMargot Prangley On behalf of Old Girls in my family: Mrs Joan Axon, daughters Susan, Elizabeth & Katherine granddaughtersUrquhart;Jacqui & Claire Noble. In memory of my Godmother Miss Marjorie Robertson & her twin sister Miss Mary Robina Robertson, Old Girls & great- grandaughters of Thomas & Anna Stephens. Ms Liz Washington & Dr David Sharp $1,000 - $4,999 Ms Elizabeth Fox Miss Naida Haxton AM Mrs Margaret & Mr Michael MissHooperAmanda Kay Johnson Mrs Ruth Kidd Dr Jennifer Lingard Ms Trudy Naylor Ms Bethwyn Todd $0 - $999 Mrs Helen Alexander Mrs Gillian & Mr Ian Alfredson Mrs Janice Anderson Mrs Suzanne Angell Mrs Cynthia Atkinson Mrs Ann Beatty Mrs Barbara Bedwell Mrs Helen & Mr Christopher MissBeechLauren Beech Mrs Catherine Braddock Dr Kaye Brand Mrs Mary Brimblecombe Mrs Janet Bruce Dr Desley Buchan Mrs Lila & Mr Don Cameron Mrs Carides Mrs Anne Chater Dr Pamela Chick Ms Anna Coles Mrs Judith Connolly Mrs Margaret Cory Miss Catherine Cougan Ms Sarah Fryer Miss Helen Daniels Dr Pamela Davenport Mrs Helen DeLacy Mrs Margaret Dorrstein Mrs Betty Davidson Mrs Diana & Mr Trevor MrsDownesPamela Downing Mrs Diana Dredge Mrs Mary Dunn Mrs Helen Ellemor Mrs Jennifer Farmer AM Ms Pat Fleming Mrs Foster Mrs Jenny Frith Mrs Jill Frith Mrs Anna Fuller Mrs Nola Gearing Mrs Leila Gillman Mr Alan & Mrs Wendy MrsGrummittSally Hall Mrs Ann Hecksher Miss Pamela Hill Dr Rhyl Hinwood AM CF Mrs Kaye Hockey Mrs Margaret Houghton Mrs Annette Jell Mrs Elizabeth Jolly Mrs Cathryn Jordan Dr Elaine Katte-Primrose Mrs Pamela Knox Mrs Suwannee Kotala Mrs Kay Larkin Mrs Charmaine Lavis OAM Ms Dominique Layt Dr Betty Lee Mrs Joanne Martel Mrs Gail McCallum Mrs Jennifer McConnell Mrs Maxine McElnea Miss Catriona McKay Dr Judith McKay Dr Penelope McSweeney Mrs Barbara Merefield Mrs Jocelyn Millett Dr Jennifer Mills Mrs Jeanette Morling Mrs Susan Muller Mrs Marina Muller Mrs Patricia & Mr Ian Munro Mrs Judith Noble Dr Marjorie Patel Mrs Carolyn Pearce Mr Phil Petch Miss Valmai Pidgeon AM Mrs Shail Powers Mrs Robin Rae Mrs Janet Raymond Mrs Judith Reid Mrs Susan Revie Dr Eleanor Rowley Mrs Barbara Schmidt Mrs Copland Schmidt Mrs Hilary Scott Dr Catherine Smith Mrs June Smith Dr Eftyhia Stavrou Mrs Melpa Stavrou Mrs Rosemary Stephenson Miss Ailsa Stephenson Dr Miriam Stocks Ms Helen Stone Mrs Louise Strasser Mrs Jeanette Stringer Dr Margaret Sullivan Dr Frances Thomas Mrs Elizabeth Thorne Ms Helen Trochoulias Mrs Jill Tuffley Ms Sophie Vander Mrs Jennifer Walker Mrs Dianne Weidner AM Mrs Joan Wescoe Mrs Rayleigh Winten Mrs Melinda Wong Dr Roslyn Young Mrs Elizabeth Young 10
A school of the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association. CRICOS Provider: 00522G Ms Petrina Gilmore Director of Philanthropy T. 07 3033 9289 | E. pgilmore@somerville.qld.edu.au Ms Grace Tudehope Donor Relations Co-Ordinator T. 07 3248 9258 | E. gtudehope@somerville.qld.edu.au
