Thread by Thread

The Archives Department is the keeper of Wenona’s stories, threading together our past, and bringing it to life for the entire school community including past alumnae, present families and future students.

Like most schools, Wenona has experienced periods when records and photos were barely preserved, so filling in the gaps can take some sleuthing. But long-time volunteer Mrs Jane Howland (Ferguson 1963) relishes the painstaking task.

Over the past five years, she has been putting to work her rare love of both history and data entry, researching student cards and trying to figure out the peer years and relationship ties of alumnae who graduated long ago.

The threads of Jane’s own Wenona history are intricate, with her sister and several cousins all having attended the School and a close friendship with Wenona’s former archivist Michele Ginswick, also fuelling her passion to uncover and protect the archive’s secrets.

So far she has worked her way from Z through H, keying in girls’ names, years attending and researching their relations, leaving certificates, and announcements from back issues of The Wenonian magazine.

The project gained speed this year with the arrival of Wenona’s first professionally trained archivist Dr Elizabeth Hartnell. Hailing from the United States, Dr Hartnell has a background in history, anthropology and archaeology. During her dozen years in Australia, she has built up experience as the curator at the Unley Museum in South Australia, and as a local historian for the Woollahra Council.

Dr Hartnell’s focus is not only to develop the Wenona collection but make it accessible to all, through digital means. But she needs your help. Anyone interested in joining Dr Hartnell and Jane as part of a 2023 team of volunteers to shift the School’s historical data into the 21st century, is asked to email archives@wenona.nsw.edu.au.

The School would also be grateful if you would consider donating any Wenona treasures that you might have at home.

“We know there must be hundreds of items stored in boxes, suitcases, and photo albums across the country and even overseas,” Dr Hartnell says.

Jane concurs: “Don’t throw them away and don’t wait for someone else to do it. Give them to us and we will make sure generations of Wenonians can look back on their days roaming the School halls.”