Full circle
Images courtesy of the Congregational Archives of the Sisters of Charity of Australia
The classroom bench chronicle
Archives Collections Registrar, Imogen Kennard-King
Earlier in 2021, the Sisters of Charity Heritage Centre and Archives facilitated a ‘return home’ for two classroom bench style seats with a rich and varied history. We were contacted by Sr Annette Cunliffe, who is both a former student and former teacher of St Vincent’s College Potts Point. Sr Annette’s personal ties with the College don’t end there – her aunt, Sr Joan Jurd was also a student and was Principal of the College while her niece was enrolled, teaching Sr Annette herself.
Sr Annette generously offered to donate two original St Vincent’s College classroom seats, which had been in her family’s possession for many years. During the 1960s, the College decided to sell and replace some of its furniture, including these seats. They had been used in various classrooms, including the Leaving Certificate (known today as the HSC), intermediate, and preparatory class. Sr Annette’s parents purchased several bench seats and accompanying desks, and they were then dispersed among the wider family. The benches we received remained in Sr Annette’s family home then passed to her brother who continued to care for them, even undertaking restoration works to ensure they survived into the future.
When the benches arrived at the Heritage Centre, delivered personally by none other than Sr Annette’s nephew, they were added to the Archives’ museum collection. This accessioning process allows us to uncover and document the rich significance of historical items such as these. Whilst researching their initial life in the College classrooms, we discovered that these seats date back to at least 1914, suggesting they bore witness to decades of education. The benches also tell the story of their life in the classroom, with carved graffiti by generations of students visible on the surface of the timber. If only that timber could talk!
Looking carefully at the benches in the classroom photo above, note that the inset section on the backrests was originally made of wicker mesh. This material has not withstood the test of time and at some point, was carefully replaced with matching timber. The Archives accessioning process also involved giving the benches a good clean and timber treatment, to ensure their ongoing enjoyment and use. Where possible, it is wonderful to continue the use of heritage items as originally intended. Whilst they have come full circle and returned to Potts Point, we have found a new home for the seats outside the classroom. They now sit proudly in the Mary Aikenhead reflective space within St Vincent’s College Chapel, which connects the College and the Sisters of Charity Heritage Centre. Visitors to the Chapel can sit on these beautiful benches whilst enjoying a quiet moment on the threshold to the sacred space of the Chapel; former students may recognise them fondly from school days gone by. The continuous use of these seats for over 100 years (with plenty more to come) is simply remarkable, and we are most grateful to the Cunliffe family for their care, custodianship, and donation.