Thursday, 3 March 2011

Darlinghurst, Sacred Heart School

This former school building is located on Darlinghurst Road, in the inner city suburb of Darlinghurst. Originally known as the Sacred Heart School, it was originally built in 1880 and is adjacent to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.It had remained in use as a school until 1984. The site was taken over by the University of Notre Dame and the building was restored in 2006. It is now used as a medical library for the university and nearby hospital.

33 comments:

  1. Was just thinking about How Darlington looks like, had a student in my class last week from Perth who lives in the outskirts of Darlington ! ..

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  2. Wong Ching Wah, this suburb is actually called Darlinghurst. However, there is another Sydney suburb called Darlington.

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  3. That used to be a school???? What a DARLING DARLING school that must have been!!! I would surely have wanted to go to school there!!!! It looks so ancient and historical and olden, how wonderful!!!

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    1. Ha, ha - I have 2 photos taken in 1969, when I lived in Sydney. Not just separate (outside) toilets for boys & girls, but divided into "Junior Girls"& "Senior Girls".
      There was a cool metal spiral staircase though.

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    2. I actually went to that school in the 60’s yes it was a beautiful wonderful school and I have so many happy memories

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    3. So did i and my whole family in th 70s i was there for the centenary sister Mary Paula was principal. I also remember the stairs the bridge,the fire escape they built upstsirs where years 3 4 5 and 6 were. The hall where we did activities that they used for bingo at night and working at the bingo. Sister elanor the singing nun with her guitar taught us music and wrote a song for the centenary its etched in my mind.Our song is a song of love for the school of the sacred heart.

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    4. I went to that school from 1971 until 1979, sister Paula was the Principal. Such great memories. Sister Eleanor was the music teacher (she was the singing nun). She taught me how to play the guitar. She would organise musicals in the school. I remember the “Sound of Music & “Fiddler on the Roof”. She was a hard working nun that taught kids on stage how to act & play musical instruments. I also remember the tuck shop lady Miss Carmel Quain. Amazing memories, wish there were more photos of the school. Shame it didn’t remain a school or could have kept the whole building as it was, so much history of Sydney. I was surprised it wasn’t heritage listed & is now an ugly sight.

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    5. Must have been there the same time as me anonymous . I remember playing in the yard while the bingo was on in the hall at night my mum and aunties inside playing bingo..I remember sister Eleanor writing the song for the centenary too. " Yet still will you stand as a symbol to all who pass by and are touched by your age, and the young of today will continue the maaaaark ! (I still remember her hitting that note) you have made on historians page" "Our song is a song of love for the school of the sacred heart....." I distinctly remember miss Fitzgerald in kindergarten with the featherduster on the calves sorting you out early haha. She often came to my nan's and my great grandmothers down the road right up into my late teens early 20s for cups of tea regularly with her friend Dorrie Jones who was her bestie in retirement Dorrie was also my neighbourhood friends Aunt we lived in our street nearly 100years 6 generations. They all went to school at sacred heart and Saint Mary's Cathedral(which was a girls high school also sisters of St Joeseph) If you were there till 79 (anon fri 6sept 2024) you were the year above me year 6 Mrs Trish Browning. I was year 5 ms Marion Davies in 79

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  4. Lovely building. It looks like it was a church. Maybe a church school.

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  5. A beautiful pic. They don't build schools like this anymore.

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  6. GW Bill Miller, that's right. It was a church school. Part of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church next door.

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    1. You actually walked from class into the church over a bridge over the playground below so it was attached

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  7. Architecturally stunning...beautiful photo!

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  8. The church I went to as a kid was also called Sacred Heart school. Their very old school had the same name.

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  9. I went to this school in 1972, i remember seeing the concorde maiden flight over sydney from here, the winding staircase from upstairs to the playground downstairs and the stained glass picture of jesus in the chapel... finding any information photos etc has been a nightmare as no-one seems to want to help me find out about my era/time at the school :(

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    1. i went to sacred heart in the 70's too. i remember that old staircase that led from the plaground up to the bridge which was a side entrance to the church. Doesn't seem to be any information anywhere,just lost in time. i was there for the centenary celebrations which was such a big deal at the time.

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    2. Great stuff. Its just a shame that no photos etc etc have come to light from this era Darren.
      Hopefully someone may come up with something. :)

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    3. I remember using the foil caps from the milk bottles and flicking them like Frisbys using the middle and forefingers.

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    4. I have a couple of photos from 1969-07-13 of the stairs & the outside of the toilet buildings.
      if you are interested email me at jameskakiage@gmail.com
      (James M James on facebook)

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  10. i went to this school in 1968 before returning to scotland my teacher was Sister Mary Magdala i would love to find out what happened to her also my friend Kathryne Bonner if any of you could give me any information i would be very grateful. My name then was Agnes Gallogley

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  11. Anyone was at the school? I was there from Year 2 (1984) to year 4 (1986) which was the final year before it was closed. Kids were moved to St Francis in Paddington.

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  12. I still have all the school photos 1974-1980. Probably my older brothers too who only went to year 4. Thats because the boys up until his year1976 went to 5th and 6th at St Mary's but that changed after 1976

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  13. Would love to find a photo of my year 1 class (1974).
    I have no recollections from my time there!

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    1. That was the year above me , you were only there a year?

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