When you sat as a group in October 1983 in the School Assembly Hall for the Year 12 School Farewell there was both excitement and sadness. Excitement, to be soon beginning a life after school, and sadness, that you were leaving a wonderful learning environment, along with your group of friends of many years. Many of you will have not seen each other for some time. To have this opportunity to renew acquaintances again is wonderful.
I am disappointed that I am unable to attend, as I attended your 10th, 20th and 30th reunions. Due to Mortons Neuroma in both feet,I have been in much pain . I am relying on the skills of my orthopaedic specialist (a triple Olympian in men’s hockey) to operate on my right foot this coming week! I hope that he has the right moves in the operating theatre with my foot.
My tenure at St George Girls came to an end in December 2011, after 35 wonderful years. In April 2012, I undertook my Message in a Bottle Adventure in the Southern Ocean, south of Albany, Western Australia. This was to acknowledge 100 years since my Scottish Grannie sailed past Albany on her way to Sydney. You can view this adventure on You Tube, as Anne’s Adventure. In June 2023, the Australian National Maritime published this story in Signals, which is their quarterly publication.
In October 2016, I published The History of Moorefield Racecourse Kogarah Sydney (1888-1951). The racecourse, a long standing feature of Kogarah, was located on the site of James Cook Boys Technology High School, Moorefield Girls and St George TAFE. I maintain a Facebook site, Moorefield Racecourse.
I have continued to be busy –an overseas trip to the UK and Hong Kong in May 2013, and again in late September 20I9 to Hong Kong, The Netherlands, and Scotland. I have completed a number of road trips throughout NSW and Victoria since 2021, and also travelled to Perth and Melbourne.
I continue to give guest talks to Probus , local history groups , friendship groups etc, on my Message in a Bottle Story ,Moorefield Racecourse and a few other topics. I am the Publicity Officer for St George Historical Society.
My website, annefield.net.au, established in 2013, now has a St George Girls category. My website has been viewed in over 130 countries overseas, for which I am overwhelmed. I enjoy working with the written word, and researching and writing all of my articles.
Back to your time at school
We had fun while we learnt, and school life was not as stressful then as today. There weren’t assessment tasks, which caused so much anxiety and pressure after their implementation.
Some of the teachers from your time have sadly passed on. Mrs Lyle Woyde, Principal (1976 – 1984) who moved from Sylvania to the Victorian Alps ; Ms Jenny Rowse , the next Principal (1985-1992) passed in 2021; Ms Diana Renton from Maths in January 2018 ; Mr Tom Campbell Head Teacher from Languages ; Mr McMinn from History in recent years; Madame Malliate from Languages in 2023 ; Mr Bob Ritchard, Head Teacher Social Science (1979- 1996) in 2023. Maxine Shaw later Gray, the Canteen Manager, passed in 2022.
Remember how you used to tease me and I would blush. You would tell me that “i was the colour of my lipstick!” And I had difficulty with that r word –rural. And my hanging petticoat, which sometimes managed to get purple gestetner on it. Oh, and my miss -matching black shoes on at least one occasion. I apparently gave the reason for this fact that “it was dark in the wardrobe this morning!” My school fashion sense, which included my scarves, was regularly checked, as I certain that my makeup was checked. And I could not fail to mention my purple leather trousers, a January 1980 purchase from Amsterdam.
Our excursions – to name a few: Year 8 Geography to Minnamurra Rainforest , Kogarah shops and Paddys Markets if you did Commerce , and of course Berry, the pie shop and Mr McIntosh’s dairy farm in year 12 Geography. I called into the butchers in Berry in November 2022, on my way back from Eden to Sydney. I had been visiting Carolyn and Kylie Stark’s mother, who is in a retirement home in Berry,and she told me that the butcher sells some local honey . I asked one of the senior butchers if Mr Rob Mcintosh was still on the farm, and was told that he was still a dairy farmer.
The local environment has greatly changed in the surrounding streets to the school. Since approximately 2016/2017, the area has been zoned for high rise. It is not an attractive area now. I managed to help win the battle to save the lovely Victorian terraces at No 14 and No 16 Victoria Street, Kogarah. They will be incorporated into the new unit block with townhouses at the front of the building, and high rise behind.
Enjoy your evening of catching up with your contemporaries of 40 years ago. Where have all those years gone? Remember well the formative years of your life. I am sorry to miss you all, so please ensure that named photos of the occasion are added to the St Georgians site.
Best wishes to all. Anne Field.
