Whispers of history linger in Abbotsholme Glen. This unassuming park in Killara holds a secret. It’s a quiet reminder of Abbotsholme College. A progressive school that once stood here. Founded in 1908 by John Fitzmaurice. It boasted 12 acres of grounds. Imagine boys playing amidst these very trees. Two future Prime Ministers walked these grounds. Harold Holt and William McMahon were students here. Abbotsholme was known for its open-air approach. It claimed remarkably low illness rates. Even during the 1919 Spanish flu pandemic. The college accepted day and boarding students. By 1922 all 160 pupils were boarders aged 6 to 19. Fitzmaurice established a scholarship scheme for soldiers’ sons after World War I. Even Edward the Prince of Wales approved. After Fitzmaurice’s sudden death in 1924 the school closed. Abbotsholme burned down in suspicious circumstances two months later. The school’s legacy lives on. Its WWI Roll of Honour sits in St John’s Anglican Church Gordon. Fitzmaurice himself rests in St John’s cemetery. Abbotsholme Glen remains. A tranquil space echoing with the sounds of a bygone era. A testament to a school that once flourished here. Now only memories remain in this peaceful park. A silent tribute to Abbotsholme College.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to