San Clemente is named after the Basilica
of San Clemente in Rome, a church built in 1108 on church ruins
dating back to the first century AD. The present Basilica has
been under the care of the Irish Dominicans since 1623. |
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Early history of site and
surroundings
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1801 to 1913 -
the site
from the arrival of Europeans - "In those days Newcastle boasted of 7
streets with 84 houses" |
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"The early days" from
the Mayfield Jubilee
Celebrations Souvenir booklet |
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1917
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San Clemente was founded by the Dominican order in a
weatherboard building in Kerr St., Mayfield - "The school opened that morning,
April 16th, and 50 children were in attendance" |
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1919 -
The Dominican Sisters purchased Redcliff, the house on the present site
on the corner of Crebert and Havelock Streets. The original
Redcliff site of 7 acres was owned by Frank Witherspoon, who established
his grocery business in the early 1860s. |
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1920 -
detailed article about the beginning of the convent and
school. |
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1922 - alterations and additions subsume Redcliff, and the school
moved to its new site, as a boarding and day school for girls. |
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1927 - article about the school - "a community of ten with
three hundred pupils" |
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1930's |
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1940's
- student photographs |
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1940's - student photographs from Mrs Fuller |
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1947 - extensions, opened in 1948 |
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1948 - school prospectus |
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1950
- school report |
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1950 - Mayfield jubilee and description of
St Columban's church and Mayfield schools |
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1950's - some photographs |
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1960's
- some photographs |
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A student's photographs date unknown
(between 1948 and 1970) |
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1967 - Golden Jubilee
program with the school song:
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Sing
we San Clemente's praise
Guardian
of our girlhood days
Teaching
true and faithful ways
Salve
San Clemente!
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1970 - Library, two
classrooms, a bookhire room and an art room were added. |
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1974
- St Columban's Church Golden Jubilee - including timeline of the parish
and the schools |
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1976 - the last
four teaching nuns retired - here is a
list of all the Dominican
Sisters from 1917 to 1973 |
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1977 - San
Clemente became the first Catholic High School in the Diocese of Maitland
to be staffed
by laity. |
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1978 - the School Chapel was fitted out and opened |
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1980's - the school prefects |
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1983 - boys were enrolled for the first time |
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1984 - construction of four classrooms, three store rooms, one
cleaner’s store and
stairs. |
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1986 - transfer of a 5 module demountable from Aberdeen |
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1990 – Earthquake repairs after the
Newcastle earthquake |
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1993 –
St Dominic's
Centre for hearing impaired students relocated to the site.
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2002 - Refurbishment of two science
laboratories |
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December 2002 - the
shelter was built, and officially opened in
2003 |
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2005
- a beautiful leadlight window was installed in the Office reception
area. |
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2007 development application for
extensive additions and renovations goes to council |
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2007 Student photos |
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The Principals
from 1917 to today |
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Some links to external sites with relevance
to San Clemente |
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If you have any comments on the History pages, please forward them to
the web editor. We
are always eager to expand these pages. |
