On 2 July 1925, the Bishop of Bathurst, Dr Long, met with the Standing Committee and Corporate Trustees of the Anglican Diocese. At this meeting, the bishop reported that he had investigated the purchase of the Hereford Estate previously owned by the Rutherford Family. The estate had a long history, and the main building, the Rutherford home, was once considered to be one of the most important buildings in the district.
The description of the Hereford estate in the preliminary announcement for the sale was: ‘a large two-storied, up-to-date building, built of brick, containing two spacious halls and thirteen rooms, exclusive of kitchen, laundry, dairy, maids’ rooms, etc., extensive stabling, sheds, etc. Beautifully situated, commanding a magnificent view of Bathurst and standing on a block of 100 acres, laid out to flower, fruit and vegetable gardens, lawns and paddocks.’
Rutherford home was built on the estate in 1880, and this home became the main building of Marsden School. The entrance hall had a parquetry floor, which was laid down five years after the house was built, having been brought out from Italy in squares. Cedar doors led off to the drawing room and library of the Rutherford family- the rooms became the Headmistress’s drawing room and offices for staff, as well as residences for the various headmistresses. A cedar staircase led to the original bedrooms, which became modern dormitories or classrooms, halfway up the staircase there is a stained-glass window dedicated to the memory of the Rutherford family. In the hall are two Corinthian columns, and beyond the swing door of the main section of the hall, a circular staircase gives access to a further part of the second floor. Marble mantelpieces still exist in some of the rooms, although the white one, which belonged originally to the drawing room, has disappeared.
Marsden Old Girls still talk about this house as they recollect their time at school, the fact that they were not allowed to use the main staircase at any time or risk punishment. The circular staircase was only used to come down from the dormitory to shake hands, say goodnight and take a supper biscuit from the headmistress or on Sunday evenings to go into the Head’s drawing room for story reading or attend a detention. The entrance hall held many memories for the miscreants who had to stand outside the office or drawing room and learn a psalm off by heart for some misdoing. It was also used for the parents of the new girl to be introduced to the headmistress, or meeting of important visitors such as the Governor General in 1926 and the late Duke of Edinburgh in 1973.
Another historical building on the Marsden site was the old stables, which were used as classrooms in the early years. These stables were originally used to house the change horses for the Cobb and Company coaches. Many an Old Marsden girl remembers having P.E in the loft of these buildings, which were demolished in 1950!
When there was an urgent need for more accommodation with the rapid growth of the school, the building and opening of Merrick House was undertaken. The ceremony took place on 20 February 1927 and was performed by the Bishop of Bathurst, Rev. George Merrick Long, together with the Lord Bishop of London, Rev. Arthur Winnington. This building contained rooms and sleepouts upstairs, and the dining room and kitchen downstairs. The sick bay was attached to the back of the building, where many girls remember visiting matron for a dose of APC or some other horrible-tasting liquid, which was supposed to ease any affliction. The staff accommodation was also in this building, where girls feared to tread, but would love to know what happened there when the teachers were off duty! The mistresses did not have much of a private life if they lived on-site!
The memorial clock tower was another new building erected in 1931 in grateful memory of George Merrick Long, the founder of the school. The cost of the tower was met by Miss J. Lyon with gifts from the girls from the school. Many people were involved in its erection, and the actual clock had come from St. John’s Church in Devizes, Wiltshire, England, where it had been affixed to the tower for 200 years! The clock, which has a dial 5ft. 2in. in diameter was repaired and erected by George Marks, clockmaker of Bathurst.
The Chapel of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, built in 1928, with its red tiled roof and brown Java wood walls, surrounded by a group of young elm trees standing to the right of Rutherford House, soon became the centre of school life. Boarders attended the chapel twice a day, except Saturday, with communion services every Sunday or the occasional Evensong at Holy Trinity Church, Kelso. Girls wore a white pintucked chapel dress for communion, and the chosen servers had white veils. Each girl was given one shilling to put into the collection plate at the service, many believing it was the same shilling each week! Preparation of the communion wine was considered a privilege and carried out with great reverence.
The Chapel was repaired and enlarged in 1958 to accommodate 250, and redecorated and consecrated in 1959 by the Right Reverend E.K. Leslie. This Chapel meant much to the foundation members and girls of the early days, and just as much to those who have left since. The memorial plaques from the Chapel have since been removed, and the beautiful stained glass window depicting Christ blessing some little children in the marketplace has been relocated to another Anglican church in Gilgandra. Other memorial items can now be seen in the All Saints’ Chapel on the Scots All Saints College site, where they will remain for years to come.
Mrs Memory Sanders
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