Abbotsleigh, Sydney

Identity area

Identifier

daa/22

Authorized form of name

Abbotsleigh, Sydney

Parallel form(s) of name

Other form(s) of name

  • Thurles Thomas Archives, Abbotsleigh

Type

  • Educational

Contact area

 

Dr Jennifer McLaren

Type

Address

Street address

1666 Pacific Highway, Wahroonga

Locality

Sydney

Region

New South Wales

Country name

Postal code

2076

Telephone

02 9473 7735

Fax

Note

Description area

History

Abbotsleigh is an an Anglican day and boarding school catering for girls from Pre Kindergarten to Year 12. It opened in 1885 and became an Anglican school in 1924.

The Abbotsleigh Archives opened in 1986. Our name changed to the Thurles Thomas Archives in 2004 in honour of the Abbotsleigh Old Girl who was instrumental in the formation of our archival collection.

For more information about the history of the school, see the website.

Geographical and cultural context

Abbotsleigh has had three different locations:

  • North Sydney: 1885-1888
  • Parramatta: 1888-1898
  • Wahroonga: 1898- present

Mandates/Sources of authority

Administrative structure

Officer-in-charge: Archivist

Records management and collecting policies

Continuing acquisition of material relating to the school, its current and ex-students, headmistresses and staff; with some material relating to the Anglican Church, and the local areas of Wahroonga, Ku-ring-gai, and our earlier locations of North Sydney and Parramatta.

Buildings

The original school building was built at Wahroonga in 1898. The archives is housed in a purpose-built archive within the Abbotsleigh Research Centre.

Holdings


  • Secretary's Office: Student records, 1913- present (15m).
  • Council: Minutes, 1924- present (4m).
  • Photographic collection, 1885- present.
  • Uniform collection, 1885- present.
  • Headmistresses portrait collection.
  • Art collection of watercolours painted by Abbotsleigh's first Headmistress, Marian Clarke.

Quantity: 75m.

Finding aids, guides and publications


  • Student register, 1885- present
  • Staff register, 1885- present
  • Threads Through Time: a photographic history celebrating 125 years of Abbotsleigh, 2010.
  • The Lily and the Lion: a history of Abbotsleigh, 2000, Susan Emilsen.

Access area

Opening times

Abbotsleigh Archives is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9am-4pm throughout the year, including term breaks.

Access conditions and requirements

Access to Abbotsleigh Archives is by appointment only, with advance notice stating the purpose of the research. Access to records not normally available for research can be gained by authorisation from the School Council.

Accessibility

Services area

Research services

General reference assistance available.

Reproduction services

Copying and/or scanning service available for Abbotsleigh journals, photographs and original records - dependent upon the state of the original item/s.

Public areas

There is no public space in the Abbotsleigh Archives, and limited parking onsite.

Control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Revised 18 December 2022

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Maintenance notes

Access points

Access Points

  • Arts and Culture (Thematic area)
  • Education (Thematic area)
  • Genealogical (Thematic area)
  • Local Studies (Thematic area)
  • Religion (Thematic area)
  • Clipboard

Primary contact

1666 Pacific Highway, Wahroonga
Sydney, New South Wales 2076