Guildford Grammar School, Perth

Guildford Grammar School, Perth

• Educational

Guildford Grammar School is an independent, day and boarding school situated in Guildford, a suburb of Perth. It is a Christian foundation in the Anglican tradition.

In 1896 Mr Charles Harper, an influential figure in Western Australian history, had established a school to cater for the educational needs of his own children and those of the surrounding district in his stately home at Woodbridge. Harper sought to establish a school along English Public School lines, while seeking to accommodate the different culture of the modern colonial society.

In 1908, Harper began discussions with local clergy concerning the possibility of the school becoming more closely linked to the Church of England. The transfer took place in 1910, under the leadership of cleric and Headmaster Percy Henn.

In 1900 the school had moved from the Harper family home to its present site, and from this time, no new girls were accepted. From 1902 the school taught boys only. Then in 1976 girls and boys were admitted to the Preparatory School. The 2016 the School Council decided to extend co-education from Kindergarten to Year 12.

For further information on the school's history, see https://www.ggs.wa.edu.au/about-guildford/our-heritage/

Officer-in-charge: Archivist

Material related directly to Guildford Grammar School, its Old Boys, and to its related bodies.

Guildford Grammar School:

• School magazines (indexed), 1904- present (1.5m)
• Moody Collection (semi current), 1979- present (5m)
• Freeth Collection, 1928-1949 (5m)
• Boys' personal files, 1926- present (300m)
• Henn Collection, 1909-1925 (3m)
• Staff personnel files, 1930- present (10m)
• Chapel Collection, 1910- present (5m)
• Parents and Friends Association, 1960- present (5m)
• Photographs, 1900- present (5m).
  Walter Tapper (London Architect): Chapel Building Plans, 1911.
  Rev P U Henn (4th Headmaster): Henn Collection, 1909-1925 (3m).
  Rev R E Freeth (6th Headmaster): Freeth Collection, 1928-1949 (3m).
  F Bennett (1st Headmaster): Information re, 1896-1898.
  A D Gillespie (2nd Headmaster): Information re, 1899-1903.
  W S Corr (3rd Headmaster): Information re, 1904-1909.
  P Hinckley (5th Headmaster): Information re, 1925-1927.
  P N Thwaites (7th Headmaster): Thwaites Collection, 1950-1956.
  D A Lawe Davies (8th Headmaster): Lawe Davies Collection, 1957-1978.

Quantity: 350m (99.9% in-house).

Entries in National Library of Australia Guide to Collections of Manuscripts Relating to Australia.

Norwood, Jim 'An Archives for Guildford' Archives and Manuscripts 19/1 (May 1991): 67-70.

Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8am-4pm.
Closed public holidays.

Access to records not normally available for research can be gained by permission from the Principal or Archivist.

General reference assistance available.

Copying services available for books, journals, original records to A3 size, photographs, maps and plans.

Revised 10 November 2024

• Educación (Thematic area)
• Built Environment (Thematic area)
• Genealogical (Thematic area)