St Ignatius' College, Riverview, Sydney

St Ignatius' College, Riverview, Sydney

• Educational

Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview is a Jesuit, day and boarding school for boys located in Riverview, a small suburb situated on the Lane Cove River on the Lower North Shore of Sydney.

Since its foundation in 1880, Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview has been under the care of the Society of Jesus. While the founder of the school in the real sense was Father Joseph Dalton SJ, the school does have two other founders: Archbishop Roger Bede Vaughan, who invited the Jesuits to Sydney on condition that they found a boys’ boarding school, and Father JJ Therry, who, on his death in 1864, left the greater part of his property to the Society of Jesus.

After Archbishop Vaughan asked the Jesuits to open a day school in Sydney (St Kilda House, later to become St Aloysius’ College) and a boarding college on the North Shore, Father Joseph Dalton purchased the Riverview Estate on behalf of the Society of Jesus in 1878. Eighteen months later Father Dalton was appointed foundation Rector of Saint Ignatius’ College.
For further information on the history of the college, see https://www.riverview.nsw.edu.au/our-school/#history_of_riverview

The establishment of Riverview Archives dates from 1974 when the then Headmaster, Rev Peter Quinn SJ saw the need to bring together the historical documents and papers recording the life of the college, which were scattered throughout various offices.

Riverview Archives supports the mission statement of the college by providing a place of perpetuity for those records, memorabilia and museum objects which, serve as the memory bank for the college’s staff, students, and the wider Riverview community, past and present.

Riverview Archives also aims to promote and share the rich heritage of the college and the Jesuit tradition with the students, the wider Riverview community and the general public. Knowledge of our past helps us to understand the present and gives us direction for the future.

In October 2017, Fr Brian McCoy SJ, the Provincial of the Society of Jesus in Australia, announced significant changes to the governance of Jesuit owned schools in Australia.

From 2 December 2017, Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview became an incorporated entity with a board that is responsible for the local governance and management of the school. Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview Limited (Ltd) is the legal entity that conducts the College and is the employer of all of the staff at the school.

The Provincial also announced the establishment of a new incorporated entity called Jesuit Education Australia (JEA). JEA is the member of the entity that operates Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview. In turn, the Society of Jesus in Victoria, which is a legal entity of the Australian Province of the Society of Jesus, is the member of JEA. The Principal reports to the board of the school which in turn reports to the Province through its member, JEA.
(See https://www.riverview.nsw.edu.au/our-school/#history_of_riverview)

Officer in charge: Archivist

Records including photographs, official and private papers and memorabilia relating to the college, the Jesuit community and the wider Riverview community including staff, students and old boys. Also includes some material relating to the local area of Riverview, Lane Cove and the Lane Cove River.

The Archives are the non-current records of the College (in-house material), as well as records of individuals associated with the College, which have been selected for permanent retention.

The archival records held in Riverview Archives include the following:

• Administrative records of Saint Ignatius’ College, Dalton Memorial Chapel and the Jesuit Community of Riverview, 1878 to the present [with legal documents dating from 1793]. These records make up the official records of the college.
• Photographs documenting buildings, students, staff, college activities, college grounds and the Lane Cove River.
• Private record groups consisting of private papers generated by members of the Riverview community. These private papers provide a balance to the official records of the college by helping to document the ‘human interest’ often missing from the official records.

• Lea-Scarlett, E, 1989 Riverview, Aspects of the Story of Saint Ignatius’ College & its Peninsula 1836 – 1988.
• Strong, David SJ, 2005 Riverview, An Educational History

Riverview Archives is maintained for the purposes of the college and for use within the college and the Riverview community.

Enquiries for use of the Archives should be made by email to the Archivist. Depending on the nature of the request, permission for access may need to be gained from the Principal of the college.

Two weeks advance notice of visit is required including details of research project. Proof of identity is required.

General reference assistance is available.

Revised 3 June 2018

• Education (Thematic area)
• Local Studies (Thematic area)
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• Social Organisations and Activities (Thematic area)