Sydney Boys High School

Sydney Boys High School

• Educational

Following Sir Henry Parkes' Education Act of 1880, the Government of the Colony of New South Wales decided to establish, under the control and administration of the Department of Public Instruction, a system of public high schools. The first of these were the two Sydney High Schools.

In 1883, the Boys School was officially opened in the Francis Greenway designed building constructed by convicts in Castlereagh Street, Sydney. The Boys School occupied the lower floor with its entrance in Castlereagh Street, while the Girls School had the upper floor and entered from Elizabeth Street.

The School has had three homes - Castlereagh Street, Mary Ann Street, Ultimo and Moore Park. Early in 1892 the boys moved to new premises in Mary Ann Street, Ultimo, the first building designed as a high school in any of the Australian colonies. In that year, too, the Old Boys Union was founded.

The present school was officially opened in 1928 now known as 'Moore Park'. The Girls School had moved to this location in 1921. Today at Sydney High, the original bear pits are silent reminders of its former role as a zoo.

Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective high school conducted by the New South Wales Department of Education.

For a school organisation chart, see http://www.sydneyboyshigh.com/school/organisation

Officer-in-charge of the Archives: Archivist
Accessioning, cataloguing and arranging new and existing items is a large and on-going process carried out by students and Old Boys, supported by an administrative assistant employed as Archivist for one day per week.

History of Sydney Boys High School, its institutions, teachers and pupils. Limited collection on Moore Park Zoological Gardens.

The school has an extensive collection of archive documents and materials relating to the school.

In order to provide easier public access to parts of the collections:

• a selection of photographs of sporting teams and other student groups are gradually being made available online - see http://www.sydneyboyshigh.com/archives
• publications are being digitised and made available (The Record, High Flyer, HighNotes) - see http://www.sydneyboyshigh.com/publications/the-record

Open school hours during term only.

Researchers may, subject to privacy protections, inspect the school's archival collections by appointment. To make an appointment to view the collections or to volunteer your time toward the various archives projects, then contact the school's Archivist, through the school administrative office.

Photocopies to A3 size.

Revised 20 April 2018

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