Premier Thomas Bavin (ON 1890) sitting in his office in Sydney c. 1930. Sir (William) Ian Clunies Ross (ON 1916) on the first version of the $50 note. A staff and student photo at Newington House, Silverwater in 1863 – the year Sister Margaret Cooper. of the school’s foundation. Miss Gilligan is fourth from right in the back row. Our new Houses’ names and their stories The establishment of eight new Houses in 2021 heralded in a new era for the College. In 2021, as a key element in efforts to strengthen the system of staff, all-important functions in an all-boarding school. She was pastoral care, the College decided to expand the Houses in the senior described as ‘a great favourite with the boys, having an estimable school from eight to 16 from 2022. At heart, the aim is that ‘boys blend of firmness and kindness’, while an obituary noted that, ‘Of will develop stronger pastoral relationships with their Head of House commanding appearance and manner, she exerted a great influence when the Head of House only has a little over half as many boys to over collegians.’ care for,’ as Headmaster Michael Parker put it when announcing the change in May. Whitaker But how did we decide on the new House names? Edith Whitaker was Newington’s first female subject head, and reportedly the first in the GPS. She was also our earliest identified An early decision was that we would move away from the traditional female teacher. An experienced teacher and former principal in Perth practice of naming Houses after Presidents and Headmasters. and Sydney, she was appointed as Head of English at Newington Another principle was that the people after whom the new Houses in 1942, as part of an effort to replace male teachers who had would be named should not still be living. enlisted. Quickly proving that she herself a strong disciplinarian, she won the esteem and respect of the senior boys — ‘who naturally In the end, high importance was placed on honouring pioneering and received the coming of a lady teacher with askance’, as the Council significant women in the College’s long history. Hence, four of the new put it. She achieved very fine exam results, as well as influencing the Houses are named Gilligan, Whitaker, Cooper and Morrison. boys’ character, good speech, courtesy and general bearing. When she retired from Newington in 1949, the Council passed a special Another priority was to honour Newington’s long and close association resolution in recognition of her service and achievements, 80 of her with our brother school in Tonga, Tupou College. Thus, one of the new current and former students joined the Council for her farewell dinner, Houses is named Tupou. and the Old Boys presented her with a silver tea pot and tray. Finally, it was decided to honour Old Newingtonians who excelled in Cooper their callings in later life or contributed positively on the national or Sister Margaret Cooper served as the Wyvern House Matron (school world stage. Hundreds of the College’s alumni might be regarded as nurse) from 1958 and assumed the same role for the senior school fitting this description, and the choices would inevitably be difficult as well when the School Sick Bay moved to Wyvern House (now the and subjective. Le Couteur Centre), remaining in this role until her death in 1981. A rigorous process whittled the possible names down to a shortlist, She implemented modern health care standards in the Sick Bay and from which emerged the names Bavin, Mackay and Clunies Ross. collaborated with Dr Roger Davidson OAM (ON 1940) over many years in the Saturday Sports Clinic. Well-liked and highly regarded for ‘her long years of skilled, cheerful and reliable service’, as Headmaster The people behind the names Tony Rae put it, she was also recognised for providing much-valued pastoral and emotional support to students before there were strong Gilligan College programs for this purpose. Annie Gilligan was the College’s first female member of staff, Morrison appointed on the College’s foundation in 1863. In the role of Appointed to head the Library and Resources Centre in 1978, Housekeeper during the College’s crucial first six years, she had Jan Morrison recruited a department of professional staff and charge of accommodation and catering and of the domestic transformed the Library and its services, including introducing