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| 16 Jun 2025 | |
| Written by David Docwra | |
| Docco's Diary |
| Class of 1985 |
There will be a reunion of 1985 leavers on Saturday 1st November 2025. We decided to look back forty years and remember some of the excellent features of 1985 at St Peter’s College. Despite the shocking fire in Memorial Hall at the end of the year on December 2nd (eleven days before Speech Day), 1985 was a good year at St Peter’s College.
The were 1082 boys in the School in 1985. At the time, this was the largest number we had ever had. There were 761 boys in the Senior School of which 131 were boarders – in two boarding houses: School House, and Wyatt and Allen House. 164 boys in Year 12 was also a record. Day boys in the Senior School were in one of eight Houses: Short, Hawkes, Farrell, Da Costa, Woodcock, MacDermott, Howard and Young. There were 321 boys in the “Prep” (now Junior School) and Palm House of which 16 were boarders.
The examination results for the boys in their final year at St Peter’s College were excellent in 1985. These boys distinguished themselves by being placed on the State Honours List for the 1985 examinations of the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia:
Art Michael Gordon
English Bill Wells
German Sam Butcher
Latin Paul Del Fabbro
Nicholas Gill
Maths 1 Peter Sage
Maths IS Sam Butcher
Bill Wells
Maths 2 Paul Drysdale
Chris Rayner
Modern European History
Patrick Coope
Michael Hall
Ben Hanisch
Bill Wells
Physics John Williams
The following boys gained over 475 scaled marks out of a possible 500:
We were visited by The Governor of South Australia and his wife on Wednesday 24th July 1985. They were met by the Headmaster and attended Senior School Muster. The Governor addressed the Senior School and reminded us that intelligent thought and hard work will solve all problems and how vitally important it is for students to make the most of the many opportunities available to young people in schools such as St. Peter’s College.
Canon Guy Pentreath, who was Headmaster of St Peter’s College 1934 to 1943, died in England on 30th October 1985 at the age of 83. Dr Shinkfield, Headmaster 1978-1992, when on study leave in 1983, had visited him twice at his home in England. Canon Pentreath had visited St Peter’s College as the Guest of Honour at Speech Day 1976 when New School House was renamed the Pentreath Building. He was a great Headmaster. In Canon Pentreath’s obituary, Mr FH Schubert wrote:
“By the time he arrived in South Australia, the worst of the great economic depression was over, leaving the School with a realisation that its buildings, especially its boarding accommodation, were out of date. A man of vision as a leader was needed. Mr. Pentreath was that man. When he was appointed Headmaster in October 1933 he was only thirty-one years old, “the youngest but two of his masters”. In his first address to the boys, he left them in no doubt what he understood by education; mastery in lessons, learning to give oneself for the common good, developing aptitudes in some hobby, music or craftsmanship, a zest for building one’s physical fitness, and, as the keystone, to alert the mind and spirit to the touch of God in His Beauty, Truth and Goodness. Within a year of his coming, under his guidance, the Council carried out “the biggest improvement in the School’s long history”. The great building scheme involved a series of new buildings (Oval House and New School House (now the Pentreath Building) curving around two sides of the Main Oval, and new change rooms); the complete transformation of the old gymnasium into the new Da Costa Dining Hall with up-to-date kitchens and laundry attached; the remodelling of the Big School Room into a beautifully panelled library; and of the Headmaster’s, Housemaster’s and boarders’ quarters in the main school building into offices and classrooms. His enthusiasms were contagious, his manner persuasive. He was one of those rare men who could speak of beauty without embarrassment — in the arts, in the classics, in architecture, in music. A man, one would say, of ideas, of vision and of faith”.
1985 was the last year that Mr Jeff Chittleborough was Housemaster of Wyatt and Allen Boarding House. The Headmaster commented in his Speech Day Address: “I sincerely thank Mr. Chittleborough for his unstinting devotion to boys and their welfare, for his fine sense of both discipline and humour which have bound the House together as a strong unit, and for his abiding pride in maintaining excellent standards in all aspects of life in the House”. All of us involved in boarding at that time learnt much from Mr Jeff Chittleborough. He was strict, as you have to be when running a boarding house, but scrupulously fair. We learnt from him that “a tight ship is a happy one”. We all know that a well-managed and organized environment, where everything is in order, is a positive and enjoyable place to be.
All Year 10 boys spent a week doing voluntary work in one of eight community or welfare agencies, dealing with pre-school children, and aged and handicapped people in the community. Fund-raising under the name of the Mission continued through the Founders’ Day Run and School Casual Day, and through the normal functions in the Preparatory School and Mission Guild programme. Some money was also contributed by old scholars. The Mission fund-raising has gone to two agencies who take our students: Norwood Meals on Wheels Kitchen, and the Norwood Community Creche. A total of $4,000 was allocated for these purposes.
The end of the year was disrupted by the fire in Memorial Hall in the early morning on Monday December 2nd 1985. A tent was hastily erected on the Girdlestone Oval so that Speech Day could go ahead on Friday 13th December. The fire destroyed the roof and all inside parts of our Memorial Hall, which had been built in the period 1921-1929 in memory of approximately 170 Old Scholars who gave their lives in World War I 1914-1918.
It was possibly the darkest day in the life of our School.
Boarders were woken around 5.30am to discover flames were extending high out of the roof of the 56 year old building. The fire brigade had arrived and a small group of bystanders were watching in stunned silence. 13 fire vehicles and 55 firefighters were called but the intense heat and falling debris held them back. Firemen feared that the heavy steeple would fall on them. Burning rafters and chunks of metal fell from the ceiling on to desks as the Hall was set up for the Year 11 exams later in the day. The roof collapsed and caved in, but the walls (made of sandstone from a quarry near Tea Tree Gully) remained standing. Most of the Honour boards around the perimeter were damaged. Firemen thought the fire had been burning for several hours before it was noticed by a passing milkman, who alerted Headmaster Dr AJ Shinkfield around 5am.
In the morning boys and staff arrived at School shocked by what they saw. We all assembled on the lawns outside the Chapel where we were addressed by Headmaster Dr AJ Shinkfield at 8.45am.
The response from the School community, and the wider community was both immediate and overwhelming. Support flowed in from far and wide in the way of letters, phone calls, donations and offers of support. Of all the calls and correspondence received in the hours and days after the fire, many were from other Schools who understood the impact the fire would have on life at Saints. Old rivals, Prince Alfred College expressed their deep concern and offered the use of their hall for functions and performances.
In a letter addressed to then Headmaster, Dr A J Shinkfield, His Excellency the Governor expressed his distress in hearing news of the devastating fire and stated, “No doubt the Old Boys will respond generously to a call for funds to restore the Hall”. And respond they did. Many old scholars and their families gave generously to rebuild the Hall.
The generosity of a large number of members of the wider St Peter’s College community and others provided funding to allow the reconstruction to begin in 1987. An improved and renovated Memorial Hall was eventually rededicated and reopened in March 1988.
The St Peter's College Foundation had been established earlier in 1985. This was to provide for major capital works, such as buildings, to be a buffer against the withdrawal of government funding grants, to help keep fees low and increase scholarships. Its original brief was to raise funds for staff development, scholarship maintenance, the School Library, and art facilities. Its first major project became the unexpected coordination of the reconstruction of Memorial Hall.
The Foundation has, for 40 years since 1985, continued to play a vital role in ensuring the best educational outcomes for our students. It has supported key facility projects across the School, contributed to resourcing as well as adding to the diversity of our student body through the provision of needs-based scholarships. Quoting from the St Peter’s College 2025 website: “For four decades, it has strengthened academic excellence, supported scholarships, renewed the School’s walls and fields, and helped create an exceptional community of learning”.
The Gilbert and Sullivan operas: “Trial by Jury” and “HMS Pinafore” were presented by boys of St Peter’s College and St Peter’s Collegiate Girls’ School in 1985. Some old scholars may remember taking part. The “Saints” newsletter commented: “The whole cast must be congratulated on what they produced – a fast moving, tuneful and disciplined performance”. The 1985 Magazine recorded: “The whole School’s appreciation must go to the Producer, the indefatigable Mr Hood, who not only is the driving force behind such splendid productions but manages to convey to his young cast his love of singing and the stage, thereby sowing a seed”.
In 1985, there were a range of societies boys could join. These included Debating Society, German Society, and Scientific Society.
The Exploration Society continued to offer exciting outdoor ventures to its members in 1985. These included a canoeing weekend when boys paddled from Purnong to Younghusband, camping overnight, a hiking venture to Mt Remarkable National Park, hiking at Wilpena Pound, a Tasmanian Cradle Mountain Walk, rock climbing at Morialta and a Great South West Walk in Victoria.
1985 was the 75th anniversary of the start of the Preparatory School in 1910. Many old scholars would have started their journey at St Peter’s College in the Preparatory School (now Junior School). In 1985 the original Preparatory School Building was extensively refurbished and modernised. It was to be later called the Shinkfield Building.
In 1985 the achievements of boys in a range of games were outstanding:
Zachary Kalogeras competed in the South Australian Schoolboys Water Polo team in the National Championships. Together with Paul Stokes he went on to represent South Australia in the National Championships in January 1986. Tim Densley was selected for the South Australian Schools Cross Country Team. Jamie Hamilton and Angus Giles played for South Australia in the State Under 18 Rugby team. Jamie also played in the State Schoolboys team which won the Southern States championship. Paul Cook won a gold medal in the 63 kg and over class of the Under 17 Australian Judo Championships. David Maidment was selected in the South Australian 1984-85 and 1985-86 Under 19 Cricket XI. Justin Smith represented South Australia in the National 15 and 16 years Swimming Championships, gaining medals in four events, setting a State age record in the 200m butterfly and a State Open record in the 100m freestyle. He also competed in the Australian men’s 200m butterfly and finished seventh. Sandy Higgins represented Australia in the World 420 class yachting championships in Italy. James Fowler and Mark Helier represented South Australia at the Australian All-Schools Athletic Championships in Perth. Mark Helier broke the South Australian Under 16 200m record with a time of 21.97 seconds.
A Keys award was presented to David Maidment, the Vice-Captain of the First XI Cricket Team in 1985. He was South Australian wicket keeper at Under 19 level. He was an example to other cricketers in the School because of his conscientiousness and consistency. In the wider School community he was deeply involved, showing commendable leadership as Secretary of the School Prefects.
Over 90 per cent of our boys competed in sport in 1985 for our School against other schools. 87 teams or crews received sustained coaching at a high, and thoroughly dedicated level.
In athletics we won the Achilles Cup again.
In cricket the First XI won nine matches, but the First XI Intercollegiate match was spoilt by rain.
In tennis we won the Premiership in Division Four Metropolitan LTA.
In rowing we won the Head of the River. This was master coach, Mr Lindsay Southcott’s tenth victory in twenty years of coaching the First VIII. He went on to coach till 1992. Lindsay’s final record of 14 Head of the River wins in 27 years is unprecedented in Australian schools’ rowing, and is unlikely ever to be challenged. He passed away this year – on April 20th 2025 – at the age of 84.
In water polo, we fielded five teams.
In basketball we won the intercollegiate game 82-56. At the time this was the largest victory for Saints in intercollegiate matches
Large numbers of boys continued to choose soccer as their winter sport. The First XI had six wins, two draws and three losses.
The First XV Rugby Team had a successful season, losing only two matches.
In squash we fielded five teams who experienced some success.
The First XI Hockey team had a good season with eight wins, three draws and three losses with 44 goals for, and 12 against.
In football, we fielded ten teams. The First XVIII had a win-loss record of 5 to 4 but were defeated by powerful PAC, Sacred Heart and Melbourne Grammar School teams.
Our Cross-Country Running team won both Open and Under 16 Divisions at the All-Schools Championship at Carisbrooke Park.
Young House won the Senior House Football Competition.
As Captain of the School in 1985, Mark Haysman, said in his Speech Day address, eleven days after the devastating Memorial Hall fire: “The strength of this School is shown in these times of hardship – and it has been evident once again, as the School continued to function without the Hall”.
Not even a fire of this scale could interrupt the continuing mission of our School in its daily work. “Beauty, order and reverence” continued to be the message of our School’s “walls and fields” as teaching and school routine went on. Our School has been able to stand for all that is “strong and lovely, and of good report” when faced with any challenge for nearly 178 years. Our School will always stand firm in “truth and righteousness”. “One stone did remain upon another” after the 1985 fire. In the face of any adversity, a sound and liberal Christian education will always continue here.
We hope that many of those who left in 1985 will return for their 40-year milestone reunion on Saturday November 1st, 2025. They will enjoy the reunion. They will meet friends they have not seen for a long period of time (in some cases, 40 years). If they have not been back for a few years, they will find a School experiencing record enrolments, with many new facilities, including a 1998 Science, Art and Techology Building, an amazing 2003 Burchnall Sports Centre, a 2015 refurbished Pentreath Building that is used mainly for Middle Schooling, and a 2021-22 redevelopment of the Big Quad and Big School Room, which they may like to see, and with the grounds looking more beautiful than ever.
Researched and written by David Docwra
David Docwra retired from St Peter’s College in December 2015 after 37 years’ service and is fondly remembered by many as a dedicated teacher, a committed coach of squash, cricket and soccer, and most especially as a passionate Head of Hawkes House for 21 years. David remains connected to St Peter’s College and regularly provides historical articles for the St Peter’s Old Collegians’ newsletters. In 2023 David was made an Honorary Member of the St Peter’s Old Collegians’ Association.