This year Ipswich Grammar School celebrates 150 years as Queensland’s first secondary school. The school was established in 1863 after the Queensland Government passed the Grammar School Act in 1860, which entitled any district wishing to establish a grammar school to a small grant for every 1000 pounds raised by the locals. Ipswich residents thought there was a great need to establish a secondary school in the area and eventually they were able to raise 1000 pounds. A board of trustees was established in 1862 and included the likes of Benjamin Cribb, George Thorn, John Panton and Henry Challinor as Chairman. It was early on that 162 acres of land by the Bremer River was granted by the Government to the trustees who promptly set about deciding, by a healthy competition, who would design the Ipswich Grammar School.
This competition however, was not a success and after a time it was decided that the one entrant, a Mr Benjamin Backhouse, would be suitable for the job. In 1862 Mr Backhouse started to design a neo-Gothic structure that cost a total of 2890 pounds, the equivalent of $12,000 and with the help of builders Fergusson and McLaughlin it was completed in 1863. On the morning of Thursday the 24th of September 1863, Governor Sir George Ferguson Bowen officially opened the first section of Ipswich Grammar School, which included the wing continuing the Bell Tower and the upper section of the Great Hall. Such an event it was, that many shops opened early and closed for the ceremony and the remainder of the day in honour of the celebration and of His Excellency’s visit.
Ipswich Grammar School Great Hall Interior, Ipswich 1920’s – Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich
Upon first opening the Ipswich Grammar School had only 16 young men enrolled for classes, which commenced a fortnight after the official opening, however this increased as the years went on. The fees were as follows: 3 guineas ($6.30) for day boys, seven guineas ($14.70) for day boarders and 15 guineas ($31.50) for resident boarders. During 1920-1930 enrolment at the school was said to average between 130-150 students, however the end of World War 2 brought about a rapid increase and a need for a quick expansion.
Over the Grammar School’s 150 years it has undergone many changes including expansions and extensions. The first of these occurred in 1865 when the Great Hall was expanded by Fergusson and McLaughlin. Again in 1877 architect F. D. G. Stanley was asked to design a gymnasium, manual arts building and a number of dormitories for the school, with Karl Langer being commissioned as the builder. A further extension was added in 1901 when the famous architect George Brockwell Gill designed a balcony and developed plans for the building that later became Bradfield House. More recent extensions include those completed by Bruce Buchanan Architects in 1985 and 1987, which included an Art School based on an existing boarding house and the Clive Wyman building. Many of these buildings hold historic significance to the state of Queensland and most are listed by the National Trust of Queensland.
The architecture may be significant but there have also been many pupils taught in these grounds that have made important contributions to the history of Queensland, Australia and even the world over. The school has produced six Rhodes Scholars and numerous sporting greats including Roy Emerson, Don Talbot, Phil Carson and Craig McDermott. Here are just a few more that have made significant impact upon graduation:
Alfred Backhouse (1867) – QLD Supreme Court Judge and Vice Chancellor of Sydney University
J. J. C. Bradford (1885) – Designer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Raymond Dart – Professor of Anthropology at Witwatersrand University, South Africa. He made a discovery that ‘placed man’s origin in Africa, instead of the previously favoured Asia’
Sir Llew Edwards – State Deputy Premier and Chairman of Expo ’88
Hugh Cornish – Television executive
Thomas Shapcott – Author and Poet
This year Ipswich Grammar School celebrates 150 years, with numerous events being held throughout 2013 to engage Ipswich residents in the school’s great accomplishments. A book will also be launched in March entitled “The story of IGS 1863-2013”.
Ipswich Grammar School 1868 – Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich
References: “School earns a fine reputation” (Queensland Times), “Proud school history dates back to 1863” (Queensland Times 16/06/1991), “Ipswich boasts first high school” (Queensland Times 17/01/1986), “Art and Education – Ipswich Grammar School” (Ipswich Adviser 25/10/1962), “States first high school started with 16 students” (Ipswich Grammar School 125th Anniversary supplement in the Queensland Times 04/10/1988), “Ipswich Municipal Centenary” by Leslie E. Slaughter, “Ipswich Heritage Study 1991” by the Ipswich Heritage Study Consultancy Team.