Marching on the Principal's Lawn in 1968

The Archive Collection and Historical Display

MLC is fortunate in holding a huge collection of historical records and paraphernalia assembled since the first days of the school. While other Sydney colleges of this type (boys or girls) may be older, we appear to have been fortunate that very little has been lost in the way of official records, student information, rolls, accounting records, academic material, students' projects, in fact most MLC publications.

This includes an important collection of historic photographs, progressing through the years from an extraordinary picture taken of the first pupils and staff in January 1886.

All records, photographs and museum items are meticulously catalogued with the Australian Series System, and can be easily located by a number of computerised databases.

The Archive is housed in a humidity-controlled compactuses room, with an adjoining display area or Museum. This was opened in August 2000 by Miss Violet Stedman (1918). The dynamic display shows examples of uniforms through the years, exhibits from the Boarding House (closed 1979), early teaching aids, sporting trophies, pictures, awards and medals, School Reports, and various MLC ephemera. The air-conditioned room can be used for research by visitors, and photocopy facilities are available.

The Museum is usually open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9.00am till 4.00pm, or by appointment. Volunteers are always welcome, to assist in various interesting tasks including identification and cataloguing of exhibits and photographs, and data entry.

Donations are always welcome. Please be sure you identify items with a title or description, accurate date, and your name and contact details.

A Guide to MLC School Archives

• Admission Register

  Admissions Books
  MLC Archives has an Admissions database and the original handwritten admissions books to the following information on former students: date of admisison, age of student at enrolment, address, day student or boarder.
• Student Records
• A student record exists for former students, starting from the mid to late 1930’s. Student files may include: dates of enrolment and departure, enrolment application, address, parental details, individual photographs, academic assessment. Older records can include comments, records of weight, height etc.
• Class Rolls
  Handwritten class rolls exist from as early as 1911 to present, with some gaps. Includes timetables, subjects, teachers and extracurricular subjects.
• Staff Files
  There are some gaps in staff records but information resources
  such as resumés, job applications, payroll records may be kept
  in staff files.

• From the 1950 Exit Book

  Exit Books
  These photo albums include individual portraits of students taken in their year of departure. (1934 to present excluding WWII years).
• “Excelsior”
  The school magazine may include photogaphs, speech day reports, old girls details, school office bearers, poetry and stories by students. The collection is complete from 1894 to present.
• MLC School Publications
  There are many and varied publications housed in the Archvies including yearbooks, prospectuses, handbooks, uniform catalogues, newsletters.
• Photograph collection
  A digital photograph database is available to conduct searches. It includes photos from 1886 to the present. The photographic collection depicts many aspects of school life including: sport groups, sports events, drills, buildings including old boarding house, music and drama, uniforms,
  grounds, speech nights, school group photos, prefects, staff
  and much more. Photographs taken by students often show
  the less formal side of school life.

• The cover of the 1974 Excelsior

  Audiovisual collection
  Film, audiotapes, slides, videotapes, digital files and other multimedia are kept in the Archives.
• Other Resources in the Archives include -
  Bursars Records, payroll records and accounts, Chapel Services and Chapel Marriage Register,
• School Maps, Architectural Plans and Building Plans
• Biographical, Fact and Subject Files
  The Archivist maintains separate collections of ephemera, letters, diaries, school reports, newspaper articles, photographs, uniforms etc. collected by or donated to MLC School Archives

Most of the above items are to be retained permanently, as per the MLC School Archives Retention Schedule.

For further information, please contact Community Relations on 8741 3145, Ms Mylee Angelo on 8741 3161 or email mangelo@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au