St Joseph's, Mercedes College Group, Perth

Author

City of Perth

Place Number

27312

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Location

86 Victoria Square Perth

Location Details

Lot 123 D 1641, Lot 124 D 1641, Lot 125 D 1641, Lot 7 D 20489, Lot 8 D 30321, Lot 123 D 30321, Lot 9 D 30321, Lot 2 D 10156, Lot 50 D 4598, Lot 126 D 1641, Lot 127 D 1641, Lot C14 P 223021, Lot C15 P 223021

Other Name(s)

St Joseph’s Day School

Local Government

Perth

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1916 to 1921, Constructed from 1896, Constructed from 1909

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type	Status	Date	Documents	More information
Heritage List	Adopted	20 Dec 1985

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type	Status	Date	Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type	Status	Date	Grading/Management		More information
Type	Status	Date	Category	Description	More information
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	13 Mar 2001
Local Heritage Survey	Adopted	28 Mar 2023	Category 1	Category 1 Exceptional significance - Essential to the heritage of the locality. Rare or outstanding example.
Local Heritage Survey	Completed\Draft		Category 1	Category 1 Exceptional significance - Essential to the heritage of the locality. Rare or outstanding example.
Municipal Inventory	Completed\Draft	13 Mar 2001

Parent Place or Precinct

04327 Mercedes College Group, Perth

Statement of Significance

St Joseph’s School Building is highly significant for its pivotal role in the establishment and development of Catholic education in Western Australia
The place is of aesthetic and historic significance as one of the historic school buildings related to the founding and development of Mercedes College by the Sisters of Mercy.
The place represents the missionary and educational focus of the Sisters of Mercy within the Roman Catholic Church in Western Australia from the 1840's.
The place is the oldest Catholic School building in WA and has been associated with the Sisters of Mercy since its establishment.
The place is highly valued by students, past students, lay teachers and the Sisters of Mercy of the Roman Catholic Church in Western Australia.
The place is an integral part of a group of rough faced limestone gabled buildings of common materials, forms and use.
The place is highly valued by the Catholic community and contributes to the broader community’s sense of place.
The place was designed by prominent architects, Cavanagh and Cavanagh.

Physical Description

Two storey school building with rusticated stone with brick detailing, steeply pitched gabled corrugated steel roof with crucifix to Apex. Hexagonal tower with tiled dome on eastern corner.

History

The Sisters of Mercy arrived in Perth from Ireland in 1846, led by Mother Ursula Frayne. After arriving in Perth, in 1846 the sisters became the first female religious teaching order to establish a school in Australia. Having navigated sectarism in Ireland, they decided to offer a general education to all Christians. The sisters prioritised Aboriginal people, immigrant Irish orphan girls, the poor and the uneducated. The sisters established a fee-paying school, benevolent institution and Western Australia’s first high school.
When the Sisters of Mercy opened their first school in 1846, the number of students slowly grew year by year. But population expansion brought about by goldrushes of the 1890s and amendments to the Education Act in 1893, created the need for the establishment of further schooling facilities.
In 1895 (the Golden Jubilee of the Sisters arrival in Australia), the foundation stone was laid for a new school building, St Joseph’s Day School designed by Cavanagh & Cavanagh (Our Lady’s College was constructed at the same time). The building was constructed using Cottesloe freestone with Sydney freestone dressings.
The building was blessed and opened by Bishop Gibney on 15 August 1896. Bishop Gibney donated the school to the Sisters of Mercy in recognition of their years of service to the Church. St Joseph’s Day School was initially a free school, while Our Lady’s College attracted fees.
In 1909, extensive improvements were carried out. The building added to and renovated frequently over the following years. Between 1916-21, a new two storey building was added to the east of St. Joseph’s School, known as the ‘Serisier’. The Sisters held a week-long bazaar to finance the construction.’Serisier’ Wing was demolished in 1977.
In 1964, the place was the first Catholic school to receive a grant from the Menzies Government promoting the establishment of science labs.
In 1967, St Joseph’s and Our Lady’s College were amalgamated to form Mercedes Catholic Girls School, later Mercedes College. In 1984, further classrooms were added. It is the oldest Catholic School in WA. The building continues to function as a school.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High level of integrity.
Authenticity - Intact, restored to original detail.

Condition

Good

Associations

Name	Type	Year From	Year To
Cavenagh & Cavenagh	Architect	-	-

References

Ref Name	Ref Source	Ref Date
Documenting East Perth and its Historical Development: a pictorial presentation	Alan Lloyd	2004
Mercedes College: Victoria Square, Perth: Conservation Plan.	Parry and Rosenthal	March 1999
Building Plaque

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch	General	Specific
Original Use	EDUCATIONAL	Other
Present Use	EDUCATIONAL	Other

Architectural Styles

Style
Federation Gothic

Construction Materials

Type	General	Specific
Wall	STONE	Limestone
Wall	BRICK	Face Brick
Roof	METAL	Steel

Historic Themes

General	Specific
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY	Land allocation & subdivision
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY	Immigration, emigration & refugees
PEOPLE	Early settlers
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES	Education & science

Creation Date

09 Sep 2024

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Approved

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