St Brigid's High School

Statement of Significance

The place is a long-standing landmark in the district as a fine collection of buildings constructed at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth that collectively form an important historic group of places that is visually complex and harmonious. In external appearance and with its principal internal spaces, St Brigid’s Convent School is a good, simple example of a two storey school building in the Federation Arts and Crafts style. The place provides important evidence of the development of the Perth and West Perth district, its class and religious demographic, and the development of Catholic primary and more latterly secondary education in the State. The place is an early example of the work of the Sisters of Mercy who came to Western Australia in the 1800s to educate and mission, and established convent schools in a number of suburban and regional areas in the late 1800s and into the 1900s. The place was used as a school by the Sisters of Mercy from the late 1880s, at a time before government sponsored primary schooling was widely accessible in Western Australia, and operated as a school until the mid-1970s. The place is valued by the local and wider Catholic community for its continuing associations with the Catholic Church in general and the Sisters of Mercy in particular. The principal buildings at the place were designed by prominent Western Australian architects: Parish Hall (original primary school building) designed by J J Talbot Hobbs; Convent and Church designed by Cavanagh and Cavanagh; and, Convent School designed by R Dennehy.

Physical Description

Two storey brick and tile school building with steeply pitched roof with wings gabled roofs on either end. Symmetrical facade with rectangular windows, featuring panels of coloured glass. Rendered lintels & sills.

History

The Sisters of Mercy established a school on the place in 1888 using existing buildings which were replaced with purpose built buildings including St Brigid’s Convent built 1896/7, c. 1915, St Brigid’s Parish Hall built 1889, the former St Brigid’s Convent School built 1921, St Brigid’s Church built 1904 and Presbytery built c. 1902. St Brigid’s Primary School closed in 1976 and the building was used for Perth Technical College Department of Art and Design until 1988. In 1998 the Sisters returned to the site after moving to another site in Craigie in 1974. The St Brigid’s High School was built in 1901 and held classes in the convent. The school buildings were expanded over the twentieth century to accommodate more students. The St Brigid’s High School was closed in 1972 due to declining numbers and the changes occurring in the area. In 1978, the steel framed structure referred to as 'the Annexe' was built for the Ceramics Department of the Perth Technical College Department of Arts and Design. Some of the buildings have been used for community purposes, as well as the church and presbytery in use by the Catholic Church. Northbridge is an inner suburban area, named because it is just north of Perth across the railway bridge. It was approved as a suburb name in 1982. It now accommodates offices occupied by agencies working for the Catholic Church.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium level of integrity. High level of authenticity.

Condition

Very Good

Uses

Creation Date

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