To begin our journey through time, we take a look at our School in its first few years. 

On Monday of this week, we were fortunate to gather in the School gymnasium and celebrate a special milestone. 28 February marks the day that the Foundation Stone was laid in our original school building, 125 years ago. 

_{The Foundation Stone, laid in the corner of the original three-storey school building (now referred to as the '1897 Building').} 

In 1896, Mother Gonzaga Barry had been delighted when Mr Frank Coffee - a father of Loreto Randwick pupils - had shown her a vacant lot in 'South Hornsby'. The land cost £2500 (roughly equivalent to $405,000), and a further £4000 was spent on the three-storey neo-Gothic building designed by architect J.F. Hennessy. 

Months later, it was time for the Foundation Stone to be laid by Cardinal Moran, Archbishop of Sydney. The occasion on 28 February 1897 was attended by hundreds of families, dignitiaries and interested locals. NSW Government Railways even hosted a special train from Milsons Point to transport those expecting to attend. 

"‘There was a large attendance at Hornsby Heights on Sunday last, all being anxious to prove their thorough appreciation of the noble Sisters of Loretto, whose convent is soon to be opened in this delightfully picturesque and healthy district. Certainly the Loretto Nuns have the happy knack of securing for their schools the pick of the country and I think they can boast of having secured not only the pick of Hornsby and Wahroonga, but of all the suburbs of Sydney."

"The stone having been duly laid, the Bishop delivered an address. The movement, he said, which they inaugurated that afternoon should mark an important epoch in the history of their young suburb."¹ 

Several newspapers recorded what occurred at the ceremony, which you can read about more here: 

• “Convent of the Loretto Nuns, Hornsby.” The Catholic Press (Sydney: NSW: 1895-1942). 6 March 1897.
• “The Loretto Convent at Hornsby.” The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW: 1883-1930). 1 March 1897.
• “The Loretto Convent School at Hornsby.” The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842-1954). 1 March 1897.
• “A New Convent.” The Australian Star (Sydney, NSW: 1887-1909). 2 March 1897.
• “The Loretto Convent School at Hornsby.” The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842-1954). 1 March 1897.

After several months of building, four Sisters and 15 pupils were the first occupants of "Loretto Convent Hornsby". The three-storey building was unfinished but became the place for all study and meals; it also housed a little chapel and the sleeping quarters for the boarders and sisters. 

_{The original ground-floor study in 1908 (now the 'Reception Room').} 

In those early years, the School community witnessed some dramatic changes to the world around them. The suburb, and therefore the School, received a new name after local engineer Norman Selfe. Electricity slowly became available and the first automobiles belonging to the wealthy took to the city roads. The original Loreto School at Randwick was closed and the remaining day-students transferred to the newly established Loreto Kirribilli. The colonies formally federated to become a nation in 1901, and two monarchs - Queen Victoria and King Edward VII - shared reigns within the decade. 

The girls at LN kept themselves busy exploring the bush, writing postcards to faraway friends, arranging music performances and fundraising for the Waitara Foundling Home. They enjoyed reading the Eucalyptus Blossoms magazines (published by Mother Gonzaga with news on other Loreto schools and her own letters), celebrating feast days and hosting special guests. You can read a previous article about Mother Michael Corcoran's visit in 1903 here. 

An exciting but surely challenging few years for Loreto Normanhurst in its infancy. 

Next flashback Friday, we'll be looking at Loreto Normanhurst in the 1910's - a decade that saw socio-political upheaval with World War One and the Spanish Flu. 

Keep an eye out for how you can share your own memories of life here at LN for a chance to be featured in an upcoming decade post. 

Ms Rachel Vaughan | Records Manager  
 

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_Sources: 

_{1. “Convent of the Loretto Nuns, Hornsby.” The Catholic Press (Sydney: NSW: 1895-1942). 6 March 1897. pp. 11-12. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104404806.} 

_{2. “The Loretto Convent at Hornsby.” The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW: 1883-1930). 1 March 1897. p.7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article238407978.} 

_{3. “The Loretto Convent School at Hornsby.” The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842-1954). 1 March 1897. p.7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14106769.}

_{4. Loreto Normanhurst 1897 - 1997: A Century of Memories. (Allen & Unwin, Sydney, NSW). 1997.} 

_{5. Loreto Normanhurst Visitation Book. Loreto Normanhurst Archives Collection. 1898-1995.}

_{6. “A New Convent.” The Australian Star (Sydney, NSW: 1887-1909). 2 March 1897. p.6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article227205588.} 

_{7. “New Loreto Convent and High School.” Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW: 1850-1932). 6 March 1897. p.14. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115469721.} 

_{8. Record of the Children (Boarders) - Loretto Sydney (Sydney, NSW: 1892-1907).} 

_{9. Series 210 Item 310, Gonzaga Barry to Cardinal Moran. 14 June 1896. Loreto Province Archives, Ballarat.}