Broadland House Church of England Girls` Grammar SchoolPrint Page

The stained glass window commemorates the Broadland House Church of England Girls`Grammar School (1845 - 1983).

Broadland House has a history going back to 1845. The Examiner newspaper, of 10th January 1846 carried an advertisement reading: "Establishment for young ladies, Sidbury, Paterson's Plains - Mrs Manley begs to inform her friends that the duties of her establishment will be resumed on Monday, the 12th of January."

Mrs Ann Manley was born in England about 1811, and had married Robert Manley in 1836 at St. John's Church.  'Sidbury' was their home situated near what is now St. Leonards, overlooking the river.  In January 1845 Robert Manley had died and Mrs Manley opened her school.

In 1848 she married Clement Buesnell, the French master at the school. In 1872 they moved to Launceston and Annie’s daughter Anne became a teacher at the school.  After several locations the ladies purchase a property,  in Elizabeth Street, from Mr Edwin Maxey.  In January 1885 Mrs Buesnel, now a considerable age, leased the school to Miss J. C. Hogg who within a few years purchased the school.

In the 'Cyclopedia of Tasmania' (1900, VoI.II), the school is listed as "Broadland House Ladies' Educational School", situated in upper Elizabeth Street, Launceston, with fees from one and a half guineas upwards.

Broadland thrived over the years and in 1908 Miss Hogg leased the school to a Miss Mary Hogg, a former pupil, and a good friend and colleague, Miss Henrietta Middleton.  During the regime of these two women the school song, badge and motto, 'Nisi Dominus Frustra', were adopted.

At the close of 1914 the school removed to open in  Lyttleton Street in a Georgian town house, a building still in use as the administration block of the Launceston Church Grammar School.  In 1925 the school was sold to the Reverend Dr and Mrs Postle, and in 1928 the Church of England in Tasmania purchased the school.  The Church appointed a Board of Management to run the school. The Board was composed of the rectors of the five parishes in Launceston, together with seven leading businessmen of the city.

In 1932 Miss M. L. Rooney was appointed headmistress, a post she held until her retirement in 1963. During her regime many additions were made to the grounds and buildings, and a large section of the old Cypress Street burial ground was taken over for the school oval.

By the end of 1982 four more headmistresses had given a part of their lives in service to Broadland House. Over 1982 and 1983 the school amalgamated with the Launceston Church Grammar School and became the Broadland  Campus housing the junior grades, with co-educational enrolment. The central building is still known as Broadland House.

Late in 1985 a memorial window was installed in St. John's Church in memory of the old school. The subject is 'Suffer the Little Children'

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