Students at the University of Sydney
Residential colleges - the early days
SANCTA SOPHIA COLLEGE
In 1925 the foundation stone was laid for a new Catholic women’s college, initially as part of St John’s College. It opened in 1926 with Reverend Mother Margaret MacRory as the first Principal. The first 23 women students moved into the Hall in its current location on Missenden Road on 15 March 1926 - three of them were student nuns and 20 were lay students.
Three years later, in 1929, the Hall was raised by Act of Parliament to the status of a College within the University of Sydney.
Today Sancta Sophia College houses up to 150 students including undergraduate women and graduate men and women from a broad range of religious, social and ethnic backgrounds studying a wide range of disciplines at the University of Sydney and other universities.
Gallery
In the 1920s / 1930s / 1950s/ 1960s / today
Click on most images for enlargement.
In the 1920s
1924 image of the proposed Sancta Sophia College, image from the Sydney Morning Herald, 7 June 1924, NLA Newspapers.
Sancta Sophia College shortly after its opening in the late 1920s, photo by Sam Hood from the Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW, digital order number hood_08026
'Guess its weight!' Students from Sancta Sophia College at the Sports Union University Appeal Fete held in 1927, photo, The Sydney Mail, 14 September 1927, Google News Archive.
Reverend Mother Margaret MacRory was the first Principal of Sancta Sophia College, photo G3_224_1418 taken in 1930, University of Sydney Archives.
In the 1930s
Sancta Sophia College and grounds in 1930, photo G3_224_0465, University of Sydney Archives
The entrance to the College, photo G3_224_1574, University of Sydney Archives.
Joan Buxton of Sancta Sophia College organised an all day tennis tournament in aid of the Newman Society on 4 July 1937, photo from 'The Sydney Morning Herald', 5 July 1937, National Library of Australia.
In the 1950s
Senior students Barbar White and Patricia Standish give advice to newcomer Pauline Riley while she unpacks, photo from 'The Sunday Herald', 16 March 1952, National Library of Australia.
Wendy Burrell (centre) is made to feel at home in the Common Room by senior students Dorothy Caldwell and Barbara Dougherty, photo from 'The Sunday Herald', 16 March 1952, National Library of Australia.
In the 1960s
A University production of 'Romeo and Juliet' opened at the Union Theatre from 18 April 1963. The photos below of rehearsals were taken in the courtyard of Sancta Sophia College.
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Star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet, |
Romeo kills Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, played by |
Today
The entrance to Sancta Sophia College today, photo, University of Sydney.
Sancta Sophia College students during O-Week 2007, photo from Wikipedia
Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Chancellor of University of Sydney, was guest of honour at the annual Sancta Sophia College Academic Dinner held on Tuesday, 28 April 2009, where High Distinction students were acknowledged and awards presented to those mentioned in the University of Sydney Honour Roll for 2008, photos, courtesy Sancta Sophia College website.