North Sydney Technical High School


North Sydney Technical High School is a heritage-listed former public school, Presbyterian school and education resource centre and now pub at 36 Blue Street, North Sydney, North Sydney Council, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by George Allen Mansfield, William E. Kemp, Walter Liberty Vernon, St Peters Presbyterian School, St. Leonard's Public School, St. Leonard's Superior Public Boys' School, Greenwood Plaza and North Sydney Technical School. The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
Over the years, the school has been progressively upgraded as St Leonards Public School, St Leonards Superior Public School, North Sydney Superior Public School, North Sydney Primary School, North Sydney Intermediate High School, North Sydney–Chatswood Junior High, and, finally, as North Sydney Technical High School until its closure in 1969.

History

Prior to British colonisation in 1788, the lower north shore of Port Jackson was originally inhabited by the Gai-mariagal people. Six major family groups comprised the overall Gai-mariagal clan- the main three being Galmai, the Gatlay and the Gammeray. The land on which the former North Sydney Technical High School stands was occupied by the Gammeray people, recently referred to as Cammeraygal or Cammeraigal. The first fleet officer Collins noted that the Gammeray people were 'a stronger and more virile people than others living around the harbour as they were larger and more numerous. Collins also noted that it was the role of the Gammeray during initiation rites to remove the right front tooth of young men from neighbouring groups, a privilege believed now to be a reciprocal obligation with other groups who had ceremonial obligations with the Gammeray people.
In April 1789 almost half of Sydney's Indigenous population died of smallpox. In 1790 Governor Phillip noted '...it is seldom that any of them are now seen near the settlement.' Survivors of the smallpox epidemic regrouped in areas such as Broken Bay, Kissing Point, Woolloomooloo, Le Perouse and Botany Bay. This regrouping of ancient clans and families involved social re-organisation and possible merging of dialects and culture. By 1830 records show that apart from a group camping in the government boatsheds west of Circular Quay, few people identified as Aboriginal were living in Sydney.

School site

The school was originally St Peters Presbyterian School; located on Blues Point Road and part of the Presbyterian Church, but after talks in May 1874 ownership was transferred to the Council of Education as a state school. St Leonards' population was rapidly increasing at this time and the Council of Education recognised the need to establish a new school. So in November 1875 the council purchased 1-1/4 acres of land from Mrs. Isabella Atcheson for A₤1,800. The land was seen very desirable due to its central location, sufficient space for playgrounds, and its "fine views of the harbour".
After a year of discussion, plans for the new school were drawn by architect George Allan Mansfield, a leading architect at the time who had built many school buildings throughout Sydney in the 1870s and early 1880s. The plans included construction of a new Gothic Revival stone building to accommodate at least 100 children, adjoining small religious room, and also erection of a new teachers' residence with detached kitchen. The building was contracted to W. Jago for a period of ten months and was accepted by council February 1876. The school building was built of locally quarried Hawkesbury sandstone with dressed ashlar surround to all openings. The gabled roof featured ornamental bands of hexagonal shaped slates, carved finials, and detailed barge boards. The final cost of the school was ₤4,700 reflecting the building's elaborate stone detailing and its importance to the community. In March 1877 St. Leonard's Public School opened with 320 boys, girls and infants. The building boasted a finely detailed bell tower, which was one of the earliest and most prominent landmarks of the lower North Shore visible from the city.
The first addition to the school was in 1882- as attendance had grown to 365; separate girls and infants departments were considered necessary. In 1883 the natural rocky grounds were asphalted. In 1884 Nimrod Greenwood was appointed headmaster and two years later the school was renamed St. Leonard's Superior State Public School. Then in 1890 the school was connected with gas, classrooms were completed for ₤896, and technical classes commenced in shorthand, bookkeeping, drawing and building construction. In 1891 more land was resumed and the following year a new building was erected to enable an extra 180 pupils to be enrolled. This addition extended the main body of the building creating a northern court and complementing the massing as a whole. The resultant plan was broadly an "H" shape. The addition was designed by schools architect William Kemp and detailing was of consistently high standard throughout with fine stone carving, detailed gable ends, and moulded timber columns and valence boards on the verandahs. By September 1892 there were a total of 820 pupils.
In 1893 the Girls' Department was moved to the Presbyterian School to make more room for infant classrooms. To improve natural lighting in these rooms, windows were cut into the walls and glass partitions were installed. In addition to these changes, new fencing was erected, all wood and ironwork was repainted, and the flagging up on the south side beneath the verandah was replaced with new stone. The new buildings were officially opened in April that year by P. Cullen, the chairman of St. Leonard's District school board, and the school was renamed St. Leonard's Superior Public Boys' School.
In 1898 another new building was necessary to house 100 more boys. Additional land in Miller Street was purchased in 1900 and two years later a girls' block was built building costing ₤3,300 and enabling the number of girls enrolled to be increased to 450. In 1908 the govemment architect W. L. Vernon was contracted to make some alterations to the school.
The following variations were made by John Brown in March 1911:
The school was renamed to North Sydney Public School in 1910, but it continued to be known unofficially as Greenwood's School after the very popular headmaster. In 1912, seventy two boys and seventy five girls enrolled as intermediate high school students, secondary classes commenced and North Sydney Intermediate High School was formed. The following year additions were made to the Miller Street building enabling North Sydney Junior Technical High school to function there as a demonstration and a commercial school. In 1914 much respected headmaster, Nimrod Greenwood, retired after 30 years service to the children of the district.
Shortly after Greenwood's retirement the girls were transferred to the new North Sydney Girls' High School and in 1915 the senior boys were transferred to North Sydney Boys' High School. In 1920 the school was renamed North Sydney Boys' Intermediate High School.
In 1936 with an enrolment of 703 pupils, the school was renamed North Sydney and Chatswood Junior High School. From 1943 the school was called North Sydney Technical High school and was home to another respected Headmaster, John Ireland. Then in 1969 the school was closed and used as an Educational Resources Centre.

Site sale and redevelopment

During the 1970s the school was neglected by the NSW Education Department and was regularly attacked by vandals. In March 1978 the Register of the National Estate listed the school on their register and in 1980 Lend Lease won a tender to lease the site, but failed to win approval from planning authorities to erect a $100 million complex.
The fate of the school was unsure, until February 1987 when the NSW State Government announced the sale of the school and surrounding land. The government consulted North Sydney City Council and outlined that any development conform to the following restrictions:
The Old Lions, the North Shore Historical Society and the North Sydney Council disputed the sale as they were concerned about the welfare of the former school. In June 1987 the Heritage Minister Bob Carr responded to their outcry by listing the school and surrounding property on the NSW Heritage Act- Permanent Conservation Order, thus insuring the original school building and the three old Moreton Bay fig trees would be conserved.
The sale was managed by Raine and Home, North Sydney and tenders closed on 11 May 1987. A total of fourteen companies responded to call for tenders, and prices started from $33 million. The site was bought by Euro-National Properties Ply Ltd and Industrial Equity Ltd for a record $47.1 million. The winning proposal boasted a new 36-level landmark tower with red brown granite and bronze glass facade and a polished granite lobby. The $400 million landmark complex would provide of commercial office space and of retail space, include a day-care centre and parking for 497 cars. The scheme was designed by DGH International Pty Ltd with interior design by the Australian designers Rice Daubney Group. Developer John Tierney and his partners Maurice and Tony Green were in charge of the restoration and conversion of the former school into a boutique pub/restaurant. Construction started in 1989 by Metroplaza Construction Ltd.
The most challenging aspect of the development was the excavation of of sandstone around the footing of the former school building. This involved literally "propping the school up" whilst burrowing underneath and reinforcing its foundations without damaging the structure. Wind tunnel tests were also carried out to assess any wind risks from the tower block and as a result all the school's old chimneys were reinforced with steel rods. The construction of the shopping plaza below ground level enabled direct access to adjacent areas such as the North Sydney railway station, and Miller Street and The Pacific Highway.
In November 1991 the project ran into financial difficulties and Industrial Equity Ltd liquidated its $500 million investment into the plaza and changed the contractor to Multiplex. In June 1992 Optus Communications agreed to lease the tower and paid for naming and signage rights to the building giving it a dominant position in the North Sydney skyline. The change in building contractors paid off and the Plaza was completed ahead of schedule in October 1992. The Mirvac Group bought the site in 1994.
The Kemp-designed two storey brick school buildings facing Miller Street were demolished as part of the tower redevelopment. A 1980 photo shows this building still facing Miller Street. The original school building was adapted for use as a hotel. In 1997 approvals were given to construct a childcare centre at the base of the adjacent Optus tower.
In 2017 the leasehold for the Greenwood Hotel was offered for sale by CBRE Hotels, on behalf of freehold owner Mirvac.

History

Developing from probably the first school on the colony's northern shore, the origins of the school started in 1844 in a two-room weather-board cottage on Blues Point Rd close to Lavender Street, then to a small stone school house at 12 Miller Street. A new school-house was built during 1877 in the Gothic Revival style at Blue Street, North Sydney by the New South Wales Council for Education. Officially opened in 1878, it offered education for boys and girls from Infants to Primary. Extensions were added over time, with the second story class-rooms completed in 1893.
Often referred to colloquially as “Greeny’s” for Nimrod Greenwood, its longest-serving head-master, the school grew, spawned others, was modified and shaped; its curriculum specialities and name, changing to reflect the needs of a rapidly expanding north shore community; its educational philosophy inspiring achievement over generations.
At its closure in 1969, due to the increasing commercial density of the North Sydney CBD, it was one of only two selective boys high schools on the north shore. The few remaining pupils were transferred to North Sydney Boys High School. The School Principal and many of the teaching staff transferred to Killara High School, which opened the following year. The substantial library was also transferred to Killara High School. The Old Lions, together with the North Shore Historical Society, lobbied to have the building saved, restored and now heritage-listed for all to enjoy. The restored stone building on the school site is now leased to the Greenwood Hotel.

Description

Curtilage boundary

South: One of the Moreton Bay fig trees forming part of the curtilage dominates the Blue Street front of the curtilage, screens the school building from the street. Bus stop shelters further separate the school from Blue Street. The Pacific Highway frontage of the site comprises a two-storey facade of Greenwood Plaza, with the school behind on a higher level. The northern skylight of the plaza below is at this upper ground level of the school.
West: along the edge of the former school, facing Gas Lane the curtilage is about 4 metres into this laneway space. On the eastern side of the former school, the curtilage is about 4m east of the school's facade. On the northern side of the former school, the northern skylight structure of the Greenwood Plaza below is entirely within the SHR curtilage.

Modifications and dates

The Old Lions

The Old Lions is made up of the former students and teachers of that school and provides a contact point for those connected with the school via its newsletters and reunions, and website. The Old Lions holds a members' dinner and a teachers' lunch each year, and provides a monetary award to Killara High School students for Excellence in Technology and Applied Studies. A large proportion of The Old Lions' memorabilia is recorded in an online database. Membership of the association remains very strong considering that the school closed more than 40 years ago.

Notable alumni

The school has had a number of notable Australians amongst its alumni:
As at 29 September 2008, the Greenwood Hotel is a rare and unique example of Gothic and Romanesque Revival styles and remains substantially intact from 1908. The earliest wing of the school was built to the design of architect George Mansfield, a prominent architect of the time, and is an exceptional example of his work. The other parts of the building demonstrate the work of another notable 19th century state school Architect William Kemp. The Greenwood Hotel was the first state school erected on the north shore of Port Jackson and was the first technical school on the north shore. The fact that the school was used continuously for educational purposes from 1877 to 1969 is of high significance and has created a strong cultural meaning to people in the area. The sandstone structure is now surrounded by open landscaping and urban development elements and the nearby towers are set away from the Greenwood Hotel. This space has become an important urban precinct for retailers, office workers and locals, and is well utilised as a pedestrian thoroughfare and a place to meet and relax. The two remaining Moreton Bay Fig trees retain the setting of the Greenwood Hotel and the landmark qualities of the area. The sandstone building is a scarcity of architectural type and is relatively intact. The age of the building relates to the predominant fabric of North Sydney and the building fabric itself demonstrates this historical significance. The school and its open setting with fig trees are landmarks of North Sydney and engender a high degree of public esteem in relation to its local and schooling history.
North Sydney Technical High School was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Attribution