A Not - So -Typical Day

Historically the most a-typical day during my time at Westleigh College was when Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth 11, visited Australia.

She had had her Coronation on June 2nd, 1953 and then embarked on a tour of the Commonwealth.

This trip included places like Bermuda, Jamaica, Uganda, New Zealand and Australia to list just a few.

Her schedule included Melbourne and it also included tours down many suburban streets, including High Street Northcote, so that school children could see their new Sovereign.

It generated a lot of excitement as the only mass-media covering this event was radio, the press and newsreels that were shown at the cinema later. No television as yet!

For this occasion we had to look as perfect as possible as we were going to be lined up in High Street opposite the Northcote Town Hall.

We were asked to bring a pair of clean white socks to change into just minutes before the event: not the usual tan ones.

We were helped to get ready by our teachers and were also given a small plastic or paper Union Jack to wave as the Queen drove by.

We walked down James Street to High Street and took our places. A large black car drove by and stopped just a few feet away from where I was standing.

The Queen and Prince Philip got out of the car and our head-prefect curtseyed, and presented her with a bouquet of flowers that were bound by pink and green ribbons: our school colours. There were miniature silver school badges on each ribbon. A nice touch!

I recall vividly how the Queen looked. She wore emerald green. Her hat and coat were a perfect match. She seemed to be wearing a lot of face powder and pink lipstick. She looked very pretty and I think she made a huge impression on all of us! I suppose it had the same impact as a visit by Princess Diana would have several decades later.

The Royal Family was very big news then. There probably weren't many little girls who didn't have dolls dressed as the Queen, or as her daughter, Princess Anne.


Almost everyone I knew had a picture book relating to the Royal Family. I still have two of them. Sadly the dolls are no longer in my possession.

The pupils were all excited and happy and Miss Clarice really seemed delighted and proud of us all.


Queen Elizabeth II Becomes Britain's Longest-Serving Monarch

More About The Uniform...

The Darebin Historical Encyclopedia has a photo of a young girl at the Northcote Carnegie Library.

This library was used by the girls at Westleigh College, as well as the private library of the Misses Everard, which was in their home on the school site.

She is wearing the winter uniform with the velvet hat, showing the Petersham hatband with the horizontal stripe bearing the school colors.

I am unable to identify the child in the photo, but I know I had a school bag just like this brown leather bag. (Maybe it is me?)

There is another photograph on the linked page (above) that clearly shows a Westleigh College student as the "W" school badge can easily be seen on the hatband.

The photos were taken in the 1950's.

The Badge and School Colours

The Badge and Uniform: Some Details

The school colors were pink and green. The sports houses corresponded to these colors.

Pink for Thornton - my house. And green for Westgarth.

We were not assigned houses quite like the students in the Harry Potter books. No magic involved!

I am not sure exactly how it worked but it seemed to me that the most physically competent girls went into Westgarth! They always won the sports trophies and prizes.

I am guessing that Westgarth was named for the Misses Westgarth who started the school, and I think Thornton was named for Canon Thornton (referenced here), another guess on my part.

The "W" was embroidered in pink and the scroll in green, on the blazer pocket.

The sterling silver badge (pictured above) was stitched onto a navy Petersham hatband that was put on the summer straw hat. The winter head gear was a velvet navy beret or hat. The beret had the badge stitched directly onto it. In the case of the hat it was also on the Petersham hatband.

Summer uniform consisted of a green checked dress, tan socks, shoes and gloves, navy blazer and the straw hat.

Winter uniform consisted of a navy school tunic, white shirt, navy tie with the school colors on it, and either a navy beret or hat. Tan socks and shoes were worn as well, unless you were one of the senior girls and were allowed to wear stockings, with a suspender belt.
Tights had not be invented back then.

Who would have thought these uncomfortable garments would ever become so popular!

Blazer and gloves of course, even on the hottest days!

The school motto quanti est sapere means "How Valuable is Wisdom".

A most appropriate motto for any school, especially one for young ladies.