Archives

The Calrossy Archives are located on the Brisbane Street Campus. The Calrossy Archive collection contains memorabilia and official records dating to before 1919 when Tamworth Church of England Girls School was established at St John’s Church in Carthage Street, Tamworth.

Calrossy House, designed by architect, John Pender, for Tamworth Solicitor, John Patterson in 1878. The schools' name is derived from the house to which the school relocated to in 1923. This heritage listed building has played a significant role in the school and is still the heart of the school with original details and furniture from the Patterson family.

As the school has grown and amalgamated original records of the establishment of each entity are part of the archive including official records for:

• Tamworth Church of England Girls' School, 1919-1968; 
  Calrossy School, Tamworth, 1969-2005;
• Tamworth Anglican Primary School, 1998-1999;
• William Cowper Anglican School, 2000-2005;
• William Cowper Anglican Secondary Boys' School, 2000-2005;
• Tamworth Anglican College, 2006-2007;
• Calrossy Anglican School, 2008 –

The Archive collection has been carefully preserved and curated from official documents, records and donations from the Calrossy community that include:

• School daily attendance records since 1919 at TCEGS, 1999 at WCAS and 2000 WCASBS
• School Council Minutes
• Headmistress reports
• Head Girl Diaries 1938-1949
• Old Girls Union records 1926-2015
• Old Boys Union records
• Parent and Friends Association minutes and other documents 1934 -
• School Year and House photographs 1919-
• and publications: The Tamworthian 1936 – , The William Tell 1999 -2005, Newsbitz, Link Lines and Exeat

In 2019 to celebrate the centenary of Calrossy, old girl Mary England's (Melville 43) family donated her extensive collection of memorabilia of her days at school including exercise books, boarding items, house items and texts. These are now on permanent display in Calrossy House.

Thanks to a wonderful supportive Alumni, the archive has a substantial collection of original and digitised photographs relating to all Calrossy schools and their establishment. These photographs show students, staff in informal settings, and record the changes that have occurred at the school and in Tamworth and surrounds since 1890. In addition significant albums from the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s depict excursions to Mt Kosciusko and Jenolan Caves in the 1930’s, Heron Island in 1940’s and more recently the establishment of William Cowper.

Historical details of the school, its buildings, uniforms, and objects of significance to the school, in all its entities since 1919, have been retained, will be preserved through digitisation, and appropriate archival storage.

The Calrossy Archives are managed by a professional Archivist who can be contacted by phone (02 5776 5100) or email regarding access to the Archives, general historical donations and reference enquiries.

Permission to conduct research which will lead to the publication of any Calrossy History should be sought by contacting the Calrossy Archivist, Catriona White.