Historical information

Surrey College was opened in early 1892 by Rev. Dr Frederick Darling who had been the first minister of the Presbyterian Church in Canterbury Road. He resigned this position to open the school which operated until 1908 with additional premises at 12 Vincent Street. The school had 40 boarders as well as day boys. Courses included algebra, euclid, history, typewriting, shorthand and drill. In the 1930s, Nethercourt Private Hospital took over the site. Later it became St Jude's Hospital. land in front of the building was subdivided off in the 1970s. The building is still extant as a private dwelling with York Street, Surrey Hills as the address. This is one of 3 photos donated by Susan Hobbs, whose grandfather Rev. George Edward Downton is thought to have been a student at the college. George E. Downton was born in Avoca in 1885. He was later a missionary in New Guinea and Secretary to the Australian Board of Missions in Adelaide. He died in 1926 or 1927.

Physical description

Sepia photo of 26 men and boys and one female against a background of a two-storey brick building. This is the rear of the Surrey College. There are 4 additional figures in the background and an additional house can be seen beyond the property boundary. Many of the boys wear or hold caps or boaters. The 2 men in the back row on the right are wearing academic gowns and mortar boards. The gentleman with the beard on the end is Rev. Frederick Darling, the Principal of the college. Sepia photo on cream mount board. Note that the photo is detached from the mount, so the photo is numbered SHP2025.15.1 and the mount as SHP2025.15.2.

Inscriptions & markings

Front: "Surrey College - Surrey Hills / Principal: Rev. Fredk. A. DARLING, Melb. Univ./STAFF AND BOARDERS, 1899."
Back: "York Street, Surrey Hills" in grey lead pencil; possibly Susan John's hand.
Back, bottom LH corner: "L. Johnstone"
Back, top RH corner: "5621" - this was the registration number used by box Hill historical society
Middle back: Purple stamp - "Tennent/Photographer / 110 Johnstone Street / Collingwood"