Kilbreda College

Kilbreda College is an independent Roman Catholic secondary day school for girls, located in the Melbourne suburb of Mentone, Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1904 by the Brigidine Sisters and is governed by Kildare Ministries.

Kilbreda College
Kilbreda-College-Mentone
Kilbreda College Mentone
Location
Mentone, Victoria

Australia
Coordinates37°59′0″S 145°3′55″E
Information
Former nameBrigidine Convent School
TypeIndependent secondary day school
MottoLatin: Fortiter et Suaviter
(Strength and Kindliness)
Religious affiliation(s)Brigidine Sisters
DenominationRoman Catholic
Established1904 (1904)
PrincipalNicole Mangelsdorf
GenderGirls
Enrolment900
Campus typeSuburban
Colour(s)Ruby, Grey, White
Websitekilbreda.vic.edu.au

Origins of the school building

The original façade of the building was built by the Royal Coffee Palace Company Limited. It was opened in November 1887 and was known as the Mentone Coffee Palace. The Coffee Palace was the social centre of the town, situated on the corners of Mentone Parade, Florence Street and Como Parade. It is also near Mentone station (formerly known as Balcombe Road Station until 1884) and is surrounded by the local shops. In the 1890s due to competition with Mentone Hotel and the Depression, the Coffee Palace could no longer be run. In 1894 it fell into the hands of the Mercantile Bank of Australia, and the name of the building was changed to Como House. After this the Coffee Palace was only used occasionally for varying purposes. The Brigidine Sisters bought the Coffee Palace in mid-July 1904 for £2,050, considering the actual cost of the building and furniture, excluding land, was £25,500.[1]

Other schools governed by Kildare Ministries are:

Brigidine convent

On 7 August 1904 the Brigidine Convent School was officially opened and blessed by Archbishop Thomas Carr, and classes began the next day. On opening, the school had three pupils enrolled in their Convent School and 25 pupils enrolled in St. Patrick's Parish Primary which was located in the Church. The fee-paying convent school began taking boarders in 1905 and subsequently obtained registration as a sub-primary, primary and secondary school. The nuns owned a farm in nearby Johnston street which the students often visited. Boarders and students of primary school age have been phased out; the final primary class being in 1978. The school has been single sex (girls) for many decades. In the 1930s the school's name was changed to Kilbreda College, the name coming from the Gaelic Cill – church or community and Breda – Brigid. Therefore, Kilbreda means Church or Community of Saint Brigid.[2]

Houses
  • Tullow (red)  

Tullow is named after Tullow in the Republic of Ireland. This location was of special note to St. Brigid and the Brigidine Sisters.

  • Kildare (blue)  

Kildare is named after a county in Ireland which holds specials value to St. Brigid and the Brigidine Sisters.

  • Delany (yellow)  

Delany is named after Bishop Daniel Delany who helped and accompanied the Brigidine Sisters travel to Australia and set up some of the first Catholic school run in the Brigidine Tradition.

  • Brigid (green)  

Brigid was named after St. Brigid who was the inspiration behind the Brigidine sisters and therefore the School.

Principals

The following individuals have served as College Principals:

OrdinalOfficeholderTerm startTerm endTime in officeNotes
1Mother Margaret Mary Murphy1904191510–11 years
2Mother Berchmans Foley191619269–10 years
3Mother Margaret Mary Bourke1927196537–38 years
4Sister Barbara Mathews196619714–5 years
5Sister Pius Kennedy197219730–1 years
6Sister Marietta Rea197419783–4 years
7Sister Rosemarie Joyce197919800–1 years
8Sister Angela Ryan198119831–2 years
9Sister Catherine Kelly198419840 years
10Sister Mary Dalton198519959–10 years
11Carmel Smart199519950 year
−Sister Angela Ryan199619992–3 years
12Sister Helen Toohey199920066–7 years
13Mary Stack200720157–8 years
14Teresa Lincoln201620181–2 years(joint appointment)
15Nicole Mangelsdorfincumbent6–7 years(joint appointment, 2016–2018)

Core values and symbols
St. Brigid's cross

Most Brigidine schools follow the same core values, motto and school symbols.

The Brigidine Schools' symbols are:

  • Brigid's Cross – The kind of cross St. Brigid used when teaching about the Catholic faith. It is made from woven reeds.
  • The Oak Tree – St. Brigid's monastery in Tullow, is called Kildare. Kildare meaning 'the church of the oak'. Many Brigidine schools grow an oak tree from an acorn taken from one of the oak trees in Tullow.
  • The Lamp of Learning – represents the light of Christian faith
  • School Badge – was designed by the Irish College of Heraldry. The large cross of diamonds is taken from the badge of Bishop Daniel Delany, the bishop who founded the Brigidine Sisters in 1807. The middle diamond contains an image of the lamp of learning, and the image of St. Brigid's cross is contained in the top section.

Notable pupils

See also

References
  1. The Brigidine Sisters, online, http://www.brigidine.org.au. Retrieved 12 February 2007.
  2. "Kilbreda College Mentone – History". Kilbreda College Ltd. Retrieved 17 October 2019. ...Boarders dormitory....Farm....[photograph of farm with female students]...

Further reading
  • Underwood, Margaret (2004). A View from the Tower Kilbreda 1904–2004. Melbourne: Kilbreda College.
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