Kathleen Hassell - letters received from Winifred West, 1928-1971

MLMSS 7058/Box 1X

fonds

1928-1971

413105

0.16 metres of textual material (1 outsize box)
Textual Records - (manuscript)

Kathleen Hassell (1902-1999), educationalist, was born in 1902 at Adelaide, daughter of Frank and Lilian Hassell. She was educated at Annesley College, formerly Methodist Ladies College, and the University of Adelaide. After completing her University degree Kathleen Hassell travelled widely in Europe during which time she taught in Berlitz language schools in Germany and Italy. On her return to Australia Kathleen Hassell accepted a position as a teacher at Frensham, a boarding school for girls at Mittagong, N.S.W. where she began teaching in 1929. By 1934 she had returned to Adelaide where she taught for many years at the Wilderness School and was appointed Principal in the early 1950s. After leaving the Wilderness School in 1955 she returned to the Adelaide University as a lecturer and tutor in Classics, retiring in 1972.
Winifred West (1881-1971), educationalist, was born at Frensham, Surrey, England, daughter of Charles West and his wife Fanny, nee Sturt. She read medieval and modern languages as Newnham College Cambridge from 1900 to 1903. Winifred West taught at Guernsey Ladies' College from 1903 to 1906 and travelled to Australia in 1907 where she taught private pupils. A keen hockey player she met Phyllis Clubbe while playing hockey. West and Clubbe were involved in the establishment of the New South Wales Hockey Association and both women played hockey for New South Wales. The two women travelled to England where they remained for two years, Winifred teaching and Phyllis studying, before returning to Australia in 1912. They established Frensham, a boarding school for girls, at Mittagong in 1913. Winifred West was Principal of Frensham until 1938, at which time she retired, maintaining her connection with the school as a governing director until her death in 1971. In 1941 Winifred West established Sturt, a craft centre, originally intended to provide practical training in spinning weaving and carpentry for local children who had completed their schooling at an early age. Sturt is now a renowned centre of craft teaching.

1928-1971; Letters received, being 105 ms letters received from Winifred West. The letters begin with Winifred West's letter to Kathleen Hassell on her appointment as a teacher at Frensham. After Kathleen Hassell left Frensham and returned to her native Adelaide Winifred West wrote to her on a regular basis. The letters reflect the close friendship and respect between the two women. West writes of her life, her friends, her garden and her hopes for Sturt and other ventures such as Little Frensham and Hartfield. West also explains details of the corporate structure of Frensham school. (Call No.: MLMSS 7058/1X)

Winifred Mary West - papers 1910-1971, along with related material, 1969-ca.1976 is located at MLMSS 3367