Papers relating to the Monastery at Stroud

fonds

approximately 1940-2014

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs, Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Moving Images, Ephemera, Objects, Clippings

1012273

1.36 metres of textual material (5 boxes and 1 outsize box) includes some photographs, objects and electronic format material
11 sound cassettes
1 film reel - super 8 mm

The Community of St Clare, a closed Franciscan Order of women at Freeland near Oxford, England, was invited in 1974 by the Anglican Bishop of Newcastle, Ian Shevill, to set up a religious base in the diocese. Sister Angela (formerly Wendy Solling) led a team of three sisters who established a home in a former rectory at Stroud. Wendy Solling was born in Maitland in 1926 and trained as a sculptor, first at Sydney Technical College and then at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. She continued her sculpting during her time in the Community.
When a large area of bushland outside Stroud became available a mud brick monastery, consisting of several buildings surrounding a chapel, was built for the Community with the aid of a group of volunteers known as the Muddies. It was dedicated in 1980, with additional buildings completed in 1997. By 2000, with the departure of Sister Angela, there were no Clare sisters remaining at the Monastery and its management was taken over by the Society of St Francis Association which leased it to the Samaritans Foundation for use for gatherings, workshops and retreats. The Friends of the Monastery Stroud was incorporated in 2004 to maintain and manage the facilities, promote Franciscan values and explore a long term future for the Monastery.

Reference:
Compiled from the collection

The collection comprises material collected by the Friends of the Monastery Stroud, including its own records and those of other organisations and individuals connected with the Monastery. Included are administrative records, correspondence, photographs, newscuttings, objects, printed material, motion picture and sound recordings. Much of the material in this collection was assembled following appeals by the Friends for contributions, resulting in the duplication of many items. The separate provenances have, for the most part, been retained.

SERIES 1
The Monastery at Stroud collected papers

SERIES 2
The Monastery at Stroud sound recordings

SERIES 3
The Monastery at Stroud motion pictures

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Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder