Archives

‎ ‎ ‎ A UNIQUE JOURNEY
THROUGH TIME

The Kambala Archives were established during the school's centenary year in 1987, with the Kambala Old Girls (KOG) instrumental in setting up the collection.

The collection was originally organised as a paper-based, cross-referenced system on index cards, managed by a team of Old Girls and a paid, professional Archivist. In 2002, the collection was transferred to an archives database.

The archival holdings are a treasure trove dating back from the late 1800s and include historical photographs, personal records, ephemera, publications such as school magazines and newsletters, and lots of school uniforms! There are also unique items such as a 232-page scrapbook from Former Headmistress Fifi Hawthorne and the first handwritten school record from 1895. These and many other gems truly demonstrate the unique history and the ever-evolving nature of education for Kambala students and staff.

In 2018, the Archive Room was named in honour of the Old Girl Laurie White (OG48). Laurie Nyman White’s contribution to the Kambala community was immeasurable.

She was considered the ‘backbone of the Union’ for over 40 years and it was fitting to commemorate Laurie’s significant contribution by naming the Archive in her honour. Diana Hampshire (OG55), described her as knowing the “value in preserving the past but equally she realised the importance of planning and building for the future“.

Our Archives open up countless stories about the changing role of education for women since 1887, and the achievements of those that have studied and worked here. The Kambala Archive and the Laurie White Archive Room truly provide proof of our heritage and cultural identity.

If you would like to donate material or make an enquiry, please contact the Archivist, Laura Carmichael.