Stokesleigh

As Barker prepares for the opening of a new building, some might wonder what the first building opening may have been like.

Known simply as ‘The House’, the structure was the first permanent brick building on the Hornsby campus. Built in 1895, and occupied from the start of 1896, it is the oldest surviving building on the School grounds, and one of the oldest houses in Hornsby. In 1970, the building was renamed ‘Stokesleigh’, which was entirely fitting, given the fact that its design was based on the Stokesleigh homestead in Kurrajong Heights, where Barker College was founded in 1891. When Barker College moved to Hornsby in 1896, the building accommodated the whole school. It was a low set Federation brick bungalow with a timber verandah and corrugated iron roof. Although simple in design, all major rooms had marble fireplaces and the front door was finished with stained glass panels and fine brass knob. Adjoining this building was a weatherboard structure which contained the dining hall and school room, which was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1935.

When Mr Carter became Headmaster in 1905, the School had already grown to 50 students. By this time, only the youngest boys resided in ‘The House’ with the older boys relocated to neighbouring cottages. In 1920 the ‘Dormitory Block’, now known as Carter House, was built to accommodate all the boarders, and from this time ‘The House’ no longer housed any students.

Mr Carter moved to a private dwelling in Wahroonga in 1914, and until his retirement in 1929, ‘The House’ was occupied by the Senior Master. For many alumni, it was known as the ‘Headmaster’s House’ as it was the place of residence of the Headmaster from 1929-1972. Since 1972, Stokesleigh has provided accommodation for the Head of Boarding.

Etymology of Stokesleigh

Stokesleigh likely comes from the Old English ‘stoc’ to mean ‘place’, in this instance the genitive singular ‘stoces’, roughly translated as ‘my place’ and the Old English ‘leigh’ to mean ‘pasture, heather, or meadow’ and so the word Stokesleigh can be roughly translated to ‘my place in the meadow’ which was very apt for the Stokesleigh guesthouse at Kurrajong Heights!

Rachel Byrne Senior Archivist