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2022 commenced with a focus on processing the many donations and archive requests. One aspect that I enjoy in my role as Archivist at Pembroke is helping with research enquiries. It is particularly fascinating to view the results of the research undertaken and I would like to share one story with you.

Joanna Karmel initially contacted our Archives Department in August 2020 with a query on behalf of the Legoe family who were undertaking a family research project. They were trying to establish where three girls had schooled and the only clue that Jo had discovered was the mention of one of the girls in an article published in 1919 about her attending a Girton House Dance.

For those families new to Pembroke, Girton was one of our founding schools before it amalgamated with King’s College to become Pembroke in 1974. As I have mentioned before (edition 105), Girton House refers to an era when Mrs Lillie Smith founded her school at her home in Kent Town in 1915. These times at Girton House are not documented well. Over the years we have been fortunate to receive donations of photographs and memorabilia from this era. It was exciting to be able to confirm from our 1917 Girton magazine that in fact two of the Legoe girls had attended Girton House. A flurry of emails began between Jo and me as we were both delighted with this photographic evidence.

In October 2021 I received a copy of the family’s book ‘Bound for South Australia - a Short History of the Legoe Family: From Cornwall to Adelaide’ by co-authors Georgina Legoe and Joanna Karmel (pictured). It highlights the Legoe generations in a beautifully illustrated publication. In December I was delighted to attend their official book launch in the Barr Smith Library at the University of Adelaide. It was most rewarding to see such a wonderful publication resulting from their archival research with a little help from our archival records.

As a member of the Australian Society of Archivists I enjoy attending workshops and viewing museums as part of the SA School Archives Special Interest Group. I was delighted that our group were once again able to visit in person two special museums – SAPOL and the Adelaide Holocaust Museum. SAPOL was a fascinating visit and provided an extensive collection of historical records and visual displays across many levels in several buildings. The Holocaust Museum was thought-provoking, housing survival stories of Jewish refugees and Holocaust survivors, and providing documents, photographs and objects relating to this period.

Archives gratefully accepts all memorabilia from the Girton, King’s or Pembroke school days and encourages our community to take an interest in the history of your School.

Remember – Archives Matter!

Peta Harries
School Archivist