Bishop Hale Statue
Public Art : Bishop Hale Statue (Also known as the
Bishop Hale Memorial)
Sculptor : © Greg James
Description : A bronze statue of a Bishop
Matthew Hale, the first Bishop of Perth and founder of the first Boy's College in Perth. The statue depicts
the Bishop with a key in his left hand about to open the door to The Cloisters, which was originally
built for him as a secondary school for boys. Hale's right hand is extended in a welcoming gesture.
Date Unveiled : March, 2008.
Location : The bishop can be seen extending a
welcoming hand outside the Cloister's Building on St George's Terrace, Perth, Western Australia.
Inscription 1:
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Matthew Blagden Hale
First Bishop of Perth
1856-1875
The 150th anniversary establishment of the Anglican Diocese of Perth and the pioneering work of
Bishop Hale was celebrated in 2007.
His area of interest were the welfare of the indigenous population, the humane treatment ot the
convicts and the provision of secondary education for the boys of the developing colony.
the 150th anniversary of the establishment of "The Bishop's School" in St George's Terrace was
celebrated in 2008.
On 28 June 1858 Bishop Hale opened the school with the initial enrollment of 22 boys who
represented both city and country families. The ethos was set in the Christian tradition with deep
commitment to the provision of a liberal education.
Bishop Hale resolutely maintained the momentum of the school during his time in Perth. In 1875 he
was appointed Bishop of Brisbane.
The school moved to several sites after The Cloisters and since 1961 has been located at Wembley
Downs where it proudly bears the title.
HALE SCHOOL
The sculpture commemorates the role of Bishop Hale in the development of education in Western
Australia.
Created by artist Greg James on behalf of the Old Haleians' Association March 2008.
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Inscription 2 :
THE CLOISTERS
The Cloisters is one of perth's finest historic buildings.
It's design is attributed to Richard Roach Jewell, Clerks of Works, and it displays both Tudor and
Gothic stylistic influences.
It was built for the first Anglican Bishop of Perth, Matthew Blagden Hale, who opened his secondary
school for boys in 1858. "Bishop Hales's School", as it was popularly known, educated many of the young
men who would become the colony's leading citizens in the first years of the responsible
government.
In 1872 the biy's school was relocated and The Cloisters was subsequently used as a girl's school and a
government high school until it closed in the late 1890's. Since then it has been a clergy training
college, residential accommodation for students at the University of Western Australia, a WAAF
barracks, a Dutch club, a kerbside cafe and commercial offices.
Plans to demolish the building in the 1960's were abandoned as a result of a public campaign, and
restoration was undertaken as part of the redevelopment including pedestrian open space and the
adjoining office building.
The retention of The Cloisters was important in raising community awareness of the historic building
stock of Perth and the need to conserve links with the city's early history.
Anglican Dioces of Perth |
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