Month: November 2023

The College’s Annual Carol Service rounded out the ‘Chapel Year’. It was held after the Semester 2 Exams in the form of the Nine Lessons and Carols, so beautifully created by Right Revd Edward White Benson, at that time Bishop of Truro, for Christmas Eve in 1880.

See PHOTO GALLERY below

The service, officiated this year by the Warden, featured uplifting carols by the Chapel Choir, led by Director of Music Jack Stephens. These included “O Holy Night”, Vaughan Williams’s “This is the Truth Sent from Above”, Elizabeth Poston’s “Jesus Christ the Apple Tree”, Matthew Owens’s recent scoring of “The Holly and the Ivy”, John Gardners’s 20th century scoring of “Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day” and and Philip Stopfords’s recent scoring of “Lully, Lulla, Lullay”. The large congregation of mostly alumni and friends of the College joined in the signing of other carols and hymns for the Advent/ Christmas seasons with the full sound of the wonderful Flentrop Organ, again so masterfully played by College Organist and Composer-in-Residence David Drury. Lessons were read by students and staff and visitors including Damian Furlong (in College 1976-78) and Em Prof Michael Lawrence. After the service refreshments and festive entertainment were provided in the Salisbury Bar.

We have an exciting year ahead for the Chapel Choir, culminating with an international tour at the end of 2024. Up coming events with the choir:

• Sat 04 February, 4 pm – regional Evensong at St Jude’s, Bowral
• Fri 15 March, 7 pm – Handel’s Messiah at St Stephen’s, Newtown
• Sat 16 March, 7 pm – Handel’s Messiah at St Thomas’s, North Sydney
• 4 – 7 April – Reginal Tour to Southern Tablelands
• Friday 19 July, 5 pm – combined concert with Trinity College Melbourne at St Jude’s, Bowral
• Saturday 20 July, 7 pm – combined concert with Trinity College Melbourne in Sydney
• Saturday 27 July, 7 pm – Christmas in July at St Paul’s College

To support the choir tour with donations CLICK HERE

Mia Baggett, Fresher 2023, is the first woman at Paul’s to be awarded a University of Sydney Blue for excellence in sport. Mia’s award was for one of just two Netball players representing the University in competition level. Mia is a national-level Netballer with ambition to play professionally for the Origin Australia Diamonds. She was also one of the stars of the history-making Paul’s netball team in Semester 1

Mia is one of our growing number of regional Paulines, her home is in Mudgee in the Central West of NSW. She is studying BEd(Primary).

We actually have two residents with Blues in College now. Mia joins Lucy Mauviel who was in Graduate House this year and came to us with a Blue in Athletics, received in 2022. Lucy has a World Athletics ranking and has represented the University at competition level.

There are well over 100 Paulines who have been awarded a University Blue since the inception of the award in 1892. The first Pauline awarded a Blue was Charles Louise Tange (in College 1878-80) for Rugby 1893-99.

A future project is to create the full list of recipients of a Blue for the archival record and future honour board.

From the College Collection – a University Blue from the 1930s, donated by Dick Rogers (in College 1931-35)

This year’s Students’ Club Committee decided to give added meaning to our final Formal Hall for the year which was a Christmas themed dinner.  The Hon Treasurer, Jack Holt formed a small group of planners which included general committee members Zoe Renowden, Tom Green and the Chaplain to plan a Chapel Service and Dinner which would lift the spirits of others this Christmas by supporting the Barnardos Gifts for Kids Christmas appeal.  The undergraduates got together in their ANZAC Day groups to buy Christmas presents to place under the empty tree in Hall as they arrived for the dinner.

The Chapel Choir entertained a full hall who joined in the singing of carols culminating in the Dean of Graduate House Antone Martinho-Truswell leading a very participative version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. 

At the end of the night, a pile of toys and gifts were ready to be loaded into the back of House Committee member Zoe Renowden’s car to be taken to the local Barnardos centre at Marrickville.

Thank you to all the members of the College who went out and bought a gift and placed it under the our empty tree.

Director of Community Engagement Richard Morgan reflected: “one of the greatest benefits of being a Pauline is that we learn about service and sacrifice and giving as we journey through our years as residents of the College. Whether this was a couple of generations ago or in 2023 the tradition is firmly in place.”

Trippas White Group (TWG) provide all catering and housekeeping services at St Paul’s College. They manage over 35 restaurants, bars, cafes, and event spaces located in some of Australia’s most iconic locations, including the Sydney Opera House. Visiting alumni often mention how good the food is and that is a reflection of the care and quality of the TWG staff who have been supporting the College since the contract was won 2 years ago. Many of the staff of the previous contractors were retained by TWG so there are many familiar faces in the permanent staff team. TWG provides meal and beverage service in the Dining Hall and Refectory as well as management, food and beverages in the Salisbury Café and Bar.

Our TWG Site Manager Cameron Blake and our Head Chef Robert Sgroi represented TWG Hospitality Services at St Paul’s College at the recent 2023 Awards for Excellence of Restaurant & Catering Australia. The TWG Paul’s team were entered in the Site/Industrial Caterer division and were the winners out of the five finalists. TWG goes on to the National awards.

Restaurant & Catering Australia is the peak industry body representing over 57,000 restaurants, cafes and catering businesses across Australia.  St Paul’s is proud of its association with TWG and the support we give to the hospitality sector which is vitally important to the national economy, generating over $40.4 billion in retail turnover each year as well as employing 350,000 people.

From everyone who enjoys the food and beverage services at Paul’s: Congratulations TWG Hospitality Services at St Paul’s College for your award.

From Harry Croker, Dean of Undergraduates

The Rawson Cup and Rosebowl competitions have finished for another year.

All those who were lucky enough to don the gold and gules throughout 2023 did the College proud in what was an historic year. The College placed second in the final standings for the Rawson Cup, and sixth for Rosebowl. Some of the College’s sportswomen represented upwards of three sports throughout the year. As the subsequent generations of women filter through the College over the next few years, the sporting talent pool will only become bigger. This will take the pressure off the 70-odd maiden female members to commit to multiple sports throughout the year, despite having never played some of them. The future is certainly bright.

Rawson Cup final scores: ST ANDREW’S – 30; ST PAUL’S – 24; WESLEY – 15.5; ST JOHN’S – 2.5

Rosebowl final scores: ST ANDREW’S – 69; WESLEY – 49; ST JOHN’S – 30; WOMEN’S – 24.5; SANCTA – 19.5; ST PAUL’S – 8.

St Paul’s results in each sport were:

• 1st: Men’s Rowing; Men’s Soccer
• 2nd: Men’s Cricket; Men’s Rugby; Men’s Basketball; Men’s Athletics
• 3rd: Men’s Swimming; Men’s Tennis; Women’s Soccer (eq)
• 5th Women’s Netball; Women’s Rowing; Women’s Tennis; Women’s Athletics
• 6th Women’s Swimming; Women’s Hockey; Women’s Basketball

Athletics: The Rosebowl Athletics team finished in fifth place on the day, while the Rawson team fell just shy of a third consecutive victory at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre, finishing behind old foes, St Andrew’s. A great show of morale and support was on display, as expected.

Congratulations to those receiving 2023 Awards:

Fresher Sportswoman of the Year: Maddy Freeman

Fresher Sportsman of the Year: Henry Murray

Sportswoman of the Year: Brooke Elliott

Sportsman of the Year: Jack Craig

The College community congratulates those elected to the Students Club Committee and the Middle Common Room Executive for 2024. The College recognises the great work of the 2023 leaders and the efforts throughout the year to plan and implement many outstanding events.

New Students Club Committee: Senior Student – Ed Taylor; Hon Secretary – Alex Robinson; Hon Treasurer – Mitchell Arcus; Rawson Rep – Banjo Cole; Rosebowl Rep – Ami Naito; Palladian Rep – Nick Stack; House Committee – Natalie McRory; House Committee and Palladian Rep: Charles Weston.

New Middle Common Room Executive:  Middle Prefect – Jim Wong; Hon Treasurer – Samuel Zagame; Hon Secretary – Vered Lalrinpuii Chhakchhuak; Calendar Officer – Lauren Lim; House Officer – Patrick Golemo.

College thanks the 2023 office-holders:  Senior Student – Simon Toscan; Hon Secretary – Dillon Fernando; Hon Treasurer – Jack Holt; Committee – Tom Green, Sophie Jeffries, Zoe Renowden, Jonah O’Sullivan, Ollie Thorne and Toby Weston; Middle Prefect – Patrick Campbell; Hon Treasurer – Alexander Siouthas; Hon Secretary – Jim Wong; Calendar Officer – Vered Lalrinpuii Chhakchhuak; House Officer – Campbell Wilson.