1982 Opening
The Wickham School of Arts was formally opened on 14 December 1982, just 6 months after the foundation stone was laid.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 23 June 1882
“Laying the Foundation Stone of Wickham School of Arts.
“The ceremony of laying the corner-stone of the Wickham School of Arts was performed with considerable eclat? yesterday afternoon; the Mayor of the municipality, Mr. Arthur M. Frewin, formally conducting the ceremonial. A large gathering of visitors and residents, including very many ladies, had assembled; bunting and flags made a brilliant display, and the Great Northern Band, by its excellent playing, added greatly to the interest of the occasion. Particulars as to dimensions, etc., of the building have already been made public, but it may be mentioned that the site is about midway between the railway crossing and the Public School, and forms part of a section of ground liberally granted for the purpose by Mr. A. A. Dangar, of Baroona, near Singleton.
Shortly after 3 o’clock the Chairman, Mr. F. W. Reay (Vice-President) opened the proceedings in a brief speech. He alluded to the many preliminary difficulties that had to be overcome, and the task that had in consequence fallen on the shoulders of those willing workers who had carried the matter to so successful an issue. He particularly wished to mention in public the handsome donation of £200 from Mr. A. A. Dangar, which had been given to start the Institution. (Applause.)
History from 1882 to 2018
An excellent history of the Wickham School of Arts building has been collated by the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Societies (ADFAS). The 28 page document by ADFAS members Helen Creagh and Gwen Hamilton can be found here: Wickham NSW.
1884 Henry Lawson in Wickham
Ross Edmonds, September 2018
“The Wickham School of Arts opened in 1882 and over the next 100 years the building has been ‘home’ to various diverse groups such as a kindergarten, a Police Citizens Boys Club, a yoga studio and a men’s hostel.
“Its main claim to fame is that when a 16 year old Henry Lawson came to work for Hudson Brothers in Wickham he spent most of his free time there during the six or seven months he lived in Wickham.”
See the full article by Ross Edmunds at Hunter Living Histories – Henry Lawson and the Wickham School of Arts.
See also Dr John Turner on Henry Lawson’s connections to Newcastle and the Wickham School of Arts at Newcastle 200 Years of History A Special Tribute to Dr John Turner (1997). This link starts at 13:57 minutes into the full 44:29 minute history video. Watch the full 44:29 minutes for a great history of Newcastle.
Tree of Knowledge Plaque
Next time you’re walking through the Tree of Knowledge Park, look for the Henry Lawson plaque underneath the Tree of Knowledge. It reads:
“……… at Wickham, Newcastle, where I haunted the School of Arts, still with an idea of learning before it was too late.”
2021 Restoration & Future Reuse
The former Wickham School of Arts building is listed in the Newcastle Local Environment Plan as a heritage item with local significance. The building is currently owned by the Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC). In 2021 HCCDC commenced repair works on the building.
“The Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) will soon commence works to repair the former Wickham School of Arts building in Honeysuckle.
The works will improve the viability and safety of the building, and include replacing the roof, damp-proofing the building, resealing windows and doors, and removing hazardous materials.
As well as making repairs, HCCDC will work to remove elements that don’t have heritage value, such as the rear annex added in the 1950s and two buildings located either side of the former Wickham School of Arts building.” (Source: https://www.hccdc.nsw.gov.au/news/wickham-school-arts-repair-works-start)
These works are now completed. With regards to its future use, it will be part of the final stage in the Honeysuckle redevelopment called “Honeysuckle HQ” and on a FAQ page HCCDC says:
“Are you ensuring that the former Wickham School of Arts building will be retained?
“We’ve asked potential developers to incorporate the building into their proposals, provide adaptive reuse and run a design competition to include a public space next to the building.
“The future use of the building will be considered as part of the assessment of proposals and how well they deliver on the project vision and objectives.” (Source: https://www.hccdc.nsw.gov.au/projects/honeysuckle/honeysuckle-hq)
Honeysuckle HQ Artists Impression (note the School of Arts adaptive re-use in the centre of the image)
(Source: https://www.hccdc.nsw.gov.au/projects/honeysuckle/honeysuckle-hq)