In the heart of bustling Ultimo is a relic from the time wool was Australia’s signature export: the Dalgety Woolstore. Burnt out and disused, it sat empty until IGS needed a new premises. After striking a deal with South Sydney Council in 1994, its vast showrooms were converted into classrooms. Its hydraulic lifts, once used to move shorn wool from hundreds of sheep, carry staff and students between floors that are supported by its original pillars. Before it rose from the ashes as IGS in July 1997, bustling with youthful curiosity and aspirations, it facilitated a different kind of woolgathering.
The Dalgety Woolstore was named for Frederick Gonnerman Dalgety (1817-1894). Migrating to Australia from Scotland at the age of sixteen, he worked as a wool trader before founding his own company. Like Reg St Leon and IGS, he met many financial challenges, but met each with ingenuity. In the 1840s, the Australian wool market collapsed. Dalgety supplied gold rush prospectors with food and equipment. During the Federation Drought from 1895 to 1902, Dalgety diversified into New Zealand’s meat and dairy markets, which galvanised the company into the 20th Century and beyond.
As the industries of Ultimo moved out of the area, the local council looked to refresh the area as an education hub. This transformation from manufacturing wool to manufacturing ideas is emblematic of the innovation and adaptability also found at the heart of IGS. By finding new purpose and direction as we grow and evolve, we can contribute meaningfully to the world around us, reflecting the timeless potential for renewal and change.
References:
Dalgety, PLC. n.d., Encyclopedia.com. <https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/dalgety-plc>
Fitzgerald, S. ‘Ultimo’, Dictionary of Sydney. <https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/ultimo>
Hartwell, R. M. 2006, ‘Frederick Gonnerman Dalgety (1817-1894)’, Australian Dictionary of Biography. <https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dalgety-frederick-gonnerman-283>
International Grammar School 2014, Learning Journeys: 30 Years of International Grammar School, International Grammar School, Sydney.
Pyrmont History Group n.d., About Pyrmont, Pyrmont History Group. <https://pyrmonthistory.net.au/about-pyrmont>
Images:
Fire at the Goldsbrough Mort Wool Store 1935, provided by Pyrmont History Group. <https://pyrmonthistory.net.au/wool-stores>
Wool Clips, Pyrmont 1937, provided by Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW. <https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/n5lJEdg9>