1990 School Magazine

THE WRECK OF THE Ql_IETTA There was inucl\ jubilation in the ColoiTy of Queensland when the steamship HMS Quetta (3481 tons) was engaged for the Bi. ishane to London ocean mail I'un in 1884. Atlast there would be some measure of security in nTail coniinu nication 11 is just 100 years since Quetta's bell signalled disaster. At 9.30 pm. o11 Febr11aiy 28. 1890. the ship struck an urichartered rock in ToI'res Strait. betweeiT Cape York and Mount Adolphus Island. Just under 45 kilometres from Thursday Island. Quetta sank in three minutes. h was a moonliglit night and both the captain and pilot were on the briage WITile o11 the course recommended by the Sailing Directions Bound for India and England. Quetta sailed from Brisbane on February 18. 1890 carrying nTai1. 169 passengers. 122 crew. live SITeep. 2278 bales of wool. 4260 cases of meat and tallow and 60 tons of silver and lead bullion Of the 291 people o11 board 133 drowned including the Misses Is abel and Annie Wight. former pupils of the Brisbane Gills' Gi'am mar Scliool One of the most important prizes presented annually at B. G. G. S. is the Wight Memorial Medal for "proficiency in pianoforte playing" is abel Wioht enrolled at B. G. G. S. in 1878 in Year 7 and remained until 1883. Her sister. Annie. entered the school in 1879. followed by two other sisters in 1881. isabel was awai'ded a General Merit prize in 1879 and Annie a Form Prize to I. Modern Langtiages in 1881 Is abel. a fine pianist, returned to the schoolin 1884 to teach Music. a position she held untilleaving with her sister on that fateful voyage of 1890. Their father. the Reverend George Wight. was the first Congregation al ministei' 10 be posted to Brisbane from Scotland and was instrumental ill founding the first Congreoational Church which was built on the con\er of Wharf and Adelaide Streets and officially opened on June 10.1860. That same year Mr Wight founded a newspaper "The Queensland Guardian" using the pseudonym of "Willinghood" A letter to the Trustees of B. G. G. S. dated June 27,1890 requested a ITTedal be given in memory of the late Miss Betty (Is abel) Wight who had been connected with the school as pupil and teacher for over twelve years. Sixty-one pounds had been collected. Amy Bamington. Ethel and SIbyl Lilley. NGllie Grimth and Henrietta Gilder signed the letter on behalf of past and present pupils and the TITis letter was read and accepted by the Trustees on August I. 1890 and the money was invested in a good security "bearing at least 5% interest to be spent on a silver medal to be awarded annually for proficiency in pianoforte playing". Jane Hall was the first recipient of the Wight Medal which over the last 100 years has been won by niany girls, destined to become outstanding pianists of this State teachers

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HMS Quetta

WIGHT MEDAL AWARD in this lootli anniversary year of the wreck of the steamship HMS QLietta. it is appropriate to look at tlie cal'eels of three former winners of the Wight Memorial PI'ize for "pi'oilciency in pianoforte playing". TITis jinportant prize presented annually at B. G. G. S. . is in memory of Miss Belty (Is abel) Wight, connected witlT the school as pupil and teacher for over twelve years who with her sister. Annie. drowned o1T the disastrous ITight of February 28,1890. Music has heelT the elixir of life for TheIma Loving (nee Sanderson) who at the age of eighty-two remains more active than someone half her age A former student of Brisbane Girls' Grammar School (1922/23). she was the recipient of the Wight Medal in 1923

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TheIma Loving

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