From the Archives - Worn with Pride

Wearing the College Blazer has meant many things to the boys who have travelled the Lauries Journey and none are more coveted today than the bumblebee blazer of Black and Gold worn by our College Student Leaders. 

In 1915, the College colours were blue, green and white, which changed to the black and gold of today in 1937. Photos dating back to 1929 depict a smattering of boys with similar ties and socks to those worn today; however, as the images are in black and white, the colour combination cannot be ascertained. 

The earliest photo of a student wearing a black College Blazer is Maurice Browne in the Junior University Class of 1941. 

Brother Davy inaugurated a Prefect system at the College in 1951 to provide, as he wrote, "an opportunity for the development of character and a sense of responsibility and to help maintain school discipline and assist in promoting a healthy school spirit." 

School Captains existed before this time, so ‘Head Prefect’ was added to the role description. Phillip Breene was the first duly appointed in 1951. He was supported by Prefects Brian Murphy, Gary Storor, Louis Daley and John Dalton in the Senior cohort and John Maher, Aiden Rode and Don McCaffrey from Sub- Senior. This practice of appointing Prefects from the Sub-Senior Year meant some boys were Prefects for two years and on rare occasions for three years if they repeated Senior. John Dalton was Captain in 1952 and Don McCaffrey in 1953. As the Senior School continued to grow, the decision was made in 1957 to restrict the role of Prefect to Senior students. Geoff Arnold, who was a Prefect in 1956 in his Sub-Senior year, became Captain of the first all-seniors Prefect group of 12 boys. The black and gold striped blazer became the defining uniform of the Prefects at the same time. 

Due to the unaffordability of the blazer for some families, the striped blazer only appeared in the Cricket and Tennis photos from 1958 - 1968. 

By 1969 the striped blazer, or Honour blazer as it was known, appeared in photos for the Captains, Prefects and the First Tennis and Cricket teams until 1976 and then only Captains and Prefects wore this blazer until 1980. 

During the 1980s until the late 1990s, student leaders all wore a Black Blazer with an embroidered pocket with the black and gold blazer reintroduced in 1998 by College Principal Dennis Frederiksen for the Captain and Vice-Captains. In 1999 the blazer was again worn by all College Captains and Prefects.

We have been fortunate to have Blazers from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, along with a College Black Blazer with striped Black and Gold collar and cuffs displayed in our College Museum for all admire.