Prosperous banker George Tinline built a summer home here c1858 but it was not finished before he returned to England. The unfinished ‘Tinline Court’ was completed by new owners in 1875 with the aid of architect Edward John Woods: subsequently being named Arthur’s Seat because the land was originally owned by Arthur Hardy: he built nearby Mount Lofty House.
By 1926 the house was advertised as the Stawell School for girls. The school closed after the advent of World War Two and shifted to North Adelaide.
During the war the army used the site as an AWAS Camp.
Mount Lofty House and Arthur’s Seat (along with many other properties) were destroyed in the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983.
Mount Lofty House was later rebuilt – Arthur’s Seat was not.
*Stawell School
Both in Victoria and New South Wales there are well-known schools for girls which have their quarters in the country.
In South Australia there is no girls' school of quite that type, but one is about to be founded.
Miss Patience Hawker, daughter of Mr and Mrs E W Hawker, of Clare has secured that charming property at Mount Lofty known as Arthur's Seat, and in the ideal surroundings of the hills the school will be established.
In the healthy and invigorating atmosphere near the summit of the mount the pupils will be able to enjoy over 90 acres of school ground. There is a grass and a hard tennis court, and ample space for hockey and basket ball grounds, which will be made ready for the winter. Pupils will be allowed to cultivate their own garden plots. Sleeping-out accommodation during the summer will be provided for those who want it. The house has all modern conveniences, such as electricity, hot and cold water laid on, and excellent systems of sanitation, and central heating.
It will be the aim of the principals to impart to their pupils a broad culture so that girls who pass through their hands will not only have received a sound general education up to leaving honours standard, but will also have inculcated in them an appreciative taste in art, literature, and music, and their minds trained to an intelligent understanding of current world, social, and political events. A sense of responsibility both in work and conduct will be fostered especially among the older girls.
The school will be in charge of the principal, Miss Mabel Hardy BA, vice-principal, Miss Patience Hawker BA, and a carefully selected staff of resident and visiting teachers. Miss Hardy took her BA at Adelaide University in 1912, winning while there the Tinline Scholarship in history and the John Howard Clark scholarship in English literature. Since that date she has had teaching experience with St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School and Sydney Church of England Girls' Grammar School, and has been acting head mistress: at Woodlands Glenelg Church of England Girls' Grammar School. She has been during 1925, on a visit to England and the Continent: and while there has enquired into recent educational practices.
Miss Hawker was a pupil at the Geelong Girls' Grammar School and subsequently at Frensham, New South Wales, where she was head girl until she left for London to go to Bedford College University of London, from which she obtained her BA degree in 1924 with honours in history. Since then she has been on the teaching staff of Woodlands and Girton Proprietary School.
A provisional prospectus is being issued, and after September 1 next Arthur's Seat will be open to inspection by appointment with the vice-principal. [Ref: Register (Adelaide) 17-6-1926]
*Women’s Army Camp
Shorts of all colours, and a vivid collection of pullovers and blouses, provide a motley scene when girls of the Women's Army, now in camp at Arthur's Seat, Crafers, go on parade.
The 46 girls are making history as participants in the first Women's Army camp to be held in South Australia. They are drawn from all walks of life, many having given up well-paid, responsible positions to join the Army and earn 4/ a day as privates.
Wherever possible, after their 14 days' disciplinary camp training, the girls will be drafted to familiar type jobs in the Army, so that their previous experience will not be wasted.
'Bed' consists of stretchers and straw palliasses. 'We didn't sleep much the first night,' one recruit admitted. 'But ever since, we have been so busy all day and so tired by lights out at 10.30 that we have slept extremely well.'
Seven of the recruits in camp have husbands serving overseas or in distant parts of Australia, but should any of these men be wounded or sent home, their wives, although they have enlisted for the duration, would be granted compassionate release.
The girls must be out of bed at 6.30, and after a hurried shower and dressing they are ready for duty.
The Army issue will consist of a summer uniform (a short-sleeved khaki drill dress), a winter uniform (AIF style khaki woollen tunic and skirt), shirt, ties, shoes, stockings, a brown felt hat (sports type), singlets, bloomers, and an allowance for corsets and toilet essentials.
These girls, when drafted to their jobs after the 14 days' disciplinary camp training, will live at home, travelling back and forth each day.
The camp will end on Thursday, and after an interval of a week or so the second batch of recruits will go into camp for 14 days' similar training. [Ref: Mail (Adelaide) 24-1-1942]
