At the heart of Mercedes College stands Strathspey House, a place shaped by history, service and a belief that education has the power to transform lives.
In 1899, Strathspey House, the centrepiece of Mercedes College, was built as a home for the family of Mr John Duncan.
In 1939, Fred Cornell bought Strathspey House and used it as his private residence.
During the 1940s, Fred’s wife Marjorie Cornell emerged as a significant figure in Adelaide’s music scene, founding the South Australian Orchestral Association and hosting renowned international artists.
After Frederick Cornell’s death in 1947, Marjorie continued to live at Strathspey House until 1953, when she sold the property to the Sisters of Mercy, who were looking for a new ‘country’ property for a boarding school to help with the overcrowding at St Aloysius College on Angas Street in the city.
In 1954, Mercedes College opened in Springfield, with 11 Sisters, 85 boarders and 64 day students.
The College adopted the traditional Mercy symbol, the Fleur de Lis, and the motto Loyal en Tout (“loyal in everything”), continuing a legacy first established at St Aloysius College in 1912.
The Founder of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley, was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1778.
Catherine’s father died in 1783, her mother in 1798, and she then went to live with a wealthy Quaker family, who later left her a large amount of money.
She used her inheritance to buy a house in Baggot Street, Dublin which became known as the House of Mercy. Catherine used this property to provide shelter to young women and servant girls in need.
Catherine’s idea was to form a society of ladies to assist with the education and care of the children from the slums.
And so the Sisters of Mercy were formed – they travelled the world to spread Catherine’s mission of offering a good education for those in need.
