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IDENTITY AND TRADITIONS
STRATEGIC PLANS - IDENTITY AND TRADITIONS
NAPOLEON AND BISHOP’S WILLOW
FINDS NEW HOME AT HALE
When Hale School moved from Havelock Street to the Sadly, this willow did not survive. However, last year, Hale
Wembley Downs campus, there was some concern that the School was kindly given another cutting from the same tree.
history of the School would be lost with the relocation. An It was planted by Headmaster, Dean Dell’Oro; Father Tom
idea was put forward that would physically transplant some Couper, Chaplain; Captain of School, Alex Perin and Year 7
of the history to the new campus. student, Kingsley Jones near the Chapel of St Mark, as part of
our Founder’s Day celebrations in June.
Bishop Hale was a keen gardener. Amongst many features of
his garden was a row of willow trees that lined the road at the In continuation of the willow tree story, in 1910 Hale student
foot of his property, Bishop’s House. These trees were grown EM Riley (1902-11) made a cricket bat out of wood from the
from slips of the willow tree growing at the head of Napoleon original willow tree planted by Bishop Hale. This cricket bat
Bonaparte’s grave on the island of St Helena. It is thought that was used by the 1st XI team and is part of the Hale School
Napoleon considered the shade of the willow tree a place of Archives collection.
quiet reflection, and that slips of this tree were taken Napoleon’s Willow originally planted by Bishop Hale on
and planted all over the world.
his arrival in Perth in 1858 is a continuing symbol
As a symbol of perpetuating Hale School of the history of the School from its beginnings
history as it relocated to Wembley Downs, on St Georges Terrace to the Wembley Downs
it was decided that a cutting from campus in 2022. We hope that our ‘new’
‘Napoleon’s Willow’, from Bishop Hale’s willow tree matures and provides our school
House, would be planted at the new community with a continued place of quiet
campus. On Arbour Day 1961 the School reflection.
hosted a tree-planting ceremony, during
which Bishop CL Riley planted a cutting.
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