DV Gunn Archives

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DV Gunn Archives

The DV Gunn Archives is a valuable repository of material relating to the School’s history. The collection is available to the School and wider community, held in trust for future generations. Items are drawn from the collection for reunions, classroom learning, and a dedicated display within Café 1846 located at our Senior Campus.

The collection includes:

  • Photographs of school life and activities from 1873 to present day, school magazines, newsletters, programmes, information sheets and other school publications from 1886 to present day;
  • The Conder Collection;
  • Minutes and associated papers of the many functionary bodies within the School community (part closed);
  • Architectural drawings;
  • Enrolment registers and annual rolls;
  • Scrapbooks, newspaper cuttings, sporting papers and sport objects including cups and trophies;
  • Furniture and costumes; and
  • Electronic records developed within the last 15 years.

Who was DV Gunn?

David Vincent Gunn was a son of Frederick John Gunn of Claremont, Launceston. He attended Launceston Church Grammar School from Grammar Prep in Adelaide Street in 1931 and enrolled at Launceston Grammar in 1934.

He spent many years in the community as a successful businessman and served his school as Chairman of the Board of Management for several years, and President and Secretary of the Old Launcestonians’ Association. He was Mayor of Launceston and a city Alderman for many years, and well-known in commercial and sporting circles.

David Gunn died on 3 August 1993, and a group of his friends and associates, with the support of the Board of Management, resolved to raise funds to support the School’s Archives department to perpetuate the memory of DV Gunn by naming the resource The DV Gunn Archives. This was achieved in October 1995.

A Unique History

The School, which holds a unique position in Australia’s history being the oldest continuous running school in Australia, was formed as a result of the amalgamation of three schools: Buckland House [1860], the Launceston High School (EAN) 1913, and Broadland House School [1982]. Records of other schools are also held in the DV Gunn Archive including Launceston Girls’ Grammar School. The DV Gunn Archive is the principal source of the history of these schools.

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