Staff Club in the Mungo MacCallum Building (Now Brennan MacCallum Building)

A Room of One's Own

A circular proposing the establishment of a Staff Club was sent to all academic staff members in 1952. The primary reason put forward for desiring a Staff Club was the, "…concern at the disintegration of the University community and at the lowering of morale". [Ref 1]. Backing this sentiment up was the Committee on Australian Universities, who noted in 1957, "An essential point of university life is that teachers and researchers in different disciplines should meet constantly and informally; this is necessary to maintain the essential cohesiveness and fellow-feeling in the teaching body, and it immensely fortifies and vitalizes ideas and enterprise in the work of original research...We attach very great importance to the provision of an adequate Staff House in every university". The Staff Club, officially formed in May 1960 and named 'University House', received great support with 250 members of staff immediately paying part subscriptions. [Ref 2].

The Staff Club initially used the house occupied by Professor Hartung, however, ultimately moved into the first and ground floors of the newly built Mungo MacCallum Building (now known as the Brennan MacCallum Building along with what used to be the Christopher Brennan Building), with a deed signed between the University and Club Manager, Adolph Alexander Benes, on 5 July 1962.

From 21 November 1955, the University House offered sandwiches (ham, corned beef, sausage, egg, sardine, tomato, salad, cheese, peanut butter, banana, and date), spaghetti and sausages for lunch, while dinner (or the "evening meal") was a grander affair with the option to order sardines and onion, cream consommé, various omelettes, lamb chops, steak Dianne [sic], and Vienna schnitzel (but eggs and onion would cost you extra), and rest assured that, "All dishes served with two vegetables, chips or rice, with bread and butter". [Ref 3].

This item is part of the University Archives' 70 Years, 70 Stories series, created to celebrate our 70th birthday on 3 May 2024. To discover more stories, explore the 70 Years, 70 Stories collection.

Ref 1: Staff Centre and Staff Club (No Date), [REF-00038496]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 2: The University of Sydney Gazette Vol 2 1961-1970 and Vol 3 1971-1972 (May 1961 to Sep 1972), [REF-00085209]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 3: see Ref 1.