Coincidentally, at about the same time as the October 2003 High Bulletin was released, a new book by Steve Brew and titled Greycliffe; Stolen Lives, was published. The book concerns the collision between the steamer Tahiti and the ferry Greycliffe off Bradleys Head on 3 November 1927, in which forty of the ferry’s passengers were killed. One of these was “Jasper” Wright, the Science Master at SHS. On the day of the book launch Column 8 of the Sydney Morning Herald wrote “six of the drowned were… from Sydney Boys High” Not so. A number of school children, from Sydney Girls High, Sydney Technical High and Sydney Grammar lost their lives. No SHS student was drowned. The French Master at the School also lost his young son. It was widely believed this incident was the genesis of the requirement for all High students to be able to swim 25 yards before any student could undertake GPS sport or attend excursions. This prerequisite lasted for many years and generations of Old Boys will remember the “learn to swim” classes held at Clovelly.

The Record dated December 1927 had this to say: The recent harbour disaster has shown that it is essential that all boys should learn to swim, and then to learn, at least, the elements of life saving. “High” boys have every opportunity of learning the correct methods of release and rescue, and every boy should avail himself of the opportunity of acquiring the ability of rendering assistance, if the necessity ever arises, to anyone in difficulties in the water. Sadly learning to swim is no longer a requirement at High.

Here is an extract from Steve Brew’s book about that fateful day: [Quote from Chapter 1 follows]

Greycliffe; Stolen Lives narrates events from the collision through to the court cases, and closes with conclusions that challenge many long-held misconceptions. The full story has never before been told, and has now been extracted from archive documents and previously unpublished sources. The appendices are filled with biographies of all forty victims (including Jasper Wright), plus the survivors, crews, courts and eyewitnesses, whilst some 60 pictures, many never before published, are also scattered throughout the book. Brew has created a website to promote the book, which you can find at http://brew.clients.ch/Greycliffe.htm. Copies can be purchased from the two Dymocks stores in George Street in the city, Leslie McKay’s Bookshop in Double Bay, Boat Books at Crows Nest, and in the bookshops of the Maritime Museum, the Museum of Sydney and the State Library of NSW. The OBU has donated a copy of the book to the School Library.