FOUNDATION
TAKING UP RESIDENCE IN THE TOLSON CENTRE
The magnificent new centre is named to honour Scotch ’ s inaugural Archivist
The totally refurbished , modernised , interconnecting suite of buildings that comprise the Tolson Centre is nearing completion . While staff in the Scotch Shop , OSCA House and the Scotch Archives and Museum are at varying stages of taking up residence in their new facilities , all are looking forward to the time when the entire centre is open for business , flowing freely , and can be shared by the Scotch community .
Of the three , meticulously and elegantly presented , the Scotch Shop is the first one to be fully outfitted and functioning , and it has already proved to be an outstanding success . The professionalism of the Noones ’ staff – notwithstanding the challenges of COVID-19 – together with the wonderful new range of sports uniforms on display have completely redefined shopping for a Scotch uniform as a retail experience . Essentially operating ‘ by appointment only ’, the
Scotch Shop has been enthusiastically received .
OSCA House is quickly evolving into a space that will enable its Executive Director , Scott Montgomery (’ 85 ) and his team to engage with Old Scotch Collegians in a setting and to a degree never previously possible . The inviting new spaces will undoubtedly enhance OSCA ’ s capacity to explore and provide a whole new range of services and opportunities for Old Boys to connect with the School and each other .
In the reconfigured Scotch Archives and Museum with literally thousands of items of memorabilia and artefacts to be rehoused , stored , filed , shelved , rearranged and displayed to their best , there may still be some time to wait before Paul Mishura and his Archives team can entirely reveal the fruits of their labour and all this purpose-built facility has to offer . There is a great deal of detailed and exacting work still to be done before they can open for business , but there is no doubt , though , that the wait will be worth it .
The centre has been named in honour of the School ’ s inaugural Archivist , Geoff Tolson (’ 41 ) who sadly died on 15 June 2019 .
Geoffrey Samuel Tolson was born at Fairfield on 5 February 1924 , the son of William Tolson ( 1887-1970 ) and Mary Annette Hollow ( 1897-1975 ). Geoff ’ s connection with Scotch dates back to at least 1887 , when Herbert Stanley Hollow ( 1873-1938 ) entered Scotch at East
Melbourne . He was Geoff ’ s first cousin twice removed . On 11 February 1930 Geoff followed his brother William Mervyn Tolson ( SC 1929-36 ) in entering Scotch . He played cricket for the Junior School , and in 1937 transferred to the Senior School . Originally a member of Gardiner and MacFarland Houses , Geoff joined Littlejohn House when he became a boarder in School House in 1938 , which was his only year in the boarding house . Geoff left in 1939 after passing Intermediate ( Year 10 ).
In 1940 Geoff commenced studying for a diploma of Electrical Engineering at the Melbourne Technical College ( now RMIT ), and then joined the family business , W Tolson and Co , Pty Ltd , electrical engineers . In 1954 Geoff became President of the Electrical & Radio Federation of Victoria and , in 1964 , President of the Electrical Contractors ’ Federation ( Victoria ).
On 11 December 1948 Geoff married Barbara Mary Selleck at St John ’ s Anglican Church , Toorak . Their sons , William Andrew ( Andrew ) Tolson ( SC 1958-69 ) and Geoffrey Mark Francis ( Mark ) Tolson ( SC 1962-73 ) attended Scotch , as did grandsons William Benjamin ( Ben ) Tolson ( SC 1990-2002 ), Christopher Mark Tolson ( SC 2001-04 ) and David William ( William ) Tolson ( SC 2001-06 ).
Geoff served on the Old Scotch Collegians ’ Association Council ( 1973-95 ) and was its 1983 President . On retiring from business in 1985 , he was employed to establish the Scotch College Archives : a concept OSCA had urged for several years . Geoff gathered together material from Scotch ’ s many nooks and crannies , and advertised for more in newspapers and in Great Scot . He received an overwhelmingly positive response .
Geoff enhanced his skills with a postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies from Deakin University . When he retired from Scotch in 1992 , Geoff left behind a useful and attractive archive and museum that organised and displayed Scotch ’ s history . It was used in the school curriculum , and was a focal point on Grandparents ’ Day and Family Day . Geoff was made an Honorary Life Member of OSCA that year .
The Scotch College Archives and Museum has continued to grow and improve from the collection that Geoff set on firm foundations .
PATTY WALLACE-SMITH
50 Great Scot Issue 160 – September 2020