Pillar of architecture school departs

1972

2016

This month, The School of Architecture warmly farewells Mrs Kay Leaf-Milham, after more than 40 years of service to The University of Queensland.

Kay at UQ in 1972

Kay held various positions within the University up until 1989 when she was appointed in the Department of Architecture.

For the last 27 years, Kay has provided unwavering, high-quality support to numerous Heads of School, hundreds of academic and teaching staff,and thousands of students.

To acknowledge the outstanding contribution that Kay has made to Architecture, the School is proud to announce that the Idearchitecture Student Prize will be renamed the Kay Leaf-Milham Prize. The prize is awarded to a student enrolled in the Bachelor of Architectural Design who has made an outstanding contribution to the culture of the design studio through their hard work and devotion.

The School looks forward to Kay returning every year to award the prize at the Prize and Appreciation Evening.

Kay’s knowledge, patience and compassion will be sincerely missed, so before she embarks on the next exciting phase of her life, we sat down with her to ask about her fondest memories and what’s changed at UQ over the last four decades.

Q&A

Q: How did you end up working at UQ?

At the time, I was working for a chartered accountants and I found that boring, so I was looking for work. In 1969, I applied for a job in Mathematics, and didn’t get it, but the girl who had the job in Pharmacy moved over to Mathematics, and they recommended me for that job, so I started at the Department of Pharmacy.

So I started as a clerk typist in the department of pharmacy, and I was also in charge of a small library in Old Government House.

Q: What was it like when you started at St Lucia?

Well, I used to drive to work, park outside J.D. Story Building and just walk inside.

I remember using mag cards, which was like a big box with a flat card you would put in a machine and connect to the electric typewriter. It copied type onto this mag card, so if you made mistakes you could go back and correct them on the card and then print it off.

Q: What kind of roles have you had at UQ?

I’ve worked in a lot of different roles, from finance to admin.

At one point I took a year’s leave of absence from UQ and went to join my sister in the UK. I worked for an agency and for lots of different people including, a bank and a brewery — that was fun, we used to get lunches put on for us every day.

When I came back to UQ, I was in the main typing area and from there I used to work in different Departments, and that’s how I got a job working as a stenographer, Pittman’s Shorthand Typist, in the Information Office. I still take notes in shorthand today.

Q: What have you seen change on campus over the years?

There used to be lots of student protests, held on the lawn where the Biological Sciences library is now. They’d sit there eating their lunch and people would get up and talk.

I remember being locked down in the J.D. Story Building during one protest, where they were trying to get to the Vice Chancellor. That was fun.

I’ve seen so many people start here as students, go out into the workforce and become important people or come back to the school as academics and lecturers.

Q: Best memory at UQ?

I have lots, so it’s hard to pick one, but one would be working with all the students and the staff.

Back in the 70’s the Miss Bruce Competition was lots of fun! I will never forget that. All the guys used to dress up in dresses and parade around here, and it was just the funniest thing.

Q: We’ve noticed you know how to use Photoshop well, I’ve seen you in the back end of web code, and you know so many programs. Is that a secret of longevity in a workplace?

I love learning new things. When I started in Architecture in 1989, we had to boot our computer up with a floppy disk.

My professional development in the School was always well supported and I was always able to go off and learn how to use other programs and software. I learnt how to create web pages, how to write HTML. I like working on computers and manipulating programs.

I'm also proud to say I get on well with everyone, that's always helped.

Q: What are you going to do now?

Well, I’m going to enjoy my daughter’s wedding first of all. I started doing some writing last year, about my youth and some memories I have, which I’m going to pick up again, as well as some photography.

I’ve published some photo books for my grand kids, one is an adventure book, one is an alphabet book, and I’ve got one more to go.

I would also like to do some art classes, get back to painting and drawing, and other things I haven’t done for a long time - travel, and do whatever I feel like.

Recollections of Kay from a UQ Architecture graduate

Chris Bligh - School of Architecture alumnus; Director, Bligh Graham Architects

"Certainly the clearest impression I have of Kay is that she was always there!

As a runaway from the Engineering Department, I started my first semester late — it took me a year to realise that I should give in to the pull of the family line of trade — so I was a bit at sea when I arrived at the Department.

Kay was there to help of course — and as always a friendly face and steady hand. Through the subsequent five-year fog of crazy and sleep-deprived stretches, complete with riding mountain bikes down the stair wells, and yes, competing in the Miss Bruce competition, the admin office with Kay (and Sonia) at the helm was a place of ordered calm.

I know that I am not alone in wishing Kay the very best in her well-deserved retirement. But then - I am sure no other Department would have been as much fun!"

Chris Bligh - The University of Queensland
1984-87 B.Des.St
1989-90 B.Arch (I)

A snapshot of Kay’s career

1969 – 1971: Clerk-typist (also Librarian in charge of small Pharmacy library in Old Government House, George Street, Brisbane)
1972 – 1973: Stenographer, Main Typing (Assistant to the Personal Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Emeritus The Right Honourable Sir Zelman Cowen)
1973 – 1978: Stenographer, Information Office (producing University News)
1979: Stenographer, Main Typing
1985: Research Clerk Typist, Department of Biochemistry
1986: Research Clerk Typist, Department of Biochemistry
1987: Research Clerk Typist, Department of Biochemistry
1988 – 1989: Research Clerk Typist, Department of Biochemistry
1989 – 1996: Clerk Typist, Department of Architecture
1996 – 1999: Secretary/Administrative Assistant, Department of Architecture
1999 – 2000: Administrative Assistant, Architecture
2000 – 2009: Administrative Officer, Architecture
2009 – retirement: Senior Administrative Officer (Academic), School of Architecture
2009 – (April-July): Acting School Manager, Architecture
April 2010, Jan 2012: Acting School Manager, Architecture

Kay was also awarded a UQ Miracle Worker Award in 2011.

The School of Architecture would like to sincerely thank Kay for her years of exemplary dedication and service to the School and wish her all the very best in the next exciting period of her life.

For more information about UQ's School of Architecture visit architecture.uq.edu.au