Staff and student

Thomas Reid and his wife were able to remain as head teacher and assistant at the newly created State School 325 Irishtown, having previously occupied the same position at the St John’s School in Lucan Street. 

As I pointed out a few weeks ago, number 325 became number 1267 and then was called the North Sandhurst State School, this name remaining with the school up until 1891, when Sandhurst reverted back to the original name of Bendigo. 

In common with most State School employees the Reids had to seek promotion. In order to do so their location would inevitably change as well. This occurred for the couple during the year of 1879. 

The newly appointed head teacher following Thomas Reid was John J. Burston; when the school celebrated its centenary in 1973, it is mistakenly recorded that Burston’s given name was James.

One cannot help but make some observations about the Irishtown State School, in comparison to the physical structures of other schools that were built, or extended, in some other parts of our city. 

Golden Square had a new school constructed at Laurel Street in 1874, Gravel Hill was completed in July 1875; the Central School was ready in 1877. This is now called Camp Hill Primary School. It too catered for some of the children from the western side of Irishtown. 

The German School, or what became known as Violet Street, was extended by the state in 1877, Long Gully was completed in 1879, while that of California Gully was able to be occupied on July 2, 1883. 

Without going to the schools a little further from the centre of the city, it is obvious that all the aforementioned were built in a substantial manner in double or even triple brick, while the Irishtown School was the only one that was constructed of wood and weatherboards. 

Why was the Irishtown School a poor cousin of the other schools? 

Was it because this portion of Bendigo did not have the same political pull at the time, as it was renowned as the poor portion of the city? I will let you, the reader, draw your own conclusions.

Mr Burston, the head teacher of the North Sandhurst State School, had occasion to write to the Secretary of the Education Department on February 26, 1880 as follows: 

“Sir, I have the honour to inform you that Miss Wylie, whose absence I reported on Monday last, is more seriously ill than I anticipated, and that it is therefore uncertain when she may be expected to resume duties. 

“I herewith enclose Medical Certificate from Doctor Edwin Hinchcliff. I have the honour Sir, Your Obedt (obedient) Servant” etc. 

Employer-employee relationships were very different in the 19th century and even well into the 20th century as well. 

When a single document such as the one above comes to light it can answer, as well as raise, many questions. 

 Mr Burston was to remain as head teacher until 1887. 

One student, who had known Thomas Reid and Mrs Reid as well as being taught by Mr Burston, was Elizabeth Woods. 

In fact Elizabeth knew Mr Burston for the longest period of time and he was a great influence on her development and skills. 

Elizabeth’s family lived in Arnold Street. Her father was a miner at one time having been employed at the Great Extended Hustler’s Mine on Hustler’s Hill not far from where he lived. 

Elizabeth was born in 1873. She had three other siblings, John born in 1866, sister Jane 1868, and one younger brother William Speer who was born in 1876. 

The name Speer came from the mother’s side of the family. Her name was also Elizabeth, nee Speer (sometimes spelled Spier). 

My thanks go to the AIGS Bendigo for assistance in securing family information. 

The accompanying photograph shows Elizabeth a few years after leaving the North Sandhurst State School.