Richardson, Mary Eliza
Family background
Mary Eliza Richardson was born around 1853 in County Tyrone, Ireland, one of twelve children to school teacher John Richardson, and Eliza nee Clarke. The family arrived in Australia as government sponsored immigrants in 1864, with 11-year-old Mary's occupation recorded as 'Nursery maid'. Her father applied to the Council of Education for employment, and after compulsory training at Fort Street, he was appointed to Fairy Meadow Public near Wollongong, Mary's mother fulfilling the role of Needlework Mistress as customary for teachers' wives. In 1872 Mary, now 19, applied for appointment as a teacher, one of five siblings to follow their father into the profession.
Bulli Mountain Provisional School
In January 1873 Mary was recognised as teacher of Bulli Mountain, north of Wollongong, which then had an average attendance of 20 pupils. At regular inspection a year later the timber and shingle schoolroom was reportedly 'in fair repair', all prescribed subjects except singing were taught, and her pupils were 'tolerably clean and orderly' and displayed acceptable proficiency ['Illawarra Mercury', 15 May 1874, p. 2]. Unfortunately, a lack of convenient accommodation compelled Mary to lodge some distance away (perhaps with a sister who taught at Bulli North), riding up the mountain to school each day. At the same time, a younger brother was appointed Pupil Teacher at Fairy Meadow under his father's authority. After two years at Bulli Mountain, Mary was reputedly forced to resign by her father, who considered the demands of her daily trek 'too much'. She returned home where for the next ten years, she was engaged in instructing needlework at either at her father's school, or at her brother's in the Shoalhaven district.
Unanderra (Charcoal Creek) Public School
In 1885 Mary applied for reappointment, requesting a position close to Wollongong, her father concurrently suggesting Unanderra where he was now in charge. A few months later, she was temporarily appointed Assistant to her father which enabled her to continue living at home. Four years later her mother died and Mary assumed household management duties in addition to her teaching obligations. In 1890 she attempted a classification examination and although unsuccessful, was allowed to remain at Unanderra. A year later her father retired, his service entitling him to a pension of almost £90 annually.
Sassafras Public School
Mary stayed at Unanderra until 1895 when she was unexpectedly directed to take charge of Sassafras near Nerriga. Her father wrote to the Department asking for his daughter to remain at Unanderra in order to continue her household management role. The local inspector however stated that a staffing change was necessary at Unanderra due to falling attendance, and Mary's removal was inevitable. Although she was able to delay her transfer, Mary eventually took up duty at Sassafras, which she viewed as 'banishment from civilisation', but within two months requested removal due to ill-health. She was temporarily appointed to Tongarra near Albion Park, but after a month asked for re-instatement at Unanderra due to receiving a defamatory letter, and while granted removal it was not to Unanderra.
Brooklands Provisional School
In June 1895 Mary was appointed to Brooklands, the school having been closed for two months. As with previous teachers, she was offered accommodation at the home of Richard Southwell on whose land the school was located. After arriving on the 6th of July, she apparently left three days later, telling residents that the climate was too cold, and claiming she had been deceived about the appointment, believing the school to be a higher grade. She stated the school building was 'badly out of repair', with gaps between the slabs 'through which the cold piercing winds penetrate with such a force that it would be dangerous to a person's health', and described the accommodation as very unsatisfactory. While the inspector agreed the school was in need of repair, he did not consider it dangerous, and noted previous teachers had not complained about the lodging. His recommendation that Mary receive a severe censure for not entering on duty was endorsed by the educational hierarchy, and she was subsequently informed that the Department had 'no other employment to offer her'. This prompted Mary to apologise and offer to return to Brooklands (pending an appointment nearer home), but the position had been filled, and she was told again that the Department did not need her services. Although this pronouncement seemed final, her father asked for another chance, acknowledging that while his daughter's departure from Brooklands was 'foolish' and 'inconsiderate', it was not a criminal act so did not deserve the 'sentence of dismissal'. Fortunately, his appeal succeeded and it was decided Mary 'might have one more chance.'
Mount Gwynne Provisional School
A month later Mary was appointed to Mount Gwynne, a new school on the Murray River between Albury and Tocumwal with an expected enrolment of 21. Her journey to take up duty involved 450 miles by train as well as two coach trips. She appears to have settled to her duties without issue, other than being denied a free rail pass to assist her return home at Christmas. Within two years she had secured an extension to the schoolroom to accommodate increased enrolment but soon after this asked for removal, stating that owing to neuralgia she could not 'bear the heat of the summer months any longer'. In 1898 Mount Gwynne was raised to a Public school, and later that year she reiterated her request for removal to a cooler climate, which was granted after another six months wait.
Adelong Grove, and Comarong Provisional schools
Mary's next appointment, which occurred through a teacher exchange, was at Adelong Grove near Tumut, previously operating on a half-time basis. After only two months she required leave due to illness, and was confined to bed for a week with 'a poultice applied over the region of the liver'. After resuming duty, she continued at Adelong Grove until it became difficult to obtain accommodation. She was then directed to take a temporary position at Albury but when she arrived, she was redirected to Currans Creek (near Crookwell) where the incumbent 'declined removal', so she was sent on again. After several days of coach and rail travel, her journey culminated with a punt across the Shoalhaven River to arrive at Comarong, an island with a small dairy farming community. Eight months after her arrival the school was forced to close as most families had moved away. Mary, having anticipated the closure, requested a position close to Wollongong to reduce her expense in travelling home and better assist her family financially.
Wollongong district schools
For the next fifteen years Mary occupied positions in the Wollongong district, beginning with Stockyard Mountain near Albion Park, where she had initial difficulty due to inheriting incomplete school records. She encountered a different challenge in her second year when 'a furious southerly gale blew down two sides of the school', forcing a transfer to Bangor, southern Sydney, while the school was closed for repairs. After two months she returned to Stockyard Mountain but was moved only a week later to Berkeley where, despite accommodation difficulties forcing her to reside five miles from school, she remained for eight years, the school's classification being elevated in time as the enrolment increased. Although Mary was permitted to remain in charge for some time, eventually the Department decided to appoint a classified teacher to Berkeley, and move Mary elsewhere.
In January 1910, now aged 59, she was appointed Assistant teacher at Mount Kiera. Later that year she applied for three months leave owing to her health having 'broken down', but this was denied as her 20-year-service had been not continuous, so she was forced to return to duty. Her health, however, continued to be problematic, prompting her to request appointment as a Needlework Mistress, stating she was unable to sustain teaching a large class due to the state of her heart. In 1912 she took leave on account of her father's illness and subsequent death, her Principal noting that Mary was her father's primary carer. Not long after this she was granted Long Service Leave, and while on leave reiterated her request for a position as Needlework Mistress. When her leave expired, she returned to duty at Mount Kiera for another year, retiring in 1915, aged 64, having completed 31 years' service, making her eligible for a Superannuation pension. Mary spent her later life in Wollongong with her sisters, where she ultimately died in 1937. She was buried in Presbyterian section of Wollongong Cemetery.
[Biography prepared by Joanne Toohey, 2025. Sources include NSW school teachers' rolls 1868-1908, NSW school and related records 1876-1979, historic newspapers, NSW births, deaths and marriages index, and 'Early Education and Schools in the Canberra Region', (1999) by Lyall Gillespie.]
Schools
- Brooklands
07/1895 - 07/1895