Bell, Margaret
Family background
Margaret (Maggie) Bell was born in 1865 in the Queanbeyan district, the first of four daughters to farmer Johnston Bell and Mary nee Field. The family later moved to Yass where Margaret completed her education at Yass Public School, receiving an award in her final year for her 'perseverance and diligence' ['Yass Courier', 24 December 1880, p. 2].
Bedellick Provisional School
Margaret's teaching career commenced with appointment to Bedellick in July 1883. The incumbent, George Read, however refused to relinquish his post, claiming he had not been notified of her appointment (notwithstanding the fact he had been asked to resign due to involvement in a divorce case). Margaret waited in Bedellick while she corresponded with education authorities about the situation, her father meanwhile visiting the school inspector in Yass in the hope of resolving things. She eventually took charge of Bedellick ten weeks after her appointment, this bureaucratic delay, which resulted in two teachers being paid for the same position, did not go unnoticed ('Red Tapeism', Yass Courier, 7 August 1883, p. 2).
The Bedellick school at that time was 'a slab and bark hut measuring only 17 x 10 & 7 ft in height'. It was in bad repair and had no water closets (toilets). In March 1884 approval was granted to widen the building and install WCs. The single tender from local Donald Murty was accepted, but as he could only begin after he finished ploughing, it took two months for the school improvements to be realised. When Margaret reported the work's satisfactory completion, she was questioned over extra tasks undertaken without authority, including installation of a window and the lining of slab joints. These extras brought the final cost to £1.4.6 over the original tender, and while a marginal amount, Margaret was criticised for acting without permission.
In late December 1884, after 15 months in charge of Bedellick, Margaret requested a week's sick leave to consult a doctor in Yass. A resident (Samuel Southwell) wrote a letter attesting to the veracity of her illness. This leave prevented Margaret from collecting the school fees and despite submitting an explanation to the Department of Instruction with an avowal to collect arrears on her return to duty, the district inspector was told to investigate if her illness was genuine, and he duly verified the situation. Unfortunately, Margaret's illness persisted and despite being on leave throughout January and February, she was unable to resume duty, eventually resigning on 9 March 1885 with permission 'to apply again for employment when her health admits it'. It was subsequently revealed that 'Miss Maggie Bell, aged 19 years, late school teacher' died from 'consumption' (tuberculosis) in October 1885 'at her mother's residence in O'Conneltown' ['Goulburn Evening Penny Post', 20 October 1885, p. 4].
[Biography prepared by Joanne Toohey, 2023. Sources consulted 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
- Bedellick
07/1883 - 03/1885