Williams (nee Whyte), Mrs Elizabeth ('Lizzie')
As the extract below relates, Lizzie Whyte arrived in Sydney from Ireland in October 1879. Six weeks after arriving she attempted but failed an examination for admission to the Sydney Teacher Training School. In August 1880 she applied for employment in a small school stating 'I was a Monitress for nearly 6 years under the National Board, Ireland and hold a Certificate in which I am classed II'. A month later she was suggested for Sutton Provisional school where Francis Williams (blacksmith) and his wife Margaret, had agreed to lodge a teacher 'on condition a Protestant would be sent', which was satisfied by Lizzie's Presbyterian background.
Lizzie commenced duty in October 1880 with an expected average attendance of 15 pupils. Lessons were conducted in an old Wesleyan chapel, rented by Francis Williams for £1 per year. By August 1881 the school had an average attendance of 25 - sufficient to raise its status - and construction of a weatherboard schoolroom and adjoining teacher's residence was recommended. Lizzie, although unclassified, was given temporary charge when Sutton was converted to a Public School, the inspector recognising her as 'one of the most deserving Provisional School Teachers in the district'.
It would be another eighteen months before construction of the school building and residence began. Meantime Lizzie gained a Class IIIC teaching classification by examination while enduring the leaking roof and overall deterioration of the rented school building. As preparations for the new school started in April 1883, the Sutton parents hastily informed the Department the contractor had not followed the Clerk of Works' site markings but had instead pegged out a spot 'on the lowest and wettest part'. Urgent action rectified this misunderstanding, and the school and residence were ready for occupation in October 1883, concurrent with Lizzie's marriage to James Williams, son of Francis and Margaret Williams.
Lizzie continued in charge of Sutton after her marriage but in August 1884 requested permission for her husband James to take temporary charge due to her approaching 'accouchement'. James, who had been educated at Canberra Public School by James Abernethy, was at that time employed on his father's farm. When Lizzie returned to duty after a month's leave, James undertook training at Queanbeyan to be certified to teach in a small school. This led rather resourcefully to Lizzie's resignation from Sutton in June 1885 'conditional on her husband being appointed thereto'.
James Williams oversaw Sutton school for the next decade, gradually improving his classification, while Lizzie raised their children and taught needlework to female pupils as expected of teachers' wives. In May 1889, Lizzie took on full teaching duties for a week while James undertook military training in Sydney as a member of the NSW Mounted Infantry Queanbeyan Corps. In 1891, falling numbers at Sutton reduced James' salary. By this time, he and Lizzie had six children and he requested transfer to a larger school, matching his classification, to increase his income. This took a few years to eventuate but in 1894 James was appointed to Collector Public School, and he, Lizzie and the children left Sutton. After ten years at Collector, James was appointed to Amaroo (near Molong) where the family settled until his retirement in 1920, then moved to Sydney. James died less than a year later, while Lizzie lived until 1933. At least two of their children became teachers.
[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].
Edited extract from McNeill, A, and Walker, A. 2019. Sutton Stories. In the words of locals. 150 years 1867-2017. Sutton and District Community Association. p.28 :
After the departure of Joseph Edgar in 1877, there was no teacher for three years.
'...community action resulted in a public meetings at Francis William's home. The meeting resulted in a letter being sent to the Council of Education requesting a public school for some 35 children who were not receiving any education. The community had repaired the Chapel in anticipation of the school reopening. In October 1880 'Lizzie' Whyte was appointed and started teaching at the Sutton Provisional school.
The first woman in the post, Lizzie Whyte was born in Ireland. She departed Plymouth on 4th September 1879 on the steamship 'Strathleven' carrying 153 single women, paying a fare of ₤14/12/6. She arrived in Sydney on 27th October 1879 and was listed as a female servant who could read and write, and a Presbyterian. After arriving in Sutton and being appointed teacher at the school, Lizzie married James Williams, son of Francis Williams, at St Lukes church, Upper Gundaroo. James and Lizzie had six children.
She was twenty there years old and had only been in the colony for six months when appointed. She was a competent teacher and enrolments continued to increase. Sutton became a Public School on 22nd November 1881........The building was an urgent problem; the old Chapel was in constant need of substantial repair, but Departmental funds for maintenance were not available. It was not, after all, a public building. However, correspondence initiated by Francis Williams led to a new building being erected near the Chapel.
The family moved to Collector in 1894. She died in 1933 at the age seventy-eight and is buried at Rowes Hill Church of England cemetery, Lower Mittagong.
Schools
- Sutton Public School
10/1880 - 07/1885