Wilson, Eliza
Trinity Church of England School
Eliza Wilson commenced her teaching career in 1870, aged 16, as Pupil Teacher in a school associated with Holy Trinity Church (the Garrison Church), in Fort Street, Sydney. After only a year of training she took a position as teacher of a small school, perhaps prompted by financial need.
Molong Public School
In May 1871 she was provisionally appointed assistant at Molong, which had 95 pupils enrolled, on an annual salary of £48. A description of her as a 'highly educated and well-trained young lady' with competent music skills, preceded her arrival ['Australian Town and Country Journal', (Sydney), 6 May 1871, p. 7]. A year later, her musical proficiency was noted at a concert, where the children's singing 'reflected great credit on their painstaking teachers ... Mr Patterson (Head Teacher) and Miss Wilson', ['Evening News' (Sydney), 27 July 1872, p. 7]. Despite her apparently positive experience at Molong, in early 1873 Eliza resigned from teaching.
Eling Forest Public School
In July 1873 Eliza returned to teaching, with a temporary appointment to Eling Forest in the Southern Highlands. At inspection three months later there were 33 students receiving her 'methodical and diligent' instruction, despite the dilapidated state of the small stone schoolroom and residence. After six months Eliza was transferred.
Greenwell Point Provisional School
In 1874 Eliza was moved to Greenwell Point, a steamer stopping place on the Crookhaven River, where she seems to have settled without issue, achieving a classification through examination at the end of the year. Her request to attend another exam two years later was denied however, as the local inspector stated 'I do not consider the value of Miss Wilson's work of late such as to warrant her admission to examination for promotion'.
By 1878, attendance at Greenwell Point had increased sufficiently to gain Public School status. As a consequence, Eliza's appointment reverted to temporary until she passed an exam at the end of the year. She then began to campaign for a position nearer Sydney, her stated reasons being: five years' service at Greenwell Point; to be nearer her mother; and to avoid the discomfort of 'having to live in a house by myself and go to an Hotel every day for my meals'. Although rejecting these reasons, the inspector endorsed her request, noting 'the interests of the place would be better served by... a married couple', this statement likely prompted by complaints about Eliza's school management, and associated threats to withdraw children unless a male teacher was appointed.
Despite the inspector's endorsement, and further requests from Eliza for removal, she was obliged to stay another three years at Greenwell Point. During this time there were more complaints and several students were withdrawn, although she seems to have gained acceptance in the wider community through her musical performances, ['Shoalhaven Telegraph', 8 June 1882, p. 2]. In her eighth year at Greenwell Point, Eliza was reproved for weak school management and poor student attainment. She was also reprimanded for negligence with school records which prompted a recommendation to move her to a 'lower class school as soon as practicable'. She remained in her position nonetheless until the end of 1882 when she resigned temporarily.
Run of Water Provisional School [later known as Waterland, and then Yarra]
After a seven-month hiatus, Eliza returned to teaching with appointment to Run-of-Water, where in contrast to Greenwell Point, the community preferred a female teacher. The school, which was reopening after 2½ years in abeyance, was run from a local residence, and while 'fairly sufficient' in terms of furniture, lacked a fireplace, although a fire was supposedly lit in a nearby room. Within six months, construction of a new school building commenced, which was likely well-received by Eliza, however she was soon under scrutiny for failing to maintain her teaching programmes. Unfortunately, she does not seem to have been able to address this or other shortcomings in her school management, and after two years at Run of Water, and 15 years' service overall, she was dismissed for inefficiency. Eliza's final day of duty, per official notification, was 27 July 1885. Her later life is unknown.
[Biography prepared by Joanne Toohey, 2024. 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.]
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Schools
- Yarra
08/1883 - 07/1885