Dunn, Flora Australia
DUNN, Flora Australia
Family background
Flora Australia Dunn was born in 1879, the youngest of eight children to grazier and farmer Francis Dunn and Emily nee Fraser. Like her siblings, Flora was born on the family property, 'Mimosa Glen', and educated at Sutton Public School under charge of James Williams, whose successor, Thomas Lake, fruitfully tutored Flora and her brother William for the Department of Public Instruction examination in 1900. Flora then undertook three weeks' training at Queanbeyan Public School in preparation for appointment to a small school.
Gobarralong Provisional School
In March 1901 Flora, now 21, was employed on probation at Gobarralong, a small village on the Murrumbidgee River, at a salary of £72. Although posted to a relatively isolated location, Flora seems to have settled readily to her duties and became involved in the local community, playing tennis and attending fund-raising balls. In February 1902, with her appointment confirmed, she was granted a salary increase. Three months later, she held a school picnic on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, her 'untiring exertions' being much appreciated. When declining attendance forced Gobarralong's closure a year later, Flora's transfer was widely regretted: 'By the departure of Miss F. A. Dunn, Gobarralong loses a popular and highly-esteemed resident, while the youngsters lose a much-loved and painstaking teacher' ['Queanbeyan Observer', 14 April 1903, p. 2].
Mulligans Flat Provisional School
In March 1903 Flora was appointed to Mulligans Flat. A week after her commencement, the school inspector reported she was unpunctual, her governance was careless and the schoolroom 'most untidy'. In her defence, Flora enumerated the poor conditions she had inherited: a building with large cracks between slabs, torn wallpaper, broken window panes, and no water tank, which compelled her 'to carry water to scrub or wash the floor about ¼ mile'. Despite these inherent issues, she was told to 'remove the defects' or 'serious action will be recommended'. Not surprisingly, she submitted a list of necessary school repairs, which although quickly approved, took months to eventuate.
Notwithstanding her unfavourable start, Flora gained approval from the Mulligans Flat community. At the close of the 1903 school year, she held a school picnic with poetry recitation, prize giving, refreshments and foot races: an event seen as 'further cementing the good feeling already existing between the teacher and her pupils'. ['Goulburn Evening Penny Post', 24 December 1903, p. 4]. As in her previous position, Flora engaged in tennis and fund-raising activities. In June 1904 she sat a classification exam, and although unsuccessful, was a year later appointed to Freeman's Reach Public School as Assistant Teacher, where she taught almost three years until resigning on 31 March 1907.
Marriage
On 2 April 1907 Flora married Patrick Andrew Rolfe from Ginninderra, one of the sons of 'Gold Creek' station owner Edmund Rolfe, after teaching at Mulligan's Flat school 1903-1905. They then settled near the extended Rolfe family, and their four children were born. At the end of 1915, Flora moved to Sydney and applied for a position as Sewing Mistress within the Department of Public Instruction, explaining she required this employment to provide for her children - aged 18 months to 7 years - her husband being 'quite an invalid and unable to support me'. It appears that Patrick Rolfe was then an inmate of Bayview Asylum, a private psychiatric hospital in Sydney.
Return to teaching
In February 1916, having undergone a skills assessment of 'two class lessons under observation' with 'fair teaching ability', Flora was appointed temporary Sewing Mistress at Haberfield Public School on a salary of £110 p.a.. After four months and a good inspection report, her salary increased to £120, and she applied for permanency. A compulsory medical examination unfortunately revealed she had 'defective teeth' which required treatment over time. In December she passed a medical re-examination so her employment was made permanent and her salary rose to £132. Over the next two years, in addition to teaching, Flora completed a Dressmaking course to qualify for her teaching role.
By early 1918, Flora seemed settled in her employment and requested to remain in a city rather than country appointment due to 'family matters', her appeal successful, at least in the short term. Later that year, her husband's parents (Margaret and Edmund Rolfe) both died, with their son Patrick's exclusion from estate distributions implying estrangement from his extended family. (Patrick Rolfe does not appear to have had an active role in the lives of his wife or children after 1915). He eventually worked in Canberra as groundsman and general labourer, before ultimately moving to Brisbane, where he died in 1953. He and Flora's children, however, received a share of their grandfather's estate, to be put aside and invested, the income derived thereby directed to 'maintenance and education'. As 1919 unfolded, Flora's eldest son became critically ill so she likely put this bequest to immediate use. The boy was first treated for appendicitis, but his illness was later diagnosed as abdominal sarcoma, and he died in October 1919.
After a period of leave, Flora resumed work at Haberfield. A year later she was appointed to Cessnock Public School, now on an annual salary of £208. After 18 months at Cessnock, she returned to Sydney with an enhanced classification, gaining a position as Sewing Mistress at Newtown Public School. Over the next few years Flora experienced significant health issues: in 1924 she required a month's leave, suffering influenza, scabies, and laryngitis in succession; and in 1925 she had three months leave after a heart attack, and another two weeks for lumbago. Despite her health problems, Flora continued to work full time. In late 1925 her service was split across two schools and she sustained this arrangement of full-time work across two, and at times three city schools, for the next 16 years.
Later life
As she continued to teach into her fifties, Flora experienced regular illness including rheumatoid arthritis, lumbago and high blood pressure. At the same time, she managed to purchase two Sydney properties which she rented out. She eventually retired in May 1941, aged 61, having completed thirty-one years' service overall. Her ill health continued and she died less than a year later, leaving her children a sizable legacy due to her real estate ownership. Her 'outstanding public service' was acknowledged at her funeral, which was attended by Education Department representatives plus the NSW Premier and parliamentary ministers, out of respect for her brother William Fraser Dunn, a long-serving MLA. [Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, 15 October 1942, p. 8].
[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, probate documents, 'Early Education and Schools in the Canberra Region', (1999) by Lyall Gillespie; and 'William Fraser Dunn' (1877-1951), Australian Dictionary of Biography].
School Treat
The breaking-up for the holidays of the. Mulligan's Flat Provisional School was marked by a most pleasing little event in the shape of a picnic tendered by the teacher, Miss F. A. Dunn, assisted by a few neighbours, to her pupils and their parents. The early part of the afternoon was devoted to the distribution of prizes, the first dealt with being two beautiful and valuable book prizes presented by Mr. F. A. Moffatt, of Queanbeyan, to be awarded for best recitations by pupils 2nd and 3rd class respectively. In the 3rd class competition the prize was awarded to Master Harold Gillespie for his masterly rendition of Banjo Patterson's beautiful poem, 'Lost'. In the 2nd class the prize fell to the lot of Miss Mary Ryan for a most creditable rendition of 'I Remember.' Miss Dunn acted as judge in the competition, and her decisions appeared to give the highest satisfaction.
In connection with school duties beautiful book prizes were awarded by the teacher to Miss Mary Ryan for best attendance, and to Masters Harold Gillespie, Fred Butters, and Thos. Ryan for good conduct, best exercise book and general improvement respectively. When this part of the business had been disposed of all present were regaled with tea and dainty refreshments, of which there was an abundant supply.
The remainder of the afternoon was devoted to a programme of foot races, for which Miss Dunn had provided a good supply of suitable prizes, which were eagerly contested for by the delighted juveniles. The enjoyable little event will no doubt have the effect of still further cementing the good feeling already existing between the teacher and her pupils.
[Goulburn Evening Penny Post. Notes from Ginninderra, The Wizard. Thursday 24 December 1903].
Schools
- Mulligans Flat School
1903 - 1905