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Brook, Miss Elizabeth

Family background

Elizabeth Brook was born in Yass in 1864, second of thirteen children to William Brook and Hannah nee Campbell. The family moved to Queanbeyan in 1866 where her father established a successful saddlery business. Elizabeth and her siblings were educated at Queanbeyan Public School, which moved several times due to increasing enrolments until a building able to accommodate 200 pupils opened in 1877. About this time Elizabeth applied for a position as pupil teacher, but in the absence of a vacancy stayed on at Queanbeyan school, assisting and training in an unofficial capacity. In 1881, aged 18, she applied to become teacher of a small school with a testimonial stating she could 'teach, and discipline a class, well' and had 'perfect knowledge' of school records. Elizabeth was soon appointed to Majura Provisional, the first of three positions she held in the Queanbeyan district.

Majura Provisional School

Elizabeth commenced duty at Majura in late November 1881, the fourth teacher since the school's opening. She taught there just over a year, her only request to the Department being for return of the certificates for Junior University and Pupil Teacher examinations that she had submitted with her initial application. Her teaching proficiency was presumably judged adequate as she was subsequently nominated as inaugural teacher at Googong Provisional.

Googong Provisional School

Elizabeth took charge at Googong in January 1883 in a slab building rented by the Department, the expected attendance of 25 pupils initially reduced by heavy rain. Attendances soon improved, prompting a proposal to convert Googong to a Public School but this was withdrawn a short time later as a mistake in attendance records was discovered. The Googong school continued to thrive nonethless and the community's appreciation of Elizabeth's endeavours were evident at the school anniversary picnic in February 1884 where she was congratulated 'upon her success, and ... diligent teaching.' A few months later her classification was raised by examination, and a year later, now aged 22, she was promoted to Canberra Public School, then located at Springbank where she served until March 1890.

Canberra Public School

When Elizabeth entered on duty at Canberra Public on 14 Oct 1885, she applied for an allowance of '£5/- per week for Rent of Lodgings, exclusive of Board', a claim that should have been granted automatically, but as often happened, required self-advocacy. In July 1888 she requested four weeks leave due to an injured foot, her convalescence seemingly spent at her family home in Queanbeyan where most of her siblings lived, including 18-year-old Sarah, a Pupil Teacher at Queanbeyan Public. Once recovered, Elizabeth returned to duty at Canberra. In April 1889 she reported she was 'unable to hold school ... owing to the School House undergoing repair', receiving a curt response from the district inspector who asked about the nature of repairs, the authority, and why they were carried out on a school day. Eventually Elizabeth gained approval for the closure of the rented building as she explained the work was initiated by the owner who had a duty to maintain the school in good repair.

A few months later Elizabeth's actions were again questioned when defects in school management were identified at regular inspection. Her explanation of these shortcomings was regarded as unsatisfactory and she was informed 'that better results must be shown at next inspection'. Although Elizabeth did not attribute the deficiencies to ill health, she soon after applied for three month's leave, stating she had experienced several months of 'such ill-health ... I feel it impossible for me to make any further struggle to carry on any work', her ailment perhaps intensified by her mother's recent death. Elizabeth, who had now completed nine year's teaching service, was granted extended leave, the first month on full salary, the second on half pay, and nothing thereafter. She temporarily relinquished charge of Canberra, but after two months tendered her resignation on the understanding she might apply for reappointment when her health was restored.

Parkes and Euabalong Public Schools

Elizabeth returned to teaching in October 1890, being appointed to Parkes Public which was staffed by a headmaster, Assistant Teacher and two pupil teachers. Elizabeth, as Assistant Teacher, received a slightly lower salary than in her previous position, a fact she highlighted in an application for travel expenses. Although seemingly restored to health, within six months she had a week's leave 'in consequence of having undergone an operation'. She returned to teaching until abruptly informed in 1892 that she was to exchange positions with the teacher at Euabalong near Condobolin, who was regarded as more able than Elizabeth to instruct Pupil Teachers in French. When Elizabeth's request to stay at Parkes was denied, her one consolation in the transfer was a slight increase in salary. Her time at Euabalong was short-lived, however, as she applied to resign effective 30 June 1892.

Later life

Soon after resigning Elizabeth married Forbes publican John Henry Dutton. The birth places of their five children indicate they lived initially in Forbes, then moved to Sydney around 1900 as her husband became licensee of an inner-city hotel. They eventually settled in Glebe where they ran a boarding house for many years. Elizabeth died in Glebe in 1949, aged 83, and was buried in Rookwood Catholic Cemetery.

[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', by Lyall Gillespie (1999), and 'Biographical Register of Canberra and Queanbeyan 1820-1930, compiled and edited by Peter Procter (2001).]

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