O'Connor, Bedelia
Bedelia O'Connor was born in Ireland, c1855, where she attended a National School and lived with her parents until she was 18, then travelled to Australia.
Burrowa Flat Provisional School
In August 1874, she was recognised as inaugural teacher at Burrowa Flat, her Catholicism a likely factor as the school was 'erected through the exertions of the priests of the district' on 'ground given for Catholic school purposes'. Within two years attendances were sufficient to raise it to Public School status but the Catholic community resisted the conversion because it would make non-denominational Scripture lessons mandatory.
In February 1877, now 22, Bedelia resigned for the purpose of training for a better position, her application supported by a testimonial from Burrowa's Catholic priest. She undertook three months training at St Clements Church of England School, Yass, receiving an allowance of £12 on the condition she accepted a country appointment. At the end of the training, she was farewelled by the Burrowa community and presented with an inscribed gold watch ['Yass Courier', 18 May 1877, p. 2].
Cunningar Public School
In July 1877 Bedelia was appointed to Cunningar despite the School Board preferring a male teacher. The Board advised her to have an 'aged female companion' live with her, but she instead engaged a brother and sister, aged 17 and 19. In addition to school duties, she was given charge of the town's postal affairs, despite her concern about handling 'valuable letters', and unsurprisingly relinquished the duty after six months. Around the same time, she had problems communicating with the School Board, particularly in bringing attention to the need for repairs. Despite such challenges, she passed a promotion exam within her first year at Cunningar but an attendance issue, apparently due to harvesting and sore eyes, prevented her receiving a pay increase. Although attendances improved as these causes abated, local displeasure over her resignation from postal responsibilities resulted in several children being withdrawn.
Ginninderra Public School
In June 1878 Bedelia was appointed to Ginninderra on an annual salary of £108. The school was then operating from the Ginninderra Catholic Church (St Francis) and by mid-1880, with attendances above 25, Bedelia was granted rental allowance in the absence of a teacher's residence. While her initial years at Ginninderra seem to have been unproblematic, in July 1880 she was reproved for not having a record of school fees on hand at inspection, and asked 'to show cause why she should not be dismissed'. Fortunately, after offering an apology, she received a caution rather than dismissal.
By 1881, the practice of granting rent allowance to single female teachers was discontinued. Bedelia was also denied repayment for the fuel she bought to heat the school during winter. The news later that year of a plan for a new schoolhouse and residence was therefore likely welcome, but before it could be enacted, the Catholic Church advised it required the current schoolroom to be 'fitted out' for church use, after which they would lease it to the Department for £1/week. This amount was seen as excessive, so, as there was no other building available, a 17 ft x 14 ft tent was ordered, with Bedelia expected to arrange removal of school property.
The school tent was soon erected, and a floor, fence and two WCs constructed. Before long, parents complained about the tent, and Bedelia requested removal for the sake of her health. There were reduced attendances as parents were unwilling to send their children 'to be perished with the cold', and moreover 'Miss O'Connor – through teaching in the tent ... was so seriously attacked with inflammation of the lungs, that ... her life was despaired of', ['Yass Courier', 7 July 1882, p. 2]. She was subsequently transferred.
Tipperary Gully Public School
Bedelia's next appointment was Tipperary Gully near Young, where she entered duty mid-July 1882, after leave to 'repair her health'. She was accommodated in a four-room teacher's residence and, as attendances steadily increased, she successfully petitioned for the school's ranking to be increased. After three trouble-free years, she heard that she might be transferred to make the residence available to a married male teacher, so she gave reasons why she should be allowed to remain. While her appeal was temporarily successful, at the end of 1885 her position was granted to a married man and she was relocated.
Wambanumba Public School
Bedelia's next appointment was to Wambanumba (also in the Young district), where the only lodging was at the public-house. After two months she asked unsuccessfully to be reinstated to Tipperary Gully, and soon took leave 'on account of indisposition'. Surprisingly, as she resumed duty, she declared the climate suited her and asked to remain, eventually staying five years. During this time, she managed her school duties largely without issue, until poor health forced her to resign in April 1890, stating she would apply for re-employment when her health was restored.
Yarrawah Public School
Bedelia returned to teaching nearly a year later, being appointed to Yarrawah, in the Southern Highlands, a cold locality where she was granted an allowance for winter fuel. Within four months she applied for removal to a higher-class school, stating that most parents were 'hostile' and 'indifferent to their children's regularity or punctuality' and a year later, she received a position in Sydney.
Forest Lodge Public School
After a short appointment at Annandale, Bedelia gained a position in the Infants department of Forest Lodge, which she held for the next eight years, seemingly adjusting to the challenges of inner-city schools. In May 1900, she took a year's leave on half pay, as permitted for teachers of 20 or more years' service, advising that she would be 'absent from the colony'. A year later she retired, having fulfilled 27 years' service overall. Details of her later life are 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.]
Schools
- Ginninderra School
06/1878 - 07/1882