Gate, Eliza Jane
Family background
Eliza Jane Gate was born in 1873, third of ten children to Isaac Trimble Gate and Mary nee Smith. At the time of Eliza's birth, the Gates were living in 'Burrangong House', Young, where her father operated a drapery and clothing store. About ten years later the family moved to Sydney where, after completing her schooling, Eliza successfully applied to become a teacher.
Pupil Teacher: Crown Street & St Leonards Public Schools
In March 1891, Eliza commenced probation as Pupil Teacher at inner city Crown Street, her position being confirmed three months later with a report stating 'Miss Gate is energetic and anxious to be useful', and she was soon moved to St Leonards, closer to her family home. Over the next two years her training progressed on schedule until her studies were interrupted by sickness in the family and the ensuing death of her infant brother. After this she regained momentum, and by 1895 had been promoted to Pupil Teacher Class I, concurrent with a younger sister commencing as Pupil Teacher at nearby Greenwich. In 1896 Eliza was unsuccessful at an examination for admission to the Sydney Training School so remained at St Leonards as an 'Ex-Pupil Teacher' awaiting appointment to a small school. Her younger sister, meanwhile, left her training and married.
Williamsdale Provisional School
In December 1898 Eliza was appointed to Williamsdale, south of Queanbeyan. After six months she was authorised to have the school fence repaired to prevent cattle from destroying trees in the school ground. In August 1899 she reported that whooping cough had severely reduced attendance. Soon after this she travelled to Sydney to see a doctor about her own health, initially requiring two week's leave, which was then extended to eight weeks, for 'general poverty of blood'. During this absence, questions were raised over the viability of the Williamsdale school, so after regaining health, Eliza was allotted several short-term positions in succession: firstly, Stockyard Mountain (Shoalhaven district), then Argenton (Newcastle district), followed by Wallaringa (near Dungog), and Dunns Creek (Maitland district). In September 1900 she resigned, having completed 10 years' service.
Later life
A month later, Eliza married teacher Herbert W Yeates. For the next decade they lived in the Maitland and Newcastle areas where Herbert taught in large schools. He was then appointed to Boomi Public School near Mungindi, where their sixth child was born, and Eliza fulfilled 'sewing duty' at the school. By 1916, when Herbert was transferred to Elsmore Public School west of Glen Innes, special rules had been enacted to address teacher shortages caused by WWI, and Eliza successfully applied for the position of Assistant teacher at Elsmore. She gained similar employment at her husband's next school, Westdale, near Tamworth, where her temporary contract was regularly renewed, although not without self-advocacy, until 1928, bringing her overall teaching service to twenty years. Two years later, Herbert gained a metropolitan appointment so the family moved to Hurlstone Park in Sydney where Eliza lived until her death in 1952.
[Biography prepared by Joanne Toohey, 2025. Sources include NSW school teachers' rolls 1868-1908, NSW school and related records 1876-1979, historic newspapers and magazines, NSW births, deaths and marriages index, and 'Early Education and Schools in the Canberra Region', (1999) by Lyall Gillespie.]
Schools
- Williamsdale School
12/1898 - 12/1899