Category: Schools

Ruby Gledhill from Avoca: raising money for sick children

The Weekly Times “Young Folks” column was not merely a children’s page. Under the guidance of Uncle Ben and Aunt Connie, young readers across Victoria raised money for Melbourne’s Children’s Hospital. Their efforts were so successful that they endowed not one but two hospital cots. The first, “Uncle Ben’s Cot,” was established in 1893 when the children’s subscriptions reached £30. A second cot, “Aunt Connie’s Cot,” was endowed early the following year. Through collecting cards, small donations and regular fundraising, generations of readers helped support sick children in hospital while learning the value of charitable service.

(1894, February 3). Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic.), p. 9. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page23417887

The newspaper regularly reported on the cot and the children it helped. In June 1896 The Weekly Times had a feature article on The Children’s Hospital. The article mentioned the cot, supported by “the subscriptions of gentle-hearted, sympathetic little folks among the readers of this paper,” occupied a corner of the Elizabeth Ward and was continually in use. The article described eight-year-old Alfred Curtis, photographed in the Aunt Connie cot while receiving treatment for severe hip disease. 

Aunt Connie’s Cot at The Children’s Hospital
OUR ILLUSTRATIONS. (1896, June 6). Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic.), p. 10. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221205442

In 1898 Uncle Ben’s cot was renamed the Young Victoria cot. Aunt Connie’s cot was permanently endowed, over £500 having been raised over the previous 5 years.

Children who collected substantial amounts could receive certificates and other recognition. One of the highest honours was admission to the “Legion of Honor,” awarded to particularly successful collectors. The following letters from Ruby May Gledhill (1890-1947)l of Avoca show her enthusiasm for the scheme. Between 1899 and 1900 she raised more than £2 for the Cot, qualifying for a Legion of Honor certificate. 

Ruby’s letters also provide glimpses of everyday life in Avoca, including celebrations following the capture of General Cronje during the South African War, family events, school life and Sunday school picnics.

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL (1899, December 2). Weekly Times, p. 13. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222523725  

Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic.), Saturday 9 December 1899, page 13

Another Good Collection.-Avoca, 16th November, 1899.-Dear Aunt Connie, -I hope I have not kept my card too long, for I wanted to get it full. I am sending it back with the amount collected, L1 7s 2d. I hope in a short time to be able to collect a little more for the Cot, as mama says it is a good thing to do. Please publish the list of names. Dad is paying for the postal note. With love to Cousins Connie and Florrie, Uncle Ben and yourself, I remain your affectionate niece,-Ruby May Gledhill.

Weekly Times, Saturday 7 April 1900, page 14

Great Rejoicings. Faraday street, Avoca, 13th March, 1900, Dear Aunt Connie,-- it is a long time since I wrote to you. I was going to write when you and Uncle Ben went away for a holiday, and you said in "The Weekly Times" not to write till after a certain date. I now take great pleasure in writing, and thanking you and the secretary of the Hospital for the nice certificate I received at Christmas. We had a half-holiday at our school the day a wire came to Avoca stating that General Cronje had surrendered. We had such fun. There were flags flying all over Avoca, and we had a Union Jack. too. Is not the war terrible? I wish it were ended. Such a lot of brave men are getting killed; it is very sad. I had an uncle married last Thursday. I was at the wedding, and enjoyed myself very much, and now uncle and aunty have gone to Western Australia for two or three years. He had been away four years over there, and he came home at Christmas to see grandma and granddad, and has been with us ever since then, and now we miss him very much. Dear Aunt Connie,-- Would you send me another collecting card, that I can keep for a little while and collect with it in my spare time. Everything is so dry in this district. Rain is wanted badly. I passed when the inspector came to our school at Christmas, and now I am in the third class. With love to Cousins Connie, Florrie, and Uncle Ben, not forgetting yourself. I remain, your loving niece, Ruby May Gledhill.

Weekly Times, Saturday 15 December 1900, page 10

The Legion of Honor. Faraday street, Avoca. -Dear Aunt Connie, I am sending back my collecting card, with post office order for the amount, 16s. They are all little amounts, but ever so small I am sure it will be a help for the poor little children. We had our Sunday school picnic on the 9th of November. I won a wire skipping rope and my sister won a Star tea set. I am going to give my cousins a riddle:-

There is a grey goose
She is of a large size,
And those who would buy her
They need to be wise.
She has feet in her body
And walks upon none,
Goes far for her living.
And seldom comes home.

Am I entitled to a Legion of Honor Certificate? With love to Cousins Connie and Florrie, I remain your loving niece, Ruby May Gledhill. I am sending 6d in stamps for the Christmas Tree.
(As you collected L1 7s 2d on your former card, dear, you are, I am glad to say, entitled to a Legion of Honor card. Aunt Connie.]

Related posts

Wikitree: Ruby May Gledhill (1890-1947)

Note: I had to search for the answer to the riddle, it is a ship.

Avoca State School Number 4 history

From Vision and Realisation, A Centenary History of State Education in Victoria, Education Department of Victoria 1973, Vol 2: 4 Avoca (page 611) 

At least two schools privately conducted one by Methodists and one by the Church of England-functioned in Avoca as early as 1855. Records vaguely show that a school with some sort of connection with the Government existed in 1856 with George Cook as HT. The first schoolhouse, 20ftx12ftx10ft, was built by Cook at his own expense, of wood and canvas with a slab front, and heated by a stove in winter. In July 1856, a letter to Government bodies requested removal of this school to another goldfield because of the departure of diggers to Dunolly and Mt Ararat fields, and because those who remained 'are drowned out of their holes with water and as a natural consequence those who would send children to school have not the means and will to send them'. On 22nd of December 1854, the sum of £90 17s, collected in the Avoca area, was forwarded to the Secretary of the National Board of Education, towards the establishment of a Government school in Avoca. In 1856 the tender of Johnstone and Steele for the erection of a school building 35ftx20ft, with porch, was accepted, and by 27th of February 1857 the Avoca National School was completed at a cost of £363 8s. The school remained unused until the first teacher, J.L. Willox, arrived from Forest Creek about 15th of June 1857. A total of 33 children (18 boys, 15 girls) were on the roll at 31st of October 1857. By 1867 up to 125 children at times crowded the schoolroom and a letter requesting increased accommodation stated that on hot days 'the atmosphere in the school-room is in the highest degree pestiferous and unwholesome'. This building was eventually sold to the Church of England for use as a parish hall for the nominal price of £5 for the building and £51 for the land, and in 1969 a class of children again used one of the rooms of this building as a temporary classroom. It is now being used as a pre-school centre.

However it was not till 1878 that the present school building was completed, the initial enrolment being approximately 250 pupils. Apart from subdivision of two large rooms in 1910, and the addition of porches, a veranda and other minor alterations, it has remained in its original imposing form to this day, to serve the educational needs of the community. Additional land has recently been acquired to extend the play areas and an enthusiastic and hardworking Committee and a small group of parents have provided extensive grassed play areas and sealed sections in an attractive setting of trees, shrubs and garden beds that would equal those of any school of comparable size in the State, this work was recognised by the awarding of the ANA Prize for 1969. Enrolment in 1970 was 160 pupils. Staffing was C.J. Tepper, Principal, assistants Mrs P. Murrell, Miss G. Mcllroy, C. Fisher, Mrs B. Duncan and Mrs A. Cheeseman.
Avoca school Public Record Office Victoria Photographs Of State School Buildings In Victoria
VPRS 1396 P0000 Volume No 3 image 1

Back to Avoca, December 1950. (1950). The Avoca Town Improvement Fund Committee. Pages 10-11

PROGRESS OF STATE EDUCATION IN AVOCA

By Miss A. M. SCHMIDT

January, 1878, marked the commencement of the free State education in Avoca, the initial enrolment being about 250. The present brick building, No. 4, with its slate roof and stately gables, pays silent tribute to the masterly workmanship of the early pioneers.

Other than the subdivision, in 1910, of two large class rooms and the addition of a cloakroom and verandah, together with lighting improvements, this imposing structure remains in its original form, and no doubt will serve many generations to come, so solid is its make up.

It's No. 4 But Not the Fourth School

No. 4! Yes, but we must not be misled. It was not the fourth school to be built in Victoria. To begin with, schools were not numbered. When the schools began to increase to about 100 odd, the authorities arranged the names alphabetically. Thus Alberton is No. 1. (No. 2 ceases to exist.) No. 3 Allansford, No. 4 Avoca, etc. The A's. went to about 20, then the B's. continued into the sixties and so on. Nevertheless Avoca can claim to be within the first 100 schools.

About 1924, Higher Elementary classes were formed and continued to function till 1927. When Avoca wished to build a Higher Elementary School, the nearness to Maryborough with its added facilities for Secondary and Technical Education proved detrimental to our cause and in 1927 the Secondary Classes were terminated.

It was then brought home to the Avoca people the necessity of higher education. How were they to obtain it? This led to deputations to Government representatives and consequently, in 1927, the Government subsidised a bus to Maryborough. This service began with 16 children, costing 13/ per head-parents paid 6/6 and the Education Department paid 6/6 subsidy. Mr. E. Taylor conducted this service for 12 years-at that time only 12 children travelled daily. In 1939 Mr. H. Powers, the present proprietor, took over the contract.

In 1944 the Government went a step further and free buses were instituted and the numbers went up to 34. This service still continues and is available to all children after they complete a satisfactory course up to Grade 6 standard. So popular is this service that today there are two buses-one commencing at Amphitheatre-conveying 68 children to Maryborough -32 children to Technical School, 31 to High School and five to Convent School.

Now that the Department has acquired 13 acres of land to build a Consolidated School, we hope that the time is not far distant when children from the outlying districts may be able to partake of a fuller education, for the present boys and girls are the future men and women of Australia. Advance Australia Fair!
From Back to Avoca 1950 page 8

Percydale School 1042

From Vision and Realisation, A Centenary History of State Education in Victoria, Education Department of Victoria 1973, Vol 2: 1042 Percydale (pages 724-5)

Early in 1869 William Sutcliff, on behalf of eighteen parents with 32 school age children, sought aid for a proposed school in the Parish of Yehrip at Fiddler's Creek. The Committee, which consisted of J. Dowe, T. Ward, C. Ebeling, J. McMahon, W. Harris, E. Townsend, W. Sutcliff, had collected £31 5s 6d 'towards the cost'. DI Elkington [District Inspector of Schools] reported on 16th of March 1869 and recommended aid. Meanwhile the Committee erected a wooden building 30ftx18ft, with a shingle roof and deal floor at a cost of £102 12s (with furniture). Mrs Caroline Morman conducted a private school in this building during 1869 when the a.a. [average attendance] was about 40. She unsuccessfully claimed salary from the Board from 1st of January 1869. DI Bolam [District Inspector of Schools] again recommended aid in March 1870. The Board granted aid on 31st of August, salary to be paid from 1st of January 1870. The Committee appointed Elijah Gilsenan as master in November 1869. The 2 acre site for a school Allotment 2, Section 9 - was gazetted on 13th of June 1873. By January, however, the NE [net enrolment] had reached 113 and the Wesleyan Chapel next door had to be leased for 5s a week. In 1874 an old residence built by the teacher was bought by the Department for £9. A 30ft x 18ft addition to the school built by Whitty & Co. for £279 10s 3d was completed by October 1877 and a 4 room wooden residence, built by Chas Ludbrook of Ballarat for £280, completed in 1877. In the 1890s the school building also housed the post office and the Registry of Births and Deaths, apparently under the charge of the HT. P.J. Haly was the Correspondent of the 1911 Committee. The school closed officially on 26th of February 1942.

Percydale State School flag in the collection of the Avoca and District Historical Society; donated by the estate of Dorothy Turpin.

Wikitree:

Letters from Maurice Leyden Percydale in 1900

In May 1900 a letter from eleven year old Maurice Leyden of Percydale appeared in the “Young Folks” pages of Melbourne’s Weekly Times. The Young Folks was a feature which first appeared in  1883. Originally a children’s column published alongside the newspaper’s Ladies’ Column, Young Folks offered stories and reading matter for younger readers.

A major change came in December 1892 when the newspaper announced a competition for original compositions by children under fourteen. When the competition commenced in the Christmas issue, the editors introduced a new figure, “Uncle Ben”, to receive the entries. Rather than writing to the formidable newspaper editor, children were invited to correspond with “that kind-hearted old gentleman” and to tell him about their adventures, pets, holidays, and everyday lives. Aunt Connie joined the enterprise a few months later.

The idea proved remarkably successful. Over the following decades thousands of children from farms, mining settlements, and country towns wrote to Aunt Connie and Uncle Ben. Their letters created a unique record of childhood in rural Australia. 

Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic.), Saturday 12 May 1900, page 13

Fond of Shooting. — Percydale, April 18, 1900. — Dear Uncle Ben, — This is the first time I have written to you, and I hope that you will accept me as one of your nephews. I have two brothers, and their names are Phil and George. I have a foal, a ferret and a dog. We have three cows, and I have to feed them every morning and evening. I have about two miles to walk to school. I am eleven years old, and am in the sixth class. We are to be examined in May. We got 95 per cent. last year, and wish to reach the 100 this year. Our teacher is Miss Brown. Percydale is a pretty little place, being situated at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains. I have a pea rifle, and I often go out shooting. We have had some nice rains, which have made the grass spring up. All the farmers have put their crops in, and they are expecting a better harvest than last year. Would you please send me a collecting card, and I will try and help the poor little children. With love to Cousins Florrie and Connie, not forgetting yourself, I remain your affectionate nephew, — Maurice Leyden. (We are glad to add you to our large family circle, Maurice, and hope you will write again, after a time. Aunt Connie will send a card. — Uncle Ben.)

Maurice wrote again later in the year:

Weekly Times, Saturday 15 September 1900, page 8 

Ferreting for Rabbits. — Percydale, 23rd August.— Dear-Aunt Connie,— I am returning my collecting card with the amount collected 15s 6d. I have kept my card to the limit of the time, three months I was out ferreting to-day and I got six rabbits. I put a net on a very old burrow, and put in the ferret, but I really never thought that a rabbit was in the burrow. After the ferret had been in for about a minute, I heard a rumbling noise in the burrow, and the next moment a black rabbit jumped into the net. I took it home to try and tame it, but it got out of its hutch and ran away. My brother Phil has a pet goat, and also a cart, which the goat draws We have three cows and three calves. I have five rabbit traps and I often set them, but I never get more than four rabbits at a time from them. When I am out ferreting and do not put a net on every opening of the burrow, my dog reminds me of that fact by barking violently up the burrow without a net. Dear Aunt Connie,— as it getting late in the afternoon, and as I have to go for the cows, I will conclude with love. I remain your affectionate nephew, Maurice Leyden.

Wikitree:

Arbor Day

The first Arbor Day in Australia took place in Adelaide, South Australia in June 1889. It followed the American tradition established in Nebraska in 1872. Victoria first held Arbor Day in 1890.

In January 1890 Baron von Mueller, the Victorian government botanist, gave an address to the Australasian Science Association of which he was president elect. In his speech he mentioned Arbor Day:

“The annual “arbor day,” let us trust, will become universal as a legitimate holiday, to which will be looked forward with delight, particularly by the juveniles, who with a life of hope before them can await results from pleasurable action and intelligent forethought. Celebrations like these are not without a lesson to the whole community. The increment to the wood estate of Victoria would be now already 200,000 trees annually if some slight tending followed the impulse of planting.”

In that year, 1890, three miles of avenues in Victoria Park in Ballarat were planned to be planted to celebrate the Queen’s Birthday, 24 May, for Arbor Day. Otherwise preparations were made to celebrate Arbor Day on 21 June. Mr Perrin, Conservator of Forests, hoped 40,000 trees would be planted in the drier areas of Victoria.

I am not sure if the Avoca district participated in that first Arbor Day. However, by 1906 Arbor Day was celebrated in Percydale and by schools at Homebush and Avoca among others.

In April 1906 under Horticultural Notes the Leader (Melbourne, Vic) announced:

Mr. A. Sublet, head teacher, State school, Percydale, via Avoca, states that he is willing to forward wattle seed (black and golden wattle) to teachers, on receipt of a stamped envelope

In June 1906 many Victorian newspapers reported on Arbor Day at Percydale including The Argus and The Ballarat Star of 19 June 1906:

The Director of Education states that Arbor Day celebrations in connection with the State schools are now in full swing, a different day being observed in each district, in order to facilitate the despatch of trees from the State nursery. Amongst the various reports received on the subject from State school teachers is one from Mr Sublet, head teacher of the Percydale school He reports that on Arbor Day there, 60 loads of soil were deposited on the school gardens, and large number of visitors and scholars were kept busy. Previous to Arbor Day, the Percydale school nursery supplied 52 schools with acacia seed, and has also sent trees to schools at Homebush, Dunack, Rathscar, Carisbrook, Red Bank, Avoca, Kimberley, and Timor West

Lower Homebush No. 2258 – Arbour Day
Early twentieth century about 1905-1915

Wikitree: Albert Sublet (1871-1958) : teacher at Percydale school 1042 from 1901 to 1908.

More Homebush school reminiscences in “The Age”

The letter by John Bullock about school days in Homebush prompted several other letters.

Letter from E. Scott.

Age (Melbourne, Vic.), Wednesday 20 January 1937, page 15

LOWER HOMEBUSH.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE AGE.
Sir. As a past scholar of Lower Homebush State school, I would like to write a few lines about my school and all friends I left behind. The teachers I remember are Harry Carter, Adam Long, P. J. Smith, J. E. Flynn, Mr. G. Wilkins. Miss Perrett, Miss Swain. I was thrilled when I read Mr. J. Bullock's letter. I know all the folks he spoke about. I wonder if he remembers the racehorses Lower Homebush possessed-Clarcus, Pompey, Jimmy. Catchpole, also Garry Brown. They were not exactly champions, but always finished well. Nob Douglas, the fighter, the Homebush Field Artillery Band was not so bad. I am not likely to forget the grand parties they used to give old Mr. Plowright, who used to drive us to the railway station. He always made Mary McDonald sing Ben Bolt for him. I would love to have a reunion of all Upper and Lower Homebush people. I hope some more folks from Lower Homebush will write a few lines thanking "The Age" for the good work it is doing re the schools. Yours, &c., E. SCOTT. Richmond.

I am not certain who E Scott was and nor it seems were his or her contemporaries as a follow up letter was published on 29 May 1937:

Homebush Lower.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE AGE.
Sir,— A letter signed E. Scott (Richmond), which appeared In your paper on Wednesday, 20th January, has us all wondering who he or she is. Our names are at the foot of this letter. We know the names of all the teachers mentioned at Homebush Lower State school.---Yours, &c.
HOMEBUSH LR. PAST SCHOLARS.

[Update: a comment on this post, see below, suggests the author was Emma “Edna” Scott (1908-1987)]

Letter from William Andrew Tulloch (1867-1942)

Age, Saturday 6 March 1937, page 9

Timor, Homebush and Avoca.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE AGE.-
Sir, — Though far away for some years, I still have found great pleasure in reading Old Victorian Schooldays. It has been a very popular column, and I think must have brought about many renewals of old friendships. I have just been reading a copy of 21st November. 1936 and I find there mention of three schools which I attended — Timor, Homebush and Avoca. As a very small boy I went to a school in Timor, [.. Timor section removed for brevity]. After leaving Timor I went to Homebush. Mr. Appleton conducted the school there, assisted by Mr. S. J. Rutter, Miss Opie and George McKinnon as assistant. After a time Mr. Appleton was transferred, and Mr. Murphy, a trainee from Melbourne Training College, took charge as a relief master. He was fine with the boys. Before he arrived the boys had a consultation in the playground, and decided that as we had had an easy time up to now, we would not submit to being caned by the new master. All went well for the first few days; then one of the boys got stuck with a problem, and called "Sam," meaning Mr. Rutter. Mr. Murphy was close by, and heard the call. He came over to our class, and gave us a lecture on showing respect to our teachers, and threatened punishment to any who should call out that way again. Only a few days later the same boy acted in the same way again, and Mr. Murphy again heard him. He called out to him to stand out in front of the class. Joe did not move and, after waiting quite a while. Mr. Murphy called out again, and reminded him that he had now called twice. Still Joe sat very tight. We boys were all keyed up, waiting to see what would happen. At last Mr. Murphy got his cane from his desk and stood in front of the boy. He said; " Joe, are you coming out?" Joe was depending on us boys to help, so he said. -No.' and before the word was properly out, Mr. Murphy had caught him bv the collar, lifted him over the desk, and had put him across his knee. Poor Joe ! We boys were afraid to move. Mr. Murphy was "boss," and needed no more to use the cane. After him came Mr. Porter. He was a harmless gentle man, so easy with the cane that the boys used to, qualify for the "cuts" just for the fun of holding up work for a time.
On one occasion a lot of boys were going home from school, when they fell in with a party of girls going the same way. The girls all had long hair hanging down, and the boys got handfuls of bidi bidi and stuck it in their hair. Next day we were all called out. There were three boys from one family. On looking over the names, Mr. Porter remarked: "Three Chesterfields. How many are there of you ?" One of the boys promptly answered "Seven," cor responding to the Seven Devils, and they went by that name for years. When we arrived at Homebush school we were not allowed to play cricket, because Miss Appleton had at one time been struck by a ball in the playground. Wc asked permission from the head, but he said he would confiscate our bats and balls if we attempted it. However, we got over that by arranging with an old man living close by to take charge of our gear. We played every day. After some time the head relented, and we were allowed to play. At Homebush we had the best cricket team in the Maryborough or Avoca district. We also had a foottball team equal to any, and we had a brass band. The miners at Homebush were mostly Cornishmen, and they were fond of sport. They got a pack of beagle hounds, and these were kept by the different families, a few here and a few there. We boys sometimes got a turpentine rag and trailed it round the town for an hour or more, each boy taking the rag through his home or through any other he could get to. Then we would go round and at a given signal, loose the hounds and set them on the trail. They could be heard five miles away when in full cry. The Cornish miners were a musical lot, and the men, coming off shift at 12 o'clock at night, would sometimes sit on a log and sing till daylight. "Nancy Lee" was one of the favorites. I notice by the same paper that Jack Redpath writes of Avoca. I went to Kirkwood's Grammar School at Avoca [ ... Avoca section removed for brevity]. School in our days was not as easy as it is to-day, but I am sure we got more real fun out of it.
And now, though separated by hundreds of miles distance and years ot time, in reading such articles as you have been presenting to us, we get the enjoyment over again and pass it on to our families. Please accept my warmest thanks to those who have written such interesting lettters, and to your good paper for printing them. — Yours. &c..
W. A. TULLOCH.
Auckland, N.Z.

Minnie Jones (1875-1945) of Glen Huntly followed up with a letter published Saturday 3 April 1937:

Lower Homebush.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE AGE.
Sir,— Like E. Scott, I have been very interested in the Old Victorian School days columns in your paper. I was among the first scholars when Mr. Carter and Miss Williams opened the school. Other teachers were Helsby Twist, Ted Smith, Mr. Hessell, Mr. Cullen and Mr. Fricker. The scholars I rcmomber are the Bassetts, Hartys, Gruntys, Lockwoods, Pipers, Delworths, Larsens, Graves, Maggie O'Riely, Teenie Brown, Bertie Duke, Ethel Kost, Katie Levi, Jack Skewes, Will Rotalick, Sutherlands, Dalys, Trounsons, Billy Scott and his brother. Waughs, Bloxhams. Randles, Gilletts, Campbells, Nicholls, Pitchers, Blanches, Homes, Chesterfield, Jones, McCarthys, Tulloch, Catchpole, BradIey, Grose, Smith (three families), Hutchinson, Littles, Hartleys, Tresize (two families), Templeton, Hartigans, Barry, Harris, Waters, Cummings (two families), Hayes, Cross, Richardsons, Douglas, Hartigan, Nicholson, Rowlands (two families), Dalleys, McEwans, Mary Ann Browning, Calcott, Boughton, McDonalds, Kennedy, Bradleys, Ida and Will Bullock, Squires. There may have been others. I have forgotten. Who remembers old Antonio, Billie the Drummer, Cranby Frank, Bob Sturgeon and Bill Smith ? Wherever the old boys and girls are scattered, they will never forget those boys. Thanking you again for the pleasure your paper has given to so many. — Yours, &c., Glen Huntly. MINNIE JONES.

Bert Catchpole, Herbert John Catchpole (1875-1959), wrote from Western Australia. His letter was published Saturday 10 April 1937:

Lower Homebush.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE AGE,
Sir,-A cutting of your paper with no date line has been sent to me, and it interests me very much. It was & Victorian Schooldays letter, signed E. Scott (Richmond) concerning the Lower Homebush School, of which I was a scholar.
I would be very pleased if I could get hold of Jim Bullock's letter, which Scott mentions. I knew the horses well, as named by Scott, as two of them belonged to my father. Only a few years ago I took a "Tatts" ticket in the name of "Pompey," and was lucky enough to get third prize.
I know all the head teachers well up to 1895, when I came to this country. A reunion of Upper and Lower Homebush scholars would give me the greatest pleasure in life. If some of my old school mates would like to drop a line I would only be too pleased to hear from them. I have only met two in this country Joe (Darkey) Waters and Charlie Little. - Yours, &c.,
H. J. CATCHPOLE (Bert).
Broad Arrow, West Australia.

A letter from Florence Grace (Calaby) Ure-Taylor (1876-1951) was published Saturday 3 July 1937

Upper Homebush,
TO THE EDITOR OF THE AGE.
Sir, — I have been very Interested in the "Old Victorian School Days" columns in your paper, and as I read of Lower Homebush, written by Miss Minnie Jones, of Glen Huntly, on Saturday, 3rd April, I thought perhaps you might welcome a contribution about Upper Homebush, where I was born and went to school along with the following scholars whom I will mention later. My first teacher was Miss Jervis, then Miss Williams, and then came the teacher whom "Avoca Lead" wrote about being very harsh with the senior scholars, Mr. John Porter (also called "Specy" on account of his wearing glasses). Strange to say, the name followed him to Upper Homebush. His wife was our sewing mistress, a small, gentle lady, very clever, who taught us to make our own school frocks. It is only four years ago that she passed to a higher life at Buninyong. Her son, Mr. Alfred Porter, was also a teacher in the lower forms, and as for Mr. John Porter being harsh, we all thought he was very lenient, especially after a teacher named Mr. Philpot. I have heard my elder brothers talk about the way the latter used to punish them by making them bend over a desk and (whack !) hard down came the cane half a dozen times. They had to take their meals off the mantel piece for the next few days. Mr. Porter was transferred to Durham Lead, near Buninyong. We then had a lady teacher named Miss Opie, whom we all loved. She used to ride her chestnut pony out from Avoca every morning. I am sure that at times we were very troublesome, but she always won us over with gentle, loving kindness, and it is only a few months ago that she passed away to a higher life as Mrs. J. W. Field. We also had a singing master, Mr. Gilbert, who used to come out from Avoca twice a week. Now, the scholars I remember were the Plowrights, Bloxhams, Burns, Raws, Enderbys, Horleys, Craigies, Bullocks, Summers, Hughes, McKinnons, Thomp sons, Lardners, Fitches, Delimas, Shields, McCombs, Coglans, Camerons, Kernicks, Quinlans, Haines, Squires, Burkinshaws, Hamiltons, Panganettes, Miles Rutters, Kerrs, Kofoeds, Templetons, Calabys and Horns. There may have been others who I have forgotten. There were the Debenhams and Mr. Cardew, the local preacher, and Chris Gill, who came from England. All lived at Upper Homebush, together with such old identities as "Jimmy Govett," Peter Frome, "Jacky Wheat," Jimmy Swayne ("the old snob"), Black Bob and old Everell Mullholland, who was very deaf, and had a beautiful black mare called "Bessie." Many a ride he used to give to us children. I am sure that wherever the old boys and girls are scattered they will never forget the happy time we all spent at Upper Homebush. Thanking you once again for the pleasure your paper has given to so many. May I say in closing that my late father, Mr. Henry Calaby, was a daily subscriber to "The Age" as far back as I can remember. I am 62 years old, and am still taking it. —
Yours, &c., F. URE TAYLOR (Flo Calaby before marriage). Ballarat.

Lower Homebush School #2258 (1880-1967)

From Vision and Realisation, A Centenary History of State Education in Victoria, Education Department of Victoria 1973, Vol 2: 2258 Lower Homebush (p.822)

Lower Homebush was a bustling settlement on an alluvial goldfield about 6 miles to the NE of Avoca. In March 1878 William Campbell and others urged the establishment of a school for the large number of children. A hardwood building, 30ft x 13ft, but unlined, unceiled and without a floor, was purchased from William Burhlert for £30 and moved to a site on crown land that had been gazetted as a school reserve on Jan. 23, 1880. William Bennett carried out its removal, re-erection and renovation for £69 16s. This building was almost immediately overcrowded and a church hall, 44ft x 24ft, was leased from the Union Church in 1881 for £38 p.a. and used an adjunct. Within months the adjunct too was overcrowded, and children under 6 and over 13 were excluded. In 1882, when the enrollment was 183 and the *a. a. as high as 112, the Department provided a third building- a portable with quarters-which was erected beside the building purchased from William Burhlert. On the occasion of the inspectors visit in 1882 175 children attended.

Residents thought the makeshift building unworthy of their prosperous township and gained Board of Advice support when they urged erection of a permanent and substantial building. In 1887 a handsome new school was erected at an estimated cost of £1,360. It consisted of two rooms of brick-50ft x 20ft and 20ft x 20ft. The old hardwood building was left as a shelter-shed and the portable removed elsewhere. As with many goldfields schools the *a. a. soon fell rapidly: by 1903 there was only 40. The two small classrooms were now unused and HT J. T. Hynes sought permission to convert them into a residence, at his own expense. His proposal was approved but the project apparently proved beyond his means. He appears to have dismantled the galleries and used the timber as partitions in the classrooms. The name of the school was changed to Homebush in 1919, but the Lower was restored in 1951. This school was unstaffed in 1962 and finally closed on Aug. 10, 1967.

* a. a. - stands for average attendence

 

Lower Homebush State School #2258- Ring a Rosy
Lower Homebush School photographed some time between 1910 and 1920. In the back row are Laura Squires, Charlotte and George Wilkins. Laura Squires was sewing mistress from 1910 to 1920. In 1925 Laura married George Wilkins after Charlotte’s death.

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The games they played in the 1870s and 80s

John Bullock mentions several games in his 1937 letter reminiscing about his school days in the 1870s and early 1880s: egg cap, leap frog, fly the garter, fox and hounds, marbles (span hole and ring), saddle-my-nag and peg top.

The egg cap game

How the Game Works

  • Set Up: Players place their caps in a row on the ground.
  • The Throw: One player (often chosen by a rhyme or draw) takes an egg and tries to throw it directly into one of the caps.
  • The Chase: If the egg lands in a player’s cap, that player must scramble to grab the egg, while all the other players quickly run away to avoid being hit.
  • The Target: The owner of the cap holding the egg must chase the fleeing players and try to strike (or “tag”) one of them with the egg
A game of egg cap
Painting auctioned by Christies in 2003

Leap frog

The Boys Book of Sports and Games by “Uncle John”, published before 1889, describes the game of leapfrog as follows

This game will be best understood by supposing that eight boys are playing at it: seven of them stand in a row, about eighteen feet apart, with their sides to the leapers, hands on their knees, body doubled, and head bent down. The eighth player then takes a short run, and, placing his hands on the back of the first player, leaps over him, then over the second, and, in like manner, over all the other players, one after the other; he then places himself down in the line, in the proper position, and at the right distance from the last player; the first over whom he jumped, rises immediately he has passed, and follows him over the second, third, &c., who all rise in succession, and leap in their turn; and after they have successively jumped over the last players, they place themselves down in the line, as before described; and the game continues. Some players stand with their backs to the leapers, instead of their sides; the mode is optional, although in some places it is usual to compel those who can jump over the head, to do so.
Children playing leapfrog in Pieter Bruegel‘s Children’s Games (1560)

Fly the garter

From Indoor and Outdoor Gymnastic Games (1913) by Albert Meader Chesley

The person to be jumped over moves by degrees farther and farther from the point where the jump begins. A line is drawn (sometimes called the "Garter") to mark where the jump begins, and whoever steps on it must take the place of the player leaped over. After the players in turn have leaped, the last cries "Foot and a Half!" and the player who is making the back thereupon places his right heel in the hollow of his left foot, advances the latter so that its hollow covers his right toe and then brings up his right foot to its original position. The players then leap again, always beginning at the "Garter," after which the back advances again in like manner, and the game goes on until some one treads on the "Garter" or fails in leaping. The unsuccessful one then makes a back and another game begins.

Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW), Wednesday 4 December 1912, page 2

Fly the Garter.
A lad belonging to The King's School, John Black (son of Mr. J Black, of "The Argus" staff), had the bad fortune last week to fracture one of the bones in his right fore-arm whilst playing "fly." "Fly," It may be explained for the benefit of the ladies and the rest of the uninitiated, is a short name for "Fly the garter," a game in which fellows jump, from a regulated distance, over the backs of others, whilst the latter are bending in a stooping position. It is to leap-frog what chess perhaps is to dominoes. Young Black was progressing as well as possible when interviewed as to his "honorable scars."

60 Indoor Games For Scouts (1932) gives the following instructions:

Draw a chalk line. One boy makes a back. All go over. Last boy over registers his landing place, and the boy who goes down moves on to that mark. All take off now from chalk line and go clean over. Last boy registers his mark, the boy who is down moves out to it, and the next time round the order is – one step and over.

Fox and hounds

The Scouts in the UK have the following game:

Select 1 hound and the rest are foxes. Their scarves are tucked into the pack of their shorts/trousers and is their 'tail'. It is the hound's job is to chase the foxes and remove their tails, at which point they become hounds. This is until there is one fox left who wins, and becomes the hound in the next round of the game

Marbles (span hole and ring)

A classic marbles game is described at The Vintage Toy Box blog: Marbles (4 Jan 2025).

... you need to knock your smaller marbles (ducks) out of the ring with your larger shooter marble by flicking it with your thumb (the knuckledown slingshot) without fudging or fouling the shot. If you manage to knock any marbles out of the ring, keep the marbles and add them to your pile. The winner at the end of the game is the one that has the most marbles.


Span hole might be what we called ‘follows’. There’s no ring. You follow–pursue–your opponent’s marble across any bit–span?–of ground. Hit him three times and the marble is yours.

Game of Marbles by Karl Witkowski (1860-1910)

Saddle-my-nag

Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium ny Jessie H. Bancroft (1922), pages 171-2, describes the game as follows

This is a game of leapfrog. The players are divided into equal parties, with a chief for each. One of the chiefs stands with his back to a wall or fence, and all of his party bend their backs as for leapfrog, the first with his head against the chief, and the others, one behind the other, in a line stretching out in front of him. Each player in the line braces his shoulder against the stooping player next in front, or each may grasp the forward player around the waist. The heads should all be turned to the same side. One of the opposite side then leaps on the back of the player farthest from the wall, and tries to make his way over the backs of the entire line to the chief to "crown" him; that is, to place his hand on his head. The players who are making "backs" try in every way, without rising to a standing position, to throw this player off and so prevent his crowning their chief. Each player of the "out" side tries in turn to crown the chief. Should they be unsuccessful the sides change. If one or more players succeed in crowning the chief, each successful player has a second chance before the sides change. The side that succeeds in oftenest crowning its opponent's chief wins the game. The limit of the game is usually placed at six trials for each side.

Peg top

The game is described by Stephanie Ann Farra in her blog World Turn’d Upside Down: Colonial games: How to play Peg-Farthing (February 2011). 

Peg-farthing, peg-top, or "ring" is played on a flat surface on which a circle is drawn about a yard in diameter. Another circle is drawn around this one for the players to stand on. A farthing (coin) or other flat marker is placed in the center of the circle. A string is wound around a wooden top and pulled quickly to propel the top to spin on its own. Players start their top at the coin and try to get their top out of the circle by spinning it. If a top spins out of the circle, the owner can pick it up.

While the first person's top is within the circle (spinning or stopped,) the other players take turns to throw the pegs of their own tops at the top in the circle in an attempt to hit the top out of the circle or to "split" the top--separate the top and its peg. The player who successfully does this gets to keep the peg of the other player's top. The point of the game is to get as many pegs as you can.

After one round of throwing, if no one successfully "splits" the top, another player releases his top into the circle to be pegged at also. If all of the tops are "dead" in the circle, the first person removes his top and starts the game again.

It was written that the tops infequently "split" but it never stopped boys from trying. Most boys tried to hit their own top out of the circle to prevent it from being broken by another player.

Wikitree:

Letter writer: Richard “John” James Bullock (1869-1946) 

Reminiscences of Upper Homebush School in the 1870s

In the 1930s the Melbourne Age newspaper published many letters concerning old school days. The correspondence series began in 1934 as “Re-Living the Early Days” but in 1935 letters and reminiscensces by past scholars were separated out as a new series on “Old Victorian Schooldays”. One of these letters concerned the school at Upper Homebush by J. Bullock, Richard “John” James Bullock (1869-1946).

Age, Saturday 21 November 1936, page 10

Chinaman's Flat.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE AGE
SIR — As past scholars, our best thanks are due to you for space granted for these letters. It is remarkable how the old school days revival does stir up memories of bygone days and make us eager to open the Saturday issue.
My earliest or first school dates back to Chinaman's Flat, later named Timor and now Bowen Vale. Mr. O'Brien, H.M: Mrs. O'B. in charge of juniors; also Miss Williamson. The school was held in the Mechanics' Hall, alongside of James Gray's Hotel, where a monkey was tied up by a chain under the verandah, and caused us great amusement during lunch hour. The mines were Magnum Bonum, Band of Hope Junction and Grand Duke, and they provided great interest to us boys. I remember Mr. Macugh, the hotelkeeper, who suffered from his name. When one boy would say, near him, "What does the cat say," always came the chorus "Meeow!" drawn out, and he would charge and scatter us. The hot pie man was another character. He used to peddle his basket on his head me the main street, with the cry, "Pies, all ‘ot!” As we walked behind him we would sat, "What did you choke your mother  ??? and the unwitting answer to ??? be, "Pies. all 'ot." I remember the Lauders, Groses, Morgan, Gough, Ken. Gowrie, Jack Bunny, Hornsbys, Dubergs, Jack Charley, Marleys, Bodys, Wilks and Carolans.
Alma to us was out of bounds ??? to old shafts from the diggings and dangerous, but sly visits of adventure were paid now and again. I lived between Miss Phillips' private school and the primitive Methodist church. From here we removed to Homebush (near Avoca), and settled midway between Upper and Lower Homebush, on Engine Drivers' Hill.
I attended Upper H. School, 1 1/2 mile away, near railway. Mr. H. Porter, H.T., wore spectacles, and was nicknamed "Spessie." Other teachers were Sam Rutter and Miss Opie, who came from Avoca per horse, side saddie. Mackinnon had the P. office. My school mates were the Lardners, Fitches, Conroys, Shaws, Trounsons, Shiels, Craigies, Endersbys, Dalys, Skewes, Plowrights, Tullocks and Campbells. Going home from school we would let the rope go from the windlass on to the Chinamen working down the shaft, and hear them cry out, "Whafor?" Mining was booming then also, but too far away.
From Homebush we went to Carisbrook, and my final school. Mr. H. Bielby was H.T., and other teachers were his daughter, Isabella, and son, Will, W. C. Waite, Miss Cambridge, Lal Sweet and Lucy West. The school was well conducted, and very pleasant. I remember Mr. Foster, drawing master, and Mr. Ruxton, singing master, with his songs, Little Brown Jug, Some Folks Get Grey Hairs and Melbourne's Burning, &c. He used to pass along the forms as we warbled with his ear close to us, and he said to me once, "Your voice is cracked." I never attempted to sing again at school. But all was pleasant until exam time, and we lived in awe of the inspector, Mr. Phipp, who was a big man, with the thickest boot soles we had even seen. Our games were egg cap, leap frog, fly the garter, fox and hounds, marbles (span hole and ring), saddle-my-nag and peg top. I was a member of the drum and fife band, just formed. The teachers made our uniforms-sailor suits, with light blue collars. A rifle club was formed, and H.T. used to take us to Timor to the butts. It was thrilling to 115 boys. I remember the Kittos-Will, author of those local letters, and cricketer against two English elevens; Jim late Federal Deputy P.M.G.), and Broadcasting Commission: Ted (late railways); the Walters and Hockings, two families, Bill, Jacob and Mary; Alice and Sarah Birket, Arthur and George Seymour, Sam Cole, Paul Williams. Jack Linton. Stove Aston, Jim Cook, Frickes (Alf, Charley and Fred), Whites, Whitmores. Penningtons, Jim and Amy Blackburn, Dan and Rees Williams, Doss Armstrong. Landrigans, Kinniburgs, Bucknalls, Hearses, Sam Miller (uncle of Bobby Lewis), М. J. Polson (of Winooka fame), Robinsons and Annie Medcraft. It is good to revive their names again. Mr. Fred Fricke (Country Roads Board) was a member and captain of our drum and fife band. He played a piccolo. I would be pleased to see a reunion of Carisbrookites-Yours, &c.,
J. BULLOCK.
Coburg.

Wikitree:

Letter writer: Richard “John” James Bullock (1869-1946) 

Teachers of Homebush State School 1579 mentioned

Homebush families mentioned: 

Homebush school #1579 (1861-1908)

The rise and decline of Homebush and Lower Homebush can be seen in the history of its schools. In 1861 a Church of England school opened, with classes held in a rented building. Over the next two decades the number of students increased to more than two hundred and two more schools were built, one at Homebush, with another, even bigger, at Lower Homebush – the Lower Homebush Primary School.

State school 1579 Homebush developed from No. 316 Homebush, which was a non-vested Church of England school opened on 1st of October 1861 with Mrs Isabella Reynard as head teacher.

Public Record Office Victoria VPRS 13579/P0001, Teacher Record No. 1601-1900A page 142

The school had been built by public subscription and was a weatherboard building with iron roof and hardwood floor. It had been ‘originally an old store’. It stood on 1 acre (Allotment 25) and was also used for religious purposes.

In 1873, 99 children were enrolled, and the average attendance was 60. This building was leased by the Department (probably from January 1874) for £1 5s Od a month, until the new brick 50ft x 18ft building with porches at each end, was erected on the new 5 acre site chosen by DI Bolam (District Inspector of Schools). This site was part of Section 3 plus Allotment 22.

Homebush Township Plan, Imperial measure 5384 from the Public Record Office Victoria
The green arrows show the locations of the school

The new Homebush School opened on 1st of June 1875 with Arthur Appleton and his staff of 2, all from No. 316 which was then struck off.

Homebush school 1579
Group of school children in front of small brick school with gabled roof: Sign on school wall reads: State School 1579
L. Lang and Son, photographer. Date [ca. 1870-ca. 1900]
from State Library of Victoria Identifier(s) H2005.34/1723
The hairstyles and clothing of the older girls suggest this photo was taken probably not long after the school had opened.

While at Homebush 1579 Arthur Appleton was assessed as an intelligent and zealous teacher, his discipline was excellent, his records were satisfactory.

In 1877 a teacher’s timber residence of 4 rooms was built for £232. Rent was £16 p.a.

In 1879 sometimes as many as 140 pupils were present, but by 1894 the NE (net enrolment) had fallen to 32, and by 1903 to 18.

The school closed in 1904 and then reopened in January 1905 half-time with Lamplough. In 1908 the net enrolment fell to 12, and SS1579 closed on 8th of October 1908.

From Vision and Realisation, A Centenary History of State Education in Victoria, Education Department of Victoria 1973, Vol 2: 1579 Homebush (p.777)

Between 1879 and 1882 Elizabeth Jane Opie, later Mrs Field, taught at Homebush 1579. She received complimentary reports about her teaching: she was reported as teaching well, she kept her class in good order and attention; her infants class was well managed; she was a good disciplinarian.

Miss Elizabeth Jane Opie teacher record, extract for school 1579
Public Record Office Victoria VPRS 13579/P0001, Teacher Record No. 4601-4900A image 62

John Porter was the teacher at Homebush 1579 from 10 April 1880 to 1884. The inspector’s report of 1880 said of Porter:

A very fair teacher, & works hard, weak as  an organiser & as a disciplinarian is so inefficient that I doubt his ability to carry  on a school of this size successfully.

A photo of the school was featured in the 2022 Victorian Government short film Shaping our past: school inspectors in Victoria

Clara Smith, Eva Squires, Pearl Burkinshaw, Nell Shields [Shiell?}
Homebush State School #1579 1903

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