By P.A. Haslam
Publication unknown and date of publication unknown.
The School complex at Morisset may not be as old as some educational establishments in the southern part of Lake Macquarie, but it has at least maintained a certain family tradition for almost 80 years.
Descendants of at least three families which provided the original scholars in 1891 have ensured an unbroken link, even to the fifth generation.
Two of the families have flourished and spread to many places throughout Lake Macquarie, their names being well known in the communities in which they have settled.
But School records available also show another interesting aspect of early settlement; just how many families migrate to other areas, leaving little or no trace.
For example, the original enrolment at Morisset Public School came from the children of seven families.
Of these, only three remain in the Morisset-Dora Creek district. There could be descendants elsewhere in Lake Macquarie, but inquiries and research were not productive.
A school at Morisset became necessary when a railway station was established there after the opening of the Sydney to Newcastle railway line.
Licensed Surveyor, Percy Cowley, marked out two acres of land for a school and an adjoining 3½ acres for a school paddock. The land was thinly timbered with gum, oak, mahogany and bloodwood trees.
On October 7, 1887, the surveyor reported; “Morisset is a village divided by the Homebush – Waratah railway and situated midway between Newcastle and Gosford, places about 52 miles apart”
“It is the nearest station for the trade of Cooranbong district and is certain to become populous and important. A school site is needed. That selected is elevated, central, accessible and suitable for building purposes”.
About this time there was a successful land sale at Morisset and people, mainly fettlers and timer mill workers, began to settle there.
An application for a school in August 1888 was refused on the ground that the small number of children available would not warrant its establishment.
On May 10, 1890 the Stationmaster (Mr. G.H. Manson) renewed the application of his predecessor to have a public school established at Morisset. He said 14 boys and 22 girls of school age were living within two miles of the preposed school.
Their names were: Annie Wellings, James Wellings, Isabel Wellings, Clara Wellings, Lily Wellings, Agnes Wellings, Edith Wellings,
Frederick Day, Austral Day Neva Day, Nada Day, Harry Day, Nora Day,
William Slater, Ester Slater, Bella Slater,
Frederick Stead, Lizzie Stead, Mary Stead,
John Hockings, Alice Hockings, Dorothy Hockings, Sarah Hockings, Willie Hockings,
Edward Parker, Arthur Parker, Louisa Parker, Albert Parker, Clara Parker,
Darcy Gambrill, George Gambrill, Ruby Gambrill and Pearl Gambrill.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
(a line missed from the photocopy. From another transcription: (Mr. Inspector McCormack reported on the application))
mentioning that Morisset was an important railway station 26 miles south of Newcastle.
The surrounding land, divided into small allotments, had been “very successfully sold by the Government”.
He said a large timber trade was carried on and the locality had a population of 80, and was almost certain to draw to it many people from near places such as Cooranbong and Newport.
He agreed that 36 children of school age lived within two miles of Morisset but 14 of these lived but one mile from Newport Public School (non-vested).
He added: “They are children of fettlers and to reach Newport thy must either cross the side Dora Creek in a boat which they are without, or trespass on the railway line and bridge, which by public notice is forbidden.
“A suitable site of 5½ acres for the proposed school has been secured”
After the application was approved on June 12, 1890, tenders were called to erect a one-room school and adjoining residence designed by the government Architect, Mr. William E. Kemp.
Mr. Robert A. O’Leary successfully tendered for the work and declined to proceed because of “strike troubles”
This sort of trouble was by no means uncommon those days, even in what were predominantly rural areas.
As the iron rail pushed forward into these outlying communities, so also did the growing militancy of some working groups travel in the same direction.
Tenders were again called, and a Mr. Thomas Smith gained a £900 contract to erect a brick school, four room residence, plus kitchen and pantry. The school was completed on July 3 1891.
On August 4, Mr. John Roach was transferred from the public school at Barnsley to take charge of the new school at Morisset.
He was disconcerted to find that his salary, which had already been reduced because of decreased attendances at Barnsley following the opening of West Wallsend Public School, had been further cut at Morisset. He complained to the Department of Public Instruction that “my salary will not pay for food for my family”
His plea succeeded, for his salary was restored according to his classification.
He opened the school with six pupils, and the enrolment rose to 29 by the end of the year.
In 1894 Mr. Roach attributed his failure at inspection to the fact that most of the children had suffered from influenza and that the school population consisted mainly of “entirely new children”.
By April, 1897, the average attendance had risen to 40, and the school was graded as seventh-class, resulting in the teacher getting a salary rise.
But in December, 1898 – a dry season – the school experienced an acute water shortage. Relief in the form of a 600-gallon tank was provided.
Since Mr. Roach did not have the classification required for a sixth-class school, he …………………………
(more lines missing. From another transcription: (was transferred in 1899. In that year the average attendance was 54 pupils. Mr. A.J. Dransfield succeeded him. In October 1900 Mr. Dransfield made a re-)
-quest for a pupil teacher. Miss Minnie Butler, appointed in 1901, suffered repeatedly from bronchitis.
On March 21, 1904, the school reserve of 3¾ acres was permanently dedicated to public school purposes. The whole area was fenced in to contain horses ridden by children from homes up to five miles away.
A room was added to the residence and the school was repainted that year by Mr. R. O’Leary, of Cooranbong. In September, 1904, Mr Thomas McManus accepted appointment to the school.
He too had a successful tilt at the department over removal expenses. He wrote:
- “Referring to my removal from Delegate in Morisset. It might be well to acquaint the department with hardships and privations which teachers and their families have to undergo and the losses sustained when travelling long distances.
- I have suffered an irreparable loss in being obliged to sell all my furniture and household effects at a great sacrifice.
- I brought only a case of books and two bales of bedding with me, in addition to ordinary luggage, so the expense in freight is very small.
- The coach in which I travelled broke down at Bibbenluke between Bombala and Cooma.
- I was obliged to leave my bedding behind and was transferred to another coach to catch the train to Cooma and thus avoid expense.
- In consequence of having no bedding when I arrived at Morisset, I was obliged to sign at the local hotel for a week at lodgings and camped at the school for meals.
- I hope the department will deal liberally in granting perhaps something more that the actual expenses for the loss I have sustained”
The department assessed Mr. McManus’s losses in kind and otherwise at £42/2/- and it was not recorded whether this amount satisfied.
He continued at the school till his death in June, 1908 and was replaced by Mr. Frederick L Breakwell.
On January 5, 1901, the school, Church of England, Mullard’s sawmill, School of Arts and several cottages were saved from a “raging bushfire” by the heroic efforts of James, Thomas and George Wellings, Thomas Clark, Thomas Field, H.B. Mullard, Walter Mullard and the teacher.
A record of the event mentioned that “their conspicuous bravery in protecting property was acknowledged by the department”.
In august 1911, approval was given to have a provisional school at Morisset East to serve children of hospital employees. It was built in 1913 on portion of the hospital estate, Grace Nolan was teacher.
In 1915 following the closure of Mandalong Public School, a conveyance subsidy was authorised for 16 children who enrolled at Morisset School. Some children from Morisset East School attended Morisset School during their teacher’s protracted illness, which caused the school to be closed in 1917.
In 1915 Morisset School had……………………………………………………………………………………
(more missing lines from the text)
19ft. The new room was not completed till 1916.
At this time the playground was improved by the introduction of gymnastic equipment and an enclosed flower and vegetable garden to aid nature study.
Miss Zella Lonsdale was appointed assistant teacher in 1925.
The new Headmaster (Mr. Charles Manuel) complained that Morisset was a “dusty and dirty” place, with temperatures exceeding the century for more than a month.
He deplored the absence of fly screens on the residence and complained that as previous teachers had commuted to school the residence had been allowed to fall into disrepair.
Moreover, it was situated only 60ft from two large mills “where bullock teams are constantly hauling logs to the mill, and clouds of dust make the residence one of the dirtiest parts of the town. Smoke from the factory blows right through the dwelling”
Mr. Manuel also recorded that his family was often disturbed by rowdiness issuing from a corrugated iron dance hall built 40 feet from the residence.
After one dance the lawn was strewn with empty beer bottles. But his complaints failed to reduce the rent assessment for the residence.
In 1926, Miss Simpson was appointed assistant at the school and two years later an extra classroom was built for the infants’ section.
Succeeding assistants include Miss Spence (1928), Miss Irene McHugh (1929), Miss O. Elam (1930), Miss Beryl Stinson (1913) and Miss Mary Walsh (1932).
Throughout the 1930s the residence was plagued by white ant infestations.
In October, 1952, seven new classrooms including manual arts and home science homes, were opened at a cost of £6,500.
This was the development of the central school at Morisset, which was replaced by a new modern high school in the same grounds a few years ago.
The Library in the primary school was used as a classroom more than 60 years ago.
………………..(there could still be missing text on this photocopied document)
In addition to this article there is another small inclusion on this page.
Newport, though on the 1841 map of Lake Macquarie, is now just a name in history – a history that had its colourful and, at times, somewhat doubtful periods.
It was the subject of land speculation in 1841, when some owners used enticing advertisements to attract buyers in Newcastle and Sydney Town, without success.
It was mainly a farming area, believed to be part of the large Eraring estate granted to Lieutenant P. Simpson, who sold it to clear debts.
Few living people remember it was Newport Township, but one is a pioneer of that area. Mr. C. Taylor, of Eraring, who recalls when it was Newport, then changed to Doree for a relatively brief period, and finally to Dora Creek.
Thanks goes out to Dawn Gambrill for the article and Gay Eunson for the Transcription.
