WATTLE HILL SCHOOLHOUSE & HALL
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Title
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WATTLE HILL SCHOOLHOUSE & HALL
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Address
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680 Nugent Road Wattle Hill 7172
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Biographical Text
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From "KNOW TASMANIA" The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) 3 September 1929: 3.:
"As disclosed by old records in the Education Department, an application from Dr. Blyth, then Warden of Sorell, was received on September 9, 1865, for assistance towards the establishment of a school at Ironstone Rivulet, afterwards called Wattle Hill, the great number of wattles growing there suggesting the name. Evidently the request was not favourably considered, for in October of the following year Dr. Blyth informed the department that he had £100 in hand, and urged that some action be taken in the immediate erection of a school. Messrs. Bartholomew Reardon, Ephraim Newitt, Edward Green, Jonas Gatehouse, James Hayton, and others subscribed towards the fund, and on November 14, 1867, a cheque was forwarded by the residents through Mr. R. Crocker for the above amount. On September 9, 1868, the tender from a Mr. Wiggins to erect the building for £360 was accepted, the site being on land donated by the late Mr. John Walker, about four miles from Sorell, on the Sorell-Nugent road. The school is still in good condition, being a substantial edifice of brick.
On June 1, 1869, the Wattle Hill State School was opened, with Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Edgar in charge. In 1875 they were succeeded by Mr. J. J. Low and Miss Low, and in 1877 Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Hayes took up the duties of the school. Senator J. B. Hayes, Messrs. W. A. T. (Aubrey) and H. E. Hayes, and Mrs. Ernest A. Eddington are four of their family. In 1880 Mr. and Mrs. Edward Burton were appointed as teachers there, followed by Mr. D. A. Cole in 1883, Mrs. McCabe in 1887, Miss Walker in 1889, Miss Blackett in 1891, Mr. R. Judd in 1894, Mr. W. H. Wheeler in 1896, and Mr. H. W. Wells in 1897. Miss F. M. White is the present teacher."
Sorell Heritage Study 1996 - WATTLE HILL SCHOOLHOUSE & HALL