Albion Park Public School

DESCRIPTION

NameAlbion Park Public SchoolTypeBuildingSchoolGeolocation^[1] Last edited by: Will Chittick

AddressTongarra Road, Albion ParkDescriptionIn 1871, the people of Albion Park held a public meeting expressing the need for a school in Albion Park Township.

Mr. Richard Padlar Ball, pioneer settler and farmer of Albion Park and Alderman of the Shellharbour Municipal Council, Mr. David Aitken, publican of The Albion Hotel, and Mr. James Grey, Storekeeper of Terry Street, forwarded a signed request to the Council of Education.

Permission was granted and a committee was formed consisting of Mr. Gabriel Timbs 1st, Mr. James Grey and Mr. Richard Padlar Ball.

A 1¼ acre site was purchased from Mr. J. Duffin in 1871 by the Council of Education for £21.5.0. The site was portion of Samuel Terry’s estates purchased by William Haslam who sold it to Duncan Beatson in 1863 and transferred to James Duffin in 1866.

A timber framed weatherboard school was erected by Joseph Staff in 1872 on the western side of Terry Street (vicinity of the now known Russell Street). The cost was £265 of which £75.10.0 was contributed by the residents as required by the Council of Education as a bond of good faith. A school house was built adjacent to the school. (Deeds research LTO Tongarra Heritage Society Inc.)

The school opened on 8th July 1872, some 250 persons including neighbouring towns attended. Mr. William Crawford was appointed the first teacher who had transferred from the Peterborough School at Dunmore. (Town at the Crossroads-Stan Thomas).

Little is known what happened to the Albion Park School in Terry Street which was falling into disrepair, although the adjacent school residence survived until 2002.

In 1891 a decision was made to purchase land for a new public school in Albion Park, on a 4 acre site purchased from Mrs. Esther Matilda Hosking Hughes Taylor of the Taylor Estate at a cost of £500.00, situated on Tongarra Road. Esther was a descendant of Samuel Terry, whose nephew John Terry Hughes inherited the Samuel Terry’s Estate of Albion Park. The brick school and teacher’s residence was built by Dawes Bros. and completed by the end of 1892 at a total cost of £1,550.00.

The school was officially opened by Mr. F. B. Suttor, Minister for Public Instruction on 31st January 1893. Mr. John Rooney was the teacher, transferring from the Terry Street school site.

Mr. Rooney continued until 1897 until succeeded by Mr. John Evans.

The Albion Park Public School has survived together with the School Master’s residence. The school is barely visible from Tongarra Road, due to a new school buildings added to the grounds in 1962, the expansion necessary with the growth of population.
Gazetted 29th June 1973 - NSW GNB

External LinkOpening of New School at Albion ParkAlbion Park Old Schoolhouse

Albion Park Public School c.1892.

Heritage Information

Heritage NSW LinkState Heritage Inventory Sheet Last edited by: Erin Tierney

Heritage Information

Heritage NSW LinkShellharbour Heritage Inventory Sheet

CONNECTIONS

CollectionPlacesLocalityAlbion Park

Start typing here to find a location	Latitude	Longitude	Zoom	Actions

loading google map....

Save Cancel

Menu

Albion Park Public School