Anne requested information about Windsor Schools in particular the 1830s to 1840s. The following is a very brief outline about Education in the Hawkesbury. The library has concentrated on collecting the history of schools in the area, these are usually centenary publications of public schools. The history of education prior to the introduction of the public school system requires a lot more research. >From early European settlement (1794) until the 1800s there were no dedicated schools in the Hawkesbury district and if any learning took place it would have been in the privacy of the home. John Harris, a missionary set up one of the first schools in the Hawkesbury in a rented building from 1803 at the Green Hills (now Windsor) Other early schools included :- **In 1807 James Kenny established a school in Wilberforce. Governor Macquarie organised a two storey brick building which was built by John Brabyn. This building which was erected about 1819-1820, still survives. **In 1810 local families from Portland Head (Ebenezer) erected a school building which was operated by John Youl **In 1813 a large two storey building was built in Richmond (near the present cemetery opposite St. Peter's) and Matthew Hughes was the teacher from 1813 to 1839. **In 1814 a school was established by Matthew Thompson. The rented building was eventually purchased and renovated by William Cox in 1820. This building was used as both school house and chapel until a brick building was erected in 1835. **With the establishment of a school at Sackville in 1823 all the main towns in the Hawkesbury had some type of amenities. Denominational and Private schools in the Hawkesbury These early government assisted schools were established to provide very basic literacy skills with some religious instruction. These schools eventually became Parochial school managed by the Church of England. Other religious denominations such as the Catholics, Wesleyans and Presbyterians established their own church schools in various centres in the Hawkesbury. Some of these schools included : **a Catholic School commenced in Windsor in 1835 and run by James & Esther Cassidy **St. Gregory's Roman Catholic School began in Kurrajong in 1834 **the Presbyterian school in Windsor established by George Walker (father of William Walker) from about 1837 **a Wesleyan girls school in Windsor which commenced in 1839 As well as the denominational schools there were numerous private schools established throughout the Hawkesbury district during the 19th century. Some of the private schools included the following : **1827-1834 Hawkesbury Private school run by T. W. Fenton **Everton College was established by the Rev Charles Garnsey from the 1860s in Bridge Street, Windsor. Following Garnsey's appointment as minister to St. Matthew's Church of England in 1867, Mr. J. Hole took over and it was then known as Hole's Academy. **St. Katherine's, a ladies school was run by Mrs C. J. Nealds in Bridge Street, Windsor from about 1872 to 1882. **Bernard Keenan conducted a private school in the Oddfellows Hall from about 1872. He eventually constructed a large boarding school at South Windsor which was known as Windsor Grammar School. **Rev. H. Plume established Barker College at Kurrajong Heights in 1890. Public education in the Hawkesbury commenced in the Hawkesbury district in 1860 when the National School was established in Richmond. Following the Public School Act, 1867 Windsor residents began campaigning for a public school. The foundation stone was eventually laid by Henry Parkes in 1869 and the school opened in 1870. With the Public Instruction Act, 1880 a specific government department was responsible for the introduction of compulsory education in NSW. Funding was also withdrawn from denominational schools therefore with the introduction of public schools, a number of the denominational and private schools closed down. To locate records read the excellent article on the State Records site titled Schools 1788-c.1969 at www.records.nsw.gov.au/publications/aibs/026/page01.htm Michelle Nichols _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail now available on Australian mobile phones. Go to http://ninemsn.com.au/mobilecentral

Hello Michelle, You are a gem!!!! Thankyou so much for going to all this trouble. I will certainly check the State Records for further information. Hoping to catch up with your Wednesday meetings in the not too distant future. ANNE --- Original Message ----- From: Michelle Nichols <michelle_nichols@hotmail.com> To: <AUS-NSW-HILLS-HAWKESBURY-HUNTER-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 10, 2003 12:43 PM Subject: [H,H,HV] Windsor Schools > Anne requested information about Windsor Schools in particular the 1830s to > 1840s. The following is a very brief outline about Education in the > Hawkesbury. The library has concentrated on collecting the history of > schools in the area, these are usually centenary publications of public > schools. The history of education prior to the introduction of the public > school system requires a lot more research. > > >From early European settlement (1794) until the 1800s there were no > dedicated schools in the Hawkesbury district and if any learning took place > it would have been in the privacy of the home. John Harris, a missionary set > up one of the first schools in the Hawkesbury in a rented building from 1803 > at the Green Hills (now Windsor) Other early schools included :- > > **In 1807 James Kenny established a school in Wilberforce. Governor > Macquarie organised a two storey brick building which was built by John > Brabyn. This building which was erected about 1819-1820, still survives. > **In 1810 local families from Portland Head (Ebenezer) erected a school > building which was operated by John Youl > **In 1813 a large two storey building was built in Richmond (near the > present cemetery opposite St. Peter's) and Matthew Hughes was the teacher > from 1813 to 1839. > **In 1814 a school was established by Matthew Thompson. The rented building > was eventually purchased and renovated by William Cox in 1820. This building > was used as both school house and chapel until a brick building was erected > in 1835. > **With the establishment of a school at Sackville in 1823 all the main towns > in the Hawkesbury had some type of amenities. > > > Denominational and Private schools in the Hawkesbury > These early government assisted schools were established to provide very > basic literacy skills with some religious instruction. These schools > eventually became Parochial school managed by the Church of England. Other > religious denominations such as the Catholics, Wesleyans and Presbyterians > established their own church schools in various centres in the Hawkesbury. > Some of these schools included : > **a Catholic School commenced in Windsor in 1835 and run by James & Esther > Cassidy > **St. Gregory's Roman Catholic School began in Kurrajong in 1834 > **the Presbyterian school in Windsor established by George Walker (father of > William Walker) from about 1837 > **a Wesleyan girls school in Windsor which commenced in 1839 > > As well as the denominational schools there were numerous private schools > established throughout the Hawkesbury district during the 19th century. Some > of the private schools included the following : > **1827-1834 Hawkesbury Private school run by T. W. Fenton > **Everton College was established by the Rev Charles Garnsey from the 1860s > in Bridge Street, Windsor. Following Garnsey's appointment as minister to > St. Matthew's Church of England in 1867, Mr. J. Hole took over and it was > then known as Hole's Academy. > **St. Katherine's, a ladies school was run by Mrs C. J. Nealds in Bridge > Street, Windsor from about 1872 to 1882. > **Bernard Keenan conducted a private school in the Oddfellows Hall from > about 1872. He eventually constructed a large boarding school at South > Windsor which was known as Windsor Grammar School. > **Rev. H. Plume established Barker College at Kurrajong Heights in 1890. > > Public education in the Hawkesbury commenced in the Hawkesbury district in > 1860 when the National School was established in Richmond. Following the > Public School Act, 1867 Windsor residents began campaigning for a public > school. The foundation stone was eventually laid by Henry Parkes in 1869 and > the school opened in 1870. With the Public Instruction Act, 1880 a specific > government department was responsible for the introduction of compulsory > education in NSW. Funding was also withdrawn from denominational schools > therefore with the introduction of public schools, a number of the > denominational and private schools closed down. > > > To locate records read the excellent article on the State Records site > titled Schools 1788-c.1969 at > www.records.nsw.gov.au/publications/aibs/026/page01.htm > > Michelle Nichols > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Hotmail now available on Australian mobile phones. Go to > http://ninemsn.com.au/mobilecentral > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >