Page 196 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

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MILLFIELD SCHOOL
STATE ARCHIVES FILE NOS. - 5/16844

- 5/16845

The village of Millfield was of very early origin. John Howe
had led an expedition, which included Benjamin Singleton, in 1820, from
Windsor to the Hunter River via Bulga. Early in 1823, Major James
Morisset, with a party of soldiers and convicts, made a track from Newcastle
through Cessnock and Wollombi districts to Wisemans Ferry. In 1825,
Heneage Finch found an even more suitable route from Wisemans Ferry through
Wollombi, Millfield and Cessnock areas to Wallis Plains (later Maitland).

The Post Office directory of 1834, in describing the various
main roads and mail routes, tells of an Inn at Millfield. From this
early beginning, Millfield soon became a recognised centre of wheat and
maize districts and a flour mill was erected in Millfield village.

With such agricultural development, the population for the
Ellalong - Millfield - Quorrobolong districts increased from 12 in the
1828 census, to about 150 by 1856. 'Education' had always been of major
interest to the new Australian colony. Thus the creation in 1848 by
Governor Fitzroy, of dual School Boards for both National and Denominational
schools stirred the attention of these somewhat isolated settlers of the
Millfield area. As a result, an Anglican Denominational School was estab-
lished early in 1852. In his diary, Rev. J.R. Winfield, the first Church
of England Rector at Wollombi, shows an entry that he had held a meeting
in October 1851 at Millfield to endeavour to interest his flock in the
establishment of a school. A subsequent entry dated.14th July 1852 records
that the Rev. J. Winfield had that day visited -the church school at Millfield.
The first teacher was Thomas Willie.

The Department of Public Instruction Annual Report for 1863,
under a heading "Denominational Schools", amongst the schools listed,
records two Church of England schools at Ellalong. One was situated
on Lot No. 24, Section No. 6, Village of Ellalong and also had been estab-
lished in 1852. The second school shown for Ellalong was actually at
Millfield. The record shows that the school building was of timber structure,