Page 301 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

332.

RICHMOND MAIN SCHOOL

The N.S.W. Government had instructed its Departments that these miners
and their families were to be given special consideration. With this in view,
the Department of Education was directed to investigate the aspects of schooling
these children. Inspector W.E. James from the Education Department, examined
the situation and recommended the setting up of a temporary 'Provisional' school.
He named it the Richmond Main Schcol.

A school tent, desks and school materials were set up on the colliery
property. Some difficulty was experienced in obtaining a teacher from the ranks
of N.S.W. schoolteachers who was prepared, even temporarily, to teach under these
conditions. Finally, George Reid, a Victorian teacher, was engaged and school
commenced on 13th June 1918.

The N.S.W. Education Department sanctioned an application made by Teacher
George Reid, that his school should have a half day holiday on Friday 2nd August
1918. The purpose of this holiday was to allow the school children to attend
a picnic arranged by the Richmond Main Colliery Manager, Mr. Bateman. Local
information from old residents of Richmond Vale advise that a picnic was held
on the bank of the colliery dam not far from the old Richmond Vale School.

Even after the 1917 strike was over, John Brown of the J. & A. Brown

Company, kept the 'loyalists' working at Richmond Main Colliery. This caused
frequent disputes and stoppages at both Richmond Main and neighbouring collieries.
Finally, Richmond Main Colliery miners ceased work in a continuous strike from
early October 1918 in an effort to try and have the loyalists removed from the
colliery.

At a conference held in January 1919, Richmond Main Colliery Lodge
officials advised that whilst quite a number had already left the area, there
were thirty-seven (37) loyalists and their families re~aining on the Richmond
Main Colliery property - these people were still unde~ 'protection'. Some
'loyalists' felt that having served a purpose for the State Governments, they
were now being discarded .