Page 315 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

346.

ROTHBURY SCHOOL
STATE ARCHIVES FILE NO. - 5/17523-2

Whilst a school was being conducted in the Presbyterian-Methodist
Church on 'Glenmore' property in the late 1870's, which was then known as
Mount Wills School, it would appear that the residents and parents in the
neighbouring area, Rothbury, were not satisfied with its situation. There
were efforts made for the establishment of a school within Rothbury area itself.
An application to the Department of Public Instruction dated 13th October
1877, showed that there were some fifty four (54) possible pupils from the
Rothbury area, twenty five (25) boys and twenty nine (29) girls. The application
also showed that the family religious dispositions of these 54 pupils were
twenty eight (28) Church of England, twenty (20) .Roman Catholic and six (6)
Wesleyan.

Again, on 6th February 1878, the local correspondent, Michael Griffen,
wrote to the Department of Public Instruction indicating that the daily average
attendance at Mount Wills School was only twelve (12) pupils. Departmental
Inspector D. Bradley was directed to investigate and to furnish a report.
He estimated that forty (40) pupils could be expected at a Rothbury school
from the local population of two hundred (200) persons. The Department, on
24th April 1878, decided to establish a school. On the same date, Michael
Griffen, William Boughton and George Chick were appointed to be the Local
Rothbury School Board. An interesting feature was that at this time Michael
Griffen was only eighteen (18) years old.

Endeavours were made to purchase a suitable school site. The
position selected was two (2) acres, belonging to George Campbell of 'Daisy
Hill'. This was en the main road on the boundary between Joseph Broadbent
Holmes' land and that of George Campbell. The site was valued at £40.0.0
($80.00). It ~as surveyed by T. Drinan, draftsman in the Lands Survey Office
in Sydney, who alsc had land in Rothbury and Branxton. George Campbell had
purchased his 'Dais} Hill' one hundred and seventy five (175) acres from
Richard Hughes an 1st April 1852 for £200.0.0 ($400.00). The land had been
portion of the crigi~3l Jane Coulson's two thousand (2,000) acre grant on
13th July 1835.