See where our educational journey began in Tamworth

The first local teacher was William Porter who had served from 1847 in our very first school - "a two-roomed bark hut" situated "up the hill" in West Tamworth, probably somewhere in the vicinity of today's Tamworth West Public School.

William Telfer Jnr, in his 'Wallabadah Manuscript' quoted about his early teacher - "Mr Porter was a strict man over scholars. He had only to look at them. They were afraid of telling a lie to him. If they did, they were severely punished and would not tell any more untruths again to him."

Midway through 1850 the AA Company moved to improve the school facility, by erecting a small Church of England Denominational School building, situated near to where the 1857 building shown in the photo was later located, at the western corner of Bridge/Ebsworth St.

Behind the school were two brick residences, still standing, the larger one for the teacher, the smaller one at the rear for the Anglican Minister, Rev. Williams.

These are amongst the oldest brick buildings still standing in Tamworth.

Soon after transferring to the new brick school, in 1851 teacher William Porter moved to teach in Bundarra, replaced by Ms Selina Graham, who was in turn replaced in September, 1852 by George Walker and wife Rebecca.

George soon left the teaching in Tamworth to his wife when he headed to the Nundle goldfields to try his luck. Within a year the couple had relocated to Carroll to operate the Post Office.

On April 30, 1857 Anglican Bishop Tyrrell announced a whole new 2-storey school and residence would be built at a cost of 600 pounds, the basic building being the one in the photo, still standing opposite Gasweld Tool Centre (the old Thibaults).

The school consisted of a ground floor classroom, with a teacher's residence upstairs.

Described a a 'Norman Gothic Revival' style, each storey measured 12 x 5.5m wide and 3m high.

Construction was of local blue limestone, quarried from near today's Belmore/King St corner, and greywacke quarried from out along Manilla Road towards Oxley Vale.

Pit-saw beams were used, with lath and plaster ceilings and a shingle-roof, later covered with galvanised iron. In later years, as in the photo, the outside walls were concrete-rendered and painted.

Although intended as a new school building, for nearly three years after its completion it was used for other residence purposes as no suitable teacher could be found.

Read also:

This brought about a visit to Tamworth from Newcastle by Bishop Tyrrell, culminating in John Crawford, the first teacher at the 1855 National School in Darling Street, agreeing in 1860 to cross the river and take up the Denominational School appointment.

During his period student boarders within Tamworth were catered for from outside the school at a school-year cost of 30 pounds. Five years after his new appointment Crawford's wife Elsie became his assistant teacher.

On May 22, 1868 the NSW Council of Education Inspector made a report on his visit to the school which stated - "The building is in good condition but bare, dirty and disorderly in its internal appearance.

The apparatus is tolerably adequate but the furniture is insufficient and objectionable. The out-houses are in a very objectionable condition."

More like this one:

This report eventually led to the National School Board arranging to repair, whitewash and fence the school and residence, as well as buying a blackboard and easel and sinking a well.

James Crawford retired in 1870, after teaching in Tamworth, for five years at the National School and 10 years at the Denominational School.

By 1880 the Denominational School had an enrolment of 208 (114 boys/94 girls), with an average attendance of 116. A West Tamworth Evening School opened in the building, but lasted only until 1885.

The Denominational School was eventually forced to close, replaced by today's West Tamworth Public School, although the latter conducted its first lessons in the 1857 building until their present building in Bridge St was ready to open in 1884.

We now have many schools in Tamworth and suburbs, but it was in this area of West Tamworth that our school-education started, going back to 1847.

From about 1960 the Tamworth Dramatic Society had the use of the 1857 building for rehearsals, later gaining a 99 year lease on the building.

Considerable interior and exterior restoration took place, the workers in today's photo being part of that.

The old school building opened as The Retreat Theatre on June 8, 1967 with the play 'Semi Detached'.

The 1857 building currently has no occupant, but the earlier residences next door are the headquarters of the College of Counselling Services.

These history articles appear each Wednesday in the Northern Daily Leader.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: