History Notes - Plumthorpe School

Plumthorpe School

School at Plumthorpe began in October 1929.  It is noted in a volume listing most early schools in NSW as “Plumthorpe, 10/1929 – 11/1965 Prov/ps.”  Provisional schools were for 15 to 25 children – parents provided the room and furniture while the department paid for a teacher and books.
Plumthorpe began as a ‘subsidy school’ at one of the cottages when Mr. Bill Simpson was manager at “Plumthorpe”. 

Mr. & Mrs. Burdekin owned the property at that time.  In 1931 a building was erected at the junction of the Trevallyn and Mayvale roads – the present-day site of the building.  The big bell from Hawkins Creek School was brought out to Plumthorpe School after the Hawkins Creek School closed in 1934.
Mrs. Burdekin gave the children a picnic each year on the lawns at “Plumthorpe” where all the children received presents and prizes.  There was also an annual Christmas Concert and prize giving with prizes donated by Mrs. Burdekin.  In 1951 a Christmas picnic, combined with Brigalows School, was held. 

Mrs. Saunders and Mrs. Russell gave sewing lessons to the girls each Tuesday afternoon.  The teachers included Miss Connelly, Mr. Warren Jarrett, Peter Sweeney, Mr. Cook, Miss Chapman, Mervyn Prior, John J. Nicholson, Alf Hatton and Mike Whetton. The children came from everywhere, riding bikes, horses or walking.  The Currell children came from Plum Hill driving a rubber-tyred sulky. Ben Hall renovated the school and added to the building about 10 years before it closed at the end of 1965 and it has been home to a number of residents since then.

 Children attending the school:
Simpsons (Bill – manager “Plumthorpe”)
Stan, Clem, Athol, Ivan, Edna, Winnie, Gladys (Mrs. Jerry Akers), Ida (Mrs. Potter).
Noel Woods in the early years. Maurice Potter                         Warwick McKeon, Allan Reed (short time)                                              Possibly David Carter, Meryl Darlington, Robin and Ray Quigley, Peggy Matthews
Akers children – Betty, Kevin, Norma, Jim and David.      Also Hector (uncle of others)
Willis children – Barbara, Marian and Don Carpenter children – Sarah, Vonney and Ray
Currells – Marian, Ena, Roy and Golda  (drove themselves to school in a rubber-tyred sulky)
Dick Perry’s children – Nola, Maurice and Helen  
Harold Perry’s children – Frances, John and Pat
Smith children – Joyce, Enid, Bruce and Don Jean and Zenna Abra         
Rosalyn and Nola O’Mallane rode their bikes from Mayvale
Saunders at Cairnton – Joan (Mrs Groth), Nancy (Mrs Watson), Clare (Mrs Simshauser), Esme (Mrs Wallace), Bruce, Ken, Garney, Ray?              
Baldwin children – Muriel, Roley, Arthur, Mary (Kitty) (Mrs Clive Simshauser), Jack, Beryl (Mrs Kevin Currell) and Marge A.W. Russell’s children – Fay and Margaret Rose  
Bob Russell’s children – Joan and Royce                                Also Lewis Russell, Laurie Malloy              
Simshauser children – Eunice, Gordon, Ruth, Lex and Maurice  Joyce and Kath Drain
Thompson children from Mayvale – Daphne, Joyce, Helen and Trevor     
Trevor and Ross Taylor Gloria, Ronnie and Colin Freestone
Jenner children – Ethel, Lurlene, Phil, Bert and Alf?