The history of early schools in Humpybong (Redcliffe)
- fuji321
- Dec 31, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 25
When the survey of the western part of Redcliffe was drawn up on March 24th 1864, a school reserve was made. The site today is surrounded by MacDonnell Road, Elizabeth Ave and Snook St.
The first provisional school was erected and opened on February 1st 1876 on a southern section of the site fronting Duffield Road - The "bark shanty" structure was made of slabs with a shingle roof and was 10ft x12ft in size.
27 Pupils enrolled during the first year with 18 enrolling on the first day.
Ethel Leonie V. Dodds (8yrs) and Ida Gertrude Dodds (4 yrs) were the first to enrol at the new school.
Other students included: Ida Dodds, Mary Long, John Long, Elizabeth Long, Catherine Long, Alice Cutts, Annie Cutts, Lucy Cutts, Mary Kroppe, Sophia Kroppe, Ernest Kroppe, Isaac Salisbury, Ellie Salisbury, John Adams, Ellen Adams, Mary Adams, Alice Adams, Frederick Tubbs, Harry Tubbs, Florence Tubbs, Frederick Elliott, Emily Elliott, Henrietta Elliott, Alfred Elliott, Ada James and William Williams.
The first teacher was Thomas Arkins who began on the opening date February 1st 1876 and left 4 months later on 31st May 1876.
Joseph Fred Elliott then taught at the school from 13th July1876 to 31st March 1878.
Old residents mention "Mr Brosnan" who was in charge temporarily for a few weeks until the school closed in 1878.
In 1877, a second school building was erected on a site at the northern end of the school reserve and fronted what is now Macdonnell Road. It measured 20 ft by 12ft 3 in.
The first teacher at the new school was John Dowling, from Sept 1st 1878 to April 4th 1879. Other teachers were Jacob N Jones (June 11th 1879 to March 3rd 1880) Thomas Pearce (Aug 16th 1880 to Dec 13th 1885) Dennis Spillane (Feb 15th 1886 to 1st March 1889) Julia Connolly (8th July 1889 to 7th April 1896) , then Marguretta Stevenson ( 17th April 1896 to 26th March 1909) was the last teacher until it closed.
A map comparison of the area in 1956 and 2020 - it looks like the 2nd old school building is roughly where the ploughed field is in 1956.
Another Provisional School was opened on May or June 1888 in a reserve closer to the township (where the hospital grounds are now located)
Arthur Ashmole (Arthur St and Ashmole Rd are named after him) was the first and only teacher at this school and when he retired after 20 years on December 1908 the school was closed.
The current Humpybong School was opened on March 29th 1909 between Ernest and Mabel St. The school room was 40ft x 20 ft with 2 verandahs 9ft wide. The first teacher was William Thomas Bradfield (29th March 1909 to 15th August 1916, followed by Arthur John Stapleton (1st October 1916 to 1930), and the first student to enrolled was Eliza Pikett.
Scarborough State School was opened on March 9th 1925
Clontarf Beach School opened on Feb 1st 1950
Redcliffe State High School opened on Feb 1958.
A page from The Pictorial History of Redcliffe book 1824-1949 :
55 page softcover book featuring The History of the first school opened in 1876, the subsequent schools opened in 1877 and 1888 and the history of the current Humpybong School opened in 1909 with class and school photos until 1976.
This book contains historical school and class photos, school rolls, and newspaper articles on the opening of the new wing in 1927 and the reunion in 1928. It also contains a copy of the 1976 Centenary Celebration programme.
The book can be ordered at the following LINK
(With free store pickup and free delivery in the Moreton Bay region)
A downloadable pdf ebook is available at the following LINK
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