Devonport’s First School Demolished

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 779, 27 September 1929, Page 1

Devonport’s First School Demolished

DATES BACK TO 1854 DISUSED FOR THIRD' YEARS The pitiful remnant of the first school at Devonport is now being torn down. For 30 years it has functioned as an outhouse at the rear of a private residence. The building dates from 1554, in which year the 15 families of the Church of England denomination at : the Flagstaff (now Devonport) combined their efforts to formulate a scheme for the education of their children and provide facilities for worship. Church tvas held in the homes of families on the waterfront, very often at the home of the late Mr. Alex. Alison, senr. His son, the Hon. E. W. Alison, recalls that when he was a small boy, Bishop Patterson and Bishop Selwyn used to be rowed over from the Melanesian Mission at Mission Bay by “the boys.” The bishops used to carry him on their shoulders and make a fuss of him. The Auckland Provincial Government had at that date set aside the sum of £I,OOO for building schools, and the Devonport families appealed to Bishop Selwyn to aid them in securing part of the grant. Captain Burgess gave a portion of his paddock (the site now occupied by the Parish Hall) for a site for the church-school, and a wooden builidng 12 feet by 26 feet was erected in 1855, the building that is being pulled down now. The first master was the Rev. E. H. Hayw-ood, who was appointed in May, 1856. As minister, his charge extended to Lucas Creek (Albany) and the Wade. The first Government grant was £5 8s 4d, the roll number being 19 and the average attendance nine. Among the first scholars who still live at Devonport, are Mr. John Duder (horn 1849), Mr. R. Duder, the Hon. E. W. Alison and Mr. James Mays. The scholars had to take Is every Monday as school fees. The school was enlarged in 1861 and a schoolmaster’s residence added to it—the first secular master being Mr. Oliver Mays. Mr. C. Smith, known to the boys as “Colonel Chummy” (from his name, Ciioimondeley), who taught tl\em 'in the early days, was for a long j time a resident of Wade and is still j active.