The book "Travelling down the Cudgegong" by the Gulgong Writing Group says:
Tallawang is the name of a locality which extends along a length of the road between Gulgong and Dunedoo. During the years there have been at least three schools. and possibly five, at Tallawang.
Records show:
- Tallawang (Lower) Public School from 1884 and 1892 [near the intersection of Castlereagh Highway and Honeysett Road];
- Tallawang (Upper) Public from 1881 to 1926 and then a break to 1930 continuing to 1941 [at the intersection of Tucklan Rd with Spir Rd].
- Tallawang Road Provisional was quite a latecomer, 1911 to 1912, then as a Public School until 1921.
The school yard for Tallawang Road School is still visible near the junction of Tuckland Road and Dunedoo Roads [ie Castlereagh Highway]. Tallawang Upper was further on up the Tuckland Road, near where the Church once stood [at intersection with Spir Rd].
The older school, Tallawang Lower, was at the Gulgong end of Tallawang. Local residents say there were two sites of schools at this end; a teacher at one of these early schools was J. O'Brien, also G. Bisley. Older residents also say that a school opened at the Iron Mine when it was in operation about 1914-1918. A Mr Plunkett was the teacher and the building was of wood construction.
Source: Book: "Travelling down the Cudgegong" by the Gulgong Writing Group
MAP: UPPER TALLAWANG PUBLIC and TALLAWANG ROAD SCHOOL
Detail showing school and church lots at Upper Tallawang
MAP: LOWER TALLAWANG PUBLIC and TALLAWANG PROVISIONAL SCHOOL
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The following photos show one of the schools mentioned above.
Caption: The Old and New Catholic Churches at Tallawang - St Paul's and St Joseph's.
Source: Photo from Gulgong Pioneer's Museum.
The school residence and the first Tallawang school, most likely Upper Tallawang Public School (seen here as a blurry extract from the church photo above.
The school residence from Upper Tallawang was relocated to Tucklan where it still stands today.
Source: Joanne Trengove
This is the first Tallawang school.
It was a style that was built in many towns in this era.
Caption: First Tallawang School, early 1900s.
Teachers: Selwyn Hinder, Mr Farrel. Sub-teachers: Dot Parkin, Florence Lund.
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John Michael O'Brien was a school teacher in Tallawang for 28 years. He started at "Public School, Lower Tallawang" in 1886. That school stopped operating in 1892 but John Michael continued teaching in Tallawang until to 1914. It is not clear which school he moved to.
Items in Government Gazettes provide the following (sketchy) timeline regarding school buildings and teachers:
1882 - New schools were announced for Upper and Lower Tallawang in November.
1882 - Tenders for new schools at Tallawang and other places were invited via Government Gazette.
1882 - The following is a further list of teachers who have passed the late examination, with their classification Class III., Section A — Alexander J. Murray, Tallawang; Class III., Section B. —
John M. O'Brien, Ballarah;
1883 - A tender for public school works was invited for "Tallawang Lower, near Gulgong, Wooden Building".
1883 - Mr William Mannell appointed teacher at "Public School Tallawang".
1884 - F. R. Atkinson won the tender to build a school "Tallawang Upper, Wooden Building" for £285 10s.
1884 - The government assigned Crown Land Portion 58 in the Parish of Puggoon in the County of Bligh to Tallawang Lower School.
1885 - Mr Robert Miller gained promotion by examination at Lower Tallawang Public School.
1886 - Mr. J. O'Brien was appointed teacher at "Public School, Lower Tallawang".
1889 - Mr Archibald Richardson was appointed teacher at "Public School, Upper Tallawang".
1889 - Mr William Mannell gained promotion by examination at Upper Tallawang.
1891 - Mr Arthur Viles appointed teacher at "Public School, Upper Tallawang".
1892 - John Miller was awarded the tender to build a school residence at Upper Tallawang for £175.
1896 - W Doorey won the tender for "erection of kitchen, repairs etc" at Tallawang Public School.
Sources:
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The following newspaper articles provide a little more detail about the various schools at Tallawang.
1886
William Manning, public school teacher, on the Upper Tallewang, was riding on Sunday near Gulgong, when, by some means, he struck his head against a tree. He was thrown from his horse, and his right arm was broken. He was discovered in an unconscious state, and was conveyed to the Gulgong hospital. It was there found that the unfortunate fellow had sustained a fracture of the skull, and was suffering from concussion of, the brain. His injuries were deemed to be of so serious a nature that his recovery was considered hopeless.
Source: Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931) Wednesday 15 September 1886 p 6 Article
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The
Report of the Minister of Public Instruction concluded in 1892 that both Upper and Lower Tallawang schools were above the standard required at the time.
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1930-1943
Caption: Tallawang second school [aka Tallawang Road School] 1930-1943 near the junction of what is now Tucklan Rd and Castlereagh Hwy. Teachers: Hill, Jackson and Jones.
Mervyn and Ruby Nott were educated here in approx 1931
Vorn Jackson, school teacher at Tallawang, 1930s
1934 - [NEW TEACHER]MR. Jackson has taken up duties as teacher at the Tallawang Public School in place of Mr. R. E. Hill, who was recently transferred to the Parkes district.
