Charles Rattray Smith
Encyclopedia
Charles Rattray Smith taught in Britain before emigrating to New South Wales
where he taught classics and languages at various public schools. He was the inaugural headmaster of Newcastle High School
from 1906. In 1915, he became headmaster at North Sydney; in 1919, he transferred to Sydney High School where he was headmaster until taking long service leave in 1924 before his retirement in 1926.
, Orkney, Orkney Islands
, Scotland
where his father, Alexander Smith, was the Congregational
Minister; his mother was Clementina née Cobban.
in 1880.
Schoolhouse with one of his elder sisters, Frances, as his housekeeper.
on its opening in October 1883 but soon after took up his first of three appointments at Sydney Boys High School
. From March 1885, he acted as temporary headmaster of Goulburn High. Other appointments followed including to Fort-street Model School
and Leichhardt
Superior Public School where he was first assistant master from 1897. In 1902, he returned to Sydney Boys High School
as classics master under J. Waterhouse.
One of the school houses is named "Smith" in his honour.
. A son, Alexander Gordon, was born in 1886 when Charles was posted to Goulburn; two daughters, Rosa Constance in 1889 and Olive Frances in 1891 were born during his tenure at metropolitan schools; the youngest, Adolphus Charles Cobban, was born in 1897, passing away in his 15th year at the family home, "Corio", Mayfield
on the 16th August 1912 and was buried 18 August 1912 in Sandgate Cemetery.
Charles Rattray Smith M.A. (Aberdeen) died at his residence "Tremenheere", 16 McClelland Street, Willoughby on the 10th June 1941 aged 81 years. He was survived by his wife, Alice, and children (Alexander) Gordon, (Rosa) Constance (Mrs Frederick Joseph Harris) and Olive (Mrs Milton D. Hunter). He was buried in the Congregational Cemetery, Northern Suburbs (now Macquarie Park Cemetery, North Ryde) on the 11th June 1941; his short obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald noted: "Many former pupils and colleagues attended his funeral."
Alice died on the 31st January 1942 and was buried on the 2nd February 1942 with Charles.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
where he taught classics and languages at various public schools. He was the inaugural headmaster of Newcastle High School
Newcastle High School (Australia)
Newcastle High School is a state run high school located in Newcastle West—a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia–with an enrolment of approximately 1,000 students....
from 1906. In 1915, he became headmaster at North Sydney; in 1919, he transferred to Sydney High School where he was headmaster until taking long service leave in 1924 before his retirement in 1926.
Early years
Charles Rattray Smith was born on the 29th December 1859 in the Congregational Manse for the Parish of RendallRendall
Rendall is a former parish in Mainland, Orkney. It is in the north west of the island and lies east of the parishes of Birsay and Evie and north east of Harray. The island of Gairsay is also in the parish....
, Orkney, Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where his father, Alexander Smith, was the Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
Minister; his mother was Clementina née Cobban.
Education
He attended Aberdeen University and was graduated M.A.Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1880.
Schoolmaster
Smith returned to Orkney as a schoolmaster: the 1881 Census finds him living in the StronsayStronsay
Stronsay is an island in Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland. The main village is Whitehall, home to a heritage centre. It is in size, and at its highest point....
Schoolhouse with one of his elder sisters, Frances, as his housekeeper.
Emigration to and early career in New South Wales
In 1883, he emigrated to New South Wales to take up his career as a teacher in public schools. His first appointment was as assistant teacher, Bathurst High SchoolBathurst High School
Bathurst High School is an English-language secondary school located in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada.- School crest :The school crest is a black shield with red edging bearing the school's initials stylised across the central face of the shield, written in red, with a white line that follows...
on its opening in October 1883 but soon after took up his first of three appointments at Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
. From March 1885, he acted as temporary headmaster of Goulburn High. Other appointments followed including to Fort-street Model School
Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School is a co-educational, academically selective, public high school currently located at Petersham, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and Leichhardt
Leichhardt, New South Wales
Leichhardt is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. Leichhardt is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt...
Superior Public School where he was first assistant master from 1897. In 1902, he returned to Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
as classics master under J. Waterhouse.
Foundation Headmaster, Newcastle High School
He was tasked with the establishment of the new High School at Newcastle in 1906. He led the "School on the Hill" until 1915.One of the school houses is named "Smith" in his honour.
North Sydney Boys High
He became Headmaster, North Sydney Boys High in 1915, the second to hold the post, succeeding Nimrod Greenwood. When he arrived, he brought the nickname "Caesar" with him from Newcastle. The history of the early years of North Sydney Boys' High described him as a disciplinarian who favoured detention and would travel the classrooms in the afternoon in academic cap and gown announcing the names of those who would join him for an extra half hour after school; neverthe less, he was described as "a man of great personal charm and is still remembered with affection by those who were at North Sydney during his time."Sydney Boys High
Following the sudden death of Robert John Hinder, Smith returned to Sydney High School (Mary Ann Street, Ultimo) in his final appointment as Headmaster. He was introduced to the students at the 1918 Speech Day where he received three cheers.Family Life
On the 24th December 1884, Charles married Alice Lydia Hartley at "Glencoe", Cadia, near Orange, New South WalesOrange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
. A son, Alexander Gordon, was born in 1886 when Charles was posted to Goulburn; two daughters, Rosa Constance in 1889 and Olive Frances in 1891 were born during his tenure at metropolitan schools; the youngest, Adolphus Charles Cobban, was born in 1897, passing away in his 15th year at the family home, "Corio", Mayfield
Mayfield, New South Wales
Mayfield is a north-western suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, which takes its name from Ada May a daughter of the landowner there, John Scholey, J.P...
on the 16th August 1912 and was buried 18 August 1912 in Sandgate Cemetery.
Charles Rattray Smith M.A. (Aberdeen) died at his residence "Tremenheere", 16 McClelland Street, Willoughby on the 10th June 1941 aged 81 years. He was survived by his wife, Alice, and children (Alexander) Gordon, (Rosa) Constance (Mrs Frederick Joseph Harris) and Olive (Mrs Milton D. Hunter). He was buried in the Congregational Cemetery, Northern Suburbs (now Macquarie Park Cemetery, North Ryde) on the 11th June 1941; his short obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald noted: "Many former pupils and colleagues attended his funeral."
Alice died on the 31st January 1942 and was buried on the 2nd February 1942 with Charles.