William Timothy Cape
Encyclopedia
William Timothy Cape was an early school master in Sydney
, Australia
; several of the Premiers of New South Wales
attended his school.
Cape was born at Walworth
, Surrey
, England
, the son of William Cape, a London
bank manager who emigrated to Australia with his family in 1821. Cape senior became master of a private school
, the Sydney Academy, at the end of 1822 and died in 1847.
William Timothy Cape was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School
, London, and was intended for the Church of England ministry. However on his arrival in Australia, became an assistant master at his father's school. Though just 20 years of age he was made headmaster of the Sydney public school on 1 July 1827 when his father resigned. He had already made a reputation as a teacher and shortly afterwards, when a number of public school teachers from the country were brought into Sydney for training, Cape was given charge of them as he was considered the only qualified person available. In 1829 he opened a private school in King Street, Sydney
, and when the Sydney College
was founded in 1835 he transferred his own pupils there on being appointed headmaster.
For seven years Cape was a successful headmaster; some of his distinguished pupils included Sir John Robertson, William Forster
, William Bede Dalley
, Sir James Martin
, and T. A. Browne
, and the number of students was approaching 300 when Cape came into conflict with the trustees and resigned at the end of 1841. This was disastrous for the school, for though the number of pupils kept up for some time, between 1843 and 1847 there was a drop in numbers from 283 to 62. The colony was passing through bad times, but it is clear that the trustees had not been able to find a successor who could approach Cape in personality and knowledge. Cape in the meantime had opened a private school at Paddington
, which was carried on until 1856 when he retired.
In 1859 Cape was elected a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for Wollombi
, and interested himself in the educational life of the colony as a commissioner of national education, a fellow of St Paul's College of the University of Sydney
, and in connexion with the Sydney School of Arts. He visited England in 1855 and was again in England 1860–1863. He died at London on 14 June 1863.
A memorial was placed in St Andrew's cathedral by his former pupils, however it was destroyed in 1941 during renovation.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
; several of the Premiers of New South Wales
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...
attended his school.
Cape was born at Walworth
Walworth, London
Walworth is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Southwark. Walworth probably derives its name from the Old English "Wealhworth" which meant Welsh farm. It is located south east of Charing Cross and near to Camberwell and Elephant and Castle.The major streets in Walworth are the Old...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of William Cape, a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
bank manager who emigrated to Australia with his family in 1821. Cape senior became master of a private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, the Sydney Academy, at the end of 1822 and died in 1847.
William Timothy Cape was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School
Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
Merchant Taylors' School is a British independent day school for boys, originally located in the City of London. Since 1933 it has been located at Sandy Lodge in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire ....
, London, and was intended for the Church of England ministry. However on his arrival in Australia, became an assistant master at his father's school. Though just 20 years of age he was made headmaster of the Sydney public school on 1 July 1827 when his father resigned. He had already made a reputation as a teacher and shortly afterwards, when a number of public school teachers from the country were brought into Sydney for training, Cape was given charge of them as he was considered the only qualified person available. In 1829 he opened a private school in King Street, Sydney
King Street, Sydney
King Street is today the central thoroughfare of the suburb of Newtown in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's in this street that the residents of the area are most visible, confirming Newtown's reputation as a cosmopolitan community with a higher than average concentration of students,...
, and when the Sydney College
Sydney College
Sydney College can refer to more than one establishment:*Sydney College, Bath, a former prominent independent boys school in Somerset, England, now housing the Holburne Museum of Art*Sydney Grammar School, a grammar school in Sydney, New South Wales...
was founded in 1835 he transferred his own pupils there on being appointed headmaster.
For seven years Cape was a successful headmaster; some of his distinguished pupils included Sir John Robertson, William Forster
William Forster
William Forster was an Australian politician, Premier of New South Wales from 27 October 1859 to 9 March 1860 and poet.Forster was described in his youth as a "sallow, thin, saturnine young gentleman"...
, William Bede Dalley
William Bede Dalley
William Bede Dalley was an Australian politician and barrister and the first Australian appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom...
, Sir James Martin
James Martin (Australian politician)
Sir James Martin, KCB, QC was three times Premier of New South Wales, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales from 1873 to 1886.-Early career:...
, and T. A. Browne
Thomas Alexander Browne
Thomas Alexander Browne was an Australian writer, who sometimes published under the pseudonym Rolf Boldrewood and best known for his novel Robbery Under Arms.-Biography:...
, and the number of students was approaching 300 when Cape came into conflict with the trustees and resigned at the end of 1841. This was disastrous for the school, for though the number of pupils kept up for some time, between 1843 and 1847 there was a drop in numbers from 283 to 62. The colony was passing through bad times, but it is clear that the trustees had not been able to find a successor who could approach Cape in personality and knowledge. Cape in the meantime had opened a private school at Paddington
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
, which was carried on until 1856 when he retired.
In 1859 Cape was elected a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
for Wollombi
Electoral district of Wollombi
Wollombi was a former electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1859 to 1894.-Members for Wollombi:...
, and interested himself in the educational life of the colony as a commissioner of national education, a fellow of St Paul's College of the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, and in connexion with the Sydney School of Arts. He visited England in 1855 and was again in England 1860–1863. He died at London on 14 June 1863.
A memorial was placed in St Andrew's cathedral by his former pupils, however it was destroyed in 1941 during renovation.