Elizabeth Whitby (c. 1803 – 12 November 1888) was founder and principal of a school for girls in Carrington Street, Adelaide, one of the first in the Colony of South Australia, founded in 1848.
Contents
History
Elizabeth Whitby (née Castleden) was a daughter of (Baptist) Rev. James Castleden (c. 1778 – 5 June 1854), of Hampstead, London, born c. 1803. She married Joseph Whitby (after 1851), lived for a time in Yorkshire, and had a small family. Joseph Whitby, Elizabeth and their four sons emigrated to Australia, arriving in Adelaide aboard Competitor in October 1848. She founded a school for girls in Carrington Street in that year. The fate of Joseph Whitby is as yet not known. Whitby advertised that she was prepared
"to receive and instruct Young Ladies in every branch of mental and elegant education. Vacancies for one or two Boarders."
A year later her advertisements were more informative:
CARRINGTON HOUSE ESTABLISHMENT, South Adelaide.—Conducted by Mrs. WHITBY and qualified Assistants.
In this long-established Seminary the various improved systems of Education are combined and modified, in order to unite the comforts of home with the strictest discipline in the development of the mental faculties. Terms, 40 guineas per annum. One or two Vacancies for Boarders.
The Course of Instruction comprises—Ancient and Modern History, Grammar; Geography, Physical and Moral, with the use of the Globes; Composition, Writing and Arithmetic, Fancy Work in general. Drawing in Chalk and Pencil; Watercolour, Landscape, and Flower Painting; Music, Singing, Dancing, and the French and German Languages.
In William Wyatt's 1851 survey of Government-approved and subsidised schools, of which there were 79 in South Australia, Whitby was receiving grants for 4 boys and 22 girls, and on the day of inspection she had 27 girls under instruction.
The school operated continuously from 1848 to 1878.
Family
Whitby's four sons were:
Joseph James Whitby (1838 – March 1875), generally known as J. J. Whitby, was educated at Francis Haire's Academy on Hindmarsh Square, then entered the office of solicitors Bartley, Bakewell, & Stow, and remained there for ten years, in the latter period articled to William Bakewell, then to William Wren, of Boucaut & Wren. On Wren's death in 1864 Whitby served out his term with James Boucaut, and after being called to the bar entered into partnership with J. J. Bonnar at Mount Barker. After a year, having fallen out with Bonnar, he joined Boucaut, but only stayed with him for a year. He then carried on business on his own account, and had the reputation as sound and able lawyer. From around 1872 he was mostly involved in drafting Bills for the SA Government, work for which he showed particular aptitude.
Whitby married Frances Jane "Fanny" Wyly (1842 – 17 September 1924) at Christ Church, North Adelaide on 2 May 1866. Their children include:
Geoffrey Castleden Whitby (26 Dec 1869 – 5 November 1953) married Lilian Rhoda Pickersgill on 30 April 1901, died in Perth
Frances Elizabeth Whitby (2 Jun 1871 – 1916) died in Black Rock, County Dublin, Ireland
Henrietta Lilian Whitby (12 Feb 1873 – 27 May 1882)
Whitby accompanied Judge Wearing to the Northern Territory as Acting Crown Solicitor, and was one of those lost in the Gothenburg disaster. Frances followed her mother-in-law as headmistress of her own private school in North Adelaide, later in Prospect. After the death of her youngest daughter Henrietta in 1882 she returned to Ireland, most likely accompanied by her daughter Frances, and died in Black Rock, Dublin.
Francis John "Frank" Whitby (c. 1840 – 12 January 1909), generally referred to as Frank or F. J. Whitby, was born in Yorkshire and, after arrival in Adelaide, was educated at Haire's academy and at Adelaide Educational Institution. His first employment was with James Robin & Co. of Grenfell Street, then entered the service of J. H. Angas, first at Collingrove, and when Angas took up Mount Remarkable, Whitby was employed there. He subsequently acted as manager of Wirrealpa, Stewart's Creek, and many other of Angas's stations in the north. When the Willowie Land and Pastoral Association took over those properties, Whitby remained as manager of Willowie Station, Mount Remarkable and general overseer of other northern stations until 1889 (? elsewhere c 1898), when he retired. He was immensely popular among a wide circle of friends. Among his other activities were:
E. B. Whitby
Youngest brother Edward Ball Whitby (c. 1844 – 14 September 1866) also chose the life of a pastoralist; he died at Callanna Station.