Houtson, Gertrude
Gertrude Houtson, born 1869 in Sandhurst, Victoria, was the fifth child of John William Houtson, a cooper, and Ann nee Robson. Only Gertrude and her older sister, Mary Ellenor (Nellie) survived childhood. While infant deaths were not uncommon, a further tragedy occurred when Gertrude was two - her father dying, as an inquest determined, 'from the effects of a poisonous dose of strychnine' taken while of 'unsound mind'.
The residual family went to relatives in Bendigo before moving to Albury where Gertrude's sister Nellie became a pupil teacher at Albury Public School. Gertrude, meanwhile, was a student at Reverend Joseph Masters' 'High School' where segregated classes were taught in the teacher's home – girls in the morning and boys in the afternoon. By 1883 Gertrude finished school having successfully passed the NSW Civil Service exam.
By 1888 the family had moved to Dubbo where Nellie was employed in the Girls Department of Dubbo Public School. Gertrude, now 18, was offered appointment to Minore Public (near Narromine) but responded she was 'unable to accept any employment', without elaborating her reason. Four years later she accepted appointment to Woodfield Provisional School. Gertrude commenced teaching on 12 April 1892, just after repairs were carried out to make the school 'fairly comfortable'. This work included lining the inner walls and ceiling with hessian, fixing spouting and downpipes, and moving the school door from the southern to the eastern side of the building. Teacher accommodation was offered at Mr Cooper's, 1¼ miles from school.
After six months at Woodfield Gertrude took almost three months sick leave, another teacher being instructed to take temporary charge. Gertrude resumed teaching mid-December but in January 1893 applied for removal to a milder climate, indicating a preference to be appointed as a Work Mistress which she felt would be more suitable since illness had 'rendered her lungs weak'. When no offer was forthcoming Gertrude telegrammed, 'I find I am unable to continue my duty at Woodfield' and resigned on 21 January 1893.
After leaving teaching Gertrude pursued a career in dressmaking, obtaining first grade passes at technical college exams for 'Scientific dress cutting', and collecting prizes for needlework at the Cootamundra Show. Her sister was now Mistress in charge of the Girls Department at Dubbo Public School, and when Nellie was promoted to a Sydney school in 1904, the sisters and their mother moved to Drummoyne. Their mother died shortly after the move, but Gertrude and Nellie continued living together, employed in their respective careers of dressmaker and teacher. Nellie died in 1917 and Gertrude in 1956.
[Biography prepared by Joanne Toohey, 2023. Sources consulted include NSW school teachers' rolls 1868-1908, NSW school and related records 1876-1979, historic newspapers, NSW births, deaths and marriages index, and Early Education and Schools in the Canberra Region, (1999) by Lyall Gillespie].
Schools
- Amungula
04/1892 - 10/1892