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Date: 1895 Type: School Status: Demolished Street: Queen’s Drive

A primary school came into being in Queenstown in the 1870s, as a result of the endeavours of Mr H. McGibbon and Mr Ebenezer Crouch. This was the Elementary Public School in Ebden Street, long to be known as the "tickey-a-week school." Their object was to bring education to the poorest child at a charge of threepence a week - but many children were taken in free of charge. In 1893 the school came under the management of the High School Committee and on 16 August 1894, the foundation stone of a fine new home for the school was laid in Queen's Drive by the Mayor, Mr Crouch. The Elementary Public School was officially opened on 23 January 1895. The first Principal was Mr W.C. Bradley, who was transferred a few years later to the Boys' High School under F. Beswick, and was replaced by Mr Thomas Broster. The pupils numbered 166, of whom 91 were boys and 75 girls. The two assistant teachers were Miss A. Ryan and Miss K. Eaton. The original sandstone foundation stone is now an outdoor exhibit at the Queenstown Museum and was presumably salvaged for the Museum collection when the school building was demolished. William Martinson, August 2023 Reference: Greaves, A. Tell Me of Komani, 1987 pp 31.