Mrs Agnes Malcolmson: A much loved and respected teacher from Hornsby Public School
Agnes Jean Marsh Gair was born in Quoyness, Shetland Islands, Scotland in 1896. She was the fourth child of George and Margaret Gair. She married George Malcolmson, a seaman, in Lerwick, Scotland in July 1925. Soon after, George Malcolmson headed to Australia to prepare for Agnes’s arrival in 1926.
After their arrival in Sydney, they settled in Thomas Street, Artarmon and Agnes taught at Roseville College during the 1930s. By 1943 they had moved to Balmoral Street, Waitara.
Agnes then started teaching at Hornsby Public School during the difficult war years and continued teaching there until her retirement in December 1961. She was the only female teacher on staff for a period.
During the war years at Hornsby Public School sport for the girls was Vigaro played in Hornsby Park, tennis at various church courts, and bush walks. If it was wet the old church hall was rented and the girls held dances for which they paid 3d. each to cover the rent.
A feature of Anzac Day for the girls was an excursion to Lady Gowrie Home at Gordon, to give gifts from the Home Science School. Girls knitted socks, balaclavas and scarves, for the services’ comfort fund, boys learnt to make camouflage nets and both boys and girls had emergency first aid lessons.
Following a Japanese reconnaissance plane flying over Sydney, air raid precautions came in. With the school so close to the railway and no space available in either the girls’ or boys’ playgrounds, trenches for air raid shelters were dug at the back of Hornsby Park, where the swimming pool is now. Regular air raid drill was compulsory, and the main community air raid siren was on a pole at the southern end of Hornsby Park. When its penetrating sound began, children were marched in orderly file from across the road from the boys’ school or from alongside at the girls’ school. Long term Hornsby residents may remember the long army convoys that passed the school as they travelled through Hornsby.
As most available materials were directed to the war effort, many items became very scarce, such as paper, fountain pens, nibs, etc., and one learnt to save everything and waste nothing. Imported products were limited and there was strict petrol rationing, coupons were needed for clothing, and for basic foods such as butter, sugar, tea, etc.
Throughout the 1940s, 50s and 60s, Agnes Malcolmson would have taught hundreds of children either in her classes or been in the very enjoyable and successful choirs and other musical activities under her direction. Mrs Malcolmson was fondly remembered by the Hornsby Public School community.
Her husband George died at their Waitara home in November 1966 at the age of 75. Agnes returned to Lerwick in 1971 to live near some of her nieces. She died at Gilbert Bain Hospital, Lerwick in September 1990 at the age of 94.
