Orford School History

The first mention of a school in Orford was in 1869. It was located on the cliffs at East Shelly Beach and catered for the children of the quarry workers. It averaged about twenty-five students. Throughout the years the school at Orford was opened and closed on many occasions. Families came and went and often there were not enough children in the area to warrant a teacher. The quarry eventually closed. In 1882 the name of the school was changed to Orford School and it was located in Walpole Street in an old building near the corner of Walpole and Charles Street.

A new school building was opened on our present site in 1920 but unfortunately, this was a time of low population and there were no pupils or teacher to move into it. In 1924 it was finally occupied. It was also used in 1925, 1930 and part of 1931. After this the Education Department moved the building to Ravensdale.

Once this was done, there was a sudden influx of children! The Orford Hall was built on school property with the current supper room being used as a classroom from 1934 until 1944. In 1944 the room that is currently used as our library was built on the present site.

In 1954 the numbers increased to 47 and Orford State School went from Grade 1 to Grade 9. The middle classroom, which is now used by the Grade 5/6s was built. The room closest to Charles St (now the Grade 1/2 room) was built in 1963. Everything that we have now has been built around these early classrooms or added to them. We have also used two terrapin buildings as classrooms for a number of years.

Head Teachers and Principals*

1869	Mr Thomas and Mrs Susannah Fennell
1870 - 1872	Mr and Mrs Collis
1873 - 1879	Miss Anna Rosa Roblin (aka Mrs Rudd)
1880	Mrs Anna Rosa Rudd (aka Miss Roblin
1893	Mrs Helen McNeill
1894 - 1896	Mr Henry B J Lewis
1897	Mr J E Fitzpatrick
1898 - 1899	Miss Harriet A Luttrell
1900 - 1901	Miss Smallhorn
1902	Miss Catherine Charpentier
1906	Miss Margaret R Blackett
1907 - 1908	Miss Winifred B Carter
1908 - 1911	Miss Marion Harris
1913 - 1916	Miss Zillah Bellette
1916 - 1918	Miss Kathleen Bellette
1919 - 1920	Miss Mabel I Holmes
1924	Miss Cleta M Hall
1925 - 1926	Miss Lillian Greenland
1930 - 1931	Miss Margaret Latham
1933 - 1935	Mrs F Jean Hay
1935	Miss Creadon
1936	Mr Walter Langworthy
1937	Miss Ursula Walker
1937 - 1939	Mrs Josephine Hodgman
1939 - 1942	Miss Maud J Parsissons
1942 - 1945	Miss Hilda W Burnley
1945	Mr Halsteen
1946	Mr H Digby Pridmore
1947 - 1948	Mr Claude O Glover
1949	Mr Noel W Pearce
1950	Mr Stanley J Lyall
1951	Mr David L Parker
1951 - 1952	Mr Donald G Clegg
1952	Mr Ernest Davies
1953 - 1955	Mr Ronald J Muir
1955 - 1956	Mr Eric G Clinton
1957 - 1964	Mr James A Smith
1965 - 1967	Mr John J de Freitas
1968	Mr Peter J Guy
1969	Mr William E (Ted) Roberts
1970	Mr Jim Bryant
1971 - 1981	Mr Chris Duhig
1982	Mr John Read
1983 - 1985	Mr John Laing
1986 - 1988	Mrs Barbara Bound
1989 - 1995	Mr Kevin Treweek
1996 - 1998	Mr David Kilpatrick
1998 - 1999	Mr Steve Bowes
2000 - 2001	Mrs Diana Watson
2001 - 2008	Mr Peter Castle
2009 -	Mr Phillip Wells

* Some of these have been Acting Principals.

A booklet has been written on the history of our school and many more details can be found there. If you would like a copy please contact the school office or email Fran Read (fran.read@education.tas.gov.au )

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