Albert Bythesea Weigall
Encyclopedia
Albert Bythesea Weigall CMG
, (16 February 1840 – 20 February 1912) was an English
-born Australia
n schoolmaster, headmaster of Sydney Grammar School
for 45 years.
and Brasenose College, Oxford
. He received second class honours in Literae Humaniores
in 1862, and the following year travelled to Australia after a sea voyage was recommended for him to recover from illness.
, teaching primarily classics at Scotch College, Melbourne
under Alexander Morrison
for three years. His cousin They're Weigall was able to introduce him to some influential friends, and in 1866 he applied for the position of headmaster at Sydney Grammar School, took up the role in January 1867.
At the beginning of the 1867 academic year there were only 53 boys at Sydney Grammar; this grew to 696 boys in Weigall's last year as headmaster. Indeed when he arrived the school was in a particularly perilous situation, as the previous headmaster William Stephens departed after a conflict over corporal punishment
with the school trustees. He had left to form a new school at Darlinghurst, taking fifty students with him.
Weigall sought to rebuild the school by instilling the value of academic achievement, as well as build character through sporting activities. He introduced the school magazine The Sydneian, and a prefect system in 1878. Weigall guided the school's teachers, some of whom had arrived from England after being educated at the great public schools
there, to impart a similar atmosphere at Sydney Grammar School. For example he and Henry Anderson formed the school cadet corps
in 1870, and the following year Weigall became captain of the corps.
He was married to Ada Frances Raymond in 1868, and had four sons and four daughters. Among them was Cecil Weigall, a prominent barrister.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, (16 February 1840 – 20 February 1912) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n schoolmaster, headmaster of Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
for 45 years.
Early life
Weigall was the fourth son of the Rev. Edward Weigall by his wife, Cecelia Bythesea Brome and was educated at Macclesfield Grammar SchoolThe King's School, Macclesfield
-Notable former pupils:* Peter Moores, ex-England Cricket Coach* Rev. Thomas Taylor, priest and historian* Alan Beith, politician* Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent of Sky News...
and Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
. He received second class honours in Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
in 1862, and the following year travelled to Australia after a sea voyage was recommended for him to recover from illness.
Career
Weigall settled in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, teaching primarily classics at Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
under Alexander Morrison
Alexander Morrison (headmaster)
Alexander Morrison was Headmaster of Scotch College, Melbourne, Australia, for 47 years.-Early life:Morrison was born Edinkillie, Morayshire, Scotland, sixth son of Donald Morrison, a farmer, and his wife Catherine née Fraser. Alexander was educated at the Elgin Academy and King's College,...
for three years. His cousin They're Weigall was able to introduce him to some influential friends, and in 1866 he applied for the position of headmaster at Sydney Grammar School, took up the role in January 1867.
At the beginning of the 1867 academic year there were only 53 boys at Sydney Grammar; this grew to 696 boys in Weigall's last year as headmaster. Indeed when he arrived the school was in a particularly perilous situation, as the previous headmaster William Stephens departed after a conflict over corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
with the school trustees. He had left to form a new school at Darlinghurst, taking fifty students with him.
Weigall sought to rebuild the school by instilling the value of academic achievement, as well as build character through sporting activities. He introduced the school magazine The Sydneian, and a prefect system in 1878. Weigall guided the school's teachers, some of whom had arrived from England after being educated at the great public schools
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
there, to impart a similar atmosphere at Sydney Grammar School. For example he and Henry Anderson formed the school cadet corps
Australian Army Cadets
The Australian Army Cadets is a youth organisation that is involved with progressive training of youths in military and adventurous activities. The programme has more than 19,000 Army Cadets between the ages of 12½ and 19 based in 236 units around Australia...
in 1870, and the following year Weigall became captain of the corps.
Late life and legacy
Weigall's interest almost exclusively lay with his role as Headmaster of Sydney Grammar School. He finally took a year off in 1893, and although he later returned and would remain headmaster until his death, he was plagued by illness in the latter part of his life. He died on 20 February 1912. He was lauded by past students and the school trustees for his leadership. The land the school had purchased in 1907 at Rushcutters Bay was named the Weigall Playing Fields; Weigall had strongly advocated for sporting grounds for the students of the school.He was married to Ada Frances Raymond in 1868, and had four sons and four daughters. Among them was Cecil Weigall, a prominent barrister.