Thomas Caterer

Thomas Caterer (31 July 1825 – c. 4 January 1917) was a pioneer schoolteacher of Adelaide, South Australia who founded in 1862 a private school for boys which in 1866 became Norwood Grammar School.

His brother, Frederick Isaac Caterer (c. 1840 – c. 24 August 1892), founded a similarly influential school in Glenelg.

His eldest son, T. Ainslie Caterer (died 1923), noted cricketer and teacher, was the first student of the University of Adelaide to be awarded a BA.

Thomas Caterer

Thomas was born in Tetsworth, Oxfordshire in 1827, the son of Elizabeth (died at Upper Mitcham, South Australia 17 July 1875) and Isaac Caterer (died 17 March 1868), a schoolteacher who later became a Congregational minister. He was educated at Lewisham College and was for a time on the staff of Taunton's School, Somersetshire before teaching under Professor Newth in Reading, Berkshire. He emigrated to South Australia, arriving in Adelaide 17 December 1854 in the ship Standard[1][2] He had married Marina Mudie (c. 1830 – 16 March 1899), sister of W. H. Mudie and daughter of the Rev. G. D. Mudie, then of England, but later Congregational minister of Salisbury, South Australia. She followed Thomas to Adelaide in the barque "David Malcolm", arriving 30 April 1855.[3] She was an educated and accomplished woman who had been secretary to Elihu Burritt for some years.[4]

He taught at J. L. Young's Adelaide Educational Institution for three or four years[5] then secured appointments as headmaster at Port Adelaide 1857–1858,[6] Glenelg 1858–1859, Auburn School 1860–1861[7] and Glen Osmond.[2]

He founded Beaumont Grammar School at his home "Greenhills" at Beaumont in 1862.[8] which moved to Beulah Road, Norwood in April 1866,[9] and renamed the Norwood Grammar School.[5][10]

In 1883 he was assisting Harry P. Macklin (1856 – 2 August 1902) at the S. A. Commercial College on Osmond Terrace, Norwood then together in 1886 they founded the Semaphore Collegiate School in a building on Ward St, Semaphore where the Rev. James Coglin previously conducted a Church school. On Macklin's death in 1902,[11] he sold the school to John F. Hills[12] and retired in 1904.[2]

He was for two years (around 1880 – 1882) Mayor of the Corporate Town of Kensington and Norwood. He was a fine cricketer and friend of East Torrens team-mate Sir Edwin Smith.[13]

His wife Marina worked closely with Thomas in teaching and school management.[4]

T. Ainslie Caterer

His eldest son, T. Ainslie Caterer (1858–1923), was a noted cricketer and educator, the first student of the University of Adelaide to be awarded a B.A.[14] He taught at St Peter's College from around 1890 and from 1916[15] was acting headmaster, and successfully so, until the appointment of the Rev. Bickersteth in 1919.[16] He retired in 1921 and died two years later. He is remembered there by the Caterer Memorial Scholarship. He married Elizabeth Amy Edmunds (1866– ), daughter of Arthur Joseph Edmunds,[17] in 1890

F. I. Caterer

Thomas's younger brother, Frederick Isaac Caterer (c. 1840 – c. 24 August 1892) was born in Peppard, Oxfordshire, and arrived in Adelaide around 1866. For a time he worked for Thomas, but moved to Glenelg and founded the Glenelg Grammar School.[18] on 1 October 1868. Students who achieved a degree of notability included F. C. Howard, E. Jones, Thomas McCallum, C. E. Manthorpe, B. Miller, J. H. Cooke MLC, F. H. Counsell, W. T. Stacy, W. A. Hamilton M.P., H. B. Crosby M.P.[19] and Charles Rischbieth Jury.

In 1869 he married Jane Phillipps (died 1 January 1916), a sister of Herbert Phillipps.[18]

Frederick attended the Glenelg Congregational Church regularly and was a great friend of the pastor, the Rev. C. Manthorpe. He ran the Sunday-school from 1872 to 1883.[20]

He was reported missing on 22 August 1892 and was the subject of an extensive search.[21] He was found dead four days later, having committed suicide by taking poison.[22]

Thomas and Frederick had two sisters: Mercy Anne Caterer (1831 – 25 August 1908), who was married to Rev. W. H. Mudie, and Jessie (died 1925), who never married.[23]

References
  1. Shipping Intelligence South Australian Register 19 December 1854 p. 2 accessed 24 June 2011
  2. A Scholastic Pioneer, The Advertiser, 1 August 1914, accessed 8 June 2011.
  3. "Passenger List - David Malcolm, Plymouth to Adelaide, 1855". www.theshipslist.com. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  4. Death of Mrs Thomas Caterer South Australian Register 17 March 1899 p. 5 accessed 22 June 2011
  5. Presentation to Mr. Thomas Caterer, South Australian Register, 28 March 1896, p. 7. Accessed 7 June 2011.
  6. Glenelg South Australian Register 3 July 1858 p. 3 accessed 24 June 2011
  7. Education South Australian Register 20 December 1861 p. 1 accessed 24 June 2011
  8. Advertisements, South Australian Register, 9 January 1862, p. 1. Accessed 7 June 2011.
  9. Public Notices South Australian Advertiser 4 April 1866 p. 4 accessed 22 June 2011
  10. Advertisement South Australian Register 9 July 1866 p. 1 accessed 21 June 2011
  11. Personal (some info. on Macklin) The Advertiser 4 August 1902 p. 4 accessed 22 June 2011
  12. Semaphore Collegiate School (advt.) The Register 25 September 1902 accessed 22 June 2011
  13. Personal, The Advertiser, 6 January 1917. Accessed 8 June 2011.
  14. The Adelaide University South Australian Register 24 March 1879 Supplement p. 2 accessed 21 June 2011
  15. Personal The Advertiser 3 January 1916 p. 6 accessed 21 June 2011
  16. St. Peter's College The Advertiser 7 June 1919 p. 12 accessed 21 June 2011
  17. "The Late Mr. A. J. Edmunds, S. M." The Areas' Express. Vol. XVIII, no. 1, 391. South Australia. 23 February 1894. p. 2. Retrieved 31 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. Obituary South Australian Register Tuesday 30 August 1892 p. 3 accessed 7 June 2011
  19. Glenelg Grammar School Advertiser (Adelaide) 3 October 1918 p. 5 accessed 13 November 2011
  20. Mr. Frederick Caterer South Australian Advertiser 11 August 1883 p. 5 accessed 28 September 2011
  21. A Mysterious Disappearance, The Advertiser, Thursday 25 August 1892, p. 5, accessed 8 June 2011.
    The article gives a good description of the man and his habits.
  22. The Inquest. Death from Poisoning The Advertiser Thursday 29 August 1892 p. 6 accessed 8 June 2011
  23. "OBITUARY". Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929). 7 December 1925. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
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