Emily Bury (1866-1943)

When Emily Bury joined the Victorian Historical Society in 1914, as member 225, she was an assistant teacher at St Kilda Park State School, and had been an employee of the Victorian Education Department for over thirty years. She continued to teach until retiring on the grounds of ill-health in December 1925, when aged 59.

Emily, born at Richmond on 19 December 1866, was the eldest child of Edward Bury and Mary O’Keefe, both Irish immigrants who had arrived in Victoria during the 1850s. After marrying in 1866, the couple lived in various inner south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, where Edward worked as a carpenter. Tragedy struck in June 1883 when Edward died of ‘consumption’, aged 46, leaving a wife and six children – the youngest aged five. It is likely that the death of her father led to Emily (the only child to have attained the school leaving age of 15) to seek the position of pupil teacher at 2460 St Kilda Park State School, in May 1884. St Kilda Park, located in Fitzroy Street, was only a short walk from the family home in Argyle Street, and where possibly Emily had been a former student, as her younger sister Harriet gave the school as her ‘last place of education’, when she entered for the University of Melbourne’s matriculation examination later the same year.

Emily’s working environment would not have been pleasant. She and a fellow pupil teacher, together with a qualified assistant, taught 80-100 infant students, in a large, poorly ventilated, and poorly lit schoolroom. In addition, she was required to receive tuition in various subjects from the head master outside the regular school hours, as part of her training. Yet Emily appears to have made a successful beginning to her career, and her initial report described her as – ‘A bright young teacher’ with ‘more than an average aptitude for teaching.’

In 1886 Emily was joined at St Kilda Park by her younger sister Harriet, and then the following year, by another sister, Mary. All remained at the school until July 1895, when, as an economic measure, it was amalgamated with nearby 1407 Brighton Road, and the infant classes transferred to the latter site. It was soon after her removal to Brighton Road that Emily received the only blot on her teaching record. Despite Inspector Gamble reporting earlier in 1896 that she was ‘a capable young teacher’, with whom he was most ‘favourably impressed’, twelve months later his favourable impression had soured. Emily was now:

        Not very docile, somewhat insubordinate, quite passive resistance to authority – difficult PT to manage for HT, and ineffective as a teacher.

It seems as though the head teacher, John Burston, had complained about Emily’s behaviour, although no specific details were provided. However, Emily soon became ‘more amenable to discipline’, and once again began to receive favourable reports – as she did for the remainder of her teaching career.

Emily returned to teach at St Kilda Park when the school separated from Brighton Road in 1907, having recently been promoted to the position of junior teacher – over 20 years after entering the teaching service! Emily, like many pupil teachers – most of whom were female – continued to be classified as an apprentice while effectively fulfilling the role of an assistant teacher, albeit at a much lower salary. Had Emily lived alone, it is likely her financial situation would have been precarious, but the Burys were able to pool their resources and function as an economic unit. Five of the six children did not marry, and (with the exception of Harriet who taught in country schools for 20 years, before returning to St Kilda), continued to live together for their entire adult lives. Three of the sisters taught, while Frances, the youngest child, assumed the role of housekeeper after the death of their mother in 1902. Edward, the son who lived at home, first worked as a law clerk before following his father’s occupation of carpentry.

The family’s economic survival was also aided by their paternal grandfather’s sister, Harriet Brinsmead, who owned ‘Verona’, the seven-roomed weatherboard house in Argyle Street, St Kilda, occupied by the Burys. The house had been purchased by Harriet after she inherited over £3,000, following the death of her husband, John Pyke, in 1875, but she did not need to reside there after her marriage in 1878 to James Brinsmead, a pharmacist. The Burys moved to ‘Verona’ soon after Edward’s death in 1883 (apparently as rent-free tenants), and the house was transferred to the ownership of the four Bury sisters after their great aunt’s death in October 1921.

The Brinsmeads also provided support to George Bury, the only child not to remain part of the family unit in adulthood – and the only one to marry, albeit when aged 42. George accompanied James and Harriet when they moved to Traralgon in the early 1900s, and worked as a manufacturing chemist in their business. Following their return to Melbourne, George was employed at their new establishment in East Malvern; entering into partnership and then conducting the business after James’ death in 1916. Under the terms of Harriet’s will, George received £52 pa, but unfortunately he was only a short-term recipient of her largesse, as he died seven years after his great aunt, aged 52, from injuries sustained when struck by a tram in High Street.

Emily was 47 years of age when she joined the HSV in 1914, and 67 when she resigned in 1941; two years prior to her death. Her reasons for joining the Society are not known, but she could be described as a moderately active member. The Society’s letter books record that in April 1916 she forwarded a manuscript to the secretary A.W. Greig, together with a letter that explained it had been received from a relative who had recorded the reminiscences of Mrs Thomas Maher, a member of the first party to travel overland from Sydney to Melbourne. These papers have been filed as ‘Miscellaneous reminiscences of the Maher family’, plus correspondence by Emily Bury and Nora Minogue [MS 000437].

A few years later, in a letter accompanying some (unspecified) photographs sent to Grieg, Emily asked whether he had tried to interest the Australian Natives’ Association in the HSV, and suggested that the association might be interested in forming an historical branch in connection with each centre.

            So much of value is being lost just through the want of someone interested enough to collect it. No doubt, more interest will be taken in our History now. The soldiers, who  have returned, will recognize its value. (18 March 1919)

In October 1919, Emily was asked to interview a fellow resident of St Kilda – a Mrs Graham – on behalf of the Australian Historical Society. Within a few weeks she sent an eight-page manuscript to the Society – later recorded as ‘Reminiscences of Mrs K Graham’ [MS 3525]. Kathleen Graham, the granddaughter of the Rev. J Shelley, who had arrived in Sydney circa 1790, provided a descriptive account of the family’s early experiences in NSW, Adelaide and Echuca, including their relationship with the indigenous Australians. Emily noted that as it was impossible for Mrs Graham to remember everything all at once, she had suggested that she write down everything of historical value that might occur to her and forward it to Emily.

Emily remained a member of the HSV after she had been granted permission to retire from the Education Department in December 1925. When she ceased teaching, she was an assistant at 3820 Caulfield North Central School (formerly known as Balaclava), located not far from the St Kilda schools where she had taught for several decades. Her retirement income of £104, based on her salary as a junior assistant, indicates a lack of progression in the teaching service.

Very little is known about Emily’s non-professional life, other than that she appears to have maintained an ongoing interest in drawing and painting. In 1882, prior to the death of their father, Emily and two of her sisters attended the St Kilda Girls’ School of Design on Saturday afternoons, and many years later exhibited work at a local studio. School inspectors later complimented her on her skill at ‘brushwork’ and ‘crayon work’, which she taught to senior classes at the school ‘with exceptional success’.

Emily died, aged 77, in July 1943, leaving an estate valued at over £4,600. She died intestate and no application was made for administration until 1948, as according to the Commissioner of Taxation, her next of kin were ‘ignorant of the requirements with regard to an application for administration of the estate’. Probate was not finally granted until 1 January 1970.

It appears that dying intestate was a family trait, as none of the five unmarried siblings left a will: Harriet (who died in April 1931), Frances (December 1943), Mary (September 1949), and Edward (October 1949). The death of Edward, whose estate was valued at over £8,000, meant that the public trustee was required to undertake a search for his next of kin, but the search ceased in 1964. Eventually, a claimant brought a case in an attempt to determine who was entitled to a share, and on 12 December 1985, in the Victorian Supreme Court, Justice Murphy directed that the estate be divided into 32 equal parts (many of which were then further sub-divided).

Emily’s papers of administration describe her as a ‘retired school teacher’ – she alone among her female siblings being accorded a professional designation. The others are described merely as ‘spinster’. Her career as a teacher provides most information about her life and character. According to the inspectors’ reports (spanning almost six decades), Emily was conscientious, kind, patient, thoughtful, articulate, intelligent, and well-informed. What also is clear is that she had sufficient self assurance to challenge the authority of a head master when a young teacher.

Carole Hooper

January 2023