Balancing ...

Following on from the mildly criminal soldier of my last entry, I thought I'd restore the balance by introducing you to Miss Daisy Ellen Culpin, born in Hackney in 1883.

Her father, Millice, took the family to Queensland in 1891 and Daisy, the youngest of six children, grew up to become a school teacher.  And then the Headmistress of an independent school in Toowoomba, as the Brisbane Courier-Mail of 19 June 1940 tells us:

Farewell to Fairholme College Principal

Toowoomba, Tuesday - Miss D.E. Culpin, who is retiring at the end of the week from the position of principal of Fairholme Presbyterian Girls' College, which she has held for 18 years, was farewelled at the school today, and presented by the Rev. Mervyn Henderson, principal of Emmanuel College and chairman of the Presbyterian Board of Education, with a cheque for £250 from the board.  The senior prefect (Olive McMahon) presented Miss Culpin with a wallet of notes from the staff and pupils.

Indeed the school's website is good enough to confirm Daisy's tenure: 

Miss Daisy Culpin became the third Principal of Fairholme (1922-1940) and also the longest serving Principal.  She guided the College through the formative period of the twenties and the difficult depression years of the thirties.  Consolidation and expansion of enrolments and the establishment of facilities were noteworthy features of her term of office.

See, a bit of respectability in the tree!  Wait till I tell you what I found today in the Aussie papers .....

More soon.