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 In December 1911 a petition signed by 30 residents requested that a teacher’s residence be built at Bilambil.1 An area of 2 roods, part of portion 260, was resumed for a residence in 1912 from John McCormack.1&4 The Department had to wait to take over the land until the crop of cane on it in May 1912 was harvested in August.1 Alfred Modini of Murwillumbah, who had erected several buildings for the Department in the district, was the successful tenderer for the residence.1 The contract amount for the residence was £593 of which the Department paid him only £582 because he took longer than the time allocated for the work.1Forty-two-year-old George Clothier was appointed to the school to replace Moffitt in June 1914.2&3 Shortly after his arrival at Bilambil he wrote to the Department on 10 July successfully requesting leave for his wife from teaching sewing because, ‘The residence at this school not being ready for occupation I have been compelled to take a cottage at Tweed Heads [belonging to Mr Scammell] where my wife and family are now staying ... it is not possible for Mrs Clothier to travel to and fro (7 miles Tweed Heads to Bilambil)’.1
 The new residence was occupied by Clothier on 9 September 1914 although it and the associated work of fencing and excavation were not completed until February of the following year.1 Clothier resigned from the end of March 1918, having been on long service leave prior to this from July 1917.2 While he was on long service leave he was able to continue to occupy the residence, having requested this in April 1917 when he wrote that, ‘Within the last two years I have cleaned and cultivated 1/4 acre of land attached to the residence. Portion of this I have planted with 40 sets of bananas. These are now coming into bearing and I desire to obtain some return for my labour.’1 Clothier was re-employed as an assistant teacher at Tweed Heads School in October 1919. He then taught in Sydney from the beginning of 1921 until he retired from Concord West School in 1936.2 |
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