Ryde Public School

Year started

1877

Years modified and extended

1892,1919,1923,1986

Government architects

G.A. Mansfield (1877 building); W. Kemp (1892 building); R.M.S. Wells (1919)

Builder

George Coutes and Sons

About Ryde Public School

In 1862, a campaign was begun to establish a public school in Ryde Village, and with the help of local donations a school was started in 1868 in the premises of Stanley's Inn on the corner of Parkes Street (later Blaxland Road) and Tucker Street.

A campaign for a new school building succeeded in 1877 with a single-storey sandstone building erected on this site. One qualified teacher and two pupil-teachers supervised an average attendance of 113 students in that first year. In 1892, Lord and Lady Jersey opened a new, two-storey, sandstone building for the infant school pupils.

Petitions were presented to the Council of Education in 1919 and 1923 which resulted in the erection of brick classrooms to relieve overcrowding. By 1929, enrolments had risen to 700, and in the same year the primary school was divided into separate boys’ and girls’ departments. In 1934 a new infants school building was constructed. During WWII air raid trenches were dug in the sports ground.

In 1986, a new school hall was built. The first Arbor Day in NSW was held at Ryde Public School in 1890 on the initiative of the Minister for Public Instruction and trees were planted by dignitaries adjacent to the front gate.

Location

2 Tucker Street, Ryde, Ryde 2112 View Map

Skip to below map

Skip to above map