Gnowangerup History

Hilda was born in 1900 and educated in the Eastern Goldfields.

She arrived in the district in 1920/21 as a school teacher and first taught at Toolbrunup School. She then was the first teacher at Pallinup State School when it opened in 1922 Hilda boarded at the Gillespie home when she taught at Toolbrunup.
Reg Gillespie writes: “My first school was at Toolbrunup Siding in 1920 where the teacher was Miss Martin who also boarded at our house. I was only four, but sent to make up the numbers. My brother Eugene, Miss Martin and I used to drive four miles in a buggy. The school was attended by Herberts and Burridge’s and others I can't remember.
Miss Martin married Selwyn Paisley, whose farm was near the school. Many years later she went back to teaching and she was my eldest son's teacher in Gnowangerup.”

(Reg Gillespie 1990, A Concise History of Pallinup)
In 1923 Reg's parents Dorothy and Claude Gillespie offered the use of a small stone cottage at the Pallinup Homestead (50 yards from the main house) to be used as a schoolroom. This became the first Pallinup School.
Claude's two sons Eugene and Reg ceased attending Toolbrunup School and joined the other children. By the following year the class size had outgrown the cottage, and the community put pressure on the Government to open a purpose-built school.
A weatherboard building consisting of one room was erected near the junction of Soldiers Road and Martinup Road. Hilda remained boarding with the Gillespie family and continued teaching at Toolbrunup, the teacher at Pallinup was Kathleen O'Connor.
The Pallinup School opened on September 14, 1925. (Ed Dept Library Records)

In 1928 Hilda married Selwyn Addey Paisley (c1891-1958)(67), a returned WWI soldier who served in the 10th Light Horse. He was granted a soldier settlement block near Toolbrunup Siding which he named 'Burleigh Park”. 
Hilda “instituted the first private mailbag brought on train from Tambellup, and had the first public telephone in the district installed at Toolbrunup Siding.
A Methodist minister from Gnowangerup held monthly meetings at the house for 7 years. Three christenings were also celebrated. 
Hilda was a foundation member of the Gnowangerup Country Women's Association, in which she held office for several terms each as President, and Vice President. In 1993 she was the only foundation member of the CWA still alive. 
Hilda resumed teaching in 1942 as a war effort and taught in the district for eleven years. She gained much happiness from her pupils and ex pupils.
Hilda and Selwyn had no children of their own, but became very fond of Brian Waters whom they "adopted". Hilda was very upset when Brian was conscripted to Vietnam. Tragically, Brian was killed and is buried in Tambellup. 
Hilda retired to South Perth, but made the trip south to attend a service on 23 October1979 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pallinup school.

References: Article: Reg Gillespie

Image: