Clara Ellison – Head Teacher at Even Swindon Infants School

Clara Ellison had taught at Even Swindon School for 25 years when she resigned in 1908. Then aged 48 she might have expected to remain in post for a few more years. There is no mention that she was suffering from poor health so we have to ask did her husband’s bankruptcy case influence the members of the Swindon School Board?

Clara Illidge Shelton was born in 1860 in Birmingham, the daughter of William Shelton, a cab driver, and his wife Elizabeth. By the time of the 1881 census Clara was living in Eastbourne where she was employed as an assistant school mistress and lodged with William Cole and his family.

On December 1, 1883 Clara (by then living at 34 Wellington Street, Swindon) married John Ellison, a brass finisher in the Works, at St. Mark’s Church. Even Swindon Infant School was built in 1884, which is the earliest date at which Clara could have been teaching there. By 1891 the couple were living at 17 Linslade Street where John describes himself as a Brass Finisher and Clara as a School Board Teacher. They had two young sons, Gerald 6, and Wilfrid 4. Clara’s widowed mother Elizabeth lived with the family.

But was there a prejudicial attitude to Mrs Ellison prior to the events of 1908? In 1896 Mr Henry Day (Head Teacher at Even Swindon Mixed School) and Mrs Clara Ellison (Mistress at Even Swindon Infant School) both applied for an increase in their salaries. The School Management Committee initially recommended that they both receive a £10 annual increase whereupon Committee member Mr McRae immediately opposed both applications. In the case of Mr Day there was no seconder but Mr Keene also raised an objection in the case of Mrs Ellison. Some discussion followed when another member, Mr Sewell, entered a protest against Mrs Ellison holding the post, and ‘keeping a single girl out of work.’

But then came the matter of John Ellison’s bankruptcy in 1908 and a recommendation by the Teaching Staff Sub-Committee “that Mrs Ellison, head mistress of the Even Swindon Infant School be given three months’ notice to terminate her engagement.” Swindon Advertiser, Friday, May 22, 1908.

By August 1908 John’s bankruptcy examination was closed and Clara had resigned.

Even Swindon School published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library

Presentation – On Wednesday afternoon, at the Even Swindon Infant School, Mrs Ellison, late headmistress, was the recipient of a very handsome pair of bronzes, given to her by the teachers (past and present) on the occasion of resigning her position as headmistress, which post she has held for 25 years. In making the presentation, Miss Witt said how very much they all felt the parting, but they hoped Mrs Ellison would be spared many years to enjoy the rest so thoroughly earned. – In reply, Mrs Ellison, thanking them, said how much she would value their beautiful present, and the very happy time spent amongst them would never be forgotten by her. She wished them every success, and trusted they would all work as happily together in the future as they had always done in the past.

Swindon Advertiser, Thursday, August 20, 1908.

Clara died the following year and was buried on October 1, 1909 in grave plot D128, a public grave, which she shares with her husband who died in 1924 and one other, probably unrelated, person.