James Elphinstone Roe
James Elphinstone Roe | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Kirkby on Bain, Lincolnshire, England |
| Died | 1 May 1897 (aged 78) |
| Occupation(s) | Educator, journalist, auctioneer |
| Known for | Educational reform in Western Australia |
James Elphinstone Roe (circa 18 October 1818 – May 1897) was a convict sent to Western Australia who later became a prominent ex-convict educator and advocate for educational reform. He significantly influenced the development of the colony's schooling system and political landscape before embarking on a career in journalism.
Originating from Kirkby on Bain, Lincolnshire, Roe was the son of Reverend Thomas Roe, the parish rector, and Catherine Sarah née Elphinstone. He pursued his studies at Worcester College, Oxford, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1841 and likely entering holy orders shortly thereafter. In 1843, he wed Susannah Moore; together they had fourteen children, nine of whom survived infancy.
In 1861, Roe was found guilty at the Old Bailey of forging a £6000 money order, purportedly to secure an inheritance from an uncle. Although his family maintained his innocence, he received a sentence of ten years' penal servitude and was transported to Western Australia aboard the , arriving in December 1862. He obtained his ticket of leave by August 1864 and commenced work as a private tutor in York, Western Australia. Later that year, his family joined him.
Despite his strong qualifications, Roe’s convict background initially prevented him from holding official teaching positions. Bishop Hale, who chaired the Board of Education, endorsed Roe’s appointment to a school in Greenough, Western Australia in 1867. Susannah taught nearby before briefly joining him; subsequent transfers led them to teach separately.
Roe’s advocacy for government funding of Catholic schools and his forthright opinions on school administration caused friction with the local Education Board beginning in 1870. Although supported by the community, he was dismissed that year following complaints and an incident involving lateness.
After losing his position, Roe championed educational reforms through articles in the Fremantle Herald during 1871. His recommendations encompassed mandatory attendance, extended schooling age limits, enhanced teaching resources, increased teacher remuneration, employment of qualified inspectors, secular education principles, and oversight by a secular board or minister. The later Elementary Education Act 1871 incorporated many of these suggestions, including compulsory attendance within three miles of schools and inspection protocols. Subsequent reforms raised salaries and introduced ministerial supervision.
Roe remained at Greenough until 1873 while supplementing his income by harvesting sandalwood and serving as an agent and auctioneer for Henry Gray. He also contributed as a correspondent to the Fremantle Herald, eventually becoming a full-time reporter and later co-editor alongside James Pearce and William Beresford after moving to Perth.
Following Susannah’s passing in 1887, Roe supported himself by working in his daughter’s market garden from 1890 until his death in 1897.
His family continued their political involvement: daughter Helen married Patrick Stone, who would serve in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly; daughters Georgina and Agnes wed convicts Joseph Walton and Herman Moll respectively.
General references
- A transcript and newspaper coverage of Roe's trial, accompanied by an extensive letter outlining his imprisonment, court proceedings, and subsequent relocation to Western Australia.
Sources
- 1818 births
- 1897 deaths
- Convicts transported to Western Australia
- Australian schoolteachers
- Alumni of Worcester College, Oxford
- People from East Lindsey District
- Australian auctioneers
- 19th-century Australian journalists
- 19th-century Australian male writers
- 19th-century male writers
- 19th-century Australian businesspeople
- Australian male journalists
- Settlers of Western Australia