Teacher John Edwin Tilley, The son of Robert George TILLEY and Catherine QUAYLE was born in Amphitheatre, Victoria in 1880.
John married Bertha Ann OSWELL in 1910.

John Tilley taught in many schools throughout country Victoria, in Australia, including Thalia, Babatchio, Pranjip, Ouyen, Beaufort and finally spending 25 years teaching at Newtown, Geelong.

When I found this photograph with just some names, no dates and certainly nothing about who John Tilley was I decided to try and find out a little bit about him, for here was a teacher who must have influenced thousands of lives for a pittance in pay.
Our early teachers in their one room bush schools deserve to be remembered.

John Edwin TILLEY died in 1960 in Victoria, Australia

Below is a photograph taken in 1902 with his students at a little school in Thalia, Victoria.

Back - Martin Joseph Ryan 1894-1954, Willie Kerr 1893-1979, Arthur Allan 1894-1974, Henry Cook 1892-1959, Gordon Allan 1890-1968, Archie Kerr 1891-1980, Phillip Allan 1892-1955, Eddie Ryan 1892-1967,

Centre Row - Ethel May Durie 1896-?, Maggie Ryan 1895-1984, Amy Durie 1892-1976, Euphemia Kerr 1890-1962, Polly Cook 1895-1959, Gertrude Vaught 1896-1985, Lizzie May Kerr 1897-1939.

Front - ? Garnet, Pat Docherty.
----------
Martin Joseph RYAN married Annie Elizabeth HOGAN 1896-1990 and had 6 children

Willie KERR married Florence May MCQUINN 1903-1986 and had 4 children

Arthur ALLAN married Elvira Hope CURRIE 1894-1977 had 5 children

Henry COOK married Alice Elizabeth Maud BERRYMAN 1882-1963

Archie Kerr married (1)Daisey FRAZER (2)Eva Elizabeth BARBER 1896-1953

Eddie Ryan married Margaret Mary OKEEFE 1898-1960 had 10 children

Ethel May DURIE married Frederick Alexander BADDOCK 1893-1940

Margaret RYAN married William Thomas DOYE 1892-1963

Amy DURIE married Clarence William SIMPSON 1893-1974

Gertrude Sylvia VAUGHT married Neil MCLEOD 1890-1985