Richard Deodatus Poulett Harris
Encyclopedia
Richard Deodatus Poulett Harris (26 October 1817 – 23 December 1899) was an educationalist in England
and Tasmania
.
, Nova Scotia
, Canada
, the eldest son of Captain Charles Poulett Harris of the 60th Rifles Regiment
, who was stationed there. His mother was Anna Maria, daughter of Richard Stout, judge and member of the governor's council on Cape Breton Island. Harris was descended from Sir Amias Poulett, English
ambassador to France
in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
and afterwards keeper of Mary, Queen of Scots.
where he graduated B.A.
with honours in 1843, and M.A.
in 1852. He was ordained deacon
in 1847 and priest
in 1849 in the Church of England
. He engaged in teaching and became a master at Huddersfield Technical College in 1844, and five years later was appointed classics master at the Blackheath preparatory school. In 1844 he married Catherine Prior Hall, with whom he had six children, including Georgiana Poulett Harris (Mrs. Ingle, 1845-1919), first headmistress of Christchurch Girls' High School
in New Zealand
.
. He resigned from his headmastership in 1885 and lived in retirement near Hobart
. When the university was founded in 1890 Harris was elected the first warden of the senate. He was also the first Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge in Tasmania http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/weblog/article/masonic-go-jamesxzxx/.
, on 23 December 1899, and was survived by his wife, and of his first marriage: Georgiana (see above); Katharine (1847-1940); Charlotte Maria (1850-1941); Annie Louisa (1853-1922), and Lovell Andrews (1856-1929); and of his second marriage: Eleanor Mary (1865-1931), Henry Vere (1866-1933), Anna May (1869-1953), and Louisa Violet (b. 1873). Louisa's younger twin, Harriet Lily, died from Tubercular Peritonitis
in 1897, aged 23, having been a teacher at the Ladies' Grammar School and Kindergarten in Davey Street, Hobart
that was run by her sisters. A memorial for her exists in the All Saints' Anglican Church in Macquarie Street, South Hobart.
Richard and his daughters Eleanor and Lily are buried in the same grave at Cornelian Bay Cemetery.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
Family
Harris was born on Cape Breton IslandCape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the eldest son of Captain Charles Poulett Harris of the 60th Rifles Regiment
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
, who was stationed there. His mother was Anna Maria, daughter of Richard Stout, judge and member of the governor's council on Cape Breton Island. Harris was descended from Sir Amias Poulett, English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
ambassador to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
and afterwards keeper of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Education and life in England
Harris was educated from 1837 at the Manchester Free Grammar School and from 1839 Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
where he graduated B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
with honours in 1843, and M.A.
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
in 1852. He was ordained deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1847 and priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in 1849 in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. He engaged in teaching and became a master at Huddersfield Technical College in 1844, and five years later was appointed classics master at the Blackheath preparatory school. In 1844 he married Catherine Prior Hall, with whom he had six children, including Georgiana Poulett Harris (Mrs. Ingle, 1845-1919), first headmistress of Christchurch Girls' High School
Christchurch Girls' High School
Christchurch Girls' High School in Christchurch, New Zealand, was established in 1877 and is the second oldest girls' secondary school in the country . Christchurch Girls' High School was established before Christchurch Boys' High School . The first headmistress was Mrs...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Tasmania
After his wife's death in June 1856, Harris went to Tasmania to became headmaster of the Hobart high school, and filled the position with much ability, inspiring both respect and affection from his pupils. In 1858 he married Elizabeth Eleanor Milward, with whom he had another six children. It was at Harris' suggestion that an act was passed in 1858 founding a system of school examinations based on the Oxford and Cambridge local examinations, and also founding the Tasmanian scholarships of £200 a year tenable at English universities. He was one of the original members of the council of education founded in 1859, and long advocated the establishment of the University of TasmaniaUniversity of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
. He resigned from his headmastership in 1885 and lived in retirement near Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
. When the university was founded in 1890 Harris was elected the first warden of the senate. He was also the first Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge in Tasmania http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/weblog/article/masonic-go-jamesxzxx/.
Death and family
He died at Woodbridge, TasmaniaWoodbridge, Tasmania
Woodbridge is a town in southern Tasmania, Australia. The town is located south of the state capital, Hobart. At the 2006 census, Woodbridge had a population of 271.-External links:*...
, on 23 December 1899, and was survived by his wife, and of his first marriage: Georgiana (see above); Katharine (1847-1940); Charlotte Maria (1850-1941); Annie Louisa (1853-1922), and Lovell Andrews (1856-1929); and of his second marriage: Eleanor Mary (1865-1931), Henry Vere (1866-1933), Anna May (1869-1953), and Louisa Violet (b. 1873). Louisa's younger twin, Harriet Lily, died from Tubercular Peritonitis
Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the serous membrane that lines part of the abdominal cavity and viscera. Peritonitis may be localised or generalised, and may result from infection or from a non-infectious process.-Abdominal pain and tenderness:The main manifestations of...
in 1897, aged 23, having been a teacher at the Ladies' Grammar School and Kindergarten in Davey Street, Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
that was run by her sisters. A memorial for her exists in the All Saints' Anglican Church in Macquarie Street, South Hobart.
Richard and his daughters Eleanor and Lily are buried in the same grave at Cornelian Bay Cemetery.