In 1876, Headmaster J V Buckland engaged the services of local artist, Miss Eliza Blyth to teach drawing lessons at the School. It is likely that Eliza was the first female teacher employed and was certainly the first teacher employed who specialised in the creative arts.
Eliza Blyth was born in Essex, England in 1820 and emigrated to Tasmania in 1848. She was under the charge of Bishop Francis Nixon, a long-time friend of the Buckland family. This perhaps is how the teaching appointment came, or it could be simply because Eliza's art studio in 1875 was at 1 Barrack Street, a mere two-minute walk, just past the Duke of Wellington hotel opposite Hutchins.
After arriving in Hobart, Eliza set up her own art school where she offered instruction in drawing and painting. She often travelled to mainland Australia to exhibit her work and, in 1866, entered the Intercolonial Exhibition in Melbourne where she entered a folio of watercolours. Eliza's artwork focussed on Tasmanian flowers and is held in many museums and galleries throughout Eastern Australia.
By the time Eliza began teaching at Hutchins in 1876, she was already 56 years old, and stayed until her retirement at age 63.
Eliza passed away at age 74 in Bellerive, Tasmania and is buried at Sorell.
Digital copies of Eliza Blyth’s watercolours are available from Gowans & Sons Printers. We would like to thank Gowans & Sons for allowing us the use of one of Eliza’s watercolour prints.
