A Schoolmaster Found Dead
Charles Hulke, Headmaster of Newtown School, was found dead in his bed on 1st November 1898. The appearance of the body pointed to his having had a seizure of some kind. He was 62 years old.
Two weeks prior to his death, Charles gave some of his private papers to a friend for safekeeping. These were opened following his death and found to contain his will and a memorandum giving a number of ‘singular’ directions:
‘I want one of the plainest funerals possible, and mind no one is to follow me. Of course, there will be an inquest and Mr Ashcroft, coroner, need only call Mrs Jordan and Miss Collins to know my sentiments, which I have freely expressed to them since January last. I hope Mr Bary will now be satisfied’.
Mrs Jordan was the mistress of the Infant’s School, Florence Collins a former pupil-teacher and Charles Bary the first assistant master.
He also wrote:
‘My opera-glass presented to me by the children, I wish to be buried with me’, and a footnote stated ‘One parcel addressed T.G. Macarthy, under my pillow’.
These and other letters indicated that Charles had premeditated taking his life but this was not the outcome of the post mortem examination. At the inquest, the jury heard how Charles was well aware of his poor state of health and would talk of not wanting to endure a long illness. Dr Tripe who undertook the post mortem determined his death was likely due to a diseased heart and lungs and that a person suffering from these could experience feelings of depression.
The inquest was adjourned while an analysis of the stomach contents was made, despite Dr Tripe thinking it would not be necessary. On resuming the inquest, the Government Analyst, William Skey, said that he failed to find anything in the stomach that was poisonous. The jury still had trouble reaching a verdict but eventually agreed on the wording:
‘Being bound by the medical evidence, the jury find that the deceased died from failure of the heart’s action and disease of the heart and lungs’.
Charles’ funeral took place at 8am on 2nd November at Karori Cemetery. The interment was private according to his wishes. The children of Newtown School marshalled at the front of Newtown School and were disappointed to be told they could not follow the funeral hearse. Instead, the teachers took the children to the cemetery via another route. Most of the children carried either wreaths, crosses or bunches of flowers. As the hearse and the two mourning carriages entered the cemetery, the children formed a double line along the driveway. Rev W. Shirer conducted the service.
Following Charles’ death, many wrote letters to the editor of the newspapers suggesting how Charles could be remembered – including naming a cot at the hospital, a scholarship and naming a swimming bath at the school. A committee was set up for this purpose although politics seemed to fail to give any idea traction. In the end, the children of Newtown School fundraised for a headstone to be placed on his grave. This was done in January 1899.
Charles was born in Kent and educated in England and Germany. He arrived in New Zealand in 1853 and in 1861 decided to train as a teacher. He married Clarissa Collins in 1855 at New Plymouth. Their only child died in 1862. Clarissa left Charles shortly after and despite her having several more children with other men, they never divorced. She died in 1892.
In 1882 Charles went to Europe where he studied chemistry at the Royal School of Mines. On his return, he made a hobby of chemistry and organised for chemical appliances to be installed in all Wellington schools. His house was filled with chemicals and apparatus, including on his kitchen table – next to his partially eaten last meal.
He also made a hobby of photography and gave public lectures that he illustrated with lantern slides. He was a vice-president of the Melrose Football Club and a member of the Wellington Philosophical Society.
Charles was described as a most energetic instructor and one of the best teachers the Education Board had employed.
Plot: *Public/K/16
Thanks to Elizabeth Cox for suggesting this story.
By Julia Kennedy
