Janet Agnes McVicar

The eleventh child and seventh daughter of James and Janet was born 18 December 1872, and registered 110 at Amphitheatre, as Agnes Janet. However, she was always known as Janet Agnes, and to the family as Jen.  She never married, and, with some early breaks, was a primary school teacher from 16 years until retirement at 60 years.

Janet's record with the Education Department of Victoria is online at www.prov.vic.gov.au. Search for Agnes Janet McVicar, and use the  link Image 293 of record: Teacher Record No. 12401-12700A  to explore her pages of records. She appears to have commenced on 11 December 1888, when she was nearly 16, and it was nearly Christmas Holidays,  but the record warrants further interpretation. On 16 March 1891, she "passed Classification ..... for Permit to Teach ... Avoca"  and was Appointed Head Teacher from 2 October 1891 at School No. 849, Rathscar North.  She ceased teaching on 30 June 1893.

 In 1895 in The Avoca Press, Janet  advertised

 Notice -

Janet McVicar begs leave to intimate that she has opened a school in the premises of her sister (L. McVicar) High Street, Avoca, for the tuition of all subjects, including Singing and Drawing on the following terms - Children, 1s. per week, Pianoforte, 12/6 per quarter."

 This is the shop, the front of which advertised the Tinsmith business at the rear, which burnt to the ground in December that year. See Lil McVicar page for the official report. 

Janet recommenced with the Education Department on 2 June, 1902, and taught at an amazing 30 schools over the next 30 years. I wonder if anyone is willing to chart on a map her moves between "her" schools, which, in order are

 Kimberley, Elmhurst, Tarranginnie East (Haycrofts),  Areegra East, Wycheproof South, (Wirrim) Birchip East, Kinnabulla, Rathscar West, Marnoo East, Avon Plains, Gowarr West, Wallaloo, Bulgana, Neilborough East, Avoca, Boyeo, Granite Hill, Natte Yallock, Muckleford, Briagolong, Nathalia, Raywood, Clayton North, Briagolong, Yea, Mentone, Cohuna, Stratford, Hamilton, Violet Town, and Beechworth.  One wonders why she moved around so much, as there did not seem to be any financial benefit, in fact there was the additional cost of always being in short term accommodation. She retired on 18 December, 1932, her 60th birthday.  

   A History of the Shire of Lexton, p.112, records that Janet was the second teacher to teach at the newly established school of Granite Hill, via Lexton, which had been transported from Moorabool West. Janet taught there from 1911 to early 1913. See Archibald Henry for details of the postcard Janet received there in 1912 from her niece, Elsie Brown, giving the date when her brother's brother-in-law, Will Glover, her brother Arch McVicar and "Mr Young" and the bullock train had left for the Mallee - 22 August, 1912.  

Big Water, Little Plain: A History of Natte Yallock (undated) records that Janet taught there from 1913 to 1915. Her niece, Dory Rothe recalled that because Dory’s mother had died in 1907, Janet  took in Dory and her brother Jim when she .was teaching at Natte Yallock, and had her mother Janet living with her.

Janet's mother, Caroline Janet, was staying with her when the latter died in the school residence at Muckleford, on 16 July, 1916. A death notice for Caroline was published in the Mount Alexander Mail, the Castlemaine newspaper, on 18th July, worded:  McVicar - On the 16th of July, at Muckleford, Caroline Janet, relict of the late Mr Jame N.McVicar, of Avoca. Aged 81 years. A colonist of 63 years.

Janet, Auntie Jen, as she was known by the family, was known for her dogs, and for driving a car.  She was involved in an accident in Mildura when her sister-in-law Maggie, wife of Archibald, was a passenger. 

Janet was the family member who organised the grave in the Presbyterian section of the Ararat Cemetery for her sister, Mary, in 1933. I suspect it was pre-arranged because Mary, 75, died without warning, and the burial was shortly after.  However, the Cemetery secretary assures me that that was not the case. Therefore it must have been that Janet in Mentone was notified by telegram of the death, and then either telephoned the appropriate authority, or drove from Mentone to Ararat to organise the requirements. Given that she had travelled all over the state to teach, often for only short periods, the trip would not have been as arduous as for some people, even though it was mid winter. 

On 9 November, 1934, the Advertiser, Hurstbridge, included on page 2. "Auction Sale at Greensborough, As-.-advertised elsewhere -an auction sale will be conducted on the premises, of Miss J. A. McVicar, Broad road, Greensborough on Saturday, November 10 at 2.30 p.m.. Messrs James Riordan & Co., of 2.1 Collins street, are the agents."  The 1936 Electoral Rolls have her still at living in the same Road, which may be only administrative "drag".  The 1937 Roll has her living at York Avenue, Avoca, which is also the address of Kenneth James McVicar, her nephew, whose parents also live in Avoca. By 1943, her Roll address was Post Office Buldah, via Orbost, a remote location in the Victorian Alps. 

A particularly good profile photo of Lil is held by Gwen S., and it has also been identified by Pearl M. as being this aunt. A photo of Janet with her sister, Caroline Brown, and family also exists.

Agnes Janet, Auntie Jen, the last of the daughters of James and Janet McVicar, died on 24 April 1947 (3948) at Mentone, aged 74. Her ashes lie under a rose bush at Springvale Botanical Cemetery. For further information try  http://deceasedsearch.com/page-o6875858-en.htm or look for Janet Agnes (not Agnes Janet, her birth name) McVicar on the Southern Metropolitan (Melbourne) Cemeteries Trust website.

Next page: John Angus McVicar