Bessy CAMERON

CAMERON, BESSY (née FLOWER), (b. Albany, WA, 1851; d. Bairnsdale, Vic, 1895). Aboriginal teacher.

Bessy Flower was raised from infancy by Anne and Henry Camfield. Her father, who had worked for the Camfields, had died. Her mother, who was too ill to care for Bessy, had placed her in the care of the Camfields who adopted her. As Anne Camfield developed her orphanage and school for Aboriginal children, Bessy was one of its first resident pupils, and its most outstanding student academically. She was baptised by Archdeacon John Ramsden Wollaston. Musically talented, she became organist at St John's, Albany, while still a young child.

Anne Camfield's girls matured into well educated young women with a confident Christian faith. Anne Camfield felt it was vital to assist them to find Christian Aboriginal husbands. Many of them were sent to the Moravian missions in Victoria. The first two who were sent to Ramahyuck in 1865 died en route. Five more were sent in 1867. Ada Flower, Rhoda Tantan, Nora White, and Emily Peters were sent as brides, but Bessy Flower was sent as a teacher, initially for two years.

At 16, Bessy Flower was described as 'accomplished and highly educated'. At Ramahyuck, she replaced the Rev Carl Kramer as the salaried teacher at the school, attended by Aboriginal children and children of nearby white settlers. 'I have begun school in great earnest,' she wrote to Anne Camfield. 'We sing, say catechism ... write in copy books ... read and say the ABC ... They are quick in learning and obey me quickly.' Bessy Flower also taught the young men in an evening class. She lived with the mission superintendent, Frederick Hagenauer (q.v.) and his wife Christiana, acting as governess for their children.

Bessy Flower once played chess against the Victorian champion and defeated him. She organised the purchase of an organ, becoming the first organist of the Ramahyuck church. She set about preparing the school pupils for the public examination which would place the school under Board of Education control. When Kramer returned after two years, Bessie Flower continued to teach the infant grades and was placed in charge of the dormitory attached to the school. The school was duly examined, a surprised Inspector reporting that this was 'the first time that 100% of marks has been gained by any school in the colony'.

Bessy Flower never did return to Albany and her beloved Anne Camfield. Instead, she married Donald Cameron, a skilled Aboriginal station worker who had accompanied the Hagenauers from Ebenezer, the Moravian Wimmera Mission, to Ramahyuck. Donald and Bessy Cameron assumed together responsibility for the dormitory. Donald became Hagenauer's foreman, competently running the farming and building work of the mission.

Through her literary skills, Bessy made important contributions to Ramahyuck Mission and to raising the opinion of Aborigines' intelligence generally in the eyes of the wider community. When Hagenauer was criticised in the press, the letters supporting him from Ramahyuck were written by Bessy Cameron. She frequently corresponded with the Board for the Protection of Aborigines on behalf of others.

The Cameron family left Ramahyuck in 1879. Donald's skills were highly valued in the district and he was able to obtain responsible paid employment. They continued to be well known and highly respected members of the Gippsland community.

John Harris, One Blood (Sutherland, 1990); Aldo Massola, Aboriginal Mission Stations in Victoria (Melbourne, 1970); P Pepper & T de Araugo, The Kurnai of Gippsland (Melbourne, 1985)

JOHN HARRIS