F is for Fort Street High School

In 1849, the Governor of the colony of New South Wales established a model school on the site of an old military fort at Observatory Hill in Sydney, the first of a system of national or non-sectarian schools. It was named Fort Street school. It was designed for all children of school age. By 1911, the school was split into one primary school remaining on-site and separate boys' and girls' high schools. The boys were moved to a new site at Taverner's Hill, on the Parramatta Road at Petersham whilst the girls remained at the newly named Fort Street Girls High at Observatory Hill. This structure remained until 1975 when the two high schools were combined into a co-educational school at Taverner's Hill.

The school has always been a selective academic high school and students were encouraged to matriculate.  Some very famous Australians - prime ministers, governors-general, high court judges and captains of industry have attended Fort Street High.

As well as the not-so-famous.  Like families with the Moxon surname. John's father Herbert John Moxon had five sisters who were brought to the city from distant Cobar at the end of World War. His cousin Denise, a member of the Moxon Society

confirmed that her mother Johanna Margaret Moxon (1913-1986) attended the school and matriculated in 1931.  Denise and John both thought that at least some of her older sisters did too.  Certainly, they became teachers, actors, publishers' assistants as well as being politically active.

So John and Denise's grandmother Ellen Mary (nee Egan) had a completely different approach to education than her cousin in law Herbert Percy (Bert) Moxon as you will see below.

In the late 20s, May Fowler (nee Moxon)'s story about A beautiful Moxon in the April 2021 issue of the Moxon Magazine (no 67) noted that her father, Edgar Herbert Moxon (1915-1950) won a scholarship to Fort Street Boys High.  However, his father Bert believed that "a man wasn't worth anything unless he worked with his hands" and Edgar was denied the opportunity to attend the school.  Instead, he was sent out west to work on farms.

In 1940, John Bruce Moxon's sister Bette attended Fort Street Girls HS but her education there was interrupted for 18 months when her parents decided to leave the city for the Blue Mountains.  When they returned to Sydney, Bette was encouraged to return to the school but sadly, she felt overwhelmed and left behind academically, so this very smart now 92 years old joined the workforce instead of matriculating.

In the 1950s, Bette's much younger brother, John Bruce Moxon attended the school at Taverner's Hill from 1951-1954 but left halfway through 4th year because he felt he didn't fit in. With the insight of his later years, he believes he was too immature for his age, unlike others in his class such as former high court judge Michael Kirby. He made no lasting friendships amongst his schoolmates.  He didn't matriculate and obtain a degree until he was in his 40s, having followed the apprenticeship vocational route in his youth.

In the 60s, brothers Douglas and Geoff Moxon attended Fort Street.  Unlike the other Moxons mentioned in this blog, they are no relation to John.  However, they are our good friends on Facebook and in the Moxon Society.  Their ancestry is found in the Moxon Society Tree MX05 whereas John, Bette and Edgar feature in MX27.

And there is still more - in the 1970s, when the school became co-educational, John's son Bruce Robert Moxon attended Fort Street High School.  Unlike John, he has remained good friends with many of his classmates and they hold regular reunions.

We are not aware of any other Moxon families at the school but there may have been some, as well as some students with the Moxham surname.

However, you may not believe this:  a few years ago, as one of the "very old boys" at a school speech day, John was invited to morning tea by the current school principal, a Ms Moxham!