Paper is how a Randwick life gets stuck to the archive: a school sheet, a church form, a Presbyterian certificate, a name — Mary Yates — and only the dates the document itself is willing to give. This is a family folder, not a Dictionary of Sydney stub. Read the sheet before you caption it. NSW Registry, Museums of History NSW, Randwick City Library and the Presbyterian Church records will do more work than a guessed life story.
Don’t write Mary a childhood she hasn’t earned on the page. St Jude’s cemetery, already on this blog, is a possible neighbour in Randwick, not a proven grave. Transcribe what you can see — parish, year, examiner, minister — and leave the rest as “check the original.” The history here is the paper, not a parish romance.
HIGHER CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH of NEW SOUTH WALES
1898
This is to Certify that
[handwritten: David Yates]
[handwritten: Randwick]
HAS PASSED THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S EXAMINATION IN
[handwritten: Scripture Senior Section]
[handwritten: 2nd Class]
[handwritten signature: Richard Miller]
CONVENER
Seal: PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW SOUTH WALES — NEC TAMEN CONSUMEBATUR
Pitman's Shorthand
Medallion: 1837 — SIR ISAAC PITMAN — INVENTOR OF PHONOGRAPHY
Incorporated Phonographic Society of Australia
FOUNDED 1910. INCORPORATED 1911.
PATRON
His Excellency the Rt. Hon. LORD CHELMSFORD, G.C.M.G.
Theory Certificate
ADVANCED GRADE
This is to Certify that
[handwritten: Mary Yates]
has Passed an Examination conducted by the Examining Board of the Society in the Theory of Phonography.
[handwritten signature: George Fellows] President.
[handwritten signature, illegible] Chairman of Examining Board.
[handwritten signature: W. Jones] Secretary of Examination.
Date [handwritten: 17th October 1925]
I P S A
[top edge cut off] … SOUTH WALES. [State crest] … OF EDUCATION.
Superior Public Schools.
Certificate of Proficiency
AWARDED TO
MARY YATES
who attended a course of instruction covering two years' work at the Domestic Science Superior Public School,
RANDWICK
showed satisfactory work and conduct throughout the course, and at its conclusion passed an examination in the following [typed above the line: nine] subjects:
A indicates a First Class Pass: B a Second Class Pass.
English "B"
History and Civics "B"
Geography "B"
Arithmetic "A"
Home Management and Hygiene "B"
Art and Home Decoration "B"
Botany and Gardening "B"
Needlework "B"
Cookery "A"
[handwritten signature: S. H. Smith] Director of Education.
[handwritten signature, illegible] Chief Inspector.
Dated at Sydney, 1st May 1925.
[form number at foot: 66437—1]
Higher Christian Education
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW SOUTH WALES
Pictures: Ladies' College — St Andrew's College — Cooerwull Academy
Seal: PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW SOUTH WALES — NEC TAMEN CONSUMEBATUR
189[handwritten: 4]
FIRST CLASS CERTIFICATE WITH HONOURS
This is to Certify that [handwritten: David Yates]
[handwritten: Randwick]
HAS PASSED THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S EXAMINATION IN
[handwritten: Essay Middle Section]
[handwritten signature: John Macaulay] CONVENER
John Sands, Sydney
Higher Christian Education
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW SOUTH WALES
Pictures: Ladies' College — St Andrew's College — Cooerwull Academy
Seal: PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW SOUTH WALES — NEC TAMEN CONSUMEBATUR
189[handwritten: 5]
This is to Certify that [handwritten: David Yates]
[handwritten: Randwick]
HAS PASSED THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S EXAMINATION IN
[handwritten: "Life of Joshua" Senior Section]
[handwritten signature: Thomas Wilson] CONVENER
John Sands, Sydney
The Presbyterian Church of Australia.
In the State of New South Wales.
Welfare of Youth Department
FIRST-CLASS CERTIFICATE.
This is to Certify that
[handwritten: Mary Yates]
of [handwritten: Randwick] Sunday School secured over 70 per cent. in [handwritten: Memory Work – Scripture] in the Annual Examination of the above Department, held [handwritten: July] 1926 Section [handwritten: E]
[handwritten signature: Geo. R. S. Reid] Convener.
[handwritten signature: N. H. Joughin] Director.
Pitman's Shorthand
Medallion: 1837 — SIR ISAAC PITMAN — INVENTOR OF PHONOGRAPHY
Incorporated Phonographic Society of Australia
FOUNDED 1910. INCORPORATED 1911.
PATRON
His Excellency the Right Honorable LORD CHELMSFORD, G.C.M.G.
Theory Certificate
ELEMENTARY
With Distinction
This is to Certify that
[handwritten: Mary Yates]
Has Passed an Examination conducted by the Examining Board of the Society in the Theory of Phonography. [handwritten: 94%]
[handwritten signature: George Fellows] President.
[handwritten signature, illegible] Chairman of Examining Board.
[handwritten signature: W. Jones] Secretary of Examination.
Date [handwritten: 18th October 1924.]
I P S A