Lewis George Madley

Lewis George Madley was born in 1844 in Landogo, Monmouthshire in Wales.  He was educated at St. Mary’s School in Cardiff and worked there as a pupil teacher for five years.  Gaining a first-class Queen’s Scholarship in 1862, Madley studied at Highbury College in London.  In 1865, at the age of 21, he accepted an offer for the position of Headmaster at St. James’ Model and Training School in Sydney, Australia.  During this time Madley joined the defence movement in the colony, became a Private in the New South Wales Volunteers in 1866.[1]

In 1873, Madley moved to South Australia to become headmaster of the Training School in Grote Street, Adelaide.  He reported “The supply of suitable teachers for vacant schools and for the post of assistant teachers has not been equal to demand.  Some difficulty has even been experienced in procuring the services of qualified youths for pupil teachers…  It is evident that neither from the neighbouring colonies, Great Britain nor Ireland can any considerable number of really efficient teachers be expected…  It is from amongst ourselves that our future schoolmasters and mistresses must be sought, and they will be best secured from the pupil teachers in our own schools.”[2]

Lewis Madley became Principal of the Training School in 1876.  The challenges of running a new teachers’ school in a young colony were apparent.  In the first year Madley reported with regret that the educational standard of the students was quite low, especially in literacy and arithmetic, and that first “students have to learn what they should teach”.[3]  Madley sought students who had a natural aptitude for teaching, were enthusiastic, fit in body and mind, and of a good moral character.  His military influence ensured that male students participated in a course of military drill and attended weekly classes held by staff sergeants of the Local Military Force.[4]    Madley worked to establish and maintain relationships with the various Model Schools situated throughout Adelaide, seeing fit that students received proper instruction and teaching practice.  He also established the first links with the University of Adelaide, facilitating select groups of Training School students to attend evening lectures in Science at the University.  He celebrated his students’ successes, and enthusiastically wished upon them bright futures as young teachers after they graduated from the Training School.

During his educational career, Madley maintained his interest in the military.  He became first secretary of the South Australian Rifle Association, and in 1877 enrolled as a Private in the South Australian Volunteer Militia Infantry and assisted as Drill Instructor to the first recruits.  In November 1877 Madley was gazetted as Captain of C Company (South Adelaides).  In 1881 he was promoted to Major, then in 1882 he advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel and placed in command of the 1^st Regiment.  He was an honorary Aide-De-Camp to three South Australian Governors; Lord Kintore, Sir T. Fowell Buxton, and Lord Tennyson.  In 1880 Madley was W.M. of the United Tradesmen’s Lodge of Freemasons.[5]  In 1895 he was made Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General, then in 1896 attained Colonelcy.[6]

In 1896 Madley resigned from his role as Principal of the Training School (at this point called the Training College) to take the role of Commissioner of Police.[7]  

He died on 8 January, 1916 at his home in Wayville, South Australia.  He had been married but had no children.[8]

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