Ernst August Adolph Pagenstecher (1837-1875)

Adolph Pagenstecher was a private and public school teacher in Adelaide and country South Australia

Ernst August Adolph Pagenstecher
Born	Ernst August Adolph Pagenstecher 1 July 1837 Osnabrück, Kingdom of Hanover
Died	17 September 1875 Neu Mecklenburg, South Australia
Resting place	Gomersal (Neu Mecklenburg), South AUstralia
Nationality	Hanoverian
Occupation	Teacher Musician Land Commission Agent Interpreter and Translator
Spouse(s)	Henriette Heckendorf (married 1868 Peter's Hill, South Australia)

Biography

Author: Benjamin Hollister ©2002. All rights reserved

In Germany

Adolph Pagenstecher was born in Osnabrück, in the Kingdom of Hanover, on 1 July 1837 to Georg and Agnes Pagenstecher.

In 1857, he began his studies at the University of Göttingen, enrolling in Law in the Michaelmas Term, and completing his studies in the Easter Term 1860.

In Australia

Adolph Pagenstecher left Cuxhaven on 14 October 1860 aboard the Elizabeth, and arrived in Melbourne on 19 February 1861, at the age of 24. By April he had set up as a teacher of music at 64 Little Collins Street East, providing lessons in piano, bass and other instruments for adults and children over the age of 8, and had expanded to classes in Greek, Latin and French by June. On the 19th of August, Adolph instigated the rescue of an elderly man who had leapt from the Sandridge Railway Pier into Hobson's Bay, and hauled the man, and another who had dived in to the bay, to safety.

By July 1863, Adolph was living in Adelaide, and had already become part of Adelaide society as member of the Foresters and as a pianist. According to a lawsuit at the same time, it appears Pagenstecher arrived in South Australia in early 1863 under an assumed name and, unable to find work as a teacher, was employed by the Dornwell's, a German butcher on Tynte Street. In December 1863, Pagenstecher set in motion his plans to starthis own school on Tynte Street, while living at H. A. Böhm's Dover Castle Hotel on Archer Street. His new institution was initially named The North Adelaide English-German School (Die Nord-Adelaider englisch-deutsche Schule), but by the start of the school year in January 1864, he had changed the name to The North Adelaide Collegiate School. At this point of time, Pagenstecher began claiming a P.D. qualification, or Privatdozent, from Göttingen and an A.M. from the Lingen Gymnasium. The school was first examined in July 1864, with about 40 students, and was found to be of an excellent quality, with parents publicly stating their approval. The school, and its accompanying Nord-Adelaider Gymnasium, an evening school, continued to operate until 1866, with calls for enrolment in January of that year. By August 1866, however, Pagenstecher was operating from King William street as a house, land and commission agent, and interpreter, a role he continued until June 1867, when he appears to be living in the District of Gilbert, offering his services as a German translator.

As well as carrying out his various businesses, Adolph was as member of a number of social and community organisations including the Ancient Order of Foresters, the United Ancient Order of Druids, the Freemasons, the Oddfellows, and the North Adelaide Volunteer Militia as well as playing the organ at St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Cathedral.

Family

Adolph and Henriette had three children:

Name	Birth	Death	Spouse
Bertha Martha Agnes	9 July 1869	1917	Johannes Friedrich Wilhelm Zerk 1888
George August Gabriel Alfred	1 June 1872	19 July 1872	died as infant
Ferdinand Julius Rudolph Carl	24 May 1873	19 January 1959	Johanna Christiane Louise Bartsch 1898

Residences in the City

Dates	Place	Current Address	Co-ordinates

Work in the City

Dates	Place	Current Address	Co-ordinates

Published Obituary

From the Australische Zeitung, Tuesday 28 September 1875:

Todes Anzeige.

Es hat dem Herrn über Leben und Tod gefallen meinen lieben Gatten nach, einem sehr langen und schweren Krankenlager in die Ewigkeit abzurufen, und seinem Leiden am 17. dieses Monate, Morgens halb 8 Uhr ein Ende gemacht. Er brachte sein Alter nur auf 38 Jahre und zwei Monate und hinterläßt seine tieftrauernde Wittwe und zwei unmündige Kinder. Zugleich sage ich meinen herzlichen Dank Allen denen, welche meinem Manne die letzte Ehre erwiesen haben.

Neu-Mecklenburg den 25. Septbr. 1875.

Henriette Pagenstecher.

[Translation by Benjamin Hollister: Death notice. It pleased the Lord over life and death to call my dear husband to eternity from a very long and difficult sick bed, and put an end to his suffering on the 17th of this month, at half past seven in the morning. He was only 38 years and two months old and leaves behind his deeply mourning widow and two underage children. At the same time, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all those who paid their last respects to my husband. Neu-Mecklenburg, September 25th 1875. Henrietta Pagenstecher.]

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