ROUT, Thomas Henry (1862-1885)
Thomas Rout was a teacher of Classics at the Geelong College in 1884 and early 1885. George Morrison in the Annual Report of 1884 wrote, 'Our Classical Master, Mr. Thomas Rout, to the great grief of the whole School was seized, while spending his mid-winter holidays at Sydney, with a severe illness, but he has now so far recovered that he will resume his duties at the College at the beginning of the next session.' In the 1885 Annual Report however, the following account appeared: 'He had, however, a relapse at Easter, and, after some months’ severe suffering, died. His high Christian character, and innate kindness of manner had endeared all the boys to him, and his early death was deeply deplored.' Mr A Morris was appointed to succeed him.
A student of Geelong Grammar, he was described in the book, Geelong Grammarians 1855-1913 as follows: ‘Born 1 Feb 1862. Son of William Thomas Rout. W T Rout married Mary Ann Henrey and they had four children: Thomas Henry, born 1862; Eleanor, born 1865 at Chilwell (died 1866); Edward, born 1868 at Geelong; and Charles, born 1869 at Geelong (died 1884). Thomas was at Flinders School for four years before winning a State Exhibition and being admitted to GGS, 13 Feb 1877. He won prizes for English in 1878; 2nd in Classics, Maths and 1st in English in 1879. He matriculated in 1878 and was in the XX 1877-79. After a brilliant career at school, Thomas graduated BA from University of Melbourne in 1883 and became a master at Brighton Grammar School. In 1884 he was Classics Master at the Geelong College. Thomas was injured and left the Geelong College to move to Emerald Hill where he died of blood poisoning after the amputation of his leg, 3 July 1885.’
Sources: Annual Reports, 1884 and 1885. Geelong Grammarians: A Biographical Register Volume 1 1855-1913 by Justin J. Corfield and Michael Collins Persse, 1996. p 321.