We thought Book Week was an appropriate time to discover the story behind the naming of the John Fuller Library at Wentworth Falls Junior School.

The library was named after John “Johnnie” Fuller, a former Junior School Teacher. Johnnie Fuller commenced as a Junior School teacher in 1967. Amongst his many roles he became Head of the Junior School from 1974 to 1985 when it was situated in Lake Street (now Kindle Hill School)  He loved and encouraged the reading of books, and showed a particular interest in children who had learning difficulties and took remedial classes after school.�� He taught art and craft throughout the Junior School and took an active role in all school sports.

In 1888 Mr Robert Matcham Pitt was given his father’s 42 acres (16.9 hectares) of land in Wentworth Falls and on the highest point he built Coorah for his family.  The land was described as the raggiest, sandiest and meanest looking land as you would want to see.��

Pitt planned to build a wonderful garden. He had the soil analysed by experts and discovered it was 90% sand and silica. He fertilised it with 1200 tons of cow and sheep manure and set about creating a garden that contained a large range of exotic and native species.

Robert Pitt had an avid interest in bulbs and in 1885 there was half an acre of hyacinths, half an acre of lilies, 10,000 crowns of lily of the valley and 250,000 glorious daffodils.   He imported daffodils from England, Ireland and Japan and is responsible for introducing them to the Blue Mountains and being the first person to plant them in Australia five years before Alistair Clarke, an award-winning horticulturist in Victoria.  Pitt hybridised and experimented with daffodils and named two after his children Clive Pitt and Doris Pitt.��  Until 1905 Pitt grew daffodils commercially but after that time, they were donated to charity.