Blanche, Fanny and Kate Giles

Kate Giles

 was born ‘Sarah Kate’ in 1851 in Somerset, England, and visited South Australia in 1873, returning to England and Holland before once more coming to South Australia, with her brother, Frederick Charles in 1879, via Melbourne, Vic. The girls assisted in the education of their nieces and nephews (children of Henry Arthur Giles) and cared for their aging widowed uncle, Henry Giles snr., at his home Totness House, which is situated across the River Torrens to the rear of the Soldiers Memorial Hall.

After the death of Henry Giles snr. the ladies continued to live on the property and developed a magnificent garden.  For a time they conducted a school on the premises during the 1890s, and organised sewing circles to make clothes for needy local families, then the Boer War and World War 1 troops. The sisters taught in nearby St John’s Sunday School and helped with other work in connection with their beloved church.

Death of Sarah Kate Giles, 1926

Miss Sarah Kate Giles, who passed away on Sunday morning, at the age of 75 years, was born at Portbury, in Somersetshire, England (writes our Mount Pleasant correspondent). She came to South Australia in 1873, but after a stay of two years, returned to England. Subsequently she went to Holland, where she devoted about four years to the study of music, paying special attention to the use of the pipe organ. She returned to South Australia in 1879, since when she has continuously resided at Mount Pleasant. The teaching of music commanded her best attention. Hundreds of pupils have passed through Miss Giles’s hands, often with credits at the examinations. Many parents speak of the kindly and thorough attention received from her. During her early sojourn here, she, in conjunction with her sister, the late Miss Blanche Giles, conducted a private school, known as Totness House. Miss Giles was a devoted member of the Church of England, for which she had been organist for many years. Miss Fanny Giles, of Mount Pleasant, Mr. F. Giles, of Jamestown, and one sister in England, survive.

Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA : 1880 – 1954), Friday 16 July 1926, page 5 

MOUNT PLEASANT.

By the sudden death of Miss Kate Giles, which occurred early last Sunday morning, one of the oldest and most highly respected residents of the Mount has passed to higher service. Miss Giles appeared to be in her usual health on Saturday and went to bed after supper with the other members of her household and when she had not come out of her room next morning, Miss Laing went to call her and found she had passed away. Of late years the deceased lady had suffered attacks of heart asthma, but still bravely kept on receiving her music pupils. Miss Giles, with her brother, Mr. Fred Giles, of Jamestown, arrived from England in 1879, although she had visited South Australia previously, but had returned to England, for a few years. In her younger days she had spent a considerable time in Holland, teaching and learning languages. Since 1879 Miss Giles has resided in Mount Pleasant and became well-known throughout the district and State, through her scholastic gifts, having with her late sister, Miss Blanche Giles, established the young ladies boarding school called “Totness.” Possessed with the gifts of a good disciplinarian, also a high sense of justice, the late Miss Giles has left her mark on the community.  She kept in touch with the present generation, but also with many of the past, who had left the district and were always sure of a welcome under her hospitable roof, on their return visits to the Mount. St. John’s Church has lost a staunch member also one of the most generous supporters to its funds, and her most recent donation was a gift of money to buy new hymn books for the Sunday school, to replace all those which had been burnt during the recent fire, which had so badly damaged St. John’s church. It would be a difficult matter to sum up all the kind deeds which Miss Giles performed all through her long life, as it was only incidentally one got to hear of her many acts of thoughtfulness and generosity which the giver tried “not to let her left hand to know what her right hand did.” The deceased lady passed away just as she would have desired, carrying out all her duties and receiving her music pupils up to the last. A sister, Miss Fanny Giles and one brother survive. The remains were laid to rest on Tuesday afternoon in St. John’s cemetery in the family burial ground. Archdeacon Bussell conducted the funeral service at the grave, a large number of relatives and friends paid their last tribute of respect to one who had been a most valued member of the community. Numerous floral tributes were laid on the grave, the present music pupils, who all highly regarded their late teacher sent their loving last tribute to the late Miss Giles.