Clifton Jack PURNELL was the 9th child of William and Elizabeth Catherine. He won a Bursary at school and went on to be educated at Sydney University receiving a BSc. He became a school teacher and his first school was Parramatta. Later o n he was Maths teacher at North Sydney Boys High and in charge of Detention Room 17, he went there from Kogarah Boys High. <p> He was well known for his strict discipline and if the boys misbehaved they were made to sit for the remainder of their time with their hands behind their backs. If they misbehaved again he gave them another detention. It was like compound interest. The boys nicknamed him "Smiler" for an obvious reason. <p> He always wore a grey dustcoat and one side was covered in chalk as he kept his blackboard duster in his pocket so the boys couldn't steal it and rub his work out. <p> He was known as Jack PURNELL at school and he was a loner. After leaving North Sydney he went to Roseville. He taught long past retirement years.<p> In 1992 a Sydney Morning Herald article on North Sydney Boys High School beingrenovated and opening as Greenwood Hotel, mentioned a student Dick Smith (famous for flying around the world by helicopter, owner of Dick Smith Electronics and for a while Head of the Civil Aviation Authority amongst other things). Dick Smith mentioned Mr PURNELL and Detention Room 17, which is now the Greenwood Hotel's Bar.<p> Clifton Jack Purnell, a bachelor died in 1980 and is buried at Northern Suburbs Cemetery. <p> When he lived with Myrtle his sister, his hat was always on the bannister post, where he must have placed it each time he arrived home. d at Northern Suburbs Cemetery. e bannister post, where he must have placed it each time he arrived home. BURI: CEME Northern Suburbs Cemetery