 The early 1840s were a time of economic depression in New South Wales brought on by a severe drought in 1839, so Blacket was very fortunate to immediately gain employment from Bishop Broughton as "Inspector of the Schools in connection with the Church of England in the Colony".This position involved the design and supervision of the building of schools, churches and parsonages.As the colony rapidly expanded, many school buildings were designed to be multi-purpose, serving as churches on Sunday and sometimes as court houses.