Cordwalles Preparatory School
Encyclopedia
Cordwalles is a private
, boarding
preparatory school
for boys founded in 1912. It is located in Pietermaritzburg
, the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa
.
. It has grown considerably since its early beginnings as a boarding-only school and has had only six headmasters. Cordwalles has an Anglican foundation.
Cordwalles is a boys preparatory school, which educates boys from Grade RR (boys turning 5) to Grade 7 (boys turning 13).
Cordwalles consists of fifteen hectares of ground, an 'Inky' (pre-school to grade 2) block and Lecture Room, Theatre, Science Laboratory, Design & Technology Centre and Computer and Media Centres.
There are over 300 boys taught by an academic and support staff of over 50. Most leavers go on to attend local private senior schools such as Hilton College, Kearsney College
, Maritzburg College, Saint Charles College and especially Michaelhouse
.
The headmaster, Simon Weaver is an old boy of Cordwalles, having been a pupil at the school from 1970 to 1975. He went on to Michaelhouse where he also did a Post Matric year. Simon Weaver was Deputy Headmaster of the Ridge (1995–1998). He was appointed headmaster of Pridwin (1999–2003) before heading up Cordwalles in 2004.
(Locate Cordwalles on Google Earth - 29°35′40"S 30°21′43"E)
Cordwalles consisted of 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land, a house and twelve boys. By 1917 the school encompassed 19 acres (76,890.3 m²) of land, classrooms and dormitories. In the 1930s the Chapel, Gymnasium, Swimming Pool as well as additional classrooms, dormitories and land were added. During the Second World War numbers rose to one hundred and forty seven boys. From the 1950s further dormitories together with a Kitchen block, Sanatorium, and enlarged Dining Hall, Science Laboratory, Library and Staff Houses were constructed. The 1960s saw the development of the double storey block, the five sports fields and the four tennis courts.
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, boarding
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
preparatory school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
for boys founded in 1912. It is located in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
, the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Origins
Cordwalles was founded by Bishop Samuel Baines in 1912 as a preparatory school for MichaelhouseMichaelhouse
Michaelhouse is a full boarding senior school for boys founded in 1896. It is located in the Balgowan valley in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.- History :...
. It has grown considerably since its early beginnings as a boarding-only school and has had only six headmasters. Cordwalles has an Anglican foundation.
Headmasters
- J.H.E. Besant M.A. (OxonOxonOxon may refer to:* Oxon, England, short for Oxonia , a county in the United Kingdom* Oxon , an organic compound* Universitas Oxoniensis, the University of Oxford...
) (1912–1946) - J.D. Parmiter M.A. (CantabCantabCantab may refer to:*Cantabrigian, a member of the University of Cambridge or a resident of Cambridge*"Cantab", a common shortened form of Cantabrian, a term used for people from Canterbury, New Zealand...
) (1947–1956) - R.C. Brooks M.A. (CantabCantabCantab may refer to:*Cantabrigian, a member of the University of Cambridge or a resident of Cambridge*"Cantab", a common shortened form of Cantabrian, a term used for people from Canterbury, New Zealand...
) (1957–1984) - D.B.E Bawden (1985–1995)
- T.G. Evans (1996–2003)
- Simon Weaver (2004–present)
The school today
Cordwalles consists of fifteen hectares of ground, an 'Inky' (pre-school to grade 2) block and Lecture Room, Theatre, Science Laboratory, Design & Technology Centre and Computer and Media Centres.
There are over 300 boys taught by an academic and support staff of over 50. Most leavers go on to attend local private senior schools such as Hilton College, Kearsney College
Kearsney College
Kearsney College is a private boarding school for boys in Botha's Hill, a small town that lies between the provincial capital of Pietermaritzburg and Durban, the largest city of KwaZulu-Natal, a province in South Africa.- History :...
, Maritzburg College, Saint Charles College and especially Michaelhouse
Michaelhouse
Michaelhouse is a full boarding senior school for boys founded in 1896. It is located in the Balgowan valley in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.- History :...
.
The headmaster, Simon Weaver is an old boy of Cordwalles, having been a pupil at the school from 1970 to 1975. He went on to Michaelhouse where he also did a Post Matric year. Simon Weaver was Deputy Headmaster of the Ridge (1995–1998). He was appointed headmaster of Pridwin (1999–2003) before heading up Cordwalles in 2004.
(Locate Cordwalles on Google Earth - 29°35′40"S 30°21′43"E)
History
Cordwalles Preparatory School was founded by Bishop Samuel Baines in 1912 when Michaelhouse moved from Pietermaritzburg to Balgowan and needing a preparatory school of its own to ensure its future enrolment.Cordwalles consisted of 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land, a house and twelve boys. By 1917 the school encompassed 19 acres (76,890.3 m²) of land, classrooms and dormitories. In the 1930s the Chapel, Gymnasium, Swimming Pool as well as additional classrooms, dormitories and land were added. During the Second World War numbers rose to one hundred and forty seven boys. From the 1950s further dormitories together with a Kitchen block, Sanatorium, and enlarged Dining Hall, Science Laboratory, Library and Staff Houses were constructed. The 1960s saw the development of the double storey block, the five sports fields and the four tennis courts.
Notable alumni
- David Anderson (Andy), cartoonist and illustrator
- Professor David H.M.Brooks (1961), philosopher and author of "The Unity of the Mind"
- Guy Chennells, philanthropist
- Roger Chennells, lawyer for the San Bushmen
- Norman Crookes, cricketer
- Andile Mazwai, stockbroker and broadcaster
- Gary RalfeGary RalfeGary Ralfe is a South African businessman and Managing Director of De Beers.Ralfe was educated at Michaelhouse School, South Africa and the University of Cambridge. In 1966, he joined Anglo American. Since 1974, he has effectively worked for De Beers. He was appointed a director of De Beers in 1990...
, Managing Director of De BeersDe BeersDe Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea... - Barry StreekBarry StreekBarry Streek was a South African political journalist and anti-apartheid activist.-Early life and education:Barry Streek was educated at Michaelhouse in Kwazulu-Natal after which he completed his national service in the South African Navy in 1966. At the time national service was mandatory for all...
, journalist - Wilbur SmithWilbur SmithWilbur Addison Smith is a best-selling novelist. His writings include 16th and 17th century tales about the founding of the southern territories of Africa and the subsequent adventures and international intrigues relevant to these settlements. His books often fall into one of three series...
(1946), novelist - Derek VarnalsDerek VarnalsGeorge Derek Varnals is a former South African cricketer who played in three Tests in the 1964-65 season....
, cricketer - Richard "Tiny" Walker, rugby player
- Martin WalkerMartin WalkerMartin Walker is a former Director of Hull City football club.He joined Hull City in June 2007 as part of a consortium with Paul Duffen and Russell Bartlett...
, Previous chairman of MISASA and round-the-world microlight flyer. - Timothy WoodsTimothy WoodsTimothy Phillips Woods DPhil , known as Dr Tim Woods, is a South African schoolmaster and educationalist.One of the sons of Arthur Phillips Woods and his wife Katherine Isabella Woods, he was educated at Cordwalles Preparatory School, Natal, Michaelhouse, Natal, Rhodes University, where he...
, schoolmaster - Dr David Woods, Professor and ex Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes UniversityRhodes UniversityRhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
(1996–2006)