Wellesley College (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
Wellesley College is a boys-only independent primary school in Day's Bay, Eastbourne, New Zealand
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Day's Bay House was built in 1903 for the Wellington Steam Ferry Company Limited which had made the heart of Day's Bay a destination resort and sports complex. The hotel operation met with only moderate success and in 1913 with its immediate surrounds, 4 acres, it was sold to Miss Gladys Sommerville so she might expand her successful Croydon School then at 81 Hill Street Thorndon.
Upstairs on the northern side two pairs of bedrooms became dorms 1 and 2 and the upstairs guest sitting-room became dorm 3. Ultimately the (lightly) enclosed upstairs central verandah became a dormitory for the bigger boys. A comparatively well-built first-floor room was added on high posts at the north-east corner to form a sick-bay. The main sitting-room was used by the principal but otherwise all accommodation and facilities were used as for the hotel. Boys were not permitted to use the main staircase.
Two corrugated-iron walled additions were soon made, possibly by the Diocesan Board, at the back of the main building; an assembly hall cum gymnasium with a very rarely-used fireplace and a two-storied block of four small classrooms behind it, each with a tiny fireplace. Infant classes remained in the main building.
Miss Sommerville returned to direct the school from her house in Hill Street.
took over Croydon (and also Mrs Swainson's school renaming it Marsden
). The new name for the school did not 'stick' and soon it reverted to Croydon.
The school flagpole was the mast of the Cobar. The original Cobar was the steam yacht of the General Manager of The Great Cobar Copper Mining Company Limited in NSW Australia. In retirement it became an Eastbourne ferry and the name has since been re-used for successors.
In the 1980s the corrugated-iron additions with the sick-bay annexe and laundry were demolished and new buildings erected there and on the former bowling-green tennis courts.
Eastbourne, New Zealand
Eastbourne is a suburb of Lower Hutt city in the southern North Island of New Zealand. Its population is about 4,600.-Location:An outer suburb, it is situated on the eastern shore of Wellington Harbour, 5 kilometres south of the main Lower Hutt urban area, and directly across the harbour from the...
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History
Croydon
With little or no change Day's Bay House became Croydon Preparatory School for Boys. The old croquet-lawn became the sports field and in the 1920s the hotel's bowling-green became the boys' tennis courts. The rugby field remained at the southern side of the driveway but was not part of school grounds. The Pavilion and its amusements like the ferries and their wharf became part of (out-of-bounds) school life.Upstairs on the northern side two pairs of bedrooms became dorms 1 and 2 and the upstairs guest sitting-room became dorm 3. Ultimately the (lightly) enclosed upstairs central verandah became a dormitory for the bigger boys. A comparatively well-built first-floor room was added on high posts at the north-east corner to form a sick-bay. The main sitting-room was used by the principal but otherwise all accommodation and facilities were used as for the hotel. Boys were not permitted to use the main staircase.
Two corrugated-iron walled additions were soon made, possibly by the Diocesan Board, at the back of the main building; an assembly hall cum gymnasium with a very rarely-used fireplace and a two-storied block of four small classrooms behind it, each with a tiny fireplace. Infant classes remained in the main building.
Miss Sommerville returned to direct the school from her house in Hill Street.
Wellington Diocesan Boys' School (Croydon)
In 1919 the Wellington Diocesan BoardDiocese of Wellington
The Diocese of Wellington is one of the thirteen dioceses and hui amorangi of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Diocese covers the area between the bottom of the North Island of New Zealand up to the area of Mount Ruapehu....
took over Croydon (and also Mrs Swainson's school renaming it Marsden
Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
Samuel Marsden Collegiate School is located in the Wellington suburb of Karori in New Zealand. It has a socio-economic decile of 10 and provides private preschool to year 13 education for girls, but with co-educational kindergarten facilities...
). The new name for the school did not 'stick' and soon it reverted to Croydon.
The school flagpole was the mast of the Cobar. The original Cobar was the steam yacht of the General Manager of The Great Cobar Copper Mining Company Limited in NSW Australia. In retirement it became an Eastbourne ferry and the name has since been re-used for successors.
Wellesley
In 1940 Mr William Hutton Stevens, who was lame and known to many as ‘Hoppy’, leased the premises from the Wellington Diocesan Board and moved his school, Wellesley College, which had previously been situated on the Terrace (and was spoken of by some as "not a proper school, a crammer's") to Days Bay and over lasting resistance he declared the two schools merged.Welllington Diocesan Board
In 1965 the Diocesan Board regained management of the premises and in the end elected to retain the name Wellesley.In the 1980s the corrugated-iron additions with the sick-bay annexe and laundry were demolished and new buildings erected there and on the former bowling-green tennis courts.
Principals
- Ellen Gladys Sommerville (1884 – 1958), founder
- Rev Richard Henry Hobday MA BD (1879 – ) 1920-1922
- Claude Henry Thomas Skelley (1880 – 1962), 1922-1940
- William Hutton Stevens (1893 – 1980), 1940-1965
Notable alumni
- Georgina BeyerGeorgina BeyerGeorgina Beyer was the world's first openly transsexual mayor, as well as the world's first openly transsexual Member of Parliament, and from 27 November 1999 until 14 February 2007 was an MP for the Labour Party in New Zealand.-Early life:Georgina Bertrand was born and assigned male at birth, and...
(1957 – ), World's first transsexual MP - Lord Cooke of ThorndonRobin Cooke, Baron Cooke of Thorndon-External links:*, The Times, 22 September 2006*, The Daily Telegraph, 26 September 2006* House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 9 October 2006*, 4 September 2006...
(1926 – 2006), Eminent New Zealand judge. - Marc Ellis (1971 – ), a former New Zealand rugby league and rugby union player, businessman, and television presenter.
- Alan GibbsAlan GibbsAlan Gibbs is a New Zealand businessman, entrepreneur, and art patron; and one of New Zealand's wealthiest residents. National Business Review magazine estimates his wealth at $450 million.-Career:...
(1939 – ), creator of the Aquada amphibious vehicle. - Peter Harcourt (1923 – 1995), Broadcaster, Actor, playwright. Attended Wellesley 1928 - 1932. Peter prepared and published in 1990 a commissioned history of Croydon School 1907-1940.
- Jock HobbsJock HobbsMichael James "Jock" Bowie Hobbs, CNZM is a former New Zealand rugby union player who was an All Blacks flanker who played in 21 tests between 1983 and 1986, with four tests as captain. In recent years he has been prominent in rugby administration...
(1960 – ), All Black from 1983 to 1986, played 21 tests and 18 matches. Chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union since 2002, who has led NZs successful bid to host the 2011 World Cup. On 5 June 2006 Mr Hobbs was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. His son Michael will be playing for the Blues rugby Super 15 team in 2012. - Cobber KainCobber KainEdgar James Kain DFC was a New Zealand fighter pilot. Nicknamed "Cobber", Flying Officer Kain was the first RAF air ace of the Second World War, and also the first recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross in the Second World War. During the Battle of France in 1940, he scored 17 confirmed kills...
, Edgar James Kain (1918 – 1940), first RAF air ace of World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the first recipient of the Distinguished Flying CrossDistinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
in World War II 1940. - Sir John OrmondJohn Davies Wilder OrmondSir John Davies Wilder Ormond, BEM born at Wallingford Station, New Zealand was a businessman and farmer. The grandson of John Davies Ormond, he married Judith Wall on 26 August 1939. They had four sons and one daughter....
(1905 – 1995), Chairman of the New Zealand Meat Board - Selwyn ToogoodSelwyn ToogoodSelwyn Featherston Toogood QSO was a New Zealand radio and television personality. He was born in Wellington and lived there until 1952 when he moved to Heretaunga in the Hutt Valley...
(1916 – 2001), a New Zealand radio and television personality. He was the originator of game show It's in the BagIt's in the Bag"It's in the Bag" can refer to:* It's in the Bag, a pricing game played on the American television show The Price Is Right* It's in the Bag , the long-running New Zealand game show* L'affaire est dans le sac, a 1932 French film...
. - Robert VanceRobert VanceRobert Howard Vance in Wellington was a New Zealand cricketer. He played in four Tests and eight One Day Internationals for New Zealand.Vance was born into a cricketing family; his father, R.A...
(1955 – ), New Zealand Cricketer, called up summer of 1987-88. Played 4 tests and 8 one day internationals. - Richard WilkinsRichard Wilkins (TV presenter)Richard Stephen Wilkins is a television presenter.Wilkins is currently the Nine Network's Entertainment editor for Today.- Career :...
(1954 – ), an Australian TV Personality who spent two years at Wellesley College and was awarded Runner-up Dux in his final year.
Notable staff
- Jack LamasonJack LamasonJohn Rider Lamason, born at Wellington, New Zealand on 29 October 1905, and died also at Wellington on 25 June 1961, was a cricketer who played for Wellington cricket team and for New Zealand, but not in Test matches....
) (1905 – 1961), NA Cricket representative 1935/1936 and 1937/1938. - Arthur PorrittArthur Porritt, Baron Porritt- External links :* * *...
(1900 – 1994), Sole Games Master 1919, New Zealand Olympic representative and Governor-General. A great athlete, like his friend David CecilDavid Cecil, 6th Marquess of ExeterDavid George Brownlow Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter KCMG , styled Lord Burghley before 1956 and also known as David Burghley, was an English athlete, sports official and Conservative Party politician...
he required his name to be changed (to Tom Watson) in the film Chariots of FireChariots of FireChariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
. - Roger Mexted (1962?-2011)
External links
- Wellesley College School Website
- Wellington Diocese - Wellesley College
- Day's Bay about 1910 click on Link to archived copy
- Day's Bay House about 1910
- The Cobar about 1950