The 75th Reunion
75th Reunion – The Chairman’s Thoughts
The reunion started on Friday evening at Lion Foundation Arena with performances from two groups from the School. The Kapa Haka group which under the direction of Mr Nathan Tane has become a true feature of the School and the Choir, which under the direction of Miss Jo Weggery has developed into a fine musical entity. These are two groups that we as Old Boys can be proud to be associated with. After this brief introduction, old boys and their partners had ample time to take the opportunity catch up with old friends, look at old photos and just be together.
The official opening on Saturday morning was held at the School’s Performing Arts Centre. The Organising Committee was very pleased to see so many present. It was heartening to see that so many had travelled large distances to share their time with us at this event. We had people from the UK· 5), the USA (2), Australia 27, South Africa (1), and France (1). It was also good to be able to especially welcome Jim McCready who was an early pupil, a long serving teacher, past Old Boys President and Life Member of the KHSOBA.
The Reunion was officially opened by Dunedin City Councillor and King’s old boy, John Bezett. John was at King’s High School from 1957 to 1958. After this the gathering was entertained by Ian Simpson (Student 1954-1958), Deputy Rector ( 1981 ), and Rector (1982-1997). The reminiscences of school days made by Ian were very amusing and entertaining. His address was well received by the audience.
Huia Ockwell who attended King’s from 1949 to 1952 and was a teacher at the School from 1961 to 1963 and again from 1969 to 1974, read a message from the 1936-1937 Head Boy, our first Head Boy, Ian Murdoch. Huia then organised the Age Group photographs with a military precision. This was a credit to his organisational skills.
Many of the old boys and partners then took the opportunity to be escorted around the School by a very welcoming, immaculately dressed group of senior school pupils. Most of the attendees were quite amazed to see just what has happened to the buildings in the years since they left school.
On Saturday afternoon a group of about 60 old boys took part in very successful golf and bowling competitions.
The Saturday Evening Dinner started with a welcome from Chairman John Barr (Student 1957-1962 and staff (1971- 2008). This was followed by the Loyal Toast proposed by Doug Jackson (1960-1962), The Toast to Absent Friends and the Toast to the School were both proposed by John Barr. Current School Rector Dan Reddiex replied to the Toast to the School.
Grace was proposed by the Reverend Bill Lindsay (1940-1943) and the first course of the meal was served.
The ‘King’s High School Trust’-today probably more so than at any other time in the school’s existence there is increasing competition for pupils in the Dunedin area. With primary schools in our zone closing through lack of numbers, the need to match facilities in competing schools and the need to maintain that level of excellence which is King’s High School-the school needs funding to call on. Some of you reading this may be able to help. Dan Reddiex spoke about the needs of King’s High School as it is today and Ian Simpson spoke about the future needs of King’s High School and how the ‘King’s High School Trust’ will be able to help.
After the main course Guest Speaker, Member of Parliament for Wellington Central, Grant Robertson (1985-1989) gave an entertaining, humorous address about his time at King’s and some of the amusing things he has encountered since then.
The finale for the night was the induction of six truly remarkable Old Boys to the ‘Wall of Fame’. Unfortunately, only Grahame Sydney and Chris Laidlaw could be present. However, a very large screen and video presentations sent by Canon Paul Oestriecher, Neville Bain and Michael McIntyre proved quite a good substitute. Some video footage of James K. Baxter was also provided. Rector Dan Reddiex read a profile for each inductee prior to their speech or video presentation and quite a moving ceremony evolved.
The Sunday Morning Church Service was both relevant and thought-provoking. The Reverend Noel Brown (1953-1957) officiated for the large congregation. The collection after the service provided over $1 OOO for the Canterbury Red Cross’s work in earthquake-damaged Christchurch.
There was final get togethers in the sunshine at the barbeque after the Church service-then as quickly as the weekend events had started it was all suddenly over.
John Barr (Chairman 75th Reunion Committee)
1936 – 1940
Row 3:Bill Lucas, John Kempthorne, Allan Williams, Noel Pringle
Row 2:Bill Lindsay, Allan Rennie, Dick Pilling, Russell Buchanan, Laurie Thomson, Jim Mathieson, Blair Thomson, Ray MacDonald
Row 1:Bill Thomson, Lyn Rayner, Ian Grant, Bernard Dunn, Matheson Beaumont, Frank Homes, Jim McCready, Malcolm Templeton, Bob Booth
1941 – 1946
Row 4:Hec Browett, Lin Phelan, Graham Dalton, Barrie Mayfield, Roger McMillan,????, Hugh Templeton, John Murray
Row 3:Ross Murray, Arthur Hollander, Stan Dunn, Jack Ross, Barry North, Jim Clayton, Laurie Kenworthy, Murray Elston, Winston Wingfield, Ian Farquhar
Row 2:Stuart Jones,????, Ian Page, Garry Jeffery, Neville Marquet, Rex Sim, Ian Capitaneas, Martin McClatchy, John Angell, Alan Graves, John Peat, Laurie Davies
Row 1:Ross Bailey, Cedric Barrett, Andrew Sullivan, Ron Cain, Bill Lennox, Stan Duncan, Eric Munro, John Hair, Keith Wilson, Bob Chetwin, Ted Ayson
1947 – 1949
Row 5:Doug Brown, Graeme Speirs, Clive Sims, Brian McGrath
Row 4:Keith Jeffery, Rodger Hilliker, Brian Hall, Colin Wilson, Ian Robertson, Allan Stewart
Row 3:Murray Inglis, Graham Sinclair, Bill Duff, Alan McGreevy, Irvine Duncan, Peter Clarke, Eric Shaw, Brian Peploe, Dave Johnston
Row 2:Bob Hunter, Colin Green, Graeme Burns, Dennis Higgs, Neil Harraway, Graeme Harford, Jack Ross, Nevis Jones
Row 1:Michael Lake, Allen Hair, Huia Ockwell, Athol Hamilton, Bob Glass, Martin McClathy, Derek Hughes, Neville Hay, Roger McMillan, Alistair Campbell
1950 – 1952
Row 5:Bob Martin, Brian Cuthbertson, Ron Gillan, Jim Cochrane, Colin McKay, Barry Clarke
Row 4:Roger Shepherd, Allen Hair, Graham Sinclair, Hugh Kidd, Stan Randle, John Campbell, John Bradley, John Simon
Row 3:Murray Gibbs, George Humphreys, Graham Hendry, John Somerville, John Hart, Gordon Arnold, Andrew Fleming Grahame Howley, Ian Hutchings
Row 2:Bruce Park, Les Green, Ken Graham, David Christian, Bob Hunter, Graeme Bassett, Liew Gwynne, Peter Bathgate. Alan Somerville, Alex Miller
Row 1:Lindsay Reid, Ross Simpson, Gerald McGrath, Russell Hendry, Blair Davidson, Corran Munro, Brian Farrant, David Humphrey, Colin Reid, Graham Avery
1953 – 1954
Row 5:Noel Brown, Murray Farrant, Murray Dunbar, Winston Baker
Row 4:Russell Jones, David Strong,????, Peter Duncan, Murray Tamblyn, Winston Parks, John Taylor
Row 3:Peter Nimmo, Gordon Brander, Mervyn Bradshaw, David Simmers, Colin Mantell, Ken Adam, Rowan Ford, Graham Hill, Peter Buckmaster, Bob Sammes
Row 2:Philip McCabe, Colin Clarke, Noel Still, Brian Hastie, John Howe, Keith Duncan, Ian Simpson, Chris Reid
Row 1:Russell King, Bruce Lumb, Earle Shaw, Max Kennelly, Donn Parsons, Bruce Finnie, Lindsay Hocking, Trevor Reeves, Allan Russell
1955 – 1956
Row 4:Brent Torrance, Alistair Pearce, Ian Farrant
Row 3:Ray Bennetts, Ian Gamble, Douglas Vaudrey, Garnet Tregonning, Peter Laughton, Colin Nicholls, Cliff Brunton
Row 2:Peter Strang, Roger Fogo, John Stiles, Alec Martin, Steve Stiles, Digby Flockton, Gordon Randle, Ron Reed
Row 1:Richard Solomon, Peter Montgomery, Gary Inglis, Adam Coxon, Erik Olssen, Ross Dodds, Colin James, Graeme Bodey, Norman Paterson
1957 – 1959
Row 5:Peter Williams, Miles Middlemass, Bruce Spittle,????, Clive Knauf,????,????
Row 4:Rick Mains,????, Rod Waugh, Murray Pryde,????, Bruce Burns, Merv Thomson, Jim Butler, Carrick Jones
Row 3:Ken McGrath, David Stevenson, Rodney Routledge, John Fenby, Russell Tregonning, Chris James, Kevin St John,????, Bob Bryant, Richard Shorter
Row 2:Peter Turnbull, Mike Gain, Murray Facer, Gordon Sasse, Murray Deaker, Alan Davies, Evan Taylor, Graham Roberston, Lee Smith, Lynden Adam, Darrel Robinson
Row 1:Morris White, Murray Denholm, Brian Jackson,????, Roger Lampen, Russell Garland, Graeme Borley, John Barr, Murray Bell
1960 -1962
Row 5:????, Murray Edlin, Jim Lewis, Alan Carter, Warwick Larkins, ????
Row 4;Tony Stewart,????, John Simmers, Barrie Neilson, John Stevenson, Graeme Waters, Grahame Sydney
Row 3:????, Doug Jackson, Russell Standage, Stewart Cameron, Paul Grainger, Hartley Meder, John Wilson, Stuart Smith
Row 2:John Simpson, Geoff Berry, Martin Connell, John Olssen, Russell Latimer, Bryan Laws, Ken Isaac, Alan Isaac
Row 1:Blair McDonald, Bruce Tregonning, Peter Ashton, Ken Baker, Peter Evans,????, Phil Connolly, Ian Shore, Geoff Felton
1963 – 1969
Row 3:Ken Isaac, Peter Russell?, John Hannah,????,????,????, Murray Reynolds
Row 2:John Cushen, Robert Mace, Fiona Duigan-McKay, Stuart Melville, Malcolm McGoun, David Worcester, Kevin Seque
Row 1:Dave Stinson, Chris Reid, John Stinson,????, Stephen Franklin, Mike Thompson, Ken Harris, Steve Brocklebank
1970 – 1979
Row 5:Graeme McAuley, Alan Brocklebank, Garry Paterson, Robert Saxton, Frans van de Vlierd, Graeme Bremner, Norman Chan
Row $:Alan Kilpatrick, Kevin Soper, John Fitzgibbon, Alisdair Wright, Paul Cameron, Kailai Thambimuthu, Matthew Osborne
Row 3:Andrew Miller, Paul Honeybone, James Dowie, Neil Seaton, Kelvin Maker, Grant Howie, Alan Wright, Hugh Leckie
Row 2:????, Mason Stevens,????,????, Lindsay Scott,????,????
Row 1:Leslie Facoory, ????, Peter Cosgrove, Kevin Thompson, Jack Bremner (Rector), Graeme Sneddon, Gary Dalton, Peter Notman, Eldon Clifton, Wayne Lee
1980 -1996
Row 1:Peter Barnes, ????, Andrew Campbell, Brett Davidson
Row 2:????, Raymond Rawlings,????,????, David Turnbull
Row 1:Stephen Clarke, Simon Campbell, Darren Munro, Peter Hansen, Mark Young, Grant Mayne, Tony McNaught
The Committee
Chairman and Master of Ceremonies: John Barr
Joint events Convener: Warwick Larkins.
Treasurer and joint events Convener: Doug Jackson
Secretary: David Horne
Publicity: John Stinson
Registrar: Hugh Kidd
School liaison: Bryan Frost
Registrations and Photographs: Huia Ockwell Bowls: Ian Simpson
Golf: Mack Stephens
Advisory Member Bob Glass (Convener 60’11 reunion)
The support team: Graham Dalton, Irvine Duncan, John Fitzgibbon, Darren Munro, Ron Paterson and George Munro.
Bowls Report
A few late withdrawals meant that a rather unique format resulted. There were 12 teams in all but some had three players, some only two. When teams of three met each other, they played 3 bowls each; teams of two playing each other also played 3 bowls each: but when a team of two met one of three, the two played three bowls each and the three played just two bowls each. (How easy is that?)
There were three rounds played and points were allocated for the win and for each end won. The team comprising the youngest players-Simon Nyhof, (Staff 1981-2003), Peter Hansen (1980-84) and Richard Hokianga (1992-96)-was victorious on the day and won bottles of a special 75th Reunion sauvignon blanc all that could be drunk and souvenir bottles of the 50th Jubilee “bubbly”-which came with a health warning!
We are grateful to Old Boy Vic Holloway(l981-83) of “The Bog” (formerly the “Royal Albert”) for the special sauvignon blanc and to Sarah Sharma of the school’s art department for the beautiful 75th labels.
Bowls Winners
Simon Nyhof, Peter Hansen, playing as a triple with Richard Hokianga.
2 Kingsmen Newsletter
Bowls Runners-up
John Hart (1952-·56) and Russell King (1953-57).
Golf
The golf was held at the Chisholm Park Links on a lovely sunny day. Originally the members had to be limited to thirty-six players but unfortunately four golfers, who registered to play, did not turn up. However, there was room to fit in two players who registered, but were not recorded and four others turned up for a casual round.
Three statuettes, suitably engraved were purchased from funds provided by Gary Dalton ( 1972-1976) of New Zealand Credit Union, son of Graham Dalton (1945-1948), and together with a bottle of wine were presented to the top golfers.
Results
lst Richard Solomon (1956-60) 41 Stableford point
2nd Nevis Jones (1948-52, 38 Stableford points
3rd Ron Cain (1945-47) 38 Stableford points
4th Mark Pearson (1971-74) 38 Stableford points
5th Neil Thompson (1948-51) 37 Stableford points