Wall of Fame

2021 Wall of Fame

2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010

Craig Scott, Chris George, Ben Smith	Craig Scott, Nick McIvor,  ?	Nick McIvor, Mark Sinclair, Craig Scott, Ben Smith

Joe Anderson King’s 1945 – 1949    Humanities King’s High School in 1948 was one of many schools still struggling with the aftermath of WW2. Many of the staff were returned serviceman trying to readjust to civilian life, especially those who had served overseas; some were trying to resume normal family life, others were trying to start normal family life; several were studying part-time to complete interrupted academic qualifications; some experienced staff were being promoted to more senior positions in other schools; a new Rector was feeling his way; discipline was rigidly enforced by the many staff who had been exposed to years of military discipline; and military drill was an important part of the school curriculum. In the 5th Form of that year was a considerable cohort of late-maturing pupils, many of whom would become high achievers if properly nurtured.Eric Anderson was one of this cohort; the son of a Dunedin lawyer of the same name, which may explain why he was known as “Joe’. As a runner he began to flourish, and with the expert coaching he received from former Empire Games Athlete Arnold Anderson, he began winning races (100 yards, 440 yards) and by placing 3rd in the Senior Cup the following year, was selected for the schools Athletics Team.Joe’s father was a decorated WW1 Veteran who had also served in WW2, and his son’s lifelong interest in matters military was both whetted and cemented by Ross Fraser, the Deputy Rector who commanded the school Cadet Corps. Joe duly won the cup for the best Sergeant in A Company.In his final year at school, he was made a Prefect, and served on the committee which organised the school’s Rugby Programme.

On leaving school, Joe chose to study Law at the University of Otago. In those days Law Students studied full-time for two years, then studied part-time while working in a Law Office. He attended the early morning and early evening classes, getting there mainly by bicycle. He worked for his father’s firm Webb, Allan, Walker & Anderson, and was admitted to the bar on the morning of February 14, 1956, before marrying Lee in the afternoon. He continued working for the firm, doing court work, and advisory work for the local authorities throughout Otago and Southland on planning matters. He eventually moved to Mosgiel to help run their office there.

In 1970 Joe was approached by J.D. Murray, the Stipendiary Magistrate (S.M. as judges were termed then) to consider coming on to the bench, but he declined the offer, feeling that he was to young. Two years later he was again approached and decided to accept thereby becoming one of youngest S.Ms to be appointed (nowadays aspiring judges apply for such a position).

As a judge was not allowed to serve on the bench where he had previously practised so Invercargill and its court became home. Joe served on the bench from 1972-1990, much of that time as a sole judge travelling throughout Southland and to Queenstown for court sittings. He was known and respected as a no-nonsense judge, a refreshing flair to his game and is a true and genuine sportsman. at one time termed “Smokin Joe” – testament to the summary justice he dispensed!

On retiring from the bench Joe worked on a temporary warrant travelling throughout New Zealand and then served on the Parole Board for a time before becoming fully retired.

When Joe left school, he had joined the Territorial Army, and progressed through the ranks to become Lieutenant-Colonel of the 4th Otago and Southland Battalion. At their 150-year celebrations in 2010, by then Honorary Colonel Joe, he extolled the virtues of the former Compulsory Military Training (CMT)

Scheme for its character building (which he believed had to be taught) and lamented the scheme’s demise (while acknowledging its expense). He also chaired the panel which chose Rugby Southland’s new board and received the Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship Awards for his community and legal services. Widely respected for his integrity, Joe is the epitome of the true Southern Man.

Craig Scott King’s 1963 – 1966       Arts Music did not feature prominently in the school curriculum during Craig’s sojourn at King’s High School and what there was failed to inspire him. However, there must be something in the air or water in Corstorphine and Craig was the first (but not the last!) singer to tap into this advantage.He left school to become a Bank Clerk, initially singing with local band Klap, before joining Fantasy which shortly thereafter moved to Christchurch to become the resident group at The Scene, a Dance Hall/Night Club. In 1969 Craig joined Revival, which won a Battle of the Bands contest: this brought the band to the attention of HMV Records, and they were invited to Wellington to record a single ‘Viva Bobby Joe’ at their Wakefield St studio.In 1970 Craig was offered a solo career and was given a starring role in the television music series Happen Inn and was also a frequent guest on the programme C’mon. During this time, his rendition of ‘Star Crossed Lovers’ topped the popularity charts for four weeks in a row!

In 1971 ‘Smiley’ won the Loxene Golden Disc Award and reached No.3 on the charts, while other hit singles included, ‘Let’s get a Little Sentimental’, ‘Ciao Baby’, ‘When Jojo Runs’ and ‘Wind and Rain’. In 1972 he was named NZ Entertainer of the Year.

He played concerts attended by thousands of screaming fans and produced singles, EP Recordings, albums, CD’s, and videos. His manager had the ability to read the market and the artist had excellent arrangers, an engineer and a lot of good people around him.

But all good things come to an end: in 1974 Happen Inn was cancelled and Craig’s popularity began to wane as his visibility declined and by 1977, he felt that he had done all that he could in New Zealand. He was philosophical and pragmatic about his situation: Craig could have gone overseas (to Australia?) to repeat it all again, but with no guarantee of success, and by then he was married to Jo and they had started a family. He had spent some four years as NZ’s number one teen heart throb!

So, Craig became a music promoter, offering sage advice to future entertainers such as “get a good manager, a good lawyer, and a good accountant”. He further recommended that they took as much interest in the other side of the business as they did the creative side; that they enjoy every moment for success could be fleeting and to be kind to people around them especially on the way up, for they would surely meet them all again on the way back down!

He then started NZ’s first video rental business in Auckland before managing Warner Brothers Video NZ for some 15 years. Around the year 2000, he and Jo moved back to Dunedin and set up a property renovating business Scott & Scott Design. More recently they shifted to Arrowtown where they qualified as Real Estate Agents while working for Ray White: recently they joined Bayley’s.

But this is not the end of Craig’s story. In 2007, members of the former Dunedin rock band Luthan decided that after 34 years in retirement, they might stage a reunion. This was potentially disastrous for only one of them was still a musician, and only one was a resident in Dunedin: the others were widely dispersed in NZ and even in Australia, which would inhibit both practising and rehearsing. Fitness might also be a problem! So, they called for the help of “friends” (who were similarly widely dispersed). Several of both the band and the ‘friends’ had been to King’s together, and Craig, despite not having appeared on stage for nearly 30 years responded to the appeal of a lifelong mate! Despite all these potential difficulties, Luthan & Friends provided a fitting finale to the Dunedin Heritage Festival and played to a capacity (and unlikely!) audience comprising parents, siblings, grown-up offspring (who had never seen their parents perform!), former schoolmates and pupils from both King’s and Queen’s and former neighbours.

Craig demonstrated that he still retained his former charisma even if he had to read the words of some of his lyrics! The ODT reviewer claimed that “the reunion gig was some party, we were lucky enough to be invited to!”

Craig, it is our privilege to recognise you and your achievements in Music, and to offer you these items as a token of the high regard in which you are held, in the school and Old Boys’ community

Graham Sinclair King’s 1949 – 1953     Business Graham, who sadly died in Wanaka earlier this year was the middle (and sole survivor) of three siblings who attended King’s High School: while here he won academic awards each year and excelled at Shooting and Rugby.In his final year Graham was a Prefect, a Company Sergeant Major (CSM) in the school cadet corps and was awarded a Rugby Blue. Leaving school, he studied Law at the University of Otago, completing his LLB Degree by correspondence while working for a law firm in Gore. By now he was married to Helen, a Primary School Teacher whom (like many of their generation) he had met through the social activities of Bible Class, and they were still inseparable after 70 years.Together, they drew up a spreadsheet to find a town with the right mix of population, business activity, and ageing lawyers, which led them to settle in the farming supply centre of Ashburton. Having established his law practice, Graham worked nights at the local Woollen Mill to help pay the bills and was initially regarded with some suspicion by his fellow workers, however, by solving a legal problem faced by a son of one of the foremen, his practice “took off”. This solution was also the result of his lifelong attention to detail.

In the late 1960’s Graham became heavily involved in the Jaycee Movement and was elected NZ president; after a year working nationally, he became World President in 1971 and travelled dozens of countries to publicise the significant community work which Jaycee International was undertaking around the globe. As his Ashburton law practice grew, Graham became increasingly involved in community affairs, including serving as the local Coroner, and as chair of the local hospital board. The family moved into a sizeable but somewhat run-down house in suburban Tinwald, which he renovated to become the family home for nearly 20 years, and the venue for social occasions with the staff of the organisations with which he had become involved. However, before they had owned any other property, in 1963 the Sinclair’s had purchased a section in Wanaka, initially to park the caravan and subsequently on which to build and from where Graham, who was a keen private pilot, could commute to Ashburton for summer weekdays. In 1978 the Sinclair’s moved permanently to Wanaka, once there, along with other like-minded business associates, notable the Wallis Brothers, they purchased the Treble Cone Ski Field, then merely a club field maintained by local enthusiasts. Graham provided his legal skills and business acumen and used his family to provide the physical labour to develop the ski field which soon had a chairlift, a snow groomer and the modern facilities required. As well as marketing the venue nationally, he travelled to North America seeking advice and ideas: ultimately the US Ski Team was training there during their off season!

As Treble Cone matured in the late 1980’s, it became the catalyst for various other companies involving aviation, farming, the environment and the community, a notable example being The Helicopter Line. Companies House records 147 entries bearing Graham’s name and he was also committed to the community via pro bono work, charitable trusts and foundations, school, and hospital boards: indeed, he acted as a trustee for the King’s High School Old Boys’ Association fundraising ventures. Graham was involved in dozens of more private businesses while expanding his own: as well as Nichol, Sinclair, Cooney & Co in Ashburton. He pulled together three established Dunedin law firms to form Gallaway, Haggitt & Sinclair. In 2002 Graham was awarded Member of the NZ Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to business and the community.

When reflecting on his career, Graham regarded his seven years with Kai Tahu as his most fulfilling work, where he was a Director, Chairman and briefly even CEO of Ngai Tahu Holdings. In a note to his family a Kaiwhakahaere (executive) commented on how he was part of the team which established their sound commercial structure, ensured their profit-able investments and for the astute, professional, competence which he brought to their decision making.

Above all, Graham was a devoted family man who enjoyed participating in their lives: he admitted  two Granddaughters to the bar. Alongside Helen, he enjoyed watching his grandchildren and great grand children growing up around them.

Ben Smith King’s 2000 – 2004    Sport Ben’s main sporting interest during his five years at King’s was Rugby, where he played at half-back, winning several awards for his prowess, and being selected for appropriate aged-based Otago teams. In his final year, as well as being a Prefect, he was he Captain of the 1st XV (which achieved a long overdue victory over Otago
Boys’ High School!), was awarded a Blue in both Rugby and Touch, and received the Peter Hill Cup for services to King’s High School Rugby.
Leaving school, Ben spent a gap year mainly in the UK, where he taught briefly in a school in Bristol before returning to Dunedin to enrol as a Physical Education student at University of Otago. However, he played his Rugby for Green Island where he had started as a small boy: ultimately, he played 50 matches for the Senior Team.
Ben was first selected for the Senior Otago Team in 2007, and ultimately represented the province in 44 matches, scoring 55 points. That year he was also selected for NZ U21 Team, scoring a try. From 2009 until 2019 he represented the Highlanders Franchise in 153 matches (the record), scoring 200 points. His performances during the 2009 season saw his selection for the NZ autumn tour to the northern hemisphere
as All Black No, 1100 and he made his debut against Italy at Milan and scored his first All Black try against the Barbarians on Twickenham.
In 2010 Ben was not required for the All Blacks but was selected for the national Rugby Sevens squad which competed at the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi in India, where he helped NZ achieve the Gold Medal. He is the only King’s sportsman to have achieved this feat.
In 2012 Ben was once more selected for the All Blacks mainly as a full-back or wing, occasionally as an outside-centre and he even returned briefly to half-back in a test against Ireland when the incumbent was sin-binned!
In 2015 he was selected as the sole full-back in the 31-member squad to defend the Rugby World Cup and played in all seven matches to achieve this unprecedented feat.
In 2016 because of international or complete retirements by several players Ben was appointed Vice-Captain of the All Blacks and in the following year in the temporary absence of the regular incumbent he became the 68th player to captain the All Blacks: victory in this test against Samoa in preparation for an increasingly rear series against the touring Lions, enabled him to join the never defeated previous All Black Captains from King’s High School, Chris Laidlaw and Tom Willis! Sadly, Ben only lasted 21 minutes in the first test before being misdiagnosed as having been concussed; he
missed the rest of the drawn series and was sorely missed. Further medical checked proved that the vertigo was caused by an inner ear infection, so he resumed his place for the two subsequent Bledisloe Cup tests, scoring a try in each, before taking a year-long sabbatical from all Rugby. Ben returned to international Rugby in 2018 and despite mixed form in 2019 was selected for the 31-member squad to defend the Rugby World Cup. He played in all three pool matches, which included victory over South Africa (the ultimate winner!), he was not selected for either the quarter final victory, or the semi-final loss. But in the Bronze final versus Wales, he produced a standout performance, and in scoring two tries showed what might have been! Following this third place Ben retired from international Rugby, having represented his country in 84 test
matches and scored 195 points. He has since played six matches for the Pau Club in France and is currently playing as a wing for the Kobelco Steelers in the Japanese Top League. “Loyalty” and “decency” are two words which describe Ben’s attitude to life. He sponsors a Scholarship to Year 9 students at King’s, while as a sportsman he has represented one club, one school, one province, one franchise and one country. Most of his many supporters would probably agree that full-back rather than wing is his better position on the playing field: it gave him more options, and he seldom lost contact with his support players. He brought a refreshing flair to his game and is a true and genuine sportsman.2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010