King's College’s first home was at what is now King's School – at ‘The Tower’ on Remuera Road. Mr Graham Bruce who had been teaching at St John’s Collegiate School decided to open his own school and acquired the property from J McCosh, opening there on 12 February 1896. 78 boys turned up on that first day of whom 23 were boarders. Parents had responded to an advertisement in Auckland’s daily newspapers announcing the opening of a school where, along with the usual subjects available for entry to the ‘University of New Zealand’ military drill, gymnastics, shorthand and carpentry instructions were included.

Charles T Major and three other full-time staff joined Bruce in carrying the burden of a new school – establishing routines for a wide range of ages, arranging extra-curricular activities and sharing boarding duties. Graham Bruce did not have a wife to share his problems – and carried the burden of Proprietor, Bursar, Headmaster, Planner and teaching (mathematics, classics, modern languages and science).

On Bruce’s premature death in 1901 and with Major serving in the army in the South African War two short-term appointments followed before Major assumed control in 1905 eventually purchasing the Remuera property from Mrs Marion Bruce who had inherited it from her brother-in-law. The steadily growing City of Auckland added value to this prime site and this was realised when it became necessary to move to a larger one – at Middlemore. By then the roll of 283 in 1912 had increased considerably when King's amalgamated with St John’s and within a few years the decision was made to purchase 42 acres at Mangere.

The move was made in 1922 but by then the school ‘was not immune to the hysteria of war’. 110 Old Boys (the term ‘Collegians’ was not used until girls were introduced in 1980) died, along with two masters during the hostilities of the 1914-18 conflict. With the same sense of pride and patriotism the Memorial Chapel was built to commemorate this sacrifice and was opened on Anzac Day 1925 – a remarkable feat given that the College had moved to its new site just three years earlier.

A similar recognition was given the 102 who died during the Second World War with the building of the Memorial Building housing what was then a wonderful library, Common Rooms and the landmark bell tower.

A seemingly endless building programme has accommodated the growth of the College since a depression-generated downturn in the 1930s. Boarding Houses were resited on extensions to the property, while gymnasia, Assembly Hall (the Great Hall), sciences and art blocks, and the Music School added valuable facilities. The College’s Centenary was marked by the opening of a new library, yet another science building and classrooms along with a university-style lecture theatre and plans are underway to provide a Technology Building and Chapel Close. Recent additions include a magnificent Sports’ Complex all of which give evidence of the growth of the College since its institution 111 years ago.

Milestones:
Headmasters:
1896-1901 Graham Bruce; 1901- 1904 G Bigg-Wither; !904-05 L G W Wilkinson; 1905-1926 C T Major; 1926-1936 Canon H Archdall; 1937 – 1942 J N Peart; 1942-1946 H B Lusk; 1947-1973 G N T Greenbank; 1973-1987 I P Campbell; 1988-2002 J S Taylor; 2003-2009 R Kelley;
2009 - current B Fenner

1896 Founding of King's College: ‘The Tower’ Remuera
1913 Amalgamation with St John’s Collegiate School
1922 Move to Middlemore – House system introduced
1925 Opening of Memorial Chapel (WWI)
1930 St John’s Trust Board assumes responsibility for King's College
1942 Headmaster J N Peart killed in war action (Egypt)
1955 Memorial Library opened (WWII)
1975 Ahuroa property established as Venture Camp
1980 Girls introduced to King's in Forms 6-7 (Years 12-13)
1991 Laptop Computers’ experiment
1996 Centennial Celebrations – Opening Science, Library Buildins and Lecture Theatre
1996 Old Collegians’ Sports’ Pavilion replaced 1958 structure
2003 CIE (Cambridge International Examinations) available at King's


For more information on the History of King's College go to Archives