Queen’s School, later Queen’s College, where pioneering aviators Sir Ross Mcpherson Smith and Sir Keith Mcpherson Smith were scholars. Their younger brother Colin also attended the school.
Queen’s School / Queen’s College
Designed by F J Naish, who was also the architect of Elder Hall at the University of Adelaide, the school was up and running smoothly by 1893. When the school closed at the end of 1949, it was the last privately owned boys' school in the state. After the closure most of Queen’s students continued their education at Pulteney Grammar School or Saint Peter’s College. Queen’s memorabilia has and still is being given to Pulteney Grammar School which has established a Queen’s Room. Two in perpetuity annual Queen’s Memorial Scholarships have been established.
*Christ Church School building in Jeffcott Street was let for school use to Miss Miller in 1879 and then to a series of ministers between 1880 and 1891, the last, Reverent T Field (1883-91), selling the goodwill to Messrs Lindon and Heineman who were to open Queen’s School. Queen’s School maintained a continuous link with Christ Church with the rectors acting as chaplains of the college.
Under the management of J H Lindon as headmaster and J E Heineman, the school moved to its new premises in Barton Terrace in 1893 where it was established as Queen’s School.
The school’s major period of expansion occurred between 1920 and 1928 when Edward Stokes became headmaster. Under Stokes the school flourished.
A broad expansion policy was started. He established the Ross Memorial Library and preparatory school. He introduced a house system, new societies, a scout troop and an annual school magazine. Tennis courts and pitches were laid down. The school grew to 121 pupils by 1930. Stokes decided to change the name to Queen’s College, the change implying its unquestioned status as a matriculating institution. [Ref: Adelaidia]
Queen’s School alumni included physicist Sir William Lawrence Bragg who was the youngest-ever Nobel Laureate: he was the grandson of Charles Todd, Government Astronomer.
Also included are Professor Walter Duffield, first director of the Commonwealth Observatory in Canberra, and Dr Sir Archibald Grenfell Price.
The brothers and pioneer aviators Sir Keith and Sir Ross Smith were scholars at the school shortly after the turn of the century. Sir Keith and Sir Ross were the first men to fly from London to Australia in 1919 and were venerated as the school’s greatest heroes. Their brother Colin also attended the school and later lost his life at Passchendaele in 1917 during World War One.
*The North Adelaide Institute was crowded on Monday [18th] afternoon on the occasion of the annual speech-day in connection with Queen's School, North Adelaide. His Excellency the Acting Governor presided. First the visitors were entertained by the scholars, who contributed an excellent programme of musical and elocutionary numbers.
The Chairman and the masters having taken seats on the platform the Principal (Mr J H Lindon, MA) read the annual report, which was as follows:— Once again the time has come round for us to present you with a report of our doings during the past twelve months, and to record the events of the second year since the foundation of the school.
Notwithstanding the serious depression under which the colony has laboured the steady growth of the school in popularity and numbers has far exceeded our most sanguine expectations. You will remember, your Excellency, that last year you were good enough to express a hope that by this time we should have reached Milton's ideal number for a school. We have not yet attained that ideal, but we have made considerable progress towards it. During the past year we have admitted forty-nine new boys, and have now 107 in actual attendance, not counting a few absent for the quarter. We may mention incidentally that already numerous applications have been made for next year.
With regard to the work, it has certainly been carried on under most favourable conditions for both masters and boys, who have thoroughly appreciated the excellent accommodation of our new buildings. A sixth form has been added to the number of our classes.
The annual sports were again held on the Adelaide Oval, and it was gratifying to notice the numerous entries and the keen rivalry of the competitors.
To promote a healthy interest in the school, and to form a bond of union between past and present scholars , it is our intention to start a school magazine, to be published quarterly, and we hope that our new venture will be supported by both parents and boys.
Mr E T Williams BA (Lecturer of Trinity College, Melbourne), who came from Victoria to examine the work of the school, read his report as follows:— It is once more my pleasing duty to report to you the results of the Christmas examinations in this school. Last year I could only speak of results as I found them. This year I can do more, for by comparing the present year with its predecessor I am able to determine whether boys are merely "marking time," or whether they are marching forward. I am happy to say that the advance of the school is very marked, and is highly satisfactory.
I must not forget to state that the writing and composition of the school is, as it was last year, conspicuous by its general excellence. [Ref: Evening Journal 19-12-1893]
*The speech day of Queen's School did not take the usual form of a public function owing to the non-arrival of the prizes from England.
Extract from the address of the headmaster (Mr R G Jacomb-Hood MA):– The year's record was one of quiet success, although shorn of its two social functions in the annual ball and athletic sports on the oval. The coping stone had been put on the previous year's work by the announcement of the results of the University examinations, in which all the Queen's School candidates had passed.
The present numbers were a record for the century, and the boarding house, under Miss Barwell’s capable management, had been full throughout.
High tribute was paid to the work of the staff, especially that of Mr Le Messurier, who inspired such enthusiasm in his pupils that the whole of the upper school devoted themselves to practical chemistry under his tuition in the school laboratory during their play time.
Old Queen's School boys were not conspicuous in the late University degree examinations, as every one capable of bearing arms had offered his services to the Empire.
A special reporter sent by "The Australasian" to visit the leading schools of South Australia had chosen Queen's School for the first article, and had written a most complimentary description. Included was a reference to Queen’s School roll of honour which now contains 179 names, of whom 20 had made the supreme sacrifice, 31 had been wounded, and 27 honours had been won. [Ref: Advertiser 15-12-1917]
*The annual speech day of Queen's School was held in the big master room at the school, before a large assemblage of parents and friends. The headmaster (Mr R G Jacomb-Hood MA) delivered his address, and presented the prizes for 1918, which had been delayed in transit from England, and also those for the current year.
The crowning glory of a most successful year, he said was the brilliant exploit of Keith and Ross Smith with which the whole world was ringing. This gallant pair of young Australian lads received the whole of their education at Queen's School, where they had been boarders for six and seven years respectively. Ross was the champion athlete of the school, and was captain of the 1908 cricket team, all of whom had followed his example and gone to the front. Five of the number had made the supreme sacrifice.
The headmaster said he regretted the delay in the unveiling of the roll of honour, for which a handsome and original design had been prepared, bearing more than 200 names. Although its delivery had been promised nearly five months ago, continual strikes in the trades involved in the production were responsible for the postponement of the ceremony until next year.
The results of last year's senior and junior examinations were excellent. All the candidates passed and all but one secured honours in different subjects. The nine boys who had presented themselves this year had since the examination covered a great amount of new work for the following year. Their great success in all the branches of science and mathematics, was due to the untiring efforts of Mr Le Messurier under whom the school laboratory was taxed to the utmost by practical chemists working in their playtime.
After an interval of five years owing to the war the athletic sports had been held on the oval again with a record attendance of spectators. Queen's School was represented by five old boys in the University cricket team this year, and the school team had been defeated only in one match out of eight engagements. [Ref: Advertiser16-12-1919]
*Adelaide School Becomes Home
The story of the conversion of old Queen's College, in Barton terrace, North Adelaide, into a family home is featured in Home Beautiful magazine, on sale price 2/ at all newsagents.
Pictures show how a few structural alterations have brought the 70-year-old Gothic style building uptodate, making a delightful, spacious home for a doctor, his wife and their three small sons. [Ref: Advertiser 3-6-1953]
