King Edward VII School
Encyclopedia
King Edward VII School is a public school located within the city of Johannesburg
in South Africa
's Gauteng
Province, one of the historically significant Milner Schools.
Administration, in search of suitable buildings in which to establish temporary classrooms, found a vacant cigar factory in Johannesburg, on the corner of Gold and Kerk Streets, which was chosen as venue for "The Government High School for Boys", also known as the "Johannesburg High School for Boys". Thus was born a school which ultimately became the King Edward VII School.
It grew so rapidly that, in 1904, it was moved to Barnato Park where it was established in the mansion that originally had been designed for the mining millionaire Barney Barnato
, who died at sea in 1897. At its new location, it was referenced as "Johannesburg College" but, within seven years, the premises were deemed inadequate and, in 1911, the school was moved to its present site on the Houghton
ridge where new buildings had been impressively-designed and specifically constructed for the school. The time frame, within less than a year after the founding of the Union of South Africa
and the death of Queen Victoria's eldest son and successor, Edward VII, led to the proposal that the institution's name be changed to honour his memory, thus establishing the appellation, King Edward VII School.
.
in the main quad.
They are also fully committed to fulfill their duty to the school and offer newly renovated classes, a modern and renovated lecture hall, one of the biggest libraries in Gauteng, three state-of-the-art IT centres with 110 computer stations, art centres, a museum, historic hall and theatre built by the Dramatic Society in previous decades.
Skiet a ramma doota
SusKanada, Son of Kanovsky
Boom !
Budias ! Budias ! Budias !
Has Has !
Gigomalaia Gee ! Gigomalaia Gee
Teddybears Wha !
Who are we ? Teddybears !
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
Province, one of the historically significant Milner Schools.
History
In 1902, when the Boer War came to an end, there was an urgent need for schools in the Transvaal. The MilnerAlfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner
Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner KG, GCB, GCMG, PC was a British statesman and colonial administrator who played an influential leadership role in the formulation of foreign and domestic policy between the mid-1890s and early 1920s...
Administration, in search of suitable buildings in which to establish temporary classrooms, found a vacant cigar factory in Johannesburg, on the corner of Gold and Kerk Streets, which was chosen as venue for "The Government High School for Boys", also known as the "Johannesburg High School for Boys". Thus was born a school which ultimately became the King Edward VII School.
It grew so rapidly that, in 1904, it was moved to Barnato Park where it was established in the mansion that originally had been designed for the mining millionaire Barney Barnato
Barney Barnato
Barney Barnato , born Barnet Isaacs, was a British Randlord, one of the entrepreneurs who gained control of diamond mining, and later gold mining, in South Africa from the 1870s.-Background:...
, who died at sea in 1897. At its new location, it was referenced as "Johannesburg College" but, within seven years, the premises were deemed inadequate and, in 1911, the school was moved to its present site on the Houghton
Houghton Estate, Gauteng
Houghton Estate, often simply called Houghton is a wealthy suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, north-east of the city centre. Part of it is located in Region 3, the other part in Region 4 ....
ridge where new buildings had been impressively-designed and specifically constructed for the school. The time frame, within less than a year after the founding of the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
and the death of Queen Victoria's eldest son and successor, Edward VII, led to the proposal that the institution's name be changed to honour his memory, thus establishing the appellation, King Edward VII School.
Today
The School remains a public school, with an enrolment of over 1,000 boys from grades 8 to 12 (ages 13 to 18). King Edward VII Preparatory School, which is situated adjacent to the High School and shares its grounds, caters to boys from grades 0 to 7. In 2011 the School won the inaugural South African National Schools Moot Court CompetitionSouth African National Schools Moot Court Competition
The South African National Schools Moot Court Competition is an annual moot court competition established in 2011 aimed at creating greater consciousness and understanding in South African schools and communities about the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the values embodied by it...
.
Buildings
Nearly a century old, the school buildings of King Edward retain their impressive appearance and are considered national monuments. These include the school hall, the back facade, the front facade, the lecture theatre and library wing, the memorial wing and the cenotaphCenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
in the main quad.
They are also fully committed to fulfill their duty to the school and offer newly renovated classes, a modern and renovated lecture hall, one of the biggest libraries in Gauteng, three state-of-the-art IT centres with 110 computer stations, art centres, a museum, historic hall and theatre built by the Dramatic Society in previous decades.
Administration
The new headmaster, Mike Fennell, is widely respected for his skills as a headmaster and has a reputation as a strict, but understanding and caring administrator . Although attending to wide-ranging duties he, nevertheless, has time to shake the hands of all captains of sport before their matches all the way to the under 14 F team. The headmaster has also noted that the school's priorities need to be refocused from its strong emphasis upon sport and culture to a more significant effort into improving the academics of the school, to really emphasise the motto of "Strenue" and of the all-round gentleman King Edwards has been producing since its founding.Warcry
Itchy ballagoota,Skiet a ramma doota
SusKanada, Son of Kanovsky
Boom !
Budias ! Budias ! Budias !
Has Has !
Gigomalaia Gee ! Gigomalaia Gee
Teddybears Wha !
Who are we ? Teddybears !
Summer sports
- Basketball (as of November 2010 - four courts are used)
- Cricket (the School has three turf wickets, twelve turf nets and eight astro-turf nets)
- Rowing (training is done at Wemmer Pan and Roodeplaat Dam)
- Squash (the school uses the courts at Old Eds)
- Swimming (the School has a heated pool)
- Table Tennis
- Tennis (the school has three courts)
- Water polo
- Indoor cricket centre (4 nets which are used throughout the year)
Winter sports
- Athletics
- Cross Country
- Hockey (practise on the Astorturf or on the fields or at Old Eds)
- Rugby (four fields including the legendary "Reds Field")
- Football (one field at school and fields at Old Eds)
- Squash
- Indoor cricket centre (4 nets which are used throughout the year)
Cultural activities
- The Moot
- Dramatic Society (the society has its own theatre, props and is active all year)
- Music Society
- History Society
- Art Club (projects are set for Art students and non-Art students)
- Photographic Club (the school has its own darkroom which is in a process of revamp)
- Outdoor Club
- Chess Club
- Debating (uses the newly revampted lecture theatre)
- Public Speaking
- Business
- Stock Exchange Games
- First Aid (has its own caravan and trains on a regular basis)
- Pipe Band (has its own band room and supports the memorial parade)
Old Edwardians
See Old Edwardians (Johannesburg)- Sir Sydney KentridgeSydney KentridgeSir Sydney Kentridge KCMG, QC is a prominent South African lawyer and member of the English Bar. He played a leading part in a number of the most significant political trials in apartheid-era South Africa, including the Stephen Biko inquest in 1977.-Education:Kentridge was born in 1922 in...
- Sir Sydney LipworthSydney LipworthSir Sydney Lipworth, QC, is a South African born British lawyer, businessman, public servant and philanthropist.Lipworth was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1931.Educated at King Edward VII School in Johannesburg...
, lawyer and businessman - Sir Mark WeinbergMark Weinberg-Early life and education:Weinberg was born in South Africa and educated at King Edward VII School in Johannesburg. He received degrees in Commerce and Law and practised as a barrister...
- Sir Donald Gordon, businessman and philanthropist
- Justice Neil Maule MacArthur (1921-2010)
- Justice Johann KrieglerJohann KrieglerJohann Christiaan Kriegler is a former Constitutional Court and Appeal Court judge from South Africa.-Early life:Born in Pretoria, he matriculated at King Edward Vll School in Johannesburg in 1949. He then attended the South African Military Academy for two years. He studied law at the University...
- Justice Richard GoldstoneRichard GoldstoneRichard Joseph Goldstone is a South African former judge. After working for 17 years as a commercial lawyer, he was appointed by the South African government to serve on the Transvaal Supreme Court from 1980 to 1989 and the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa from 1990 to 1994...
, together with Sir Sydney Kentridge, served on the Constitutional Court - H Gluckman, cabinet minister
- D Keyes, cabinet minister
- Ronnie KasrilsRonnie KasrilsRonald Kasrils is a South African politician. He was Minister for Intelligence Services from 27 April 2004 to 25 September 2008...
, cabinet minister - William KentridgeWilliam KentridgeWilliam Kentridge is a South African artist best known for his prints, drawings, and animated films. These are constructed by filming a drawing, making erasures and changes, and filming it again. He continues this process meticulously, giving each change to the drawing a quarter of a second to two...
, artist - B Steinhobel, artist
- G Westcott, artist
- S Ullerstam, artist
- L Chait, artist
- B Ainslie, artist
- M Meyersfield, artist
- D Hoets, artist
- G Hoets, artist
- 3 Anglican bishops
- Many distinguished professors, particularly Prof du Plessis (Vice-Chancellor of the University of the WitwatersrandUniversity of the WitwatersrandThe University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
.) - Bryce CourtenayBryce CourtenayArthur Bryce Courtenay AM is a South-African-born naturalized Australian novelist and one of Australia's most commercially successful authors.-Background and early years:...
, novelist ("The Power of One") - Anthony PrestonAnthony Preston (naval historian)Antony Preston was an English naval historian and editor, specialising in the area of 19th and 20th-century naval history and warship design.-Life:...
, Naval Historian - Professor Emirutus Manfred L. Karnovsky - Harvard University (died 1999, aged 80) and of the family named in the warcry
Sportsmen
- Gary PlayerGary PlayerGary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six...
, golf - Ali BacherAli BacherAron "Ali" Bacher is a former South African Test cricketer and an administrator of the United Cricket Board of South Africa.-Biography:...
, cricketer - Kevin McKenzie, cricketer
- Neil McKenzieNeil McKenzieNeil Douglas McKenzie is a South African cricketer. He is a right-handed opening batsman who plays for South Africa, making his first appearance in 2000. Strong on the leg side, he is also a very good player of spin...
, cricketer - Ray JenningsRay JenningsRaymond Vernon Jennings is a former South African cricketer. He was one of South Africa's leading wicket-keepers during the apartheid era....
, cricketer - Hugh PageHugh PageHugh Ashton Page is a former South African first class cricketer who was born in Zimbabwe. He played his cricket with Transvaal and spent the 1987 English season with Essex.-References:*...
, cricketer - Adam BacherAdam BacherAdam Marc Bacher is a South African cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler...
, cricketer - Anthony PollockAnthony PollockGraeme Anthony Pollock is a South African cricketer. He is the son of Graeme Pollock and cousin of the all-rounder Shaun Pollock. His brother Andrew also played for Transvaal and Gauteng....
, cricketer - Nic PothasNic PothasNic Pothas is a South African cricketer who plays as a right-handed batsman and who fields as a wicket-keeper. In a total of over 200 first-class matches, he has taken over 500 catches...
, cricketer - Graeme SmithGraeme SmithGraeme Craig Smith is a South African cricketer and captain of the South African cricket team Test Match side, having succeeded Shaun Pollock after the 2003 Cricket World Cup...
, cricketer - Joe van NiekerkJoe van NiekerkJohann "Joe" van Niekerk is a South African rugby union player, who generally plays either as a flanker or number 8...
, rugby player - Bryan HabanaBryan HabanaBryan Gary Habana is a South African rugby union player who plays as a wing for the Western Province in the Currie Cup, the Stormers in Super 14, and the 2007 Rugby World Cup champions Springboks...
, rugby player - Rhys M. Thomas , rugby player (Wales)
- Gary BaileyGary BaileyGary Richard Bailey is a former footballer who made nearly 300 appearances in the Football League playing as a goalkeeper for Manchester United. He was capped twice for England....
, soccer player - Richard GoughRichard GoughCharles Richard Gough is a former Scottish football central defender who enjoyed great success as captain of Rangers. He also played for Scotland 61 times and had a brief spell as manager of Livingston...
, soccer player - Cliff DurandtCliff DurandtClifford Michael Durandt was a South African footballer who played as a winger.He played in the English First Division for Wolverhampton Wanderers, with whom he won the league title...
, soccer player