King Edward VII School (Johannesburg)

King Edward VII School is a public school school located in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.

History

In 1902 when the Boer War came to an end there was an urgent need for schools in the Transvaal. The Milner Administration, looking round for suitable buildings in which to establish temporary classrooms, found a vacant cigar factory on the corner of Gold and Kerk Streets in Johannesburg and there established "The Government High School for Boys", also known as the "Johannesburg High School for Boys". Thus was born a school that was to ultimately to become the renowned 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 Barney Barnato, the mining millionaire. Here it was known as "Johannesburg College". But these premises soon proved inadequate and in 1911 the school was finally moved to a new site on the Houghton ridge where magnificent buildings had been specially designed for the school, and it became the School's new home. All this came about shortly after the founding of the Union of South Africa and the death of King Edward VII, Queen Victoria's eldest son. To honour his memory the school was granted the right to change its name to King Edward VII School.

Today

The School remains a government-aided high school, with an enrolment of over 1000 boys in grades 8 - 12 (ages 13 to 18). King Edward VII Preparatory School, which is situated adjacent to the High School and shares its grounds, caters for boys from Grades 1 to 7.

Buildings

Built in 1911, the school buildings of King Edward are impressive. The entire school buildings are a national monument. These include the school hall, the back facade, the front facade, the lecture theatre and library wing, the memorial wing and the centotaph in the main quad.

They are also fully apapt to fulfill there duty to the school and offer newly renovated classes, a modern and renovated lecture hall, one of the biggest libraries in Gauteng, a modern computer room with 40 stations, art centres, a museum, historic hall and theatre built by the Dramatic Society many years ago.

Administration

The new headmaster, Mr Mike Fennell, has shown his innate competence as headmaster. He is a strict man, but understanding and caring, showing his kindness to those who do right. He has control over the school and still manages to shake the hands of all captains of sport before their matches all the way to the under 14 F team. Mr. Fennell has begun to change the school focusing not only on sport and culture, but is also putting 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 it's founding.

Activities

ummer sports

*Basketball (two 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)
*Waterpolo

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

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

*Sir Sydney Kentridge
*Sir Sydney Lipworth, lawyer and businessman
*Sir Mark Weinberg
*Sir Donald Gordon, businessman and philanthropist
*Justice Johann Kriegler
*Justice Richard Goldstone, together with Sir Sydney Kentridge, served on the Constitutional Court
*H Gluckman, cabinet minister
*D Keyes, cabinet minister
*Ronnie Kasrils, cabinet minister
*W Kentridge, 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 Witwatersrand.)
*Bryce Courtney, novelist ("The Power of One")
*Anthony Preston, Naval Historian

portsmen

*Gary Player, golf
*Duncan Lindsay-Smith, golf
*Roger Brews, golf
*Buster Nupen, cricketer
*Ali Bacher, cricketer
*Kevin McKenzie, cricketer
*Lee Barnard, cricketer
*Ray Jennings, cricketer
*Hugh Page, cricketer
*Adam Bacher, cricketer
*Neil McKenzie, cricketer
*Anthony Pollock, cricketer
*Nic Pothas, cricketer
*Graeme Smith, cricketer
*Scotch Taylor, cricketer
*Dennis Begbie, cricketer
*Dooley Briscoe, cricketer
*Chud Langton, cricketer
*Len Brown, cricketer
*J. Cochrane, cricketer
*Eddie van der Merwe, cricketer
*Sid Pegler, cricketer
*Joe van Niekerk, rugby player
*Hugh Bladen, rugby player
*Bryan Habana, rugby player
*Rhys Thomas , Rugby Player (Wales)
*Kevin Foote, Sevens Rugby Player
*Len Brown, soccer player
*Gary Bailey, soccer player
*Richard Gough, soccer player
*Jimmie Pettersson,soccer player
*Julie Kaplan, soccer player
*Cliff Durandt, soccer player
*Cecil Kaplan, squash player
*Graham Macdonald, squash player
*Jeff Maisels, squash player
*Leo Melville, squash player
*Michael Bristow, soccer player
*Brian Lefson, squash player
*Gregg Clark, hockey player
*Thornton McDade, hockey player
*Brenton Key, hockey player
*Wayne Graham, hockey player
*Matthew Hallowes, hockey player
*Steve Jaspan, hockey player
*Jock Coombes, hockey player
*Ponky Firer, hockey player
*John Gardiner, hockey player
*Viv Greve, hockey player
*Peter Winslow, hockey player
*Alistair Stewart, waterpolo player
*Shaun Bond, waterpolo player
*Michael Bond, waterpolo player
*Neville Watt, waterpolo player
*Tim Potgieter, waterpolo player
*Kevin O'Brien, waterpolo player
*Dave Adams, waterpolo player
*Derek Kneebone, waterpolo player
*Mike Renwick, waterpolo player
*Peter Sandstrom, waterpolo player
*Leon Nahon, waterpolo player
*Rob Schwartz, waterpolo player
*Dennis Ford, swimmer
*Murray McLachlan, swimmer
*Tony Briscoe, swimmer
*Ivan Schlapobersky, swimmer
*Dean Price, swimmer
*Gary Bonney, swimmer
*Richard Bonney, swimmer
*Rodney Glatt, swimmer
*John Thorburn, swimmer
*Roy Abramowitz, swimmer
*Billy Stewart, swimmer
*Tom Knight, aerobatics
*John Pledger, angling
*Jon Lang, athletics
*Alan Smith, athletics
*Tex Richards, basketball
*Graham McKenzie, basketball
*Nick Dempsey, boxing and basketball
*Ashley Reilly, basketball
*Stan Schmidt, karate
*Malcolm Dorfman, karate
*George Douvelos, karate
*Lynn (Buster) Sefor, kendo
*Peter Lindenberg, waterskiing, barefoot waterskiing, ski boat racing and power boat racing
*Many more Springboks and players representing their country - 171 in total

External links

* [http://www.kesnet.co.za/ King Edward VII School Family Official Website]
* [http://www.kingedwardschool.co.za/ King Edward VII School (High School) Website]
* [http://www.keps.co.za/ King Edward VII Preparatory School Website]
* [http://www.oldeds.co.za/ Old Edwardian Society]
* [http://www.kesoldboys.co.za/ Old Boys Association]