Nelson College
From Free net encyclopedia
Nelson College is the oldest state secondary school in New Zealand, founded on April 7, 1856. It is a mixed day and boarding school for boys aged 13 (Year 9/Form III) to 18 (Year 13/Form VII), and also runs a small Preparatory Department for Years 7 and 8 (Forms I and II). It has 3 boarding houses and 5 day houses. Nelson College currently educates just over 1200 boys.
A team from Nelson College took part in the first game of rugby played in New Zealand, against the Nelson Rugby Football Club on May 14, 1870 at what is now known as the Botanic Reserve, Nelson. The Quadrangular Rugby Football Tournament occurs annually between Nelson College, Wellington College, Christ's College and the Wanganui Collegiate School. The Quadrangular is reputed to be one of the older organised rugby tournaments in New Zealand. The Quadrangular Tournament began in 1925 when Nelson College joined, turning the previously three-sided tournament into a four-sided one. At least 18 Nelson College old boys have gone on to play for the All Blacks, the New Zealand national rugby team.
Famous Old Nelsonians
- Leonard Henry Trent (Victoria Cross)
- Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson (Nobel Prize, Chemistry)
- Sir Wallace (Bill) Rowling (Prime Minister of New Zealand)
- Sir Geoffrey Palmer (Prime Minister of New Zealand)
- Don McKinnon (Deputy Prime Minister, now Commonwealth Secretary-General)
- Rex Sellers (Olympic gold medal--Tornado yachting class, 1984)
- Frederick Augustus Bennett {First Bishop of Aotearoa}
- Tex Morton (Country music legend)
- Andrew Jones (New Zealand cricket representative, 1987-1995)
- Sir Jack Newman, (New Zealand cricket representative, 1931-1933, industrialist)
- Michael Baigent, co-author of Holy Blood, Holy Grail and other books
- Sir William Hudson, (civil engineer, chief engineer of the Snowy Mountains Scheme)