Kelston High School 50th Anniversary 2004

This site was started on 14 December 2002 by Warwick Hughes a foundation pupil of Kelston High School in 1954.
I had my primary schooling at Glen Eden 1946-53 and I have posted three 1940's Glen Eden class photos on my website of family photos, go to the 1940 decade.

The 50th Anniversary Reunion of  Kelston Boy's High School, Kelston Girl's High School and the (nearly forgotten) Kelston High School was held during Labour weekend (22 to 24th October) 2004.   2004 photo of  foundation pupils - not the best quality - My photo was too wide for a single scan - left side of group - right side of group

Click here to view many   Kelston photos  from 1954-58 most of which have been kindly sent in by Peter Curson.   I can be contacted at sanur2007 at sign warwickhughes.com   if you have any KHS photos to include.  Update Nov 2005, I have just posted this  1954 IIIa photo kindly loaned to me by Marcel Fournier. I have a higher resolution scan if people email.

Recollections of 1954 by Harold Moores (new in May 2004)

I noticed that any references to KHS have been swallowed by history now that there has been a KBHS and KGHS for so long. However, we old timers remember that KHS did exist as a co-ed school for the four years 1954 to 57.  In 1954 KHS drew pupils mainly from New Lynn, Titirangi and Glen Eden primary schools. Before that most pupils would have gone to Avondale College.

At the 50th I enjoyed meeting with some old mates from 1954 at what is now the girls school,  there were many features still recognizable and many memories exchanged about our days at KHS 50 years ago.

1958 Prefects photo sent in by Judy McMillan (Rush-Munro)

Judith's memory is pretty tops too, she sent in all these names : rows are a bit unclear,  from back left row
Jeffrey Miller  Neil Jacobsen  David Durrant  Marcel Fournier  Hugh Ensor
Jim Southgate  Graham Coleman  Harold Moores
Ivan Smith  John Butler  Heather Lawrence  Heather Barton  Sue McBride  Rae Trewartha  Gillian Floyd  Warwick Hughes  Peter Innes
Rosemary Gardner  Anna Crawford  Glenys Young  Pam Donald  Sharleen Tomlin  Eileen Haywood  Ngaire Goodey
Elizabeth Evans  Peter Curson  Miss Islay Blake  Jim Ross  Mr Colgan  Shirley Vaughan  Mr Len McKillop  Judith Rush-Munro  Don Walker

Flight Lieutenant  Jim Southgate was killed in 1964  when an RNZAF  Canberra bomber crashed on exercises  near Singapore. 4th from top at this link.  "Crashed into sea near Singapore on 30 November 1964 during low level bombing practice at China Rock Bombing Range 26 miles East of Changi. The aircraft completed it's bombing run and was pulling away in a banked turn when a wingtip hit the water. Flying Officer Russell Thomson and Flight Lieutenant James Southgate killed."

I can remember if we played cricket for KHS at "home" on a hot day there was chance of some refreshment in the Armstrongs' watermelon patch.   Joy Armstrong was a cousin of  Jim Southgate  who lived over the road from Southgate's not far up West Coast Road from KHS.  My fathers parents lived at the bottom of Archibald Road, on the banks of the Whau Creek, so the area had been a haunt of mine for years, exploring and messing with derelict boats.  My mothers father, William Edgerley had been headmaster at New Lynn School and I am sure mother said they had lived in the old school house that faced Great North Road on what  is now KGHS. As I recall, the school caretaker, Mr Kemp,  lived there when we started in 1954.  As I understand it, my mother and father met because they both caught the bus there in the 1930's.

For those cyber wanderers who do not know, Kelston is in the western suburbs of Auckland, New Zealand.
As soon as people contact me I can start a page in alphabetical order,  people can post their email addresses,  comments, memories and any photos if they wish.  My recollection is that Les Colgan, the first headmaster was able to choose his teaching team and that we were very lucky to start out high school years with such good teachers.

Please let me know of any errors. Thanks to all those who assist.
Looking forward to meeting up in 2004.
Kelston Boys High School has a web site www.kbhs.school.nz
Email admin@khbs.school.nz

Links

Oldfriends school pupils site, enrol free and find those school mates you have not seen for decades.

Web sites for KGHS and KBHS

50th Reunion web site

To see some class photos from Glen Eden School in the 1940's - scroll down three quarters of the page.

Posted 9 Feb 2003, last updated  2011