Upon leaving Churchie, our Old Boys go on to form careers in various fields, moving confidently into the global community and using their talents and gifts to lead and serve others.
Old Boys remain connected to the school in a variety of ways. This includes teaching staff, cocurricular coaches, academic and boarding tutors, and current parents. Many Old Boys give back to the school in a voluntary capacity as mentors for current students as representatives on support group committees.
Churchie Old Boys’ Association
On 23 May 1917, 11 Old Boys of the Church of England Grammar School convened a meeting to form an Old Boys’ Association with the following objectives:
- maintenance of school fellowship among old boys
- support of the School.
While the activities of this association lapsed and there are no records of its achievements between the years 1917 and 1921, the foundations of the association as it exists today were laid.
Another meeting is recorded on 8 March 1921, when 21 Old Boys met at St John’s Day School (St John’s Cathedral) to reorganise the association and draft its first constitution, which was adopted on 29 March 1921.
The first annual meeting of the reformed association was held at the School on Tuesday 10 May 1921.
Canon Morris OBE, the School’s founder and headmaster from 1912 to 1946, was elected as the President.
The Headmaster retained the position of President of the Old Boys’ Association until Mr Henry Roberts OBE, the Headmaster from 1947 to 1969, convinced the association that the constitution should be changed, arguing that it was inappropriate for the Headmaster to be President and that he could better serve the association as Patron.
In 1949 Andrew Rowan (1923–1929) became the first Old Boy to be elected as President. Consequently, all three major positions on the Executive were now held by Old Boys. This practice continues, as does adherence to the original objectives.
Established in 1903 under the will of Cecil Rhodes, the Rhodes is the oldest and perhaps the most prestigious international graduate scholarship program in the world. A class of 88 Scholars is selected each year from countries around the world to attend Oxford University, selected on the basis of outstanding intellect, character, leadership and commitment to service.
Churchie is proud to recognise 11 Rhodes Scholars who are Churchie Old Boys:
- J C Richards (1933)
- C E Elliot (1947)
- R F Kynaston (1949)
- G M Windrum (1951)
- E F Henzell (1952)
- A C Copeman (1953)
- J P Hardy (1957)
- G F Bond (1961)
- L W Sturgess (1966)
- J D McKenna (1984)
- A J Minson (1990)
We encourage our Old Boys to stay connected with Churchie via the Churchie Old Boys’ Association, which holds regular reunions and events for our vast network of former students.
We invite you to visit the Churchie Business Network (CBN) to view businesses owned and/or operated by those in the Churchie community. New listings are welcome.