I have recently bought a book called “Taking Stock – The Natal Education Department Looks Back”. The book was written by Simon Haw published by The Natal Education Department in 1995. This interesting book covers the period from when the Natal Education Department was founded in June 1894 and its demise with the advent of the new democratic dispensation in South Africa in 1994/1995.
Haw looks at education in Natal from its earliest years circa 1849 up to the time when the last Director of Education Mr. A.B. Olmesdahl finally handed matters over to the newly formed Kwazulzu-Natal Education Department.
I am not going to go into the contents but would like to extract from a list given at the back of the book, detailing most of the schools in Natal which were in operation at the time the book was written. I am listing only the Durban schools that are listed. The list is stated to be “not exhaustive” and I could not find Mansfield High School for instance so obviously by the year the list was compiled Mansfield had closed its doors. My old school St Henry’s, as well as some of the Convent schools are also not listed although other private schools are.
As mentioned in the above paragraph only the schools that were operative at the time when the book was written, i.e. 1995 were listed in the book. I did not include schools outside the Durban area as this forum is aimed at Facts about Durban. If you do list well known schools such as Mansfield, Mitchell High etc it would be interesting to note when those schools closed down just for the record as well as any other information you may know of. It all adds to the story. As there is quite a bit of information now gathered on this site, it is well to know that if you use the SEARCH facility you will be directed to references which may be hidden in other postings which are not strictly related to what you are looking for. Edited: Gerald Buttigieg.
For interest, I am listing the ten oldest schools in Natal that were still functioning when the list was compiled and there after the Durban schools list is in founding date order. Private indicated the schools were independent of the NED. In italics I have added my own comments.
Natal oldest schools : The top 10:
- 1851 Richmond Primary (still going and I visited it last year).
- 1857 Weenen Primêr
- 1858 New Hanover School (Private)
- 1863 Maritzburg College
- 1866 Durban High School
- 1870 Luneberg Primêr
- 1872 Hilton College (Private)
- 1874 Maidstone Primary
- 1877 Durban Girls’ College (Private)
- Howick Primary
- St Anne’s College Hilton (Private)
- St Charles’ College Pietermaritzburg (Private)
- 1879 Russell High Pietermaritzburg
Hereafter Durban Schools in founding date order:
- 1886 Pinetown Senior Primary
- 1889 Hillary Primary
- 1896 Addington Primary
- 1903 Highbury Preparatory (Private)
- 1905 Clarence Road Primary
- 1906 Queensburgh Girls High
- 1909 Warner Beach Senior Primary
- 1910 Durban Preparatory High School
- 1911 Umbogintwini Primary
- 1912 Gordon Road Primary, Stellawood Primary
- 1914 Durban Girls’ High School, Convent High School St. Andrew’s Street (Private )
- 1919 St Mary’s Kloof (Private)
- 1920 Penzance Primary
- 1920 Van Riebeeck Park Primary
- 1921 Berea Road Primary
- 1921 Kearsney College (Private)
- 1925 Davaar KIndergarten ( a landmark in Moore Road in its corrugated iron buildings), Escombe Primary, Montclair Senior Primary
- 1928 Kloof Senior Primary, Morningside Primary
- 1929 Technical High School (name changed to Glenwood High in 1935 when technical subjects dropped and Mansfield Road Intermediate School took over this function).
- 1929 Marist Brothers College (St Henry’s) Private
- 1932 Chelsea Drive Senior Primary (Durban North)
- 1936 Amanzimtoti Primary, Fynnlands Senior Primary
- 1941 Parkview View Senior Primary, Port Natal Hoerskool
- 1948 Clare Ellis Brown Pre-Primary, Northwood College Durban North
- 1949 Northlands Primary
- 1950 Glenridge Pre-Primary
- 1951 Ashley Primary Pinetown, Brighton Beach Senior Primary
- 1952 Northdene Primary
- 1953 Bushlands Primary, Hillcrest Primary, Kingsway High Amanzimtoti, Northland Girls’ High, Port Natal Primêr, Sherwood Primary
- 1954 Our Lady of Fatima Durban North (Private)
- 1955 New Forest High, Pinetown Girls’ High
- 1957 Parkside Primary Queensburgh, Rosehill Junior Primary, Westville Pre-Primary, Westville Senior Primary, Woodlands Primary
- 1958 Fulton School for the Deaf, Virginia Preparatory
- 1959 Athlone Primary, Dirkie Uys Hoerskool, Sarnia Primary
- 1960 Harrington Thorn Pre Primary (located in Sherwood if I recall), Kloof High, Marlborough Park Junior Primary, Sunningdale Junior Primary Durban North, Westville Junior Primary
- 1961 Glenmore Senior Primary
- 1961 Werda Senior Primêr
- 1962 Grosvenor Boys’ High, Grosvenor Girls’ High, Kabouterland Pre-Primêr, Kammaland Pre-Primêr, Northway Junior Primary, Thomas More Kloof (Private), Yvonne Robinson Pre-Primary
- 1964 Berea West Senior Primary Westville, Glenardle Junior Primary, Glenashley Primary, Michaelis School (Private), The Browns School (Specialised Education), Westville Boys’ High
- 1965 Montpelier Pre-Primary, Mowat Park High, Westville Girls’ High
- 1966 Brettonwood High, Werda Junior Primêr
- 1967 Danville Park Girls’ High, Manor Gardens Primary
- 1968 Golden Wheel Pre -Primary, The Phoenix School (Specialised Education)
- 1969 Kloof Junior Primary, Queensburgh Boys’ High, Afrikaans Hoer Durban Noord, Athlone Primary, Benjamin Pine Primary Pinetown, Clivia Pre-Primary, Cowies Hill Pre-Primary. Kuswag Hoer Amanzimtoti, La Lucia Junior Primary, Pitlochry Primary Westville North, Yellowwood Park Primary
- 1971 Carrington Heights Primary, Gelofte Skool Pinetown, German School (Private) took over the old St Agnes School buildings in Stamford Hill Road, Peter Pan Pre-Primary
- 1972 Eendrag Primêr, Kloof Pre-Primary
- 1973 Forest View Primary
- 1975 Christopher Robin Pre-Primary, Golden Hours School (Specialised Education), Panda Pre-Primary, Winston Park Pre-Primary
- 1976 Hillcrest High
- 1977 Amanzimtoti High, Atholl Heights Primary Westville, Berea West Pre-Primary, Saturn Pre-Primary Westville North (was involved in the establishment of this school)
- 1977 TokTokkie Pre-Primary, Umhlanga Pre-Primary
- 1978 Pinetown Boys’ High
- 1980 The Kenmont School (Specialised Education)
- 1982 Livingstone Primary (Remedial), Lyndhurst Primary New Germany
- 1984 Durban Music and Ballet School
- 1985 Kuswag Primêr
- 1986 Faith Christian School (Private)
- 1988 Lifestyle Christian School (Private)
- 1989 Happy days PrePrimary, Rehoboth Christian School (Private)
- 1990 The Wykeham Collegiate (Private amalgamation of Girls Collegiate School 1878 and Wykeham School 1905)
- 1991 Dirkie Uys Primêr, Ridge Park College, St James College(Private)
- 1992 Bo-Peep Pre-Primary, Northcrest Primary Model D, Port Natal Pre-Primêr
- 1993 Rossburgh High Model D, So-high Pre-Primary
Mansfield Road School is one of the schools not listed presumably because it had closed down by 1995.
Model D schools : Provided for schools with a virtually all-African enrolment to be run on an agency basis by the White departments.
I have included all the pre-primary schools listed to illustrate the plethora of these schools that were opened from the 1970’s onward. Many of these schools were founded on parents’ initiatives, run by governing bodies who looked after all aspects bar the payment of teachers’ salaries which the NED covered. These were designated Model C schools.
It is interesting to note that only two public high schools for boys existed up until the 1920s. DHS in Durban and Maritzburg College in PMBurg. The next public boys’ high school was the Technical School started in 1929 which later became Glenwood which goes to show that high school education was deemed low priority in those days. I recall that at St Henry’s in what was the Prefect’s Room, there was a photo of the first Matric Class in 1929 and it had 4 or 6 boys only. One if I recall correctly was E. R. Browne (later Senator and Mayor of Westville and well known Durban attorney). One can see how education evolved in time.
Since this book was written some of these schools may not exist anymore. If anyone can comment on these schools it will be interesting.
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John Taylor
I see that around 1948 mention is made of “Northwood College Durban North”. I believe that it is Northwood High School which is the amalgamation of Northlands Boys High School and Beachwood High School. There is another high school called Durban North College in the area (formerly Afrikaanse Hoerskool Durban Noord) so there could be an element of confusion attached.
Theunis Eloff
Durban North High School was founded in 1949. In 1953 it split into Northlands Girls’ and Northlands Boys High Schools. Beachwood High School opened in 1963 and combined to form Northwood School in 1990. Northwood therefore dated its foundation from 1949. You are correct about some confusion with Durban North College, formerly Afrikaans High Durban North.
Richard Girdwood
Afrikaans Hoer Skool Durban Noord was originally in Stamford HIll, and was moved north of the river for political reasons – to try to break the hold of the United Party on Durban North.
terence franks
Yes you are totally correct – Northlands Boys High had not yet amalgamated with Beachwood Boys School to become Northwood Boys High at the date mentioned !
Kim Rankin nee Rorich
Can anyone help with year books for 1976, 1977 and 1978 for Mowat Park Girls High School. I attended from 1976 – 1978. I was friends with Tracey nee Goswell, tracy’s brothers George and Terrance went to Forest Boys High in Montclair. Gillian van der Walt stayed in Yellowood Park. Shannon can’t remember her surname. I have tried to find them but to no avail. Would love to catch up with someone from this period.
Kim Rankin nee Rorich
Gerald Buttigieg
HI Kim
I hope you get some responses. Apart from the name I do not know Mowat Park School but as it is with this site, responses are scattered amongst many posts. Do a search by clicking on the SEARCH box and typing in Mowat Park. I seem to recall there were some postings.
Saydz Sayed
Looking for details of Essendene Primary School, on Essendene Road, Overport, Durban. It closed possible in 1975 or 1980
School closed down
Rodney C.
This list has Morningside Primary as being founded in 1928. I attended this school from 1950 to 1953. It was initially known as North Ridge Road Primary School and the name change came about during my time there (I can’t remember which year). The Headmaster at the time was a Mr Budde.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi John
The amalgamation of Northlands and Beachwood if I recall took place more recently than 1948. The amalgamated schools did take the name Northwood. A note to this list states ” The following list was compiled following a questionnaire sent to schools registered with the Natal Education Dept. in 1993. The list is not exhaustive”. I can only surmise that Northwood, the amalgamated school answered the questionnaire giving 1948 as the foundation date of either its start or that of Beachwood. I am guessing here. I seem to recall that at sometime in the 1960s, the Northlands Boys and Girls were separated into individual schools and there was some sort of march from the old school to the new. Northlands Girls’ High is given as 1953! It is confusing but those are the dates listed.
If I can answer Rodney C, as I read it, the school’s name at the time of the listing was listed not the school’s previous name if it was changed.
Bruce Steenhuisen
Hi
I started in 1964 in grade 8 at Beachwood Boys High School. I am not sure what year it has been established but I do know that in 1964 it was a relatively new school under the headmastership of Mr. Lewis. The school later merged with Northlands Boys High and became Northwood Boys High. The high schools have nothing to do with Northlands Primary School. They only commonality is that Northlands Primary School took over the premises from Beachwood Boys High as the new Northwood Boys High occupied the old premises of Northlands Primary.
Regards
Bruce Steenhuisen
Rodney C.
I may be wrong, but I seem to remember that the Afrikaanse Hoerskool Durban Noord was formerly in the Sutton Park area. I can’t recall the name, but I think it was something like Dirkie Uys or Piet Retief , and that it was renamed when it relocated to its new premises at Riverside.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Rodney
The list shows AHDN as 1970 and I cannot recall an Afrikaans school in the Sutton Park area. Dirkie Uys dates back to 1959 and I only know it as being on the Bluff.
lorraine Holloway
in the 1950.s and prior Dirkie Uys was in Penzance Rd Umbilo Durbn
K.H.
Rodney C.
Quite correct, it was then called Stamford Hill High School. It became a primary school by the name of Natalia if I remember correctly. I started school at Stamford Hill and we moved to Durban North.
Chris Nel
Attended Stamford Hill in the 60’s then the school moved to Durban North, that was my last year at school
remember walking down the hill to the rugby stadium………………and we swam at the pool at Sutton park
linda bobbert
Ja, ek was in Natalia Laerskool in 1970/71. My susters en broers wat +-18jaar ouer was, het daar skool gegaan in Stamford hill Hoërskool. As ek reg is, was dit van klas 1 tot Matriek – Stamford hill Skool. Ek kry geen geskiedenis ontrent die skool. Wanneer hy bestaan het en watter jaar was hy Natalia Laerskool?. Daar is wel ‘n Vakansie plek in Durban wat die naam Natalia oor gevat het, wat aan die ATKV behoort. Sal graag die geskiedenis van die skool wil sien.My nooiens van is Wilken.
Mike Kamionka
Along with their sister school, Northlands Girls’ High, Northwood celebrated 50 years of High School education in Durban North during 1999. Both schools trace their origins back to 1949, with the founding of the Durban North High School, a co- educational establishment, on the site of the present Northlands Girls’ High School. The school, which was soon to become known as Northlands High School, opened its doors on 29 September 1949 with a staff of twelve and a role of 215 pupils. The founder Headmaster was Mr. George J. Armstrong. By 1951 numbers had grown to a point where the Education Department had begun to prepare for the building of a second High School in Durban North. In March 1952 Mr. Armstrong was replaced by Mr. Percy Hardaker. It was Mr. Hardaker’s task to launch the new school. The decision was taken to split the existing school into a boys’ school and a girls’ school.
The two were finally separated on 30 September 1953, when the boys marched out of the gates of the old campus and proceeded to the present Northwood campus in Kensington Drive, led by the school’s cadet band. Northlands Boys’ High school opened with an enrolment of 338 boys and a staff of seventeen. Under the leadership of Mr. Hardaker, the school made rapid progress in both academics and sport. Numbers continued to grow and it was not long before plans were afoot for the building of yet another boys’ school in the area. A site was acquired in Gleneagles Drive and by 1961 the building of the new “Durban North High School” had begun. By the time the school was ready to open in 1963, it had been decided to call the new school Beachwood Boys’ High. The founder Headmaster was Mr E.T. (Ted) Lewis and the school opened with a role of 135 boys and a staff of 7.
In the same year, Mr R.C. McFarquhar assumed Headmastership of Northlands Boys’ High following the retirement of Mr. Hardaker. Both schools continued to make fine progress, but while Mr. McFarquhar remained at Northlands, relations between the two schools became strained. The name of Beachwood was never mentioned at Northlands and the schools came to view each other as rivals for the enrolment of the best academics and sportsmen in Durban North. At the end of 1971, Mr. Lewis retired and was succeeded by Mr A.J.M. Wilkinson. In 1975 he was appointed as Headmaster of Northlands Boys’ High and at last Beachwood and Northlands began to compete against each other in the cultural arena and on the sports field. The thaw in the relationship between the two schools had begun, but the rivalry continued with a vengeance.
During 1989, it was proposed that the two boys’ schools in Durban North merge to form a single school. It was clear that the continued existence of two boys’ schools was no longer economically viable. As a result it was decided that it would be within the best interests of quality education in Durban North if the two schools became one. Feelings ran high in some quarters, but the two Headmasters wisely guided their respective communities towards the only sensible solution. As a result the “Impossible” happened and in 1990 Beachwood and Northlands merged to form Northwood. It was possible, with a little adjustment of colours, to merge the school badges as well retain both mottoes. During the course of 1990, Mr. Corbishley was confirmed as Headmaster of the combined school and Northwood continued to build on the sound achievement of its founder schools.
Early in 1996, Mr. Corbishley was seconded to a senior position at Head Office. In the absence of Mr Corbishley, Dr P. Hawkey acted as Headmaster and when he left Mr A.P. Jordan succeeded him in an acting capacity in May 1997, before being confirmed officially as headmaster in the latter half of 1998.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Mike
Thanks for that clear clarification. I did not realise that the split between boys and girls took place as early as 1953. Northlands in my time late 50s/ early 60s seemed to excel at Athletics and I recall the names Rodney Hartman and ? Rasmussen. The brown and white striped rugby jersies were distinctive, I cannot remember the 1st XV jersey though. Beachwood came after my time.
Ps Were you related to Shirley Kamionka?
Rodney C.
I started at Northlands in 1956 – soon after the ‘Great March’. I too found this history interesting but was reluctant to comment since my facts were a bit hazy. I remember Rodney Hartman. Would ? Rasmussen be Rowan? It is worth mentioning that Northlands sporting ability was in no small measure due to the PT Master, James (Jimmy) Macintosh. He was from Scotland with a marked Scots accent, and brought with him revolutionary ideas which seemed to have worked,. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Mr Macintosh must be well flattered – I was told that many other Durban schools copied his methods of training.
Mike Kamionka
Hi Gerald and Rodney,
Northlands did produce some very good athletes’ as did Beachwood. I do remember an athlete Rasmusen ( I also recall the name Rowan!). The following links may be of interest? ” http://www.theknights.co.za/ an old boys site…….
http://www.northwoodschool.co.za/ current school site ……
there is also a Facebook page!…. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northwood-Old-Boys/274075212722716
Strangely enough at the same time Beachwood also had an athletics coach/instructor who was also Scottish!. Mr Gilchrist. He trained me and was very good as well. Got me to compete at Natal junior level ( so must have had some magic!).
During my time some junior athletes did became rather famous ….One in particular from DHS that went to Olympics ( represented Canada) Surname Dawn , but first name escapes me.
A few ” famous” Northwoodians(?)..
Shaun Pollock (cricket)
Neil Tovey (soccer)
Hugh Reece-Edwards (rugby)
Andy Marinos (Wales rugby)
Warren Brosnihan (rugby)
Craig Davidson (rugby)
Craig Bond, (hockey)
Wayne Phillips (hockey)
Greg Clarke (hockey)
Jean Oosthuisen (waterpolo)
Paul Blackbeard (swimming)
Simon Gray (swimming)
Andrew Gray (swimming)
Nicky Gray (swimming)
Jacques Marias (swimming)
Sean Gossmann (surfing)
Robin Smith (England cricket)
Chris Smith (England cricket)
Steven Wu (Basketball)
Kurt Kin(Chess)
P.S. Gerald , yes, my sister is Shirley, who now lives in UK. I did reply to you via email a few months back, but looks as if our post office lost that as well…ha…ha…..
John Taylor
Interestingly the information supplied by Mike has strong DHS links.
George Armstrong went on to become headmaster of DHS.
Mr. A.J.M. Wilkinson had been a teacher at DHS for many years.
Mr. Ian Corbishley matriculated at DHS in the mid 60’s.
I also seem to recall that another DHS old boy named Thorpe (his first name escapes me) was at one time headmaster of Beachwood.
Rodney Coyne
It could also be noted that the first headmaster of NBHS, Mr Percy Hardaker, was a DHS Old Boy
Sasha Singh
Hi , Brighton Beach Senior Primary school will celebrate 70 years in 2023.
Grosvenor High school was built as a co-ed school.
In 1962 Grosvenor boys building was complete and the boys went there onwards .
Durban Academy was the old DIRKIE Uys Hoer Skool .
Durban Academy was Bilingual but now English medium.
New Forest was a boys school then become co-ed .
Dirkie Uys is now a primary school.
John Taylor
The afrikaans school in the Sutton Park area was Stamford Hill High School which, like Mansfield, closed down.
Linda Honeyman
I seem to remember natalia high was in the sutton park area along percy osborne rd I had two friends who went there around 1976 noelene nel and her sister maritjie nel, there was also a brother edward john nel, not sure which school he went to tho.
John Taylor
Hi Mike,
If the time period you are referring to is around 1965, I beieve that the DHS athlete to whom you refer is Jonathan Dawn.
Both he and I were part of the DHS 4 x 100 metre relay team which won the event at the Durban & Districts meeting which took place at Northlands High School!
John Taylor
Hi Mike,
If the time period you are referring to is around 1965, I believe that the DHS athlete to whom you refer is Jonathan Dawn.
Both he and I were part of the DHS 4 x 100 metre relay team which won the event at the Durban & Districts meeting which took place at Northlands High School!
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi there Mike,
That’s him, Rowan Rasmussen and the name MacIntosh came back as well.
Never got that email. Small world, I was bestman to Phil Blacker and Pat Dignan at their wedding at Holy Trinity Church 1967. Shirley was the bridesmaid. Phil and Pat live in Canada now. I wonder what they would think of their reception venue today … it was the Butterworth Hotel off Soldier’s Way. Still there but boy has it changed!! Hope it’s the same Shirley I am talking about.
John
Yyou got me on the Stamford Hill High School. I looked up the ol’ faithful 1968
directory and yes you are right. Stamford Hill High School, Livingstone Road , between Windermere and Percy Osborn Roads. That is new to me. Can you remember their blazer colours and the badge?
Derek Austin
I do not see Mowat Park girls school listed here unless I missed it which was built for the girls at New Forest to go to.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Derek
See 1965 Mowat Park High. Another school I know little about as it came into being after my time. Remember the name but was it co-ed? or separate boys/girls. What we need to do to the list is add whether any schools were renamed after 1993 when this list was drawn up. Marist Brothers (St Henry’s) for instance went co-ed round about 2000.
Ann Howard nee Robinson
Hi. I attended Mowatt Park Girls High in 1968. As far as I know it is still a girl’s only school. Mowatt Park Girls High was an experimental school – only uniform that was “uniform” was blazer , cardigans and hats. Dresses were home-made from a variety of designs of cotton fabrics, as well as dress designs. Each year more designs of fabrics and dresses were added. The matric pupils wore totally different outfits. Each year the new incoming matric girls could choose their own fabric and dress designs for the year. During summer we wore any form of sandals – I remember the “Jesus” sandals/ tractor tyre sandals – as long as the footwear had a form of heel. In winter we could wear stockings with closed shoes which came in the standard colour “blue” of the blazer. If a girl were under a certain height, they could opt to were shoes and socks. The headmistress at the time was Miss Olierenshaw (not sure of spelling), thus the nickname of Mowatt Park Girls High was “Olie’s Orphanage”. Mowatt Park Girls was built to accommodate the transfer of girls from New Forest High (a co-ed school) as well as the influx of girls from the Good Shepherd Convent/Home in Blamey Road, Montclair. New Forest then became known as New Forest Boys High, however I believe that it has now reverted back to being a co-ed school and as New Forest High.
Gerald
Hi Ann,
1968 Durban Directory: Principal Mowat Park Girls’ High: Miss E.A. Olorenshaw B.A. Mowat Park School opened in 1965.
John Taylor
Hi Gerald. As I recall the Stamford Hill High School uniform consisted of a sky blue blazer and grey trousers. The badge incorporated red and yellow. I think it was also co-ed. The premises are now used as a school for children with learning difficulties, and is referred to as Livingstone.
Rodney C.
Another fairly major school that does not appear on this list is the Hunt Road School which was situated on the corner of Berea and Hunt Roads. It was a school for ‘backward mental’ or ‘mentally retarded ‘ children as they were then termed. My mother taught there so I remember it fairly well. This type of teaching later became ‘remedial’ or ‘special classes’. I gather that the kinder euphemism ‘learning difficulties’ is now applied to such children.
Since this list seems to use the names current at the time of its compilation, would
1921 Berea Road Primary
have formerly been Hunt Road School?
Karen Ward
Berea Road Primary was not the same school as Hunt Road. I was at BRP in 1963 and I knew a young boy Clive who was at Hunt Road.
Rodney C.
My comment about Hunt Road School reminded me of another nearby school which seems to have been omitted. I can’t remember its name now, but I it was also just off Berea Road in Keightley (?) Avenue and was run by the SDA Church if I remember correctly.
Another private school which also seems to be missing is Clifton School in Lambert Road, Morningside. Their website gives the following information
Mr Harry Stubbs, the retired first headmaster of Durban Prep, established Clifton Preparatory School on the 5 February 1924. His home, at 102 Lambert Road, provided the classrooms needed for the small numbers of boys who enrolled at the time.
As far as I know, Clifton School is somehow connected with the Baptist Church. I also seem to recall that DPHS had a Stubbs House.
Rodney C.
Re: Keightley Avenue School.
With a little Google research, I think that it must be :
Keitsleigh Primary School at 28 Keits Avenue, Berea.
Other than that, I can find little else about the school, but it apparently still exists.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Rodney C.
As I said the list is not exhaustive and that some some private schools were omitted , my own school St Henry’s (Marist Brothers) for one.
Keightly Avenue I know not but Keits Avenue off Berea Road had a Keitsleigh School
which I checked and found it was a kindergarten. This was a private school.
Hunt Road School I clearly remember but I seem to recall it underwent a name change. It was still called Hunt Road (Primary) School in 1968 with a Mr Hitchcock as Principal. I seem to remember as well a school at the back of Westridge which I think was special needs as well. Anyone near Hunt Road to check the present name of the school?
I personally think that the 1921 Berea Road Primary School would have been the one that was on the left hand side as you went into town. It was a substantial building and the school catered for girls only if I remember. Green and white gingham uniforms comes to mind but not 100% sure. The school then closed and became associated with NAPAC. One could hire costumes from NAPAC (Natal Performing Arts Council) and they were available at that school premises. Not sure why that school closed but the noise of Kinmont’s Canyon probably had something to do with it. ,
Karen Ward
I was at Berea Road Primary School in 1965. I was the only girl in the class . Got the photo to prove it! I was in the same class as Tony Leon.
Charlene
Hi Karen,
I.have a school project which I am assisting my daughter with on the school history. Please can you send me any information and pictures which you may have.
You assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Mike Kamionka
Hi John,
Thanks. Yes it was definitely ” Johnny Dawn from DHS. Did you also attend the Natal junior champs in 1968? in Vryheid?.
Another school I am wondering about was:
George Campbell School of Technology is a public high school specialising in technical education and is located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The school was founded as George Campbell Technical High School in 1963 and today has a co-educational student body of over 1100 pupils.
My Dad was ” handyman ” there in the early 70’s.
Found the following on the internet, which may jog a few more memories:
KwaZulu-Natal High Schools
Alternative schools
Crawford College, Durban ·
Crawford College, La Lucia ·
Crawford College, North Coast ·
Roseway Waldorf School
Private schools
Al Falaah College ·
Ashton International College ·
Clifton College ·
Creston College ·
Deutsche Schule Hermannsburg ·
Durban Girls’ College ·
Domino Servite School ·
Eden College Durban ·
Embury College ·
Epworth School ·
Felixton College ·
Grace College ·
Grantleigh ·
Hilton College ·
Inanda Seminary School ·
Inkamana High School ·
Kearsney College ·
Maris Stella School ·
Maritzburg Christian School ·
Michaelhouse ·
Richards Bay Christian School ·
Southcity Christian College ·
St. Anne’s Diocesan College ·
St. Benedict’s School ·
St. Charles College ·
St. Henry’s Marist Brothers’ College ·
St. John’s DSG ·
St. Mary’s DSG ·
St. Patrick’s College ·
Thomas More College ·
The Wykeham Collegiate ·
Treverton College ·
Underberg High School ·
Waterfall College
Public schools
Adams College ·
Alexandra High School ·
Carter High School ·
Durban Girls’ High School ·
Durban High School ·
Durban North College ·
Estcourt High School ·
Ferrum High School ·
Glenwood High School ·
Hillcrest High School ·
Howick High School ·
Kloof High School ·
Maritzburg College ·
Mathunjwa High School ·
Nansindlela School ·
Northlands Girls’ High School ·
Northwood School ·
Ohlange High School ·
Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School ·
Pinetown Boys’ High School ·
Pinetown Girls’ High School ·
Scottburgh High School ·
Port Shepstone High School ·
Verulam Secondary ·
Verulam Independent School ·
Vryheid Comprehensive High School ·
Wartburg Kirchdorf School ·
Westville Boys’ High School ·
Westville Girls’ High School
Vocational schools
George Campbell School of Technology ·
Meadowlands School of Technology
Thanks to ALL contributors, this topic certainly seems to have attracted a lot of attention!.
John Taylor
The school infrastructure has certainly changed over the years in terms of relatively small private schools catering for “learners” who might not fit in the mainstream schools. In our day there were very few of these, referred to as “cram colleges”, Damelin College being the most prominent. Kids simply had to cope, and we had a guy with what is now known as Tourette’s Syndrome but this was not recognised in those days. He was intelligent enough to consistently be in the A class, but used to spontaneously scream and shout gibberish. After a while both teachers and classmates simply accepted him as he was, and everyone got on with it.
John Taylor
Hi Mike, no I matriculated in 1965. While Jonny Dawn was fleet of foot his academic achievements did not match this, so he remained at school for a number of extra years.
Hakeem Morgan
Hi Taylor,thanks for the info dude.
Graham Read
One of the schools not mentioned on the list was the Overport Government School, which I think was established in 1916, and was situated at the crest of the ridge between Hartley and Hopelands Roads.
Various members of my family attended the school over the years. My mother was a pupil there in the early to mid-1920s when the principal was Mr A.V. Cunningham. I understand that during this period teachers at the school included Mrs Ogle, Mrs Wilson, Miss Garland, Miss McIvoy, Miss Thompson, Miss Tamieson, Mrs Chaplin, Mr Hendry, Mrs Hollins, Mr Wall, and Mr Cillre. I further understand that around this period there was a Miss Tompkins who was an exchange teacher from Canada. After completing her duty she sailed for New Zealand via India..
The motto of the school was “With Hope, Heart, and Will”, derived from the names of people associated with the school. The name of the school was changed to the William Hartley Primary School in the early 1970s and its motto was also changed. It’s about 60-years since I left Durban and I have no idea what Overport is like these days, but I believe the school closed in 1988 . I’ve heard that it’s now back in operation with vastly improved facilities compared to its origins, and under yet another name.
Gerald, I understand from some of your postings that you lived in Moore Road when you were a boy. You may have recollections of the Mother Goose Nursery School and the Davaar Kindergarten which existed in the area around 1945-50. In those days Mother Goose was not on Moore Road but up a side street. I can vaguely recall the faces of some of the children but their names are now forgotten after so many years. However I recall one of the girls was named Beverley and I remember her because she had made up rhymes involving some of the kids. In those days the nursery school had a large sand pit in which children played, and a routine of lunchtime naps during which children rested on stretchers in the shade under trees. I was not a child who wanted to sleep in the day and I found myself in trouble on more than one occasion as I would wander off with a couple of like-minded boys, probably into the sand pit.
When it was time for “Class One” as the beginning of primary school was called in those days, someone recommended to my parents that I attend Davaar which was “down the road” from the nursery school. Davaar had a school badge with a Springbok head in the middle with the letters D.K.S. and the motto “Work Then Play”, and a white uniform. We must have been almost militarily well disciplined children as disclosed by an old class photograph in which I appear with my classmates in neat, spotless and brilliant white attire. I have a very distinct recollection of a classmate who invited me to lunch at his home after school. He lived in a big house and among the features were an air raid shelter in the garden and a model railway in a room under the house. Another of my classmates had an absolutely fascinating and quite extensive collection of toy soldiers, probably the possession of his father. I think the figures were made of lead, painted, and accompanied by horses and cannons. I dare say it’s the sort of collection that would probably be worth a fortune today. The little regiment was spread out on a carpet in battle formation and we had strict instructions from a parent not to “damage” any of it. Davaar seems to have encouraged socialising as well as its academic activities. I recall my class going on someone’s birthday excursion to the beachfront, where there was a visiting fairground, and on another occasion attending a classmate’s birthday party in Mitchell Park where some of the boys became involved in a fist fight, the cause of which I don’t think I even knew at the time, but which heightened the excitement of the afternoon.
Moira badstubner (nee Williams)
Good old Davaar Kindergarten….their school uniform was so cute. Once I took a little stroll with another friend and boy did I get into trouble for leaving the property unauthorised!! but my friend was the daughter of Ellis Brown (I think – the mayor) and she got off scott free!!!
lorraine Holloway ( nee Byerley)
see my comment at end of page would love you to contact me remember you and Sonia very well
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Graham,
Thanks for that history of Overport School and it was good to have information of a period way before my time. One is limited by one’s living memory so additional information is always welcome. Regarding Davaar Kindergarten I have quite clear memories of it because for about 8 years I passed by its front door every day on my way to school. Manor Gardens or Nursing Homes ( bus route number 88 and 89) were the buses I caught to get to St Henry’s in South Ridge Road. There was a bus stop right outside Davaar so from upstairs one had a good view of the toddlers going in met I think by the principal. I recall that in the front yard was a massive spreading tree which you could see through and the school itself was corrugated iron for the most part. In those days there were not many kindergarten schools and Davaar had a good reputation. I do recall that some of the toddlers used to come on their own in the bus which is unthinkable today. Wait there are no buses today, what am I saying? In those days, late 50s early 60s, small kids were quite safe on the bus and the conductor got to know where they had to be dropped off. One thinks back how easy the whole transportation thing was in those days. Although I do not have a copy I do recall that years ago there was an article on Davaar in the papers either celebrating some jubilee or else its closing down. I have not been in that area for years now. I looked Davaar up in the 1938 Durban Directory and Miss I Ramsey is given as Principal. In 1968 30 years later Miss I Ramsey was still the principal! Same address 194 Moore Road.
Mother Goose Nursery School is listed in the 1968 directory with an address of 257 Moore Road. At the same address is given: Mrs J.E. Taylor probably the owner of the school. The property was on the opposite side of Moore Road to Davaar between Sparks Ave and Noble Road. I don’t recollect this one.
Not to cross thread these posts, I am putting up some info on William Hartley separately.
Gerald Buttigieg
I came across the DHS school site via an image of mine which appeared on Google images so do not ask me how that works. However I see my long story
” What did you do for fun in 1950s/1960s” was taken from FAD and posted there and I had no idea that it had gone “viral” . Nonetheless, attached to the page as well was an article on the demise of Davaar Kindergarten School in the 1980s. Here is the link: http://www.dhsclassof1964.com/class_custom8.cfm
The picture shows if you look closely the corrugated iron nature of the building that I remember.
In the banner of the website, the old original DHS School buildings which were demolished are shown. How sad that they could not have been saved and reused as a resource centre or other use.
John Taylor
Hi Gerald,
My recollection of the reason for the main DHS building having to be demolished was “crumbling brickwork”. Apparently the quality of the bricks used in construction was such that through age they were losing their solidity and literally crumbling into dust. In time there would have been structural collapses.
I’m sure that the picture will bring back memories to DHS old boys who attended the school up to the mid sixties.
Frank Beeton
Hi Gerald,
The 1962 date quoted for Grosvenor Boys High and Grosvenor Girls High was, in fact, the year that the two schools emerged from the former Grosvenor High School, in much the same fashion as the Northlands “split”, with the boys getting the new school campus.
I started Standard 6 at Grosvenor High School in 1959, when it had been going for a few years. I believe it was first opened as “Tankerton” High School in the mid-1950’s, before the name Grosvenor was adopted. I matriculated from GBHS in 1963, and we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our Matric year in 2013.
Garry Smith
Hi Frank,
I can find no information relating to Grosvenor High School originally been called Tankerton High School, although the local Tea Room across the road in Watsonia Rd was called Tankerton Tearoom. Maybe you can let us know where you got this information from.
Frank Beeton
I checked my sources – the co-ed Grosvenor High School first opened in 1957, according to a historical account I copied from the GGHS website a few years ago.
Kevin Watson
In the Silver Jubilee Commemorative Issue of the Grosvenor Boys’ High School Magazine (1987) the following entry is found: “The building on the Old Mission Road site was originally planned as a Primary School but, owing to developments on the Bluff and the representations of Mr. Jan Stapelberg M. P. C., it was decided to convert it to a High School. This was meant to be a temporary measure; the Education Department felt the school could revert to Primary status after a few years. During the building of the new school it had been referred to as the Tankerton Secondary School, though this name was not used when the school was opened. At a meeting of prospective parents held on 23rd May 1956, strong objections to the name Tankerton were voiced. The name “Grosvenor” was voted for at a Parents’ meeting on 31st January 1957, confirming the name already used by the first Principal. Grosvenor officially became a High School the following year.”
Frank Beeton
Thanks, Kevin, that’s most interesting and gives us accurate dates for some of the key events in the Grosvenor history.
Trevor Friend
Does anyone know when Bulwer Boarding School opened for business; probably initially as a day school as the dormitory building was built with a later type of brickwork ?
Also, has anyone kept a record of the start and end dates of the Durban school terms between the mid 1950’s and early 1970’s ? I know roughly, to within a week or two, what they were but if possible i’d like to know the exact dates.
Mike Kamionka
Hi Trevor,
Don’t know if this is the school you are referring to?……
Pholela high School
Location
Bulwer, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Type
Public, former boarding school
Motto
In hoc signo vinces
Established
1921
Locale
Pholela, Bulwer, near the Drakensburg
Grades
Grades 8-12
School color(s) navy, gold: Pholela High School is a school previously run by the Presbyterian Church. The school buildings were built in the old Dutch style, on the main road in Bulwer, directly facing the Amahwaqa Mountain.
Trevor Friend
Hi Mike,
No, it isn’t that one; it’s a primary school and is on the other side of the R617 and closer to the centre of Bulwer – the address is 135 Cecil Street. It’s listed on the schoolguide.co.za web site but there is very little information about it.
Another Durban school that seems to be missing is the Assumption Convent that closed in 1979 and was located in the Montclair/Woodlands area on Kenyon Howden Road between Montclair Road and Halifax Road. Does anyone know when it was established; the brickwork looks post WW2.
Regards.
Eric Thorpe
The Assumption Convent started originally in the Montclair Hall in about 1952. It moved to the corner of Kenyon Howden Rd and Montclair Rd in 1953/5. I think much of the building work was done by Herbie Payne.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Trevor,
As I stated in the introduction of this topic, the list of schools given in the book which I have transcribed is not complete and only lists schools which were in operation at the time the book was written. I recall the Convent in Montclair and seem to recall that it opened in another guise as the Good Shepherd Home. I may be wrong here but that is a vague recollection.
Regarding the Bulwer School. Strictly speaking this website is Facts about Durban and I think to start introducing or requesting information about matters outside Durban per se is not in the spirit of what is trying to be achieved here.
Sue Steyn
Are you still available for news of old schools….I was at Good Shepherd blamey rd Montclair in the 60’s
chicks van rensburg
Hi Guys
I refer to Stamford Hill High School which was located in Livingstone Road.I matriculated in 1969.In fact this was the final matric class of this school.Yes the school
moved across the Umgeni and the new one opened in 1970.The school blazer was blue with a red and yellow stripes.I have kept the 1969 year book and wonder where all my class mates find themselves today.It was indeed a co-ed school.
moved across the Umgeni
Daniel Fourie
Interesting to note..
I matriculated 1960 at the Natal Technical High School which was the pre-cursor to the George Campbell High which opened in 1963. The school was situated in the present day Technicon.
Headmaster was Aldridge, other teachers which I can remember, were Rutherford; Kelly; Ferns; Fox; Traut; Fraser; Croft; Williams; Van der Molen; …… I sometimes wonder if they all were transferred over to George Campbell when the old Tech closed down?
I would also love it if any old Tech scholars reading this are able to contact me to reminice
Danie Fourie
Michele
Daniel Fourie, my father was an English teacher at GCTHS. My two brothers also attended the school, where my one brother was Dux in +-1973 (not sure exactly which year he matriculated). I was very much younger, and used to be brought from my school (Addington Infant School) to wait for my father to finish for the day. I remember the Head Mr Aldrdige, and I remember the best custard slices were to be had at the tuck shop 🙂
Richard Lewis
Hello Danie,
I was at the Technical High School from 1950 to 1955.
Remember so well H.W. Aldridge, I admired him, always so clear and precise. He was our English teacher and became Headmaster after Tom Leyden left. (Got cuts from both of them over the years) Have these people no feelings?
I remember a few names Science teacher Palframan, Afrikaans Jooste, Dixon , another English teacher involved with cadets and 35th Squadron.( I believe he was connected in the war). One head boy was Warrener.
I did std 7/8 in mechanical engineering, workshops on ground floor and another 1st floor room for handwork, filing etc. One old chap taught us , Hunter was the name. And those Refectory days, with Perks pies and Palm orange drinks! Worked at S A B C and did night classes at Tech for some years. Good to hear from someone who knew those same corridors. Walked around the place in 1996 with my daughter and saw the big workshops were now a library but the great roof beams which carried all the hoists and pulleys to drive the machines were still there.
Hope to hear your history there.
Bob Philp
I too remember Aldridge; Fox; Williams from 1956-58. Fourie, yes a vague recollection. Possibly in my class (elec as opposed to mech) which included Erik Lupke; Dave Rodgers; Fletcher; Smith the beach bum; and big older lad Armstrong. Old Mr Jenks for elec tech.
Fox for English, White Fang and Skeleton Coast were required reading. He stank of cigarettes but a nice fella. Williams for maths. He coached me, the new kid from Rhodesia with zero algebra, into a maths Distinction grade at year’s finals. I still have school report with results and Aldridge signature. Also, my copy of the school’s welcome pamphlet.
Ha, Williams as rugby coach. From sportsground podium he’d address lines of boys and mockingly gesture with outstretched arms inviting “All those for tennis” to move off to the right. I trembled but was glad to be in rugger kit rather than whites..
Neil Macleod
Hello Daniel.
Finally I find someone who went to the Natal Technical High School and were there when I attended it from
1968 through 1960. I had arrived in Durban from Scotland and my Mother enrolled me at the age of 11.
Mr Alridge the Headmaster after reviewing me educational record from Scotland felt I could start in the High School…I think it was Standard 9. Anyway it was the first year. I took the Woodworking side rather than the metal working one. I could not speak Afrikaans of course and Mr. Trout essentially ignored me in the class.
I really enjoyed the woodworking with Mr. Chamberlin. I left S Africa with my Father and Mother to come to New York in November 1960. I must admit I made many great friends at the school and felt I got an excellent education there.
I suspect we crossed paths somewhere around the Quad or the Cafeteria.
Thanks for letting me know the School name changed over to Campbell.
Daniel Fourie
I am giving my email in the event of old Tech scholars wihing to contact me:
d4ez36@ yahoo.com (I was the deputy head boy in my matric year)
marie
Another school not yet mentioned is Mitchell High School – I graduated there in 1980 – I believe it is now a technical school…………….Marie
Allan Jackson
Pat Sligo wrote in a few days ago about Natal Technical High School which he attended in the late 1940s. I was initially confused because I thought that that school had morphed into Glenwood High and moved to Bulwer Road in the 30s. Daniel Fourie’s comments a few above this reveal that the Technical High Scool became George Campbell. I’d be grateful if anyone could shed more light on this, especially seeing that the schools that became Glenwood and George Campbell seem to have orginated from much the same root.
Anyhow, here are Pat’s memories of the place:
Moira Badstubner (nee Williams)
I met my “beloved” husband (Herbert Badstubner) at the Natal Technical College Gymnastic Club. One of our trainers was Fritz Butow but Dereck Butow from SATV denies any connection!!!! Hilda and Koos Kruger were ardent gymnasts and always entered the local competitions. Once a good German team visited South Africa and gave us some good memories of their abilities on the different apparatus.
David Haavik
Hi
You forgot to mention Treverton College Boarding School which was founded at Mooi River in 1939 by Peter Binns. His ghost was known to roam the school at night and frighten the boys after lights out.
An alternative school not mentioned above was Windmill Academy (smoking was permitted and no uniforms) next door to Damelin College in Smith Street founded by Doug (Drugs) Drysdale from DHS in 1971/72. I think it lasted only a few years… understandably.
Cheers
David
Daniel Fourie
Natal Technical High:
I received from Pat Sligo his school matric photo 1947 (Natal Technical High) for which I am most grateful for. In the photo was my school headmaster Eldrige, in Pat’s time a school teacher. (I matriculated 1960). This would make Pat about 83. Looking at all those strapping lads, one wonders how many of them are still alive today, also where in matric all were relatively equal in status at the time, how each diverged in life, albeit successfully or in failure. The same thought applies to my matric year mates.
For Gerald: Unfortunately I have no knowlege regarding the history of both the buildings of the school itself, nor have I retained a school badge. One of the persons you mentioned, “Irving” was in my class from 1957 to 58, after which time he left to take up a trade. Don’t know if we are talking about the same person.
Once again. I find this site most stimulating
Danie Fourie
Gerald T du Preez
Keitsleigh Primary School (28 Keits Avenue, Berea) was established in 1928 with eight learners supported by four Seventh-day Adventist churches in the Durban central area. Initially catering only for Seventh-day Adventist students, it has changed over the years to that of a Christian, values-based school, providing education for a large number of individuals desiring such an educaiton. In 1997 the school was virtually 100% white in its enrolment. Currently there are 3 white learners. Its staff is demographically representative, including South African, Zambian and Zimbabwean teachers.
B. Statistics
The School has an enrolment of 240 learners, comprised of 132 boys and 108 girls. The staff consists of 6 non-teaching staff and 10 teaching staff (including the principal) plus two teacher-assistants.
Trevor Friend
Does anyone remember a Mr Harcourt from the late 1960’s or early 1970’s who was a Headmaster possibly either at one of the schools on the Bluff or in the Glenwood area?
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Trevor
You are in luck. I looked up the 1968 Durban Directory and found the following.
Brettonwood Boys High, Oliver Lea Drive Umbilo Durban, Principal Mr C.D. Harcourt B.A.
Maybe I should list all the Principals of the Government Schools as they are all listed.
Trevor Friend
Hi Gerald,
Thanks for the info and it would be good to see the names of all the other school principals (and vice pricipals, if they are listed); it might bring back a few memories for everyone else.
Jennifer Hill
Interesting reading. Does anyone know when Mitchell Girls High School closed, and the address? Thanks, Jennifer
claudette
Is there anyone who went to Natal Business College which was in Henwood Arcade ,it was run privately by a lady she occupied the 2 top floors does ,trying to find out her name,if anyone can help ,please let me know
thankyou
Claudette
Valerie Putter
Hi Claudette,
I attended Natal Business College in 1967 and I think the lady’s name was Mrs Morgan. She also taught my Mother many years before I went there.
Laurette Frary
Have only just found this site, hence late reply. I went to Natal Business College in 58/59 and the lady who owned it was Mrs Morgan. Can remember learning to type to music (Teddy Bears picnic being a favourite I recall). Mrs Morgan was very strict and recall her telling someone off for yawning & said you needed to press your tongue against the roof of your mouth to stop the yawn. We were spread out over various classrooms doing either shorthand, typing or commerce and she went from one room to the other overseeing us. I think I can remember one other person helping occasionally but most of the time she was on her own. The daughter of the family who were the caretakers of the building also went there and became one of my good friends, Lynette Eggleton, sadly no longer with us. The training must have been good as I then got a job in a shipping company starting as a shorthand/typist and then onto travel clerk/shorthand typist & was always being called on to cover for the Directors or Managers secretary as I was the only one able to do shorthand. Also helped out in accounts office because of my bookkeeping skills, so different from today with computers but still a good basis to start & has always been easy for me to keep up to date even if I am now a ‘silver surfer’. Before Natal Business College I went to Convent High School in St Andrews Street and somewhere have got an old school magazine which was published for some commemoration but can’t remember what so need to look for it again. We wore cream coloured linen shirtwaist dresses with red buttons in summer and Panama hats. In winter it was the old style (St trinians) pleated gym dresses in black but then changed to a black pinafore with open lapel front trimmed with red braid, white shirts and the school tie which was black with three red stripes all over. The blazer was black with three red stripes all over as well & we wore black berets in winter. Anyone caught out of school in uniform but not wearing their hats or eating (or chewing gum) was severely reprimanded the next day & called up in front of whole school at assembly. Not sure if those were my happiest days as everything was so strict then for such little misdemeanours, at least by today’s standards. I seem to recall boys were starting to come to the school in the primary classes not long before I left to go onto business college.
Jonnie Dawn
I stumbled onto this website looking for something on Durban, and it has been a great way to catch up on Natal’s educational history – including more recent history for me, especially about schools of my time that no longer exist. Athletics and academics took me to the NA, and but for 20 years in Kenya, we have made Canada home. Glad to reconnect with you, John! It has been aeons! Yes, I am embarrassed that I did not have that much academic impetus at DHS & I ended up spending an extra year there – sunk by Maths! (Hard workers like you kept the averages up!) It was only after that that I became excited about learning & have been blessed to study at universities in the US, Canada & the UK. Oh that I had started earlier! Anyway, I appreciate the Natal schools’ histories with which I am so disconnected.
zothani ngubane
yet another school school hv nt been mentioned oakford priory/ sacred heat secondary(verulam)
warren loom
I do not see Glenashly Junior Primary school on the list any where? Only Glenashly Senior Primary. Established in the late sixties I think??
Midge
I think Glenashley Junior Primary was previously known as Glenashley Infants School, being Class 1 (Grade 1) to standard 1 (Grade 3) & Glenashley Primary (now Senior Primary I assume) being Standard 2 (Grade 4) to Standard 5 (Grade 7).
lorraine Holloway/nee Byerley
looking for any informationon Holy family Catholic Convent st andrews st durban
any matric pupils from 1952 please contact me email as above thanks would be great to hear from you
my brothers Noel and Kenneth were both at ST Henry’s durban Noel 1951 Ken about five years earlier
Moira Badstubner (nee Williams)
Hooray….at last somebody from my era…I was a close friend of Sonia Meyer and she lived around the corner from Charles. Of course you were in my class but I left after Std 8 to go to Business College next to Acutt Street. then I joined the office staff of Electricity Supply Commission also in Acutt Street for nine years before I married my beloved husband who passed away last year (in perfecf health)!!!.
lorraine Holloway ( nee Byerley)
hi that was Dirkie Uys school
I was at Convent High in St Andrews street Durban matriculated in 1952 and wonder if you have any info on any pupils from that time
my brother Noel Byerley was at St Henrys maatriculated 1952 and Kenneth Byerley was also at St Henrys great eto hear from youso
Pixie Furby Mather
Remember me?! I used to ‘adore’ you as a child at Convent High……my brother,
Lyndon Furby was a friend of your brother Noel!! It was your Mom who helped me pick out the material for my wedding dress at Greenacres!!!!!
Now 75, living in Scotland, still miss Durban…..and the lovely weather!! Am a mom of two boys and two girls, and a gran to three boys!!!..Best regards..Pixie
Pixie Furby Mather
For Lorrain Holloway nee Byerley
lorraine Holloway ( nee Byerley)
Moira so glad to hear from you yes I married Charles and sadly he passed away 6 years ago we have five wonderful children and I now live in Scottburgh
would love to contact you my email address is holloway7@sco.eastcoast.co.za
and Pixie of course I remember you and your brother you are so spoilt to be living in Scotland Charles and I wet there for a short visit a few years ago Noel and his wife Yvonne are in Jhb please contact me on my e mail address if you would like
Michele
I see Addington Infant School is not mentioned in the list? Where might I find more information on its history and when it was established? Thank you.
Jennifer Pache
Yes, I see only Addington Primary mentioned. I went to both Infant and Primary. From 1959 to 1965. Thereafter went to Windermere Girls High. That is not even mentioned at all on the list. So this is not an accurate site. It really should include ALL schools, otherwise, why bother, what’s the point ? They do mention that Mansfield Boys High is not on the list (my brothers went there), as it closed down before 1995. But as for Windermere – nothing at all. Maybe I overlooked it?
I would also love to have info about them both. I was particularly interested in finding any old school photos, as all I have, is my class 1 photo of Addington Infants, of 1959, Teacher – Mrs. Thorsen. I found a few pics on Facebook, Mr. Mumby’s School photographs, if you are interested. (Someone there might have more info for you). None of them were for my years there. I know there is a great interest in this, because I think, in those days, parents were not able to afford school pics, and many people are searching, but can’t find anything. We had 5 kids in our family, and only my Dad worked. Poor days, they were, in the 50’s and 60’s !! I also searched for my sister and brothers school pics, but couldn’t find anything either. We must remember, in those days there was class A, class B, class C of every standard, so it’s the luck of the draw on who would post a picture. Good luck on your search. I have been searching for years and years.
Gerald
Hi Jennifer,
If you read the intro to this post I have specifically typed in RED that only the schools that were operating when the book was written are listed.. By then schools like Mansfield and Windermere GH were no longer existent hence they were omitted. I did not write the book so your question should be directed to the author. Unfortunately the internet for all the information it has available does not satisfy everyone as in your situation.
Ian Africa
I have been trying to reconstruct the history of Greenwood Park Primary School over the last 12 years. The progress has been slow – but the search has been exciting. I hope this forum will provide me with much more information than I already have. Prior to 1966, the school was a “whites only” school that served a fairly mixed coloured and white population in the Greenwood Park/Redhill area. From my interviews with ex-pupils I have established that most of the kids lived in and around the school. However, when the Group Areas Act demarcated the western side of North Coast Road as non-white and the eastern side as white, the white kids and their parents had to relocate to what we know today as Durban North. Many visitors to the school point out the old wood and iron house their families had been living in since the early 1900’s. I have reason to believe that the school was established before 1910, and served the immigrant Scottish and Irish communities living there. The names of the streets in the area seem to have a strong Scottish connection. Roads such as Wylie Hall, Tweed, Belmont, Havelock, Celtic , Scotia Terrace as well as the areas of Briardene and Rosehill all have Scottish derivations.
My sources tell me that the entire white school population left the school at the end of 1965, and the new coloured school population took over the school in January 1966. I have no information as to where the white teachers and kids were relocated to. However, the school retained its name of Greenwood Park Primary. Sadly, all the records of the school were taken away – leaving the current occupants with a school that is over 100 years old, but with no records – a very frustrating position to be in.
It would be a welcome and overdue historical victory if we could find these records and consolidate the unified history of the school before 1965 and after 1965 as one continuous story. I suspect that the records were taken to the new school or lodged with the Natal Education Department. Does anybody know where the records of the old NED are kept? Does anyone know where the white kids and teachers were relocated to? If anyone out there has any information towards this end, your contributions will be greatly appreciated.
Let me say that over the years, I have been visited by a number of former white pupils who came to reminisce about the old days. Some have recalled being at the school in the 30’s, 40’s,50’s and 60’s. They have furnished me with old black and white class photo’s, reports cars and some very interesting stories, like the guy Blom who was the mascot for the Natal Rugby team (he carried a banana tree around before each game), the principals Fuller and Holloway, the famous soccer players, the war heroes, the meals the children were served, the examinations in the hall and many aspects of school life. The school has such a rich history that must be re-discovered. I look forward to hearing from anyone who can help me with this project.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Ian
Sorry I did not reply sooner but some postings I miss. Greenwood Park previously was one of the areas outside Durban per se and was included in what was known as Durban Districts. It was later incorporated into the Durban Municipality along with the other districts such as Redhill, Umgeni, Mayville, Bellair etc.
Regarding Greenwood Park School, I looked it up in the 1938 Durban Directory and it is listed as Greenwood Park Govt. School with Mr W.A. Paton as Principal. The address is given as Park Station Road and the telephone number way back then was 61533. Looking up the school in the 1968 Directory it sadly is not listed as the note reads ” For Coloured, Indian and Government Aided Schools refer to Natal Education Dept. “. However looking up Park Station Road it is there listed as Greenwood Park Government-aided Indian School. No other information.
If I can make a suggestion, go to Durban’s Reference Library and dig out the old Durban Directories. They are part of the Don Collection and apparently date back to the first Durban directories. They cannot be removed from the library. Another avenue to follow is the Killie Campbell Museum on the Berea (Marriott Road) which is a mine of Durban information.
Regarding Mr Blom…he was known as Manie Blom and quite rightly he used to make an appearance before kick off. He would run onto the field with a banana tree over his shoulder and make a jinxing run towards the posts. He would then make as if he was tackling the tree, the tree being an opponent and fall to the ground with it. Much to the delight of the spectators in the stands. As was the custom then attending a rugby match called for proper dress normally long pants, an open necked shirt and a sports jacket. Manie would be dressed like this when going through his antics. He would have been in his 40s then, here I am talking of early 1960s. I may have a newspaper cutting of Manie at one of the rugby games; if so I will edit the post and add it later.
Linda Honeyman
I believe it closed in 1990 it was on earl haig rd, I went there 1975 until end 1976, when we returned to the uk. Miss odell was head , mrs nyce deputy, mrs momberg our afrikaans teacher, mrs ashdown class teacher, twin art teachers , miss kelly, mr, s mundell music, mrs grobelaar maths, miss vermulen 6a class teacher and our history teacher, what a dragon! Mrs ackerman, miss lamont english teacher who taught I the prefabs across the small road by the school, mrs petrie p.e, mrs liebech, miss fannin, some of the kids, moira van wyke, cheryl newton, roselyn searle, cindy wright, debbie maloney, yvonne brown, isbel costa, dawn hayden who I believe went on to be head prefect, gwen berg and her friend tessa ? Wilma hattingh, noelene?, dawn teart. I still have my hat and year magazine and plenty memories, wish I had paid more attention in class, loved the bus ride to school from morningside especially the 18a which took the longer springfield route the views were lovely, and it gave us a chance to finish our homework! Very proud to have gone to mitchell and one thing I have always remembered is the school song, and yes I have worked hard all my life so far!
I also went to addington previously approximately 1970 then on to windsor park in morningside, head was mr grant, lovely man, then mr coyne, horrid man, mrs coleman library teacher, mrs maidens class teacher, mr chapman class teacher, mrs anderson class teacher, mrs patrick afrikaans teacher, lovely lady, mrs hope domestic science teacher, tnere was only six girls in our class in 1975 and the boys always waited outside for us to finish cookery lessons, dean hales, jefery morritze, ronney? Tino? Roy? Michelle choromanski, alma coetzee, flavia giacomozzi, cindy wright, desiree bernade and me, linda honeyman, sad to find out this school is or was turned into a shopping mall, from google earth pictures it looks a mess, spoilt my memories. Mitchell on the other hand looks fantastic .
marie
Hey Linda – I was in Mrs Vermulen’s class in 1976 – you’ve brought back some memories!!!! Marie
Linda Honeyman
Hi marie
what was your second name ? I keep looking on facebook and on tbe net to see if I can find anyone, you are the first. Where are you now? I cant believe its over 35yrs since I was in durban at school, we live in liverpool now, long story! Glad I brought back some memories for you!
Marie Goding
Hi Linda – apologies for taking so long to get back to this. I live in Central Queensland in Australia, and there’s never a dull moment around here! There is now a dedicated page to Mitchell High School on Facebook, and there is also a site – just google it! I have uploaded the photos from 1980 prefects and my year – have a squizz! Marie
Linda Honeyman
Hi marie, I often look at mitchells website, funny thing is I recognise loads of names and faces but there is nothing from anyone in the classes I was in, I love reading everything tho, amazing where everyone has found themselves in life…..
stuart currie
Linda hi. I went to Addington primary school 1970-1971.
what happen to the school Stuart Currie
Linda Honeyman
Hi stuart im not sure as far as I can tell its still going strong I looked up addington on utube and there was some videos of school productions ect try that its very interesting. Who was your class teacher ect do you remember mr grant head, he was nice mrs mcgregor was class teacher for me scottish lady who sent two pupils every day to fetch her cup of tea! I remember some faces but no names, its a long time ago but I did come accross few girls later in other schools, debra van wyck, moira van wyck no relation, girl called belinda?
Syd Oram
The following was sent as an e-mail to ‘allan@fad.co.za’
Good evening
I refer you to the publication “Durban Schools.. a historical listing” Posted on January 25, 2014 by Gerald Buttigieg.
With respect to the author, I draw your attention to the following:
1. Omitted is any reference to Red Hill Primary School. Unfortunately I do not have any information regarding the date of establishment of the School, but I believe that must have been in the early 1920s. My mother (born in 1918) attended the School and it is probable that her two brothers, ± 3 and 5 years older than her also attended the School.
My wife also attended the School in the late 1940s/early 1950s.
As I recall, the School was closed in the 1980s and for some years thereafter was the headquarters of the Umvoti Mounted Rifles. Since the departure of this Regiment the building has deteriorated from an extremely well built fully equipped school into a shattered, partially collapsed and burned-out skeleton, from which all electrical, toilet and plumbing systems have been unceremoniously ripped. It is an utter disgrace that this perfectly sound establishment has been utterly ruined, despite the situation having been drawn to the attention of the appropriate authorities on numerous occasions over the past 15 years and more.
2. No mention is made of the Halcyon School, which colloquially was known as “Mrs. Jones School”. I attended this School which had been was established in a converted private house opposite Chelsea Drive School. Unfortunately I do not have any information on when this school was opened.
As I recall it catered only for what then was known as Classes 1 and 2, whereafter pupils usually moved either to Chelsea Drive School or Kensington Drive School (see below).
3. I am somewhat mystified by reference to Northlands Primary being established in 1949. This was not the case.
At the outset, I believe the year of establishment may be incorrect. What I am absolutely clear on is that the School which became Northlands Primary School originally was established as the Kensington Drive School, which I attended between 1950 and 1952, in Standards 1 and 2. During my tenure at that School the Principal was one Miss Milne.
The school motto was “Honour God – build surely”, and somewhere among my memorabilia, I still have my original school badge.
Kensington Drive School was established in a building which housed a radar station during the Second World War. This building, extensively modified, remains as part of the Northwood High School Campus, and if my memory serves me correctly, is adjacent to the swimming pool complex.
I clearly recall that in the early 1950s, on the left hand side of the school grounds (looking towards the sea) there were foundations of what I presume were the masts for the radar scanning dishes.
4. I have never heard of the “Clare Ellis Brown Pre-Primary, Northwood College Durban North.” I would be interested to hear more about this, particularly bearing in mind that Northwood College (or Northwood High School as I have heard it described) was established some 25 or 30 years later.
5. In the early 1950s, the grounds of Kensington Drive School were extensively modified to allow the construction of Northlands Boys High School. During the earthmoving operations, it became necessary to close the school for a couple of weeks – the northeast wind made life absolutely impossible, particularly in the temporary classrooms which had been constructed on the southern side of the main building.
Earthworks and construction of the School were completed in 1953, by which time, being in Standard 3, I, along with my classmates had been transferred up to Durban North High School (which now is Northlands Girls High School) and which had been completed in 1949.
6. In October of 1953, I, along with the remainder of the boys who then were attending Durban North High School, marched down to the brand-new Northlands Boys High School. The much respected Mr. Percy Hardaker became the Principal, a position which he held until his retirement in 1964.
7. Durban North High School was immediately renamed “Northlands Girls High School”, of which Miss Manning was appointed Principal. I do not recall whether she took over as Headmistress immediately, but she certainly became the Headmistress in the 1950 and the School went from strength to strength under her leadership.
8. Construction of a new Primary school below the main Northlands Boys school grounds commenced as I recall in 1956 or thereabouts. In the 1970s this school was attended by our two sons. I understand that presently it forms part of the Northwood High School Campus.
9. As far as I can see there is no reference to Greenwood Park School, which I believe must have been established in the 1920s. My mother also attended the school before going to Durban Girls High School.
To conclude, information on the web sites of schools in the area can provide additional information. To the extent that I might be slightly out with some of the dates, I tender apologies. But I must say that there are inaccuracies and omissions which I suggest should be investigated further in the light of the information set out above.
Bronwyn Arnold
Hi
Another school that was not mentioned is Holy Family College, previously known as Convent High. The school was started in 1875 by the Holy Family Sister in St Andrews Street, from there it moved to Broad Street and finally to Convent Close (off Rick turner Rd) in Glenmore. HFC is actually the oldest Catholic School in KZN and turns 140 years old next year.
Karen Ward
It is mentioned under 1914?
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Bronwyn
I have written up a piece on Catholicism in Durban which includes the history of the Holy Family nuns at the link below. Whereas your date 1875 is correct, the school opened in that year was St Joseph’s which stood in Smith Street. The nun’s Convent was behind this school hence Convent Lane.
https://www.fad.co.za/2013/11/18/durbans-st-josephs-churches/
Brian C
This has made a great read. I was wondering whether there is any information about the school photographer, Mr Mumby? I am sure that there were a few decades worth of children whom he would have photographed and it would be a great treasure to have access to his photos if they still exist. So many of the schools bring back memories of either attending or playing sport against.
Karen Ward
This is a great post! Hope someone can help!
Jennifer Pache
Hi
I see this was posted in 2014, so you might be aware by now, there is a site on Facebook – Natal School Photographs by Mr. Mumby. Good luck. I haven’t had any !! The pictures posted, come from the public, and not from Mr. Mumby himself- (long dead) Everybody I know from my school days seems to have disappeared, or is not interested in the past, or computer illiterate. I also wish there was a way to access his archives. What happened to them? Good luck.
jeanette catherine joseph nee anderson
I was just curious to know when the class of 1978 were having their next reunion
beryl botha (nee wiblin)
I would love to know /hear from students who attended windermere girls high school , across from the greyville race course. I attended school there from 1966 to 1970 when I matriculated. The headmistriss was Miss Kidger, and who passed away while I was still at the school, and then our new headmistriss was Miss Rossouw. I was one
of the pupils involved in moving to the “new school” berea girls high, I was in one of the first matric classes at berea girls high school – our uniform was a turquoise dress, our blazers and cardigans were brown. We wore a brown hat, and brown school shoes. I have tried to google further, but dont seem to find anyone. I would be interested to see school photos of those days. Some of my school teachers then were: Mrs Rose (biology), Mrs Wood (typing/accountancy), Mrs Osborne (housecraft), Mrs Dean (biology),
Lorna
Hi Beryl
I went to Windermere (wandering hands society!!) and thought it might be of interest to you that a few people have got together (I haven’t yet!) on Facebook and started up the ” Windermere Girls’ High School Durban SA” Have a look.
Greetings
Lorna
Jacoba Magrietha Meyer
How can I find information on students that attended Std 4 in Stamfordhill High School in 1964, or photos of these classes.
Thank you
Kind regards.
Jacoba Magrietha (HERBST) Meyer
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Jacoba,
This website is more about Facts about Durban and not a “Find a Friend” service. However if someone reads your request and has some information you seek, you will be put in touch with that person. Its pot luck from here on.
Gail Rossouw
Thank you for the info on Durban North schools. I attended Kensington Drive Junior School from 1951 to 1956. I remember it well, we “outgrew” the school and in 1956 we went to Northlands Girls High School, we were in Standard 4 when we started at Northlands Girls High.
Lungile
Good day
please can you help me with more information on Berea Primary School. My child is doing grade 4 at Berea and she needs this information for her project please.
Brian C
Following my comment on 21 November 2014, I have created a Facebook page entitled “Natal Schools’ Photographs by Mr Mumby” in the hope of creating a repository of photographs taken by Mr Mumby. I have received some interesting contributions which reflect the history of Natal Schools during Mr Mumby’s working life. I have worked out that he stopped working around 1984. If anyone is interested they could view what has already been loaded, or better still make their own contribution.
Kind regards
Brian
Stephen Corrigan
Hi,
I was at Addington Primary School during the second half of 1975 being a recent immigrant from England. Loved the safari suits we wore as the uniform! My form teacher was Miss Moe the famous lady cricketer and she was a brilliant teacher. Sadly the South African experience didn’t last for us and we came back to the UK (Liverpool) at the end of 1975. I remember one reason which added to the family negatives leading to us leaving was the headmaster was a nasty man who gave the whole class of boys the cane after one lad had questioned what the woodwork teacher was swigging from a bottle hidden in his drawer! I couldn’t sit down for a week or so the welds were so bad. The sight of my dad with his ‘boys’ from the docks turning up to remonstrate with the headmaster is still with me today! Besides that I had good times at Addington (besides my terrible effort at Afrikaans!) and a cricket trip into the north of Natal and the bush (veld) was an experience I will never, ever forget.
Regards..
Steve.
Shirley Post née Carswell
I see Fynnland School is not mentioned. One of the headmasters was a Mr Strydom and the school had an excellent reputation
Kevin Jordan
Let me clear up a little confusion Glenwood High School. The Day Continuation School opened in Smith St. in a double storey house on 1st August 1910 with 24 boys on the roll. It then moved into the Technical College building in 1915 and changed it named to the Technical High School, Durban. It soon outgrew the premises and moved to its present site in Glenwood in 1929. As it had made a physical break from the Tech. College , a decision was made to change the name to Glenwood High School in 1934. Glenwood celebrated its centenary in 2010.
Barbara Ward nee Cornish
Does anyone remember Sherwood Primary School which I attended 1957-9?
Would love to get in touch with anyone who was there at the time. I left 1959 from Standard 5.
Edward McDonald
Does anyone know about. Schools not mentioned; Albert Street School- Melbourn Road School and Umbilo. School – 1960’s to 1980’s
Barbara Ward nee Cornish
Names I remember from Sherwood Primary are Margot Fisher who I think lived at 19 Piedmont Road, Gael McIsaac, Coral Vercoe, Helen Sandalls, Alan Brooks, Robert Stanton – teacher in Standard 4 was I believe called Mrs Bowers. If anyone has any news, would really appreciate it. I returned to the UK in June 1959 and arrived at the school June 1957.
Clyde Walton
A great read remembering all the different schools from them days – I attended Overport Govt School from 1961 to ’68 and then George Campbell THS between ’69 & ’73 – names I can recall were the Principal at OGS a Mr Murray-Brown and a Mrs Sewell – at GCTHS the Principal was Mr Aldridge (Alfie) also Mr Van der Moulen (science) Mr Lewis (maths) Mr Kelly (or was it O’Kelly ??) and Miss Rodda (English) Les (can’t remember his surname) (Cromie) technical drawing Mr Smit (PT) – I also remember Mr Mumby coming to take the annual school photos – I think I still have photos of virtually every year I was at school in a box somewhere
Gareth Langley
Hi Clyde
I was in Standard 8 at George Campbell in 1971 where I studied NTC1 Electrical. I cannot remember the names of the other students in my class. Perhaps we were in the same class. If we were and if you can find the class photo I would very much appreciate a copy and if possible some names.
Keith Thomas
Hi Clyde,
I matriculated in 1963 and remember that Mr Van der Moulen’s nickname was Elvis and
the surname of Cromie was Firbanks or Fairbanks. Good hearing about the old school.
Linda
Will appreciate it if someone can help with the names of headmasters of Grosvenor High School in Durban?
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Linda,
I can only help you out with the Headmaster/Headmistress at Grosvenor Boys’ and Girls’ High School respectively for 1968. Info comes from the 1968 Durban Directory.
Boys: Mr V. St G. Valentine.
Girls: Miss A. S. Clarkson.
Linda
Hi Gerald Thank you for your time. Would like to establish if there ever was a Mr. L. S. Leadley.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Linda,
From the listing of Natal Schools that I have posted, it is recorded that Grosvenor Girls and Grosvenor Boys as separate schools dates back to 1962. I am not familiar with the school history but I understand that prior to 1962 the two schools were combined. Further to that the combined school was called Tankerton High but I do not know of this. Someone posted this info as a comment. I looked up LS Leadley in the 1968 directory but his name is not listed. Did he live in Durban? I also checked if he perhaps was Principal of another school but no luck. Your best bet is getting a reply from someone who knew the Bluff well. What would help is an approximation of the dates we are looking at.
Frank Beeton
The headmaster of the co-ed school was Mr. Harry Stride. He died in his office and was replaced by Mr. C.F.S. van Reenen who moved with the boys to Grosvenor Boys’ High School in 1962. Miss Clarkson came to the school when it was still co-ed, and took over as principal of Grosvenor Girls’ High School when the boys did the “big walk” to the new school. Mr. Valentine succeeded “Big Van” at a later date.
Linda
Thank you for the reply and help. I will see if I can get any dates. Belief he passed away in 1968.
David Walker
Mr Stride was the first headmaster at Grosvenor He was an exceptionally nice man. Unfortunately, he died in office, literally in his office at school.
Mr Dixon was the deputy head.
Pat Franken
I would like anyone who has historial information & pictures, on any of the following schools to contact me please
Queensburgh Boys and Girls High School
Malvern Junior
Parkside School
Escombe Primary School
Pat Franken (nee Robson)
pat@kal-media.co.za
Mchele
Anybody have info on Addington Infants (as opposed to Addington Primary) next to Addington Hospital? I attended from 1973-1975.
zalita
hi anyone with info on berea west senior primary please email me on zmotz1@gmail.com I’m desperately looking for any info and pictures for a project we are doing on the school
thanks
zalita
Paul Christofersen
I attended Overport Government School from 1958 until 1964, when the NPA changed their policy and made Standard 5 the last year of primary school, after which I attended DPHS. Mr. Edmonson was our principal until 1962, when he left for Morningside. I remember this for two reasons: First, he called us American students down to his office the day Kennedy was shot, and second, he asked my mother to come see him when he was leaving and implored her to send us to Morningside, which was considered the to be a far better school. He was replaced by Mr. Murray-Brown. I had Mrs. Clark for Std. 1, Miss. Steenkamp, later to be Mrs. Fromm, for Stds. 4 and 5, although Mr. Clifton the vice-principal taught for some of that time. The only other teacher whose name I remember was Miss. Munsterman, who taught Std. 3. And for a while Mrs. Cutting, who played the piano (which was hauled up and down the stairs from the second floor every day by the schools help) for our morning assemblies (I can still remember the march she played!) ran a hot lunch program in the cellar.
Clyde Walton
Hi Paul – you refer to “us American students” – were either of your parents doctors or involved with the McCords Hospital ?? – the name Christofersen rings a bell but I can’t quite place it – I had an American girl Ginger Trumbell in my class at OGS for a few years – her parents worked at the hospital and they lived in the house next to the tennis courts on McCord Rd
Paul Christofersen
Hello Clyde: my late father was the medical director of McCords Hospital. Ginger’s father, Howard Trumbull, was the accountant for The American Board for World Missions in South Africa. Both men became persona non grata under the Nationalist party’s Apartheid schemes and were deported, my father in ‘66 and Trumbull with his whole family in ‘69.
Dr Muni Kooblal
Hello, I am looking for historical information on Berea Primary School.
Any contribution will be appreciated.
Dr Muni Kooblal
Wendy
Looking for old teacher named Sharon Webster pl this is Wendy McDonald std two student at keitsleigh pl ask her to contact me on wendy1rebecca1@gmail.com
Warren Taylor
I am trying to find the name of a small private school that started in the late 1800’s in Upper Glenwood, Durban. My ancestor, Walter Saville, attended the school sometime around 1875-1878. I gather the school may have been called ‘Upper Glenwood’ but this is not certain. It seems the school closed by about 1910. Any advice on the name of the school will be appreciated. Walter then went on to attend DHS. Thanks, Warren
Mike
Hi Warren,
I am sure you have already seen this?. I noticed a few other people (around the late 1880’s also attended Upper Glenwood Berea).
About Walter Saville
Educated at Upper Glenwood and Durban High Schools.
Cecil Cowley (cousin) records Walter was in charge of a company called Cowley and Iles that cleared the bush from Avoca to Umgeni and sold the timber to the railway company stacking it at the side of the track so the engine driver could pick it up when he needed to.
In 1889 when William Cowley died in whose business Walter and his brother Percy had been key figures, they stayed on at “Fairford” and in the business of farming and transport riding.
In 1901 on the loss of his wife Bertha he went to Madagascar to buy hump-backed cattle (Malundas) and in his absence “Rogers” ruined the businees. He went to the Bank and gave them everything he’d still got ,was given a clean receipt and £200 to start again in the transport riding business. Cecil said “He then went to Gobles, at Upper Tongaat, where there was a very good looking girl called Ethel Featonby-Smith. He said to her ” Ethel, I’m broke, I’ve got 5 children, I’m just going to make a new start in Zululand, a country where there’s fever, a wild country. I’m going to make a fresh start under dreadful circumstances – will you marry me?” They moved up after the birth of their first son in 1905.
He became a pioneer of sugar growing and processing in Zululand.
Addresses in 1933 were 193, North Ridge Road, Durban and Entumeni, Zululand.
Managing Director, Entumeni Sugar Milling Co. (Pty) Ltd. Member of the Durban Club. Foundation member of the Durban Country Club. Supporter of the South African Party.
Paul Christofersen
Hello Clyde Walton, my father, Howard Christofersen MD, ran McCords for a few years, but was told by the NPA he was persona non grata in 1965 and given until January 1966 to put his affairs in order and leave the country. They wanted to tear it down. Ginger Trumbulls father, also named Howard, was the treasurer of the SA branch of the American Church Board for World Ministries, which group supplied my father to McCords, and had many other missionaries working in Durban and throughout SA. At the peak of unrest before the end of Apartheid they too (the Trumbulls) were ordered to leave…
Claudette Cooper
Hi Everyone,
I’m a US citizen now. I have so many incredible memories of my childhood in Durban and would love to get re-acquainted with the most special people I had in my life then and think about today and treasure so much.
There was Pamela Harmse who went to Durban North High School for girls. In primary schools, there was my math teach, Jim, whom I treasure as I was only 10 years old when he called me out in class and in short ended up being an inspiration to my life and the person I am today.
Pamela lived in Glenwood Umbilo area of Durban.
Neville Hartley
Hi ,AS an old boy of first Northlands Primary [Teachers :Mrs Stanley[son a teacher at Northwood High]a Mrs Nel,Mrs Levin,Mrs Cotterill,and a chap Brian Lendrum,the headmasters were first a Mr Chambers ,and then a Mr Catto ,the years been 1960 to 1967]I then went onto Northlands Boys High under the head Mr Mac Farquawe a known disciplinarian who did not believe in sparing the rod. Have many ties with a FB network of old boys ,world wide even though I live in Pretoria. Another point of interest my grand mother Olive Hartley taught at Glenwood Junior Primary for +/- 40years prior to her death in 1975.
terence franks
Yes you are absolutely right about Mr.McFarquhar,who was indeed a strict disciplinarian & was sometimes regarded as a tyrant by some of the pupils who attended what was then Northlands Boys High,prior to it’s amalgamation with Beachwood Boys High to become Northwood High School.
Wesley R
Bellair Primary School. Founded 1872. One of the oldest primary schools, deserves a mention in the list. Comprehensive book on the history of the school is available at the school as far as I know.
Maureen van niekerk
i have grandchildren doing projects on the history of Bellair Primary School and can find no information. please can someone help with pictures or any information
Steve Gavin
Hi Maureen, I went to Bellair Primary in the late 60’s. There are two facebook pages for the school where I’m sure you will find lots of info and pics. I think the second page is outdated.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2347679185/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/100477213376119/
m lockhart
Can anyone remember the “Marrian” family, can’t even remember which schools they were at, around the late 1950’s and 1960’s there was a boy named Ian and a girl..Marilyn or lyn, the parents were Graham – think he was an optomertrist and (I think) Dorothy or Doris or Dot Marrian was his wife.
Mike
Hi, Thought this may be interest to some people?.
SEA VIEW GOVERNMENT SCHOOL (1940 -1947)
hit on link as below to bring up website:
http://home.mweb.co.za/sa/salbu/SeaView.html
Charles Corbett
Hi, I attended Stamford Hill School from 1960 to 1962 (Class II to Std 2) and remember it fondly. My late father Chris Corbett was the vice-principal, as it was called then, under a Mr. Van der Vyver. The school was close to the Sutton Park public pool, which had recently been built in the early 1960’s. The talk was then that the school would become Afrikaans Hoër Durban Noord.
My father went on to become vice-principal of Port Natal High School (1963 under Fritz Heese) and then from 1964 to mid-1965, he was the first headmaster of Gert Maritz High School in Pietermaritzburg. We then moved to Empangeni where he was the headmaster of Empangeni High School from mid-1965 to his retirement in 1981.
Frank Beeton
Garry Smith, your question about Tankerton High School is interesting. To be honest, I do not have any official reference as to the name, it is just something that I remembered from around 1958 when my family moved to the Bluff. It was possibly an unofficial name that was used before the name “Grosvenor’ was adopted, maybe a project name used by the Education Department while the school was being built. The Bluff had a close connection with the oil industry through the Island View oil sites, making sea, rail and road tankers a common sight. It may have been someone’s idea of a humorous name for the area! So, unfortunately, the Tankerton Tea Room is all we have!
Keith Titmuss
Hi Frank, I attended the co-ed school and always knew it as Grosvenor High school. The name Tankerton may have been used while it was a project, as you said. Tankerton tearoom was our first stop after school to get a cold “tickey coke”. I was in matric when the boys moved to the new school. Years later when we were in the process of buying a house I obtained an old survey map and the area around the school, Watsonia Road etc was referred to as something like “remnant of farm Tankerton”. There were a number of farms on the bluff in the early years. Hope this helps.
Keith Titmuss
Keith Titmuss
I just did a quick search about Tankerton and found some information. It was not the farm “Tankerton”, but Tankerton was a portion of the farm “Wentworth”. I guess the memory is fading after nearly 50years!!!
Frank Beeton
Greetings, Keith! Thank you for this input, definitely the best information so far on “Tankerton”. I wonder where the name came from originally – did it refer to oil tankers or something different? BTW, I organised the 50th reunion for our 1963 matric class in 2013, and have regular contact with some of my former classmates, including Eric Brink, Tiny Fourie, Evered Metzler, Dave Canning and Chris Beekman, you may remember some of them. I think I read in one of your FAD postings that you live in the UK now, I have just moved back to Durban (Hillcrest) after being away (Port Elizabeth/Johannesburg) since 1980. Kind Regards, Frank.
Keith Titmuss
Hi Frank, do a google search ……”portion tankerton of farm wentworth durban”. A website called lawlibrary.co.za should come up. Scroll down the list to line 1121 and you will see an entry to do with tankerton and there a few more further down. These farms were established in the 19th century and must have been pretty big There are many entries about the farm Bellair, the farm Chatsworth. Most of the early settlers came from England hence the names of the farms. There is a place called Tankerton in Kent. Maybe a connection? I doubt oil tankers are any connection.
Cheers, Keith
Keith Titmuss
Hi Frank, have a look at Duncan du Bois website. There is an interesting article about the farm Wentworth. When you think what the early settlers paid for a 5000 acre farm in the early days of Durban and then they were sub divided again and again into the plots we know on the Bluff today……a lot of profit over the years.
Cheers, Keith
Frank Beeton
Keith, with the long history of the name “Tankerton”, I think that we can now safely assume that it had UK origins, which puts my theory that it had anything to do with the oil industry safely to rest! However, isn’t it ironical that Wentworth later ended up being the site of an oil refinery, and Island View became the major oil storage and distribution site for Durban?
John Weeks
While living in Durban from about 1940 to 1944 as an evacuee I attended Addington School and also Addington Presbyterian Sunday School ( I still have the book presented to me in 1941 for good attendance.).. We have never managed to get back to Durban but have fond memories. I have a photo showing about 200 evacuees in the quadrangle of the school.
John Weeks now aged 83 in Gloucester England.
Graeme
Hi John Weeks, my old man and his much younger brother went to Addington School. I am not sure of the time but I know my dad bailed out when the 2nd world war started and joined the Royal Navy. He was only 16 then, and obviously came back after the war had ended. I also went to Addington School in 1954. Any chance you can post that photo on this site.
Thanks.
Tallulah (Cheryl)Whitehead
Windsor park primary school cheryl and gary whitehead 1956-1962
Brother and sister both pupils here.
Fantastic days .
Mr Ellis principal then Mr Mitchell.
Isabel Rheeder,Priscilla Choromanski.Jennifer Erasmus my fellow pupils.Anyone know them?
Windsor Park Primary now a Traffic
Registration building.
Rene maynes
Hi Cheryl….did you live in Westgate gardens…I seem to remember you
tallulah de saxby (whitehead)
hi Rene
this is cheryl whitehead from balfour crt westgate gardens..i live in melbourne australia
email 82desaxby@gmail.com
love to make contact
tallulah de saxby (whitehead)
Windsor Park primary.I was Cheryl Whitehead there 1956-1962.My brother Gary Whitehead was too.Looking for Isabelle Rheeder Jennifer Erasmus Priscilla Choromanski or anyone who remembers us from Westgate Gardens.
Brian Hurt
I remember both of you,from Windsor Park….
Bryan Hurt
tallulah de saxby
GaryWhitehead Windsor Park then DHS remembers Brian Hurt bubba and Cathy…fun days…
Eric Scholtz
I might be writing on a derelict and forgotten site since it seems there were no entries after early 2016 and most of it dates back to 2014. It also seems that the history of George Campbell School of Technology, which I have attended, comes to an end in 2014. If anybody still visists this site, I would love to know if the school still exists.
Allan Jackson
Don’t worry Eric, we’re anything but derelict and forgotten. Your question will appear on the list of recently asked questions in the sidebar so everyone will see it. Can II suggest you join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/FactsAboutDurban/
Steve Gavin
Does anyone have any info on St Joseph’s Government School that was located in Kloof? My aunt went to the school in 1951/52 and is visiting SA for the first time since leaving around 1954. I would love to be able to find out anything to do with location etc and take a drive to her old neighborhood to show her around.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Steve
That is a new one for me and cannot say I have heard of it. Was it a pre primary school? Kloof at that time was distinctly rural as far as Durban went and there were very few schools outside the Durban boundaries. With a name like that it sounds as if it had ties to the Catholic Church. The only St Joseph’s I know of was the school in Smith Street which was run by the sisters of the Holy Family Order.
STEVE GAVIN
Hi Gerald, my aunt brought a few of her school reports and on one of them it says “promoted to std 2” so it must have been a primary school. There is a rubber stamp on all of them that says GOVT SCHOOL KLOOF. My grandfather was a civil engineer working on the road that runs through Hillcrest, Botha’s Hill, Drummond and beyond. The family lived in Botha’s Hill next to Kearsney and my aunt remembers catching the train to school. She cant remember much more than that. She also went to boarding school at St Dominic’s Convent in Port Shepstone and I can’t find anything on that school either.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Steve,
I did a bit of further search and in my 1965 Durban Directory, the Kloof area is listed but only alphabetically. That is residents and business and no street information. Taking your cue of Government School, I looked under G and there is a terse entry “Government School” nothing else. No street name, no detail, no telephone number. So it did exist up to 1965 but unfortunately I have no details for you. You would need to get answered by an old Kloof resident who knew of it. There is a small note that says Kloof was declared a Borough on 1st January 1961. Previous to that it would probably have been administered by a Town Board or a Health Board. Another intriguing aspect of your post is that your aunt remembers “catching the train to school”. The train line still exists and is used by Umgeni Steam Railways (a railway preservation society) as a tourist venture. If I remember the train runs from Kloof to Inchanga and they have a website with info.
St Dominic’s Convent down Port Shepstone way I have heard of and know someone who attended school there. It probably does not exist as a school any longer as most Catholic Schools have closed down. However the buildings probably remain and used for other purposes.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Steve,
I found a map of the area, Pinetown northwards circa late 1960s. The Kloof area shows three schools. One in Alamein Avevue, one in York Place and the other and the most likely one, in Sykes Road. I say the latter as the railway line passes by not a block away! This would tie in with your aunt’s trips. The route would be Old Main Road, turn right into Fairview Road and left into Sykes. Sykes Rd seems to be a dead end. Hopes this helps.
Steve Gavin
Gerald thanks very much for your efforts. Chatting to my aunt about it she is starting to remember little things. Of the 3 school reports she has, only one says St Joseph’s and she now remembers that she went to a different school (St Joseph’s?) for a very short time and most likely it was the one in Smith St. the school you mention near the Kloof station sounds like a possibility. She only has a few days left with us but she will try get back up to Kloof before she goes. We actually took a drive up that way yesterday and found the road where she lived in Botha’s Hill. Do you have any idea where the St Dominic’s school/ church was as we might take a drive down there on Monday?
Regards
Steve
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Steve
No idea where the convent is / was in Port Shepstone. Best bet would be to find the Catholic Church and ask at the office. I am sure they will know. On Facts about Durban there is a post on St Joseph’s School with a picture of the school as it was in Smith Street. Use the SEARCH facility on the banner of the home page.
Mark Billingham
Hi Gerald,
St. Elmos run by the nuns of the Third Order of St. Dominics was on the hill overlooking the sea at Umzumbe.It was up for sale in 2015. http://www.eprop.co.za/commercial-property-news/item/19237-historic-convent-landmark-property-st-elmos-in-umzumbe-kzn-on-auction-in-november.html
Gerald Buttigieg
Thanks Mark. Enlightening link to St. Elmo’s. I would stick my neck out and say most of the Convents or schools run by Catholic religious orders have more or less closed down. If you consider St Henry’s (Marist Brothers) and Maris Stella and Convent High School there is not one religious teacher at the school now.
There were quite a few Catholic establishments situated down the coast.
Steve Gavin
Will do thanks Gerald
Rodney Coyne
I wonder if I am the only FAD regular in a position to answer this question, I was born in Port Shepstone and started my schooling in the late40s at what was then the Convent School in Aiken Street. It now seems to be St Martin de Porres Comprehensive School, but it is certainly the same building. I may be wrong, but I think that St Dominics was further up the coast, closer to Durban.
Mark Campbell
This might help.
St Dominic’s-on-sea was opened by the Newcastle Dominicans in January 1922 and ran for 50 years. St Elmo’s at Umzumbe started as a seaside retreat for the Sisters in 1918. It then operated as a small private boarding school in 1925 and then as a ‘special needs’ school from 1934 until it closed in 1988.
Gerald Buttigieg
Thanks Mark
Rob Timmerman
Quite an interesting listing of schools. My family arrived in Durban in 1953 from the Netherlands and my brother Harry(1952) went to a creche in the Addington area when mom lived in Elwyn Court. dad was an engineer with Royal Interocean Lines. They returned to the Netherlands in 1955/6 where I was born (And live today). Returning harry went to Chelmsford Primary and in 1959 I was sent to Tree Tops Pre School. I have distant memories of this event and had my Notebook in which fees and daily events were recorded which mentioned when and if a BM (Bowel Movement) found it’s way into the 3 year old brookies!!! We left for a 5 year stay in Mossel Bay 1960-1965 December, returning to Durban in 1966 January. Dad worked with Captain Geoff Chettle as a Marine Surveyor. capt. C was also editor of the S A Cricket Annual. Harry went to DHS and I was sent to DPHS or simply Prep as we were called. The headmaster was Mr Gough and the Deputy was Mr Smith, both of whom were sympathetic disciplinarians, and I did not suffer any beatings there. My first Std 3 teacher was a gentleman by the name of Barnard who was also housemaster at the orphanage in Glenwood (Anglican??) where I spent a few weekends with the boys there. Std 4 was Mrs Jennings an absolute honey who seeing I loved reading (still do!) provided me with as many books as I could shoulder. From there std 5 with mrs de Marigny also a lovely lady. Miss Buhr was the music teacher and mr Wilkinson the woodwork teacher. I still have the small table I made in std 5 woodwork. The only negative here was a thoroughgoing martinet of a PT teacher Wally Walshaw who saddled me with an enduring hatred of a poet, who is entirely innocent of any wrong-doing, Walter de la Mare, as if you had a sick-note you had to learn one of his poems whilst the rest sweated or swam! Swimming then of course at the Sutton park pool. PT changerooms were in the old Äir raid shelters” as we called them.
My memories here of bullying are still vivid with two lads – a Butler and a Raymond Vivian the main culprits. From there to DHS and 6 rather unhappy years as i did not quite fit in with what the public schooling system offered with bullying, prefects, flogging etc. teachers I remember with fondness are A J Human and Mr Norman Lucas in Science, Mrs mcMaster and Mr P M K Chadwick for maths, also a Mr Strong who used to pong a bit and usually popped over to the Los Angeles for a liquid lunch on Fridays and we had him for 2 periods after lunch so had to deal with him and the stench! We had a Mr Peter Jubber for biology who was an absolute hoot. My first head was Wrinky McIver who for his age wielded quite a cane, his deputies were L.C.W.Theobald who taught latin and Sas Nourse who for all the rough looks was quite a sympathetic fellow. When Ms Clarence sent me to hum for the tenth time for not doing homework he just signed the note and sent me back with a sigh. Clarence could not teach Harry, me or my son Dieter in the 1990’s maths. Terminal teaching failure, I’m sure she knew her stuff but just could not carry that across to us. I passed my matric math thanks to Pat Chadwick’s extra lessons and maths camp at Ballito. Enter Mr D C Thompson. Great man, wonderful headmaster, and my educational saving grace. I ‘plugged’ std 7 and repeated this in his first year as head. never looked back. Memories of him with the Controlled Tests mark book and cane over his left wrist, in an academic robe, marching from class to class to berate the delinquents and mete out appropriate punishment still abound. He had a prodigious memory and in 1992 when I was manager of the Nedbank Branch in Musgrave Centre I saw him coming up the escalator from P&P when I was going down and I greeted him and he greeted me by name! That was 28 years after I last saw him! Amazing! My son went to Prep and did 2nd and 3rd form at DHS. When we moved we took him out and sent him to Westville Boys High where he represented WBHS at 1st team rugby and was a winner of the Doc Sweidan Rugby Scholarship, played later for Collegians. I am sure many will either agree or disagree with mutal or other experiences and memories of persons at the schools, but we must relate what we see and feel about our experiences! I miss the Durban of the 1960s and 1970s but find the city today a shadow of what it was, the inner city a mess and Elwyn Court where we lived an absolute wreck.(http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/run-down-flats-a-living-hell-474072),. Now live in the Netherlands and all I miss are my children and the weather!!,
Rodney Coyne
I was also at DPHS for slightly less than 2 years. I came from an easy-going rural school and did not adapt well to the more formal DPHS. I agree with your opinion of Mr Walshaw. At the time I must have been very awkward going through a growth spurt. I was both the youngest and the tallest boy in the class and Mr Walshaw was always picking on me and called me ‘Patsy Feet’. Like you, he unfortunately left me with a lifelong lack of enthusiasm for poetry. I wonder why it was never noticed how much damage he was doing. Quite the opposite was our form master, a Mr Hughes.
,
SARAH
Would anybody know a David Aiton Lewis who attended primary school somewhere near or in the environs of Hillcrest from about 1946 until 1956 when it is known he then was sent to Hilton College.
Jenny Ravenscroft nee Badenhorst
I went to Commercial High in Greyville, Matriculated in 1974. We had a commercial section to the school and an art section. Don’t see this school mentioned anywhere here.
Mark Billingham
Hi Jenny, there is a Facebook group for Durban Commercial High School that you can join. The school is not mentioned here because it closed down at the end of 1977.
David Mayo
I have a query about the Durban North Primary School in Chelsea Drive in the 1940’s. Any information would be most welcome
Desiree Halse
When was Greyville Primary School (63 Kolling Street) established? It’s not mentioned above as far as I could see. (It became Mitchell High for a while, until repurposed for primary learners.)
Gerald
Hi Desiree,
I have heard of Kolling St being somewhere near the Greyville Racecourse so I looked it up in the 1968 Durban Directory and it is not listed. It is also not listed in the book I have of the Origin of Durban Street Names (1956) so it must be a relatively new naming of a street. I found it in a circa 1981 street map I have being parallel to Daly Road and running from Mitchell Road through to Umgeni Road. If I recall it skirts the Game Centre in First Avenue. I have not heard of Greyville Primary but in the 1938 Durban Directory, Mitchell Road Girls’ School is given as being in Mitchell Road. This school later became the Windermere Girls High School with Mitchell Girls’ moving to the new school in Earl Haig Road sometime around 1954/1955.
Greyville Primary School located in Kolling Street could therefore be a rather recent institution.
Desiree Halse
Thanks Gerald. Yes, it makes sense to me that after Mitchell High moved it was converted to Greyville primary. The building itself is quite historic looking I think, with its wrought iron railing around the external wall. The hall and toilets were rather run down. W Daly (soft drink manufacturer) was the neighbouring building, no longer so used. Greyville Primary has a double storey block now. As a volunteer (helping around 2008) I recall crowded classes, Black and Indian. One indigent white child, fees paid for by the Indian Headmaster. A remedial teacher, Mrs Job. Library neglected, books arranged by height, not category! Dear children, in need of support.
Gerald
Hi Desiree
I stand to be corrected but when Mitchell GHS moved to Earl Haig Road round about 1954/5, the school became Windermere GHS. They had light grey and red uniforms. For some reason I seem to remember the school became a commercial school later when Windermere GHS closed. The school building itself was quite old as I said it is listed as such in 1938. It had an ornate wrought iron fence on a brick wall structure on the perimeter. It then stood vacant for some years and I suppose resurrected as Greyville Primary which I personally do not recall. The other school in the immediate area St Agnes also suffered when Stamford Hill Road and Umgeni Road became heavily commercialised and the area dynamic changed.
Desiree Halse
HI Gerald
Just uncovered photo of Greyville Govt School (p47, Dear Old Durban by Yvonne Miller and Barbara Maud-Stone ISB-N-O-620-09139-82 545). ‘In Greyville there was the St. Agnes Junior School and in town the Convent High School in St Andrew’s Street (now in Gkenwood) and St Joseph’s Junior school (now in Convent Lane.) one pupil of the latter, whose father was a Signalman, rode daily on an hour-long journey from the Bluff to Berea Station. Lovely photo cards in this little book, bought at Adams. Thanks.
Gerald
Hi Desiree,
Something in the back of my mind told me that I had seen a picture somewhere. I have that book, two in fact. Strangely my picture of the school is on page 42 and no ISBN number. Do a SEARCH on this site for the schools you mention as I did a write up for St Josephs School and also the old St Joseph’s Church that preceded the Cathedral and was moved to Stamford Hill Road en masse. Now called San Jose and home church for the Portuguese community. The new St Joseph’s is in Florida Road.
Desiree Halse
From an ex teacher, jill, in the ’80’s : Mitchell High used to be in Mitchell Road, (now Gladys Mzanzi street I think) and the Greyville Primary school that we know moved into that building when Mitchell Girls High moved to Earl Haig Road. It remained Mitchell HS. I have not heard of Windermere High School.
More recently Mitchell HS combined with the girls’ school off Ridge Rd, Berea GHS, and the combined school is called Ridge Park College.
The old building in Earl Haig Road became a different education venue, maybe a trade school?
Mark Billingham
When Mitchell High moved to Earl Haig, Windermere H.S. either moved in or was founded at their old Greyville premises. At the end of either 1969 or 1970 (I am not sure of the exact year) Windermere high moved to the Berea and was renamed Berea Girls High School. Durban Commercial High school moved into the Greyville premises from the Technicon building (Smith/West Street) as soon as Windermere moved out. Unfortunately Durban Commercial was closed down at the end of 1977( unfortunate as it was a great school,I know because I did my Matric there in 1976), the buildings then became Provincial Admin offices of some sort for a few years and later becoming Greyville Primary.
Mark Billingham
P.S. The newer double storey wing of the school was already there when I arrived at Commercial H.S. in 1975 and was used mainly by the art section of the school. There were also tennis courts belonging to the school across the road behind W. Daly.
Desiree Halse
Thanks for putting it in perspective Mark. The current school seems to do little art or music, sadly. I wish there was facility to renovate the buildings. Greyville Primary should be a heritage project. Tennis no longer given much attention…I notice courts seldom used in other parts of our city, dilapidated…
Melissa Ross
In all the posts dating back to 2014, St Augustine’s primary school is not mentioned It was started by the Catholic Cathedral in the Durban City and then moved to where it still operates today on Sydenham Road next door to the Botanic Gardens. Run by the Church It had Nuns an Catholic priests as teachers. Does anyone have any history about this school. Thank you Melissa
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Melissa
Not all private schools were listed. The listing is predominantly State schools that were still functioning when the list was drawn up. For example Mansfield School is not listed as it had closed by then.
Robert Timmerman
Hi Gerald,
Are there any references to the Open Air School that catered for children with physical limitations. I dated a teacher from that school for a while in the 1970s – around 1975 1976 so it should have been mentioned. The children that I met often had life-limiting afflictions with wasting diseases, muscular distrophy, spinal bifida, and hard-of-hearing and limited sight. I had before then never heard of these conditions and the children impressed me as did the staff and how they coped with their various situations. The immense courage and outlook had a lasting impression upon me and i never quite looked at life the same way again.
Are there any past staff and pupils who look at this site – would love to hear if there is any instituion in Durban that caters for these pupils today in the “New” South Africa.
Desiree Halse
The Open Air School is still going strong. It’s in Esther Roberts ( formerly Frere Rd). I worked there as a psychologist for a few years in the early nineties. Courageous children, parents, and caring staff professionals.
Gerald
Hi Robert
There is no mention of the Open Air School in the book. The Open Air School has been going for a long time and was operative at the time I was at Junior School in the mid 1950s so it has a long history. For interest I checked the 1938 Durban Directory and it was operative even then in Frere Road with a Miss CE Nicols as Head. Another school that concentrated on children with difficulties was Hunt Road School. In the 1938 Directory it is listed as Opportunity School with Mrs C Williams as Head. I know the Hunt Road School buildings are still there but not sure if it is still a school. .
Desiree Halse
Hunt Road school was certainly operating as an ordinary senior school in 1994,but the building was dreadfully run-down. No toilet seats, broken taps, etc. I was there as an election agent for a day and through the night till 9am. The girls came to school but feared physical abuse in the toilets! I was saddened and shocked at the negative ethos. I hope it has improved since then.
David Richardon
I was part of the group of boys that marched from Northlands co-ed to the new Northlands Boys. Lionel Houseman and myself made the Natal Athletics team for hurdles. I remember Rod Hartman. He was a year or two junior (I think). We got together with a guy Bodley, and the three of us hiked from New Hanover down the Sterkspruit/Mpolweni/Umgeni through the valley of 100 hills. Quite an adventure. Matriculated in 1958 and went on to the Airforce Gymnasium.
DANNY MOODLEY
Hi David In Northlands Primary,there was a well known Principal,named Mr.Rankin.he left in the late 90s. He had a way of taking care of the children. Many have missed him.
Bob Philp
By mistake I cancelled subscription. Please re-register me (Can’t find registration page).
Rob Timmerman
I remember Hunt Road School too. At DHS if you did not study and pass the threat was always to send you to Hunt Road as perhaps they could pound some common sense into your head. It usually worked a treat.
Desiree Halse
it used to be a Special school for slow learners. Then it becasme an ordinary school but seemed badlyu run. How else does one explain the dreadful ethos and lack of maintenance?
Lesley du Plessis (nee Brewis)
Hi, Mitchell Girls High School closed in 1992. Does anyone know where Miss D’Eramo would be, she would also be married and I don’t know her married name? She taught Latin.
Geoffrey Angapa
Greetings, everyone.
I hope you are all doing well. I myself went to Hunt Road Secondary from 2002 to 2004, and matriculated from there. Hunt Road used to be called Durban Finishing School, and when I was there, the principal was Mrs. Kemp (I forget what her initials were). She was there at least until 2009 (for I visited the school and spoke to her that year), but I believe she retired soon after that. Hunt Road was an ordinary school during my three years there, and I’m quite surprised to hear about its once being a school for special learners. I never knew that. I wish I could visit the school and get some solid historical information about it, as well as get hold of Mrs. Kemp somehow, so that I could write up the school’s Wikipedia article. It’s not even listed on Durban’s article.
Thanks, and have a great day.
Desiree Halse
In the 1980’s the school was headquarters of DURBAN School Psychological Services under Dr Jonker. Testing and counseling, speech and occupational therapy and remedial treatment as well as social work was attended to there. Staff also planted some trees now to be seen in the grounds!
Geoffrey Angapa
That’s amazing! In my time there (2002-2004) those trees were big. We even used to climb one of them. I wish I could go back in time and see what Hunt was like through the decades. Sure, it’s not the best of schools, but I will always have a strong affection for it and its teachers.
Pieter van Wyk
Saamwerk Hoerskool was founded on 22 September 1959 and became Rossburgh High School in 1993.
Terence Dowdall
I don’t notice Bellair Government School (established in 1872) in the discussions. It’s a small redbrick school in Bellair that later became Bellair Primary School. I attended it from 1954 to 1956, when the Principal was the urbane Gerald Gough, with lively John “Tak a wak alang to the office!” McMillan as vice-principal. It still exists, with the shell of the old school grown into the modern buildings behind. Is there anybody from that period still alive out there?
Gerald Buttigieg
HI Terence
Yes strange that Bellair Govt. School not listed. I have heard of the school but know little about it. Perhaps it was amalgamated with another school? There is a History of Bellair School 1872 – 1981 written by Joyce M Roach. I have a copy. The list indicated is only of schools that were operational in the Natal Education Department when the book was written so perhaps it had closed by then.
Steve Gavin
Bellair Primary School still exists today. There is a Facebook page that past students have set up. I was at the school until 1969.
Terry Dowdall
Hi Steven – yes, I looked at it and found my brother in a prefects photograph, but nothing from my years (1954 to 1956) at all.
Terry Dowdall
No, strangely it has soldiered on over the decades. I was a pupil there from 1954 to 1956, when it was listed as Bellair Government School. The principal, Gerald Gough, a round-faced natty Brit with a little moustache, used to say: “BGS – Bally Good School!” Last year, out of curiosity, I stopped there when I visited Durban, and looked around it. The shell of the old red-brick building has been preserved, with a new school built behind it. These days it is called Bellair Primary School.
P.A.Reid
I attended Stamford Hill Road school from 1934 to 1941.At that date it was a primary school finishing a standard six. My deceased sister and brother also attended the school and were respectively three and one years ahead of me. From there I went to Glenwood and was there from 1942 till 1945.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi There
You mention Stamford Hill Road Primary School. Where was it located? Before my time and I cannot place it.
There was a Girls School near Greyville (Tram) Junction that I know of. Any history you know of of the school such as did it close down or absorbed into another school?
Marina Benetti
Dear Mr. Buttigieg,
I attended Clarence Road School in Greyville in Durban from Class1 then went to Glenwood Primary School, Addington Pre and Primary School and then back to WINDEMERE GIRL”S HIGH SCHOOL in GREYVILLE, across the road from the Durban Race Course which I have a feeling is the one you related to in your letter of 11th November 2019!
Robert Timmerman
For Terry…the head Gough was later headmaster at D.P.H.S when I attended from 1966 to 1968.
Terence Dowdall
Hi Robert – were you a DHS boy as well? How did you find Gough? I thought he was a very dapper little man, should have been located in the 1940’s. Looked a bit like an owl. Had the manner of a British officer. If you were at DHS, was the notorious Jiggs Gray still there when you were there?
Robert Timmerman
Hi Terry
Sorry for the late reply, Yes Jiggs Grey was there in my years at DHS although he never taught any of my classes – English if I remember. I had B M Askew, Mrs Schnetz, Mr Collyer but memory sketchy on any others.
I still have the yearbooks for 1966 to 1974 and often page through them to refresh my memory. D O Collier taught me for a year and also taught my son at Westville BH in the 1990s. What amazed me was Ms Clarence taught my brother, myself and my son Maths (b4 going to Westville). Less said about that experience for all of us the better as we were none of us mathematicians of any form!
Nico Lamprecht taught me Afrikaans but having spent 5 years in Mossel Bay I was quite fluent and usually finished the curriculum by the end of June. Nico has I believe retired recently.
Family info but hope you know some of the names!
Rob
Deryn Flanigan
Hello all
My late grandfather Cyril Newton went to Mansfield Road Boys School (1919-21), Durban High (1922) and then Durban Business College (1922-23), before getting his first job at Karl Gundelfinger, Ltd. His mother’s aunt was sister-in-law to Miss Louisa Clarissa Beart who ran one of the earliest schools in Durban, for which purpose-built premises were built c.1902, at 223 Florida Road. (It appears to have been known simply as ‘Miss Beart’s School’). After her retirement in 1911, the school seems to have become the more formally named Florida Road Government School under Mrs C. Nelson-Palmer. This establishment was then relocated from 223 Florida Road (c.1917) to Gordon Road, and became the mixed-sex Gordon Road Government School, but is now, I believe, Gordon Road Girls’ School. Louisa Beart died in 1945, and I’d be very interested to hear from anyone who has family members who know/vaguely recall anything about her or her school.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Deryn
All you wrote is way before my time but is interesting as you seem to be able to provide a timeline. All I can add, if it is of any worth is that according to the 1938 Braby’s Durban Directory I have , Miss L. C. Beart lived at 219 Florida Road. Her telephone number was 37364. 223 Florida Road which was next door to 219, is listed as being the residence of A.C.Phillips and the property was called “Glamis”. In the 1965 Directory 219 and 223 are consolidated and the property is now the Glamis Private Hotel. As they say “FWIW”.
PS If you do a SEARCH for Glamis on this website there are some references.
Deryn Flanigan
Hi Gerald
The bulk of my information was gleaned from a newspaper article written when the Gordon Road Girls’ School was celebrating a major anniversary a few years ago, although no mention was made in it of 223 Florida Road originally being the site of Miss Beart’s school. Sadly, most of the people who would have remembered pre-1940s Durban are no longer with us, though I live in hope that perhaps some of their children or grandchildren can recall some of their reminiscences! I did also manage to find out then that the original school site was later occupied by the Glamis Private Hotel (and if memory serves me correctly, that was actually via one of the other sections of your fascinating and very informative website) but I didn’t know that plots 219 and 223 were side by side, so thank you for that! Miss Beart and her mother, Louisa Teresa, lived at 219 for many years, and at some point after Louisa senior’s death, my, by then widowed, great-grandmother’s sister moved in with Miss Beart. Although it’s rather off-topic, you may be interested to hear that Cyril’s mother was a descendant of William Cooper and Elizabeth Dunstan who originally arrived in Durban courtesy of the sinking of the Minerva in the early 1850s.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Deryn
Just to add to your note re the Minerva. I live in the original Village of Byrne which was part of Byrne’s Emigration Scheme. Minerva arrived on 3rd July 1850 and was shipwrecked the next day. I see Elizabeth must have travelled out to Natal on her own.
If you are in Durban a good place to look for information is the Killie Campbell Museum/ Library. Old Durban Directories are available at the Durban Reference Library. You cannot loan them out though.
Deryn Flanigan
That’s quite a coincidence, Gerald! Over the years I have done a lot of research on my father’s family, but have had to mostly rely on online archives, etc, as I’m now based in the UK. When I first tracked down Elizabeth, I was quite surprised to discover that she had come out on her own – usually single female settlers travelled with a family group – but I suspect that Elizabeth was a very independent-minded lady. I have always wondered though, whether she had actually meant to go to Australia, but got on the wrong ship, as her parents and several of her siblings had left Cornwall to take advantage of the gold rush in Australia a year or two before. I believe photographs of the Byrne settlers were taken in later years, which for some time were displayed in the Museum, but I have never been able to find a copy of them.
Sandi Brown
Good morning,
Thank you for this post. I am looking for some information about Mr P.R.T Nel who was the Director of Education and opened Benjamin Pine in 1970 (officially). Highway Mail is doing an article on our 50th anniversary and want to know what his first name is and Google is not helpful at all. I am going to do some more digging but if you can help out, that would be great.
Kind regards
Mrs Sandi Brown
Principal of Benjamin Pine.
Sue Steyn
What an interesting web page to read. I was at Mount Marian/Good Sheoherd Blamey Rd and have started an old girls Facebook page but what Im really interested in is the history old building which is still standing in the middle of modern blocks of apartments!! Did any of you know we had a laundry where we worked daily ??
A R Martin
At the beginning you list the oldest schools in Natal. One glaring omission is the following:
The Deutsche Schule Hermannsburg was also founded in 1856 by the first group of missionaries and was the very first boarding school in Natal. In 1862, Pastor Heinrich Müller became headmaster. He emphasised the importance of educating the children of members of the Lutheran Church in a school that was strongly affiliated to the church, but was open to all who wanted to avail themselves of the excellent educational opportunities offered by the school.
This necessitated the introduction of more English-speaking teachers, in order to be able to cater for a wider spectrum of South Africans. Pastor Müller’s tremendous capacity for hard work and his real gift as a teacher soon won the recognition and trust of parents and school authorities.
English-speaking parents readily sent their children to Hermannsburg because of the high level of education offered at the school – especially while the controversy around Bishop Colenso lasted, and before Hilton College and Michaelhouse were founded.
Hermannsburg has the oldest hostel building in South Africa. The School was initially owned by the Lutheran Church, but is now owned and run by a Trust.
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi A R Martin
According to the book, the list was compiled from questionnaires sent out to all schools registered with the Natal Education Department in 1993. Well known schools such as Mansfield Boys and Mitchell Girls in Durban had closed by the time the book was written and therefore excluded. Possibly Hermannsburg being a private school did not respond or were not registered with the NED. Thanks for you input.
Alexis lewis
Wish to know if which high school Saamwerk amalgamated with when they closed in early 1990’s. Saamwerk Hoerskool was right across from Brettenwood high school. KZN Dept of Education unreachable on the hunt for school documents. Any help would be greatly appreciated
Trevor Friend
Does anyone have any information about the Assumption Convent on Kenyon Howden Road in Woodlands.
I was a pupil at that school in 1957/58 and my first class teacher was Sister Mary.
Beyond that I can’t remember any other names.
Does anyone remember the name of the Head Mistress or any of the other teachers back in the late 1950’s?
Derek Austin
There is a Asumption Convent group on Facebook Trevor. You will find the info there.
Trevor Friend
Thanks for the info.
Robert Timmerman
For Terry Dowdall – re Jiggs Gray, this is the article I ast read about his sexual molestation of boys at school. Fortunately I was never invited nor did he ever take me for Math or Athletics!
https://www.classcreator.com/000/1/0/1/28101/userfiles/file/DAILY_NEWS_120216_cropped.jpg
Zubeida Lowton
Hi, I found this article very interesting. I am currently conducting research on my granny’s background as she sadly past away before I could meet her. I am trying to piece together information on her life particularly her early years of growing up. She was born in 1928 and grew up in a convent but I am not sure which 1 in KZN and can’t seem to find a list or any information on which convents existed at that time. I am trying to find information on Saint Hilda’s College and Saint Chads College in KZN as my granny mentioned these names to my mother. I can’t seem to find any information online about either of these. I have used the search function on the site and found no results. I was wondering if anyone might know have any further information or be able to point me in the right direction?
Derek Austin
I found this on the Internet https://quizy.in/city-maps/saint-hildas-college-kwazulu-natal-schc
Try searching for it on Google maps as well.
Derek Austin
I also found this book https://books.google.com.au/books?id=psbnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT154&lpg=PT154&dq=saint+hildas+college+ladysmith+natal&source=bl&ots=JTLTwaA4MU&sig=ACfU3U2833dhfvVzBgGuPrKADh38fxldLQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwib_eTo06T1AhUmUGwGHcTtCOMQ6AF6BAgDEAE#v=onepage&q=saint%20hildas%20college%20ladysmith%20natal&f=false
Derek Austin
Saint Chads was a teacher training college near Ladysmith Natal https://books.google.com.au/books?id=fvKyDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA251&lpg=PA251&dq=saint+chads+college+natal&source=bl&ots=fTtrGgsVes&sig=ACfU3U3ZnR4iQDs-H-MxYzO267By9Vszyg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwifjPOi2qT1AhWySWwGHck7Ck8Q6AF6BAgJEAE#v=onepage&q=saint%20chads%20college%20natal&f=false
Derek Austin
Saint Chads even has a Facebook page https://keytrends.org/st-chads-high-school-registration-fees-forms-contacts-uniform-online-matric-results-principal-phone-2022-2023/?amp
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Zubeida
Any indication of whether your granny was educated in Durban at all or elsewhere in KZN? Personally I have never heard of St Hilda’s and St Chads. If she was born in 1928 she would have started her school years at age 6 so 1934 and if she matriculated completed her schooling in 1946.
Robert Timmerman
Perhaps an inquiry directed at the Catholic or Anglican Church’s KZN Diocese might bear fruit – if either Church ran these schools they will have a record somewhere. Hope that helps as well.
Marina Benetti
I attented the Clarens Road School in Greyville and was christened at the Church of England on the corner opposite Bells Hall and the small park next to it!
Does anybody remember the small but quant church in West street around the corner of Gardener Street. Would have been opposite the 320 West Street Building. Would you mind contacting me should you be able to enlighten me about this please!
John Sessions
Hi Marina,
The church which was opposite the present day 320 West Street building was, until the late 60’s, the original Central Methodist Church whereafter the congregation relocated to the present church building on the corner of Smith/Aliwal Streets. The old site was redeveloped for the high rise building that is there today. If you google “West Street Durban – a pictorial history” you will find numerous photographs of the old church before it was demolished. Do you remember the small one and only Woolworths shop in Durban which was next to the church towards Gardiner Street? How times have changed!
Marina Benetti
Dear Mr. Buttigieg,
I attended Clarence Road School in Greyville in Durban from Class1 then went to Glenwood Primary School, Addington Pre and Primary School and then back to WINDEMERE GIRL”S HIGH SCHOOL in GREYVILLE, across the road from the Durban Race Course which I have a feeling is the one you related to in your letter of 11th November 2019!
Diana: Brown
My Aunt attended Maple Road School Durban in 1933. I can find no reference to such a school in any of my searches. Perhaps someone reading this site has some information.
Lynette Smith (nee Williams)
Hi all,
Just a quick note regarding Pinetown Girls High School and Pinetown Boys High School. I attended the then-named Pinetown High School from 1972 until 1976. During my time there the school was split into Girls and Boys, simply because there were too many pupils for the premises to cope with. When it was my brother’s turn to begin high school with the 1974 intake, he was one of the first Std 6 (Grade 8) pupils at the brand new boys’ school, which had been built a few kilometres away in Balfour Road at the foot of Cowies Hill. The girls remained at the ‘old’ school in Old Main Road with the boys who were already pupils with them, to see out their last years of education. I am unsure as to whether this school was ‘officially’ opened in 1974 or later and unfortunately do not have more detail of this but just thought it would be of interest to mention both these schools’ roots were founded in the original Pinetown High School.
Slindile
I am doing a history assignment with my little sister, about Bellair primary school
So I need help in
Who was the first principal
Where the first school was
How many children were enrolled at school.
How many teachers were there when the school started.
Thank u in advance
Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Slindile
1872 Head Teacher Mrs E Dicken
The school was first held in a Private Home. Actual Location unknown.
First enrolment was 19 students 6 boys and 13 girls.
When the school first started there was only one teacher.
Terence Dowdall
Hi Slindile
Joyce Roach has written two histories of Bellair School. The school was founded in 1872, and was held in a wattle-anddaub outbuilding that was in the garden of the teacher’s home. The teacher was Miss Dickens. She was the Head Teacher and the only teacher, and the school had 6 boys and 13 girls. There were no desks, no blackboard, and no textbooks. The pupils were taught Reading, Writing, Spelling, DIcetation, Geography, Grammar and English History, and also Arithmetic.
In 1875 Miss Chapman took over, and by 1878 the children had textbooks which parents paid for, and a better building was obtained. She was principal until 1900. The new school was built in 1912, and this is where the present school still stands.
Jean Meiring
I am trying to trace where Peter Blum matriculated in Durban in 1942. It was an English-medium school. His matric subjects were Maths, History, English (Higher), Afrikaans (Lower), German and Latin.
Jean Meiring
I mention his subjects to assist in a process of elimination. I imagine it would have been unusual for a Durban school to offer German during WWII or am I wrong?
Heather Ellens
Windermere High School did indeed become Berea Girls High School
BGHS was a wonderful girls school which specialized in the arts…Music , in various forms, art which include more than just painting. There was ceramics amongst others. its only problem there was no physical science which many found essential.
Eventually BGHS became too small and amalgamated with Mitchell High in 1991 to become Ridge Park College There after the
ethos of the arts changed .
I was a Maths teacher at both schools for many years .I loved it.
It was an amazing era to be involved in education.
Berea Girls High has a page on Face book .
IH Dwyer
Glenwood High School (previously Technical High School) was founded in 1910 and not 1929 as you state above. The date of 1929 refers to the move from town up to the Glenwood area after which it was named in 1935.
Gerald Buttigieg
From an authoritative book I have, the date given for Glenwood High School’s founding is given as 1929. The Technical College was founded in 1910 and Glenwood HS grew out of the Technical College which remained as such and retains its 1910 founding date.
IH Dwyer
Hi Gerald
Unfortunately your ‘authorative book’ is not very authorative as the foundation of the school was 1910 and not 1929. You should consider reading the books specifically about Glenwood and then you would see why 1910 relates to Glenwood as well.