UPPER HOUSE

As the original building of College, Upper House has many unique claims.Among these is the fact that its newboys surely have the grandest prep room in the school. With its gothic windows, balustraded gallery and lofty proportions, this was the school’s original chapel, complete with stained glass windows of 17th century German origin. Later, as “College Hall”, this room also served as the school dining room, the library and the house common room. For several decades Upper really was the place “where all St Andrew’s worshipped, worked and fed”.

A catalogue of Upper’s technological advances reads like a progress from the dawn of time! What jubilation there must have been at the introduction of gas lighting in the school’s 40th year, and again 30 years later when electricity arrived. For more than 40 years water was supplied from a well behind the building, until pipes reached the school in 1899. The house saw many additions and extensions before it finally reached its present proportions in 1942, when Canadian shingles also replaced the corrugated iron roof.
For most of this time, of course, Upper was the school. And indeed it only became known as “Upper” in 1892 with the purchase of “Lower”, the building which was later to be replaced by Merriman House. This separation, followed by the division of Upper into “North” and “South” with the addition of a new wing in 1894, was perhaps the first step towards the introduction of houses, on the model of the English public schools. Four years later Armstrong House was built across the street. Now for the first time there were housemasters and heads of houses, and the emergence of traits that would distinguish one house from another.

The housemaster credited with moulding Upper’s rugged character is WA Robinson (1903-1918). His immaculate successor, AF Murray, was responsible for introducing the tartan kilts to College. SF “Smithy” Gascoigne-Smith (19502) was a colourful character (with a colourful motor vehicle!), while Eric Norton (1960s) was a legendary sportsman. Axel Ohlsson (1970s) believed that the boys’ quarters belonged to the boys and left that space to them – and to his very able matron, Joan Warren. Tony “Major” Crankshaw (1980s), commanding officer of the cadet corps, was a strong man with a straight view of right and wrong. Jerry Catto’s tenure (1990s) saw the introduction of a gentler tone alongside older traditions of ruggedness. The buildings of Upper House tenaciously hold on to one vexing secret: where is the foundation stone of the school?

Text from A Place to Celebrate (Written by Tim Nuttall and Lynette Paterson, assisted by Marguerite Poland)

For information on the current Housemaster of Upper please click here: Upper