The great awkward double story house which once stood where the graceful Merriman House now stands belonged to a Mrs Thackwray who sold it to Canon R.J. Mullins as extra accommodation for his Institution. He did not use it, however, but leased it to St Andrew's in 1882. It was named 'St Andrew's House' and here Professor Matthews' survey students took up residence. They dubbed their House 'Jumbo' and lauded it over passing 'townies' often hauling them in through the cavernous front entrance to submit to an inquisition. In 1892 the school bought the property and the name 'Lower' (as opposed to 'Upper') was used for the first time in 1895. Lower operated as a separate House until 1903 when it was absorbed into Upper (South) for purposes of sport. However, Lower prefects continued to be appointed until the end of 1905 after which its students were divided up among the other Houses.
Condemned by the authorities as a 'rat-riddled warren' the old Lower was pulled down in 1911 and Herbert Baker's partner, Franklin Kendall, designed an elegant stone building to take its place which was completed by the end of 1912. The name remained current and the accommodation was used for dormitories by Upper boys while senior students occupied a series of small studies. During the Depression of the 1930s the dormitories stood empty due to a fall off in enrolment at the school and the block was used for administration offices, including the headmaster's study.
The first boy registered as a Merriman inmate is S.P. Adkins (1941-1943) who was transferred to Merriman in 1942 from Armstrong. The first purely Merriman boy was Malcolm Bowie (1942-1945) the very eminent paediatrician and Emeritus Associate Professor of Paediatrics at UCT, one of St Andrew's most eminent alumni.
During the war a number of English boys were sent to safety in South Africa as 
'refugees'. Others who would normally have been educated in England or Europe came from Kenya and the Belgium Congo. Many of these were founder members of Merriman. Notable among them were Paul and Roger Jeanty from the Belgium Congo who absorbed the spirit of College and reveled in the freedom of a South African boyhood. It was in remembrance of that carefree time that Roger Jeanty honoured the school with great generosity in later years.
Merriman has always been considered an academic House and has an admirable record in academic and cultural pursuits. Contributing to this has been a succession of excellent housemasters, including two chaplains, Revd H. 'Soapie' Cartwright and the Revd Kingsley Driver (OA) who nurtured this tone with their caring interest in the lives of the boys and their insistence on principles, high standards and impeccable manners, a standard epitomised in the kindly mentorship of John Gay and Jan 'Basie' Van Wyk. Sportsmen have also been in charge of Merriman in including cricketer Paul Marsh, a future headmaster of Hilton and British oarsman and coach of the Springbok rowing team, Martin Kennard. The renowned cricket commentator Charles Fortune was also Housemaster of Merriman. Percy Callaghan served two stints as housemaster and a plaque containing a tribute from the Merriman matrics of 1985 bears testimony to the high regard in which he was held by those whom he mentored. In recent times Mike Fennell and Nick Clogg (OA) have brought sporting enthusiasm to the House while Merriman's academic lustre remains undimmed.
Among the eminent old boys of Merriman is former Judge President of the Cape Division, Edwin King, whose school boy antics were as legendary for their mischief as his judgements are distinguished for their wisdom; Admiral Kenneth Snow, who has served on the Royal Yacht Brittania, distinguished academic and former Acting Master of Yale in the United States, Murray Biggs; sculptor John Gardiner; explorer, author and mountaineer Richard Hudson. Merriman has produced no less than 11 sportsmen who hold national colours - in gymnastics, hockey, powerboat racing, canoeing, aeronautics, shooting and equestrian.
Housemasters:
Revd H.J. Cartwright (1942-1945), Charles Fortune (1946-1952), Revd Kingsley Driver (1952-53), J.B. Gay (1954-56), J. A. van Wyk (1957-1964), Paul Marsh (1965-1982), R. Medley (1983-1985), P. Callaghan (1985-1989), M. Kennard (1990-1994), Callaghan (1994-1997), M. Fennell (1997-2000), N. Clogg (OA) (2001-2006)
Sir Henry Strakosch Memorial Scholarships 201229th January 2012
To encourage and reward excellence in Science and Maths
18th January 2012
Three College boys travelled to Kampalato to join this amazing experience.
