Welcome to The Quadrangle, our new-look newsletter for our Old Boys. We hope you find it interesting, entertaining and stimulating – and perhaps it will even help you reconnect with old friends. We welcome any suggestions for future content. Please email your ideas and feedback to ccoba@ccoba.co.nz

Survey results – you asked for it!

Sincere thanks to everyone who took the time to respond to our recent CCOBA survey.

We had 700 replies, from a broad cross section of members – from 18-year-olds to 86+ year-olds – and all were incredibly supportive and encouraging of the work we do.

The survey was prompted by our decision to produce a more user-friendly online version of our newsletter, to ensure it had the right name, and check its content meets requirements.

Thanks to Rod Heard and many others who suggested we revert to the publication’s original name The Quadrangle, which was introduced in 1994 when Rod was CCOBA president.

Eighty-six percent said the news they most enjoyed were stories about other Old Boys, with deaths, obituaries and general College news close behind. Part of the survey sought advice on the frequency of publication, and more than half of respondents wanted it to be available once every two months – bimonthly.

We hope you enjoy The Quadrangle. If you have any ideas or suggestions, or know interesting Old Boys we can interview, please tell us. This is your publication and we want it to be of interest to you all.

Want to become a mentor?

We are always on the lookout for Old Boys who would like to occasionally engage with current students and are keen to start a “mentors’ directory” – a register or database of Old Boys we can approach who would be willing to come to College and talk to boys about their work and lives.

The wider the range of careers the better, says Careers Advisor Chris Sellars, who regularly organises informal conversations between Old Boys and College students with a keen interest in their field. The small, casual conversations allow the boys to ask all the questions they want. Colonel Winston Cosgrove, musician Tim Sellars, lawyer Chris Newman, pilot Sam Botherway, and journalist Alex Baird are among those who have shared their stories in the past.

If you would like to be placed on this register, please click here or contact Alumni Manager Lizzie Dyer.

Media campaign – Old Boys in the spotlight

You may have seen College’s recent eye-catching media campaign – full page advertisements in The Press and on social media featuring six Old Boys and their life after College. Robert Bell, Sam Johnson, Joe Moody, George Ritchie, James Stringer and Dr Uddaka Wijesinghe have all pursued different career pathways, and their journeys make fascinating reading. See below.

The aim of the campaign was to keep College in the spotlight, to show where a College education can lead, to remind parents of the opportunities College provides, and to encourage current boys to emulate those who have gone before.

In each edition look out for interesting Old Boy stories, enjoy the read!

Who are we and what do we do?

We are introducing local Branch Presidents and Secretaries. There are a few gaps – please let us know if you’d like to be involved.

Ninety-seven years of the Old Boys’ tie

On 26 April 1923, the Christ’s College Old Boys’ Association committee meeting was read letters from William Gordon Weston (1715) regarding the introduction of an Old Boys’ tie.ⁱ Discussion ensued about possible colours, with black, white and red suggested, along with black, white, blue and gold. Blue and gold were the colours of the early College shield that appeared in the Harper window in the Chapel. The report and statement of accounts for 1922–23 reiterated this information and the concern that the tie was not to be confused with the school colours or those of regiments and schools in England.ⁱⁱ

As expected a sub-committee was formed, composed of Edward Rogers Webb (722), Arthur Edward E Flower (1301), Richard Strachan De Renzy Harman (2389), Edward Vesey Hamilton (315) and Reginald Tristram Harper (1519), and they reported their decision on 30 May.ⁱⁱⁱ The tie was to be as close to sample E (pictured) as possible.

More news appears in early 1924.^iv Sample ties had been made up and forwarded from Foster & Co in London. The committee proceeded to order three dozen. After receiving orders from Old Boys, however, the order increased to six dozen, and then another six dozen. It was then that local firms became involved. Both Beath & Co Ltd and J Ballantyne & Co Ltd indicated they could import the material and make the ties locally. The sub-committee was empowered to get the best deal.^v

The first variation on the tie occurred in 1926, when the knitted tie with horizontal stripes was approved as an alternative to the original tie.^vi

In 1936 Hal Williams (1218) contacted the Old Boys’ committee with the suggestion that the tie not have any colours in it. He submitted a design, and samples from both England and Ballantynes were viewed.^vii The minutes do not indicate any further development of this design.^viii

Why the “present” tie was not considered satisfactory in 1950 is unclear.^ix Nevertheless, the following motion was passed: “That J Ballantyne and Company be officially asked to consider the designing of a new tie of more or less the same colour as the blazer, which incorporates the Tui Head”.^x Various designs were viewed throughout 1951.^xi A design was approved on a light blue background, with the shield and tui from the College coat of arms and twenty dozen ordered from Messrs Owen Green Ltd of London.^xii Finally, on 15 September 1952, the Old Boys’ secretary was able to report the ties had arrived and would be sold for 15/- each.^xiii

A meeting of past presidents convened by Tom Tothill (5712) in 2004 queried the possibility of re-introducing the older diagonal tie. After investigation, it was decided to do just that and 500 were ordered.^xiv Unfortunately, there was a water leak in the basement where the ties were stored and all the remaining stock was ruined, so an opportunity was taken to redesign the tie.

Working Style was sent examples of both the blue and striped ties with a request to create a new design. In August 2018, they presented a tie to the Old Boys’ committee that combined both previous versions: navy blue with gold and light blue stripes and a small coloured Christ’s College crest at the base of the front blade. The committee meeting of 28 November announced the latest version of the Old Boys’ tie had arrived.^xv

Old Boys’ ties across 97 years

L–R: 2018, 2005, 1952, c1950, c1926, c1924, c1923

ⁱ Christ’s College Old Boys’ Association minutes 26 April 1923. Hereafter abbreviated to CCOBA
ⁱⁱ CCOBA report and statement of accounts 1922–23
ⁱⁱⁱ CCOBA minutes 30 May 1923
^iv CCOBA minutes 24 February 1924
^v The ties in the College archives indicate that Ballantyne & Co Ltd were the preferred supplier
^vi CCOBA minutes 28 April 1926
^vii CCOBA minutes 9 December 1936, 26 May 1937, 12 July 1937
^viii There are no ties in the Christ’s College Archives to suggest the design, which was not described in the minutes, was ever proceeded with
^ix The minutes do not indicate whether this was the tie with diagonal stripes or horizontal stripes
^x CCOBA minutes 6 November 1950. The Old Boys’ blazer was blue at the time, with the College shield, helm and tui head on the pocket
^xi CCOBA minutes 12 February 1951, 16 April 1951, 11 June 1951
^xii CCOBA minutes 16 April 1951, 11 June 1951, 14 August 1951, 12 May 1952
^xiii CCOBA minutes 15 September 1952
^xiv CCOBA minutes 4 March 2004, 14 August 2004, 18 November 2004, 12 May 2005
^xv CCOBA minutes 28 March 2018, 1 August 2018, 28 November 2018

There is plenty of activity ahead. Book now to secure your place.

UPCOMING DATES

SAVE THE DATE

Obituaries

Andrew Carrington Yates (6479), aged 80

Andrew Carrington Yates was the brother of Warwick Yates (5816) and Scott Yates (6104). From Christchurch, he was in Jacobs House and Condell’s House from 1955-57. In spite of suffering from colitis during his years at College, and ongoing health issues throughout much of his life, Andrew always remained positive ...

Read full article here

Jeremy Hall (5119), aged 90

A Naval Lieutenant Commander, Queen’s equerry, and a farmer, Jeremy Hall (5119) who died on 21 October 2019 aged 90, had an accomplished career. The son of a Waikari farming family, he boarded at Waihi, South Canterbury for four years, making the school’s first XI, first XV and the top hockey team ...

Read full article here

Michael Muschamp (5437), aged 88

Michael Muschamp was an Entrance Scholar and in Harper House 1945–1948. He died at Torquay near Melbourne on 8 April 2020 aged 88. Both his parents were born in England. His father was vicar at St Michael's Church in Christchurch from 1937–1951 and in 1952 became Bishop of Kalgoorlie in Australia. Michael led a colourful life as the following obituary written by Lawrence Money attests. We reprint with Lawrence’s permission.

Read full article here

Old Boy Deaths

April—May 2020

We have learned of the following deaths in our community. Our sympathy and understanding is extended to their family and friends.

David Churchill GOULD (4857)
Christchurch 28 April 2020

Scott Buckhurst STEVEN (8828)
Bay of Plenty 29 April 2020

Nigel Hugh ENSOR (7944)
Hastings 8 May 2020

Brian Charles NICOLL (5606)
Mt Maunganui 11 May 2020

John Heathcote GARLAND (4567)
Hawke's Bay 20 May 2020

Wynyard Lindsay FAIRCLOUGH (4315)
Christchurch 22 May 2020

Michael John Brian MOORE (10480)
Christchurch 22 May 2020

Andrew Carrington YATES (6479)
Ashburton 24 May 2020

Angus Alastair John ROBERTSON (6209)
Rangiora 25 May 2020

Warren John SCOTTER (7223)
Hamilton 27 May 2020

Francis Hay DAVISON (6510)
Canterbury 28 May 2020

Christopher John MORRIS (8518)
Christchurch 31 May 2020

If you would like to contribute an obituary for The Chronicle please email Lizzie ccoba@ccoba.com.

As a guideline, we suggest each obituary be approximately 500 words, however we are happy to accept longer or shorter options.

Please note that this office may edit obituaries submitted.

College – Issue 38 Summer 2020

Keep up to-date with the latest happenings at College from academic to our diverse co-curricular programme! Plus, a special Old Boys’ section. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW