UPCOMING EVENTS

65 & 75 Years On Reunion

We enjoyed welcoming our 65 and 75 Years On Old Boys back to College for a wonderful celebration. Many marvelled at the new multi-functional sports centre, Upper West, and were in fine voice at Congers. It was also an opportunity for our older Old Boys to meet our new Executive Principal, Joe Eccleton, as they looked forward to a new era for the school while recalling so much of their own school memories.

Christchurch Long Lunch

Actor extraordinaire Nic Kyle (12658) spoke at this year’s long lunch in Christchurch. While based in Auckland, Nic has always travelled extensively, living and working in London for four years, Germany, Canada and the US. 

Record turnout in Wānaka

What a fantastic event, our biggest yet in Wānaka with over 100 attending. 

A great hit

The inaugural CCOBA tennis tournament in Christchurch is set to become an annual fixture on our calendar after a hugely successful debut. Congratulations to Will Schneideman (14881) who took out the Derek Banks Trophy and our thanks to Chris Anderson (12298) from Lane Neave for his enthusiasm in getting this event off the ground and his sponsorship of Christ's College tennis.

Golfers galore

Sydney

Melbourne

Ashburton & South Canterbury

Blenheim

Obituaries

Robert Keith Godfrey (5755)

Awarded an open scholarship to Christ’s College, barrister and solicitor Robert Keith Godfrey (5755) continued the family tradition as a Julius House member. In a distinguished legal career, he was appointed as a specialist Civil Claims Magistrate in Sydney, NSW and also played both the trumpet and French horn, becoming involved with several bands.

John Gibson Laidlaw (5687)

A former North Canterbury farmer and active member of his regional community, John Gibson Laidlaw (5687) continued to help others throughout his retirement – maintaining Port Hill tracks, contributing to his local parish, and delivering Meals on Wheels for nearly 30 years. 

Read full obituaries here

Deaths

September–October 2024

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

Richard James Fulton BARNETT SNR (5088)
Christchurch, 17 September 2024

Peter Dawson DALLAS (5748)
Wellington, 22 September 2024

Robert Keith GODFREY (5755)
Victoria, 6 October 2024

John Gibson LAIDLAW (5687)
Christchurch, 15 October 2024

Gerald FITZGERALD (4941)
Christchurch, 16 October 2024

John Worrall WHEELANS (5632)
Christchurch, 18 October 2024

William Henry Stuart WISE (5542)
Otago, 19 October 2024

Dennis Edward HANDYSIDE (7302)
Wairarapa, 22 October 2024

Barry Stuart Ridsdale MILLAGE (6426)
Wellington, 25 October 2024

Malcolm Arthur Charles WHYTE (6970)
Wellington, 26 October 2024

Contributions welcome

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

As a guideline, we suggest a 500-word submission. However, we are happy to accept longer or shorter options.

*Please note that this office may edit obituaries.

Old Collegians Football Club

Working with other archivists is an important part of an archivist’s job. So, when a pocket monogram was seen again while checking the College collection and deciding which items would go into the College Museum, it was time to follow the clues that were displayed.

The first person to ask was Derek Banks (6247), who was researching the history of the Old Boys Collegians Cricket Club. He did not recognise it.

The thistles indicated a link with St Andrew’s College. Thanks to Pip Dinsenbacher, the archivist at St Andrew’s College, we now have an answer as that school has the same monogram in its collection. Attached to it was a note that indicated it was for the Collegians Football Club. Even more useful was the date, 1937–1938.ⁱ

The St Andrew’s College Collegian explained that “owing to a lack of playing members and the difficulty of placing teams in the field, the [Football Club] amalgamated with the Old Boys of Christ’s College and formed a new club called the Collegians Football Club”.ⁱⁱ

The officers of the new club were shared between the Colleges. Keith Rutherford Wallace (StAC) and Charles Stewart Thomas (2226) were appointed patrons and William Alan Chapple McDonald, St Andrew’s first Head Prefect, took on the role of president and was the delegate to the Canterbury Rugby Union. Arthur Edward Flower (1301) and John Bibby Mawson, the Rector of St Andrew’s College, shared the vice presidency. The club captain was Herbert Radcliffe Black (3577). Surprisingly, there is no mention of the formation of the club in the Christ’s College Register.

The amalgamation of the Old Collegians Club and the St Andrew’s College Old Boys Club had to be approved by the Canterbury Rugby Union and this was confirmed on 6 October 1936.ⁱⁱⁱ  Clearly, membership was to be confined to Old Boys and masters of the schools, but there was some discussion about membership being extended to all old boys of secondary schools outside Christchurch. However, this question was referred to the annual meeting of the union, where it was opposed.^iv

Papers Past contains reports on the club. The first being an account of its “first social venture”, a dance at the Winter Gardens at which the club colours of pale blue and white were evident.^v These became an annual event. 

It appears that the club was reformed after a lapse of three years in 1946 and disbanded finally between 1952 and 1957.^vi

ⁱ This account owes much to Pip Dinsenbacher’s research.
ⁱⁱ St Andrew’s College Collegian 1938, p 90
ⁱⁱⁱ The Press 7 October 1936 The AGM of the Christ’s College Old Boys’ Association supported the amalgamation The Press 12 October 1936
^iv The Press 10 March 1937
^v The Press 30 April 1937
^vi The Press 28 March 1946. The Press 11 January 1957.