School History

• Proud progress over the years

  Lindisfarne College opened its doors to 33 foundation pupils on April 14th, 1953, but it was the generosity of E.J. Herrick which made the creation of Lindisfarne a possibility. In 1951 he offered the land and buildings of his Hastings farmlet named "Lindisfarne" to the Presbyterian Church for £20,000—leaving £5,000 to the College as a gift if the extra £1,500 was raised within a month. Excited by the prospect of establishing a private Presbyterian Boys' Boarding School in Hastings, the school's 3 founding fathers—Reverend F.H. Robertson (the College's first Rector), A. Kirkpatrick (the first College Council Chairman), and R.D. Brown, arranged the purchase within time, thanks to the generosity of a relatively small group of local supporters.

  The beautiful park-like surroundings of the school grounds, and the gracious old 3 storeyed "Homestead" building, have been nurtured and well maintained so that the College environment is a peaceful and pleasant educational environment for pupils and staff. The old tennis court area, dating from the 1900's, has evolved into the sweeping Homestead lawn, edged by flower beds, native ferns bordering the trickling stream and many marvellous old English trees.

  The College Council marked the new millennium with extensive renovations of the Homestead building, managing to keep its "Olde World" charm by employing skilled craftsmen to renew the wooden panelling, leather armchairs and tiled roofing. The "Homestead" now houses the staffroom, Rector's office, Boardroom and administration areas.

• College Rectors and Roll

  1953-1954 — Reverend F.H. Robertson (Roll 33 boarders)
  1955 — P.H.G. Southwell (Roll 85 boarders)
  1956-1959 — J.W. Scougall (Roll 126 boarders)
  1959-1970 — A.C. Francis (Roll 134 boarders)
  1970-1978 — J.H.N. Pine (Roll 98 boarders and dayboys)
  1978-1980 — P.M. Hill (Roll 159 boarders, 138 dayboys)
  1980-2000 — W.G. Smith (Roll 172 boarders, 133 dayboys)
  2000-2009 — G.W. Lander (Roll 126 boarders, 262 dayboys)
  2010 - Present — K. MacLeod (Commencing Term 2)
  2010  Roll — 240 boarders, 240 dayboys = 480 boys

• College Facilities

  Since the official opening of Lindisfarne by the 1953 Governor General, Sir Willoughby Norrie, many changes have occurred in the school facilities. Enterprising staff and students helped reduce boarding costs in the school's early days by growing their own vegetables; raising poultry for the college kitchen, and acting as tradesmen by doing all the chores. Half a century later, boys on kitchen duty are still termed to be on "trades", but the most feared "trade" of lighting the school boiler for hot showers has long disappeared.

  Gradually, adaptations have been made to the old Herrick Homestead and outbuildings, as money has allowed. The present "oral communication" room, was once the Herrick Family Squash Hall; the cattlestop at the Pakowhai Road gate has long gone and Year 10 boarders now enjoy better dormitory facilities, than they once did when they all slept in the semi-attic top floor of the Homestead.

  A major building programme in 1970 saw the Rector's Residence, Dining Hall, Classroom Block, Tennis Courts, Swimming Pool and Brown Robertson hostel all completed and in 1971 the Assembly Hall/Chapel was officially opened. Campbell and Kirkpatrick boarding hostels were erected in 1975, with Mitchell Villa being added in 1979.

  A major fundraising effort in 1980 saw $300,000 raised which gave a good financial basis for the completion of the Practical Arts Centre; the Horticultural Block, and in 1987 the Gymnasium was built. 1989 saw the present Kitchen and Laundry area established and the 8 hectare "Farne" sports grounds in Lyndhurst Road was purchased in 1993. 1994 saw Astroturf Tennis Courts and the Old Boys' Sports Pavilion completed. 1997 saw the Library and Science Complex taking shape, and 2001 has seen the Intermediate and Art Departments move into the newest teaching block, whilst major renovations have occurred to student and staff boarding facilities.

  Thanks as ever to a dedicated group of college supporters, the Performing Arts Centre is anticipated to begin in the school's 50th Jubilee Year in 2003.

• The Christian Dimension—a Lindisfarne cornerstone

  As befits a school founded on the land and principles of the Presbyterian Church, the school proudly takes its name from the early monastery, established in 634 AD off the Northumbrian Coast of England by St Aidan.

  Each boy at Lindisfarne is placed in one of 4 'Houses'; Oswald, Durham, Aidan and Cuthbert—each named after early Christian martyrs or saints, and Christian worship is a vital element of College Life.

  Although the twice-daily chapel services of the early school years have been reduced to three times weekly, College Chaplain, Reverend Warren Fortune, helps keeps Christian principles and practice at the forefront of every aspect of school life. 'House' chapels which involve boys running a complete morning's worship, established in 1988; Bible Reading competitions; Peer Support Programmes; a popular Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and a counselling network of form teachers and deans, all to reinforce Christian ethics of concern and respect for others.

  Every year a number of boys make the important decisions to become communicant members of the church at a special College Confirmation service. Links with other Christian based schools are maintained and the sisters of many Lindisfarne boys attend Lindisfarne's sister school Iona College in Havelock North and each year a Quadrangular Tournament is held amongst New Zealand's 4 leading Presbyterian Church schools: Lindisfarne, Scots, St Kentigern's and St Andrew's Colleges.

• Cultural Participation—a Lindisfarne cornerstone

  Every boy at Lindisfarne is encouraged to become involved in the many aspects of cultural activity offered by the school. Lindisfarne is unique in that the "Oral Communication" course is compulsory for all juniors, and these lessons help make boys competent at all areas of public speaking.

  Oratory, Debating, Drama and Speech Board and Trinity College examinations all allow boys plenty of chances to develop self-confidence. Such involvement led in 1989 to the College's senior debate team winning the NZ Jaycees Secondary Schools' championship, with a total of 250 boys sitting NZ Speech Board Examinations the same year.

  Established in 1980 by Rector, Graham Smith, the Annual Inter-house Music Competition sees every boy in the school in a choir, singing for house points. In 1991, one in three boys learned a musical instrument and this proportion has now increased, thanks to a number of itinerant music tutors in piping, drumming, brass, woodwind, piano and guitar. The school's Symphonic and Jazz Bands regularly entertain at concerts, and the College Pipe Band, established in the 1970's, is now becoming a popular musical outlet, especially for boys with Scottish heritage.

  The Te Whaiti Scheme, funding Maori students at Lindisfarne, reached its peak in 1986, when 18 Te Whaiti Scholars, led by John Timu, represented Ngati Kahungunu at the Te Maori Exhibition opening and welcoming Queen Elizabeth to Hawke's Bay with a Powhiri.

• Academic Excellence—a Lindisfarne cornerstone

  Lindisfarne College has built up an enviable reputation in its half century of growth for producing excellent academic results. Small classes and keen, well qualified staff, ensure that each year Lindisfarne pupils consistently achieve above boys at other schools.

  In 1984, 90% of Lindisfarne candidates passed School Certificate and more than 70% passed University Bursary examinations. In 2000, Lindisfarne boys ranked 11th out of the top 100 North Island schools for overall School Certificate results.

  Even in the early days of the College, Old Boys began to distinguish themselves by their academic prowess. By 1959 Lindisfarne had produced four Professors and a Rhodes Scholar, and since 1972 when the first four Te Whaiti scholars enrolled, Lindisfarne pupils have taken up leadership roles in both European institutions and in Maoridom. As examples, Old Boy and Te Whaiti scholar, Taine Randall's athletic and academic skills were honed at the school, and the Chief Judge of the Maori Land Court, is ex-pupil Jo Williams.

  In 1982 top scholars began receiving Academic Ties in acknowledgement of their academic ability and these have been keenly sought after ever since.

• Sporting Achievement—a Lindisfarne cornerstone

  One current staff member has described sport at Lindisfarne as being "the glue that holds the school together", and certainly, sport is held in high regard in the traditions of an all boys school such as Lindisfarne. In the past 50 years, the traditional New Zealand team codes of rugby and cricket have been keenly enjoyed at the school, where participation in sport by each boy is compulsory. More recently the sports offered have broadened to include softball, basketball, tennis, skiing, golf, soccer, hockey, claybird shooting, athletics, swimming, triathlon, squash, badminton and surfing.

  Unlike many schools which offer inter-school sports competition, only for top teams, Lindisfarne teachers give up hours of their spare time, after school and in weekends, to coach and support boys at all ability levels.

  Annual sports exchanges are held with such 'brother' schools as St Andrew's (Christchurch), John McGlashan (Dunedin), Rathkeale (Masterton) and St Kentigern's (Auckland), colleges and overseas schools visit regularly on sporting interchanges.

  International sport fixtures are also arranged when first teams travel overseas. The 1st Hockey XI first travelled to play Australian schools in 1986, to be followed by the 1st Rugby XV tour to Canada and the USA in 1988. In 1997, Lindisfarne hockey and cricket teams both made the top 8 teams in New Zealand, and the Rugby 1st XV celebrated its unbeaten position among Hawke's Bay schools with a successful tour of the British Isles.