NEWCASTLE BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL
NBHS was a government-funded, single-sex selective high school,
located in Waratah, a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
The school was active between 1934 and 1976, after which time it closed as Newcastle Boys’ High School
and became a co-educational non-selective school, initally named Waratah High School.
MOTTO
Latin: Remis Velisque
With Oars & Sails
(ie With all one’s might)
SCHOOL CAPTAINS
1930 • A. Bishop
1931 • T. Brown
1932 • L. Deed
1933 • L. Cane
1934 • A. Roach
1935 • J. Anderson
1936 • K. Clark
1937 • J. Lee
1938 • K. Croese
1939 • J. Cornish
1940 • J. Davis
1941 • F. Field
1942 • W. Clark
1943 • A. Hilton
1944 • D. Stove
1945 • R. Carruthers
1946 • A. Hannaford
1946 • B. Morley
1947 • W. Hurditch
1948 • L. Fairburn
1949 • G. Gleghorn
1950 • G. Henry
1951 • D. Willis
1952 • K. Scott
1953 • J. McKenzie
1954 • D. Beach
1955 • T. Dunn
1956 • J. Anderson
1957 • I. Johnson
1958 • R. Wines
1959 • J. Beveridge
1960 • R. O’Sullivan
1961 • I. Duncan
1962 • M. Williams
1963 • P. Seale
1964 • D. Williamson
1965 • G. Harrison
1966 • M. Simpson
1967 • M. Simpson
1968 • J. Davis
1969 • J. Hogg
1970 • D. Williams
1971 • N. Watson
1972 • I. McPhee
1973 • D. Mulligan
1974 • S. Ticehurst
1975 • M. Back
1976 • A. Dodd
SCHOOL DUXES
1930 • W. Kable
1931 • A.Edgar
1932 • F. Learmouth
1933 • R. Wilson
1934 • K. Shellshear
1935 • R. Outten
1936 • C. Hughes
1937 • G. Solomon
1938 • A. Swan
1939 • D. Stewart
1940 • J. Beath
1941 • G. Keys
1942 • B. Hunter
1943 • A. Beattie
1944 • K. Goold
1945 • R. Pountney
1946 • A. Knott
1947 • T. Worsley
1948 • W. Quinn
1949 • R. Gray
1950 • D. Douglas
1951 • D. Barnes
1952 • D. Barnes
1953 • P. Cole
1954 • A. Findlay
1955 • J. Cardenzana
1956 • J. Cox
1957 • M. Batley
1958 • R. Temple
1959 • J. Bunting
1960 • J. See
1961 • P. Whitford
1962 • C. De Jager
1963 • K. Taylor
1964 • P. Browne
1965 • D. Davey
1966 • HSC BEGINS
1967 • P. Herrald
1968 • M. Daffey
1969 • R. Dunstan
1970 • P. McGorry
1971 • C. Bensley
1972 • R. Adams
1973 • S. White
1974 • G. Davidson
1975 • R. Patrick
1976 • P. Ferris
HOUSES
Hannell ♦♦♦ RED
Hunter ♦♦♦ YELLOW
Shortland ♦♦♦ GREEN
Smith ♦♦♦ BLUE
SCHOOL COLOURS
♦♦♦ RED & ♦♦♦ BLUE
HISTORY
Newcastle Boys High School became non-selective and co-educational in 1977 and changed its name to Waratah High School that same year. Later it became Waratah Technology High School, and then Waratah Technology Campus of Callaghan College in 2000.
An academically selective boys-only high school which moved to Waratah in 1934.
TIMELINE
NBHS
1933
Move to Waratah commenced during “half-yearlies”; school spartan, noisy.
1934
NBHS starts at Waratah; first Headmaster Charles (“Daddy”) Christmas; NHS becomes Newcastle Junior High School.
1935-1944
Norman R Mearns is Headmaster.
1939
David Stewart, Rhodes Scholar, is dux.
1939-1945
World War II; 333 to RAAF, 142 to AIF and 45 to RAN; 51 died; 14 missing; 13 decorated.
1941
F H Beard is Deputy Headmaster.
1942-1975
Charlie Goffet teaches French and coaches athletics.
1945-1947
William Pillans is Headmaster.
1946
Allen Knott, Rhodes Scholar, is dux.
1948-1963
Frank Harold Beard is Headmaster; sex education, SWASSC, CAB, uniforms, “esprit de corps”.
1949
Kevan Gosper sets NBHS records, which still stand, in 200 and 400 metres; the wearing of school uniforms now common.
1951, 1952
Don Barnes is the only dual Dux.
1952
World War II Memorial Entrance unveiled by Lieutenant General Ivan Dougherty; F H Beard introduces sex education.
1956
Jubilee Year; the Jubilee Celebration speech was delivered by ex-student and Sydney journalist Oliver Hogue; popular English teacher, Fred Smith, drowns in Newcastle Baths, aged 34.
1957
Wyndham report released (28 October).
1963
F H Beard retires.
1964-1974
L T (Tom) Richardson is Headmaster; sport, Easter church parade; parent-teacher night.
1966
Change to HSC; no Dux.
1966, 1967
M Simpson is the only dual Captain.
1967
First sixth form.
1971
Students’ Representative Council set up.
1973
> Announcement that selective schooling is to end <
1974
L T (Tom) Richardson retires.
1975
Charlie Goffet retires.
1975-1976
Vic Webber is Relieving Headmaster.
1975-1978
There is intense construction activity to make the new Waratah High School.
1976
NGHS and Hunter High amalgamated.
First musical record produced by the School, “Red on Blue”, featuring jazz band, string quartet and brass band.
1977
First Year 12 (formerly referred to as sixth form).
1978
June; NBHS completes its metamorphosis (by Government decree) to WHS by the removal of the name “Newcastle Boys’ High School” from the front of the school, and its replacement with “Waratah High”; this sparks a “sit-in revolt” by Year 12 students.
The last students, who enrolled at NBHS, complete their schooling (with Waratah High School references).
David Wells, the last School Captain, who attended the school from 1973-1978 inclusive, said: “We as students were always being told that we had to start new standards, leaving the old behind and go forward with a deeper interest in Waratah High. They did not realise that we at NBHS wanted to keep up ‘our own standards’ and work towards our own traditions, something that the governing body did not seem to understand. To be able to finish off the NBHS spirit, just as we had started, was the feeling of the students, which was shown throughout the last years of the old school. Spirit does not end with the change in a school’s name; it lives on within all those students whom it touched.”
1981
Ben and Margaret Timmins (school tuck shop) retire.
HEADMASTERS
The Headmasters of Newcastle Boys High School were:
- 1930–31 Robert Frederick Harvey
- 1932–34 Charles Herbert Christmas
- 1935–44 Norman Ross Mearns
- 1945–47 William Pillans
- 1948–63 Frank Harold Beard
- 1964–74 Leonard Thomas Richardson
- 1975–76 Victor Huish Webber (relieving)
SCHOOL SONG – more
Newcastle Boys High School continued to sing the Newcastle High School song: words by a member of staff, R. G. Henderson MA set to the tune of “D’ye ken John Peel?”, chosen by competition announced in 1913 in the school journal, “Novocastrian”. When the boys moved to the plain at the Waratah site, they no longer climbed up The Hill and the first verse was re-written in 1943 by Mr Hodge.
SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
The following Newcastle Boys’ High School students won scholarships to the Professor Harry Messel International Science School:
1962 Malcolm James Williams / 1964 Peter Gordon Browne / 1965 Ian Donald Henderson / 1966 Grahame John Edgar / 1967 Michael Duncan Daffey / 1968 David Ian Cocking / 1969 David Bruce Williams / 1969 Graeme John Williams / 1971 Danny James Llewellyn / 1971 Ian Allen Watson / 1973 Richard Kleeman / 1973 Stephen Bruce Ticehurst / 1974 John Ambler / 1974 Dale Kleeman
NOTABLE ALUMNI
Michael Back – Freehills Brisbane managing partner
Reginald Ian Barrett – jurist; Judge, Supreme Court of New South Wales (2001–2015)
Jonathan Biggins – entertainer, writer
Leigh Blackmore – horror writer, critic, editor, musician
Peter Cave – journalist; Current Affairs Foreign Editor, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Peter Robert Charlton (1946–2007) – journalist, soldier, military historian; editor at The Courier-Mail from 1996
William T. Cooper AO – artist and ornithologist
Phil Cousins OAM – community worker, surf life-saver, mines rescue leader; Venerable Order of Saint John (2004), Centenary Medal (2003), named Open Champion (First Aid) Surf Life Saving Australia (1994 and 1997), Gold Medallion NSW Mines Rescue Service (1993)
Julian Croft – novelist and poet; Emeritus Professor of English, University of New England
Howard Crozier OAM (1936–) – teacher, education administrator, CSIRO manager, shire councillor, grazier
Roger Dean CBE – Federal Member for Robertson 1949–64, Administrator of the Northern Territory 1964–70, diplomat
Robert Douglas AO – medical practitioner and academic; chair, SEE-Change ACT; emeritus professor and visiting fellow, Australian National University; chair, Australia 21
Gary Gilmour – Australian cricketer
Ross Gittins AM – author; economics editor of The Sydney Morning Herald
Kevan Gosper – international sports administrator; company director
John Harding – violinist; Concertmaster, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (2006–)
Sam Jones – trade unionist, politician; Labor member of New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Waratah (1965–84)
Patrick McGorry – psychiatrist, academic, 2010 Australian of the Year
Jeffrey Miles – author, jurist; Chief Judge, Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory (1985–2002)
Arthur Morris – Australian cricketer
Peter Morris – Federal Minister; Federal Member for Shortland 1972–98
Gary Neat – journalist and author; Foreign Correspondent ABC Indochina/SE Asia; CEO of the Queensland Liberal Party; Senate Candidate & Federal Executive; National President – Australian Institute of Management
Dick Tooth – Australian rugby union footballer, orthopaedic surgeon and sports science pioneer
Ivan Welsh – politician; Lake Macquarie mayor and member of New South Wales Legislative Assembly (1988–91)
