King Edward VII School (Johannesburg)

King Edward VII School (KES) is a public school located within the city of Johannesburg in South Africa's Gauteng Province, one of the historically significant Milner Schools.

The school is a public school, with an enrollment of over 1,100 boys from grades 8 to 12 (ages 13 to 18). King Edward VII Preparatory School (KEPS), which is situated adjacent to the High School and shares its grounds, caters to boys from grades R to 7.

Administration

Mike Fennell resigned in 2012, and his successor was David Lovatt, who attended the school briefly but matriculated at Roosevelt High School in Johannesburg. ^[1]

Poaching

The school has been involved with numerous rugby poaching scandals resulting in at least two schools cancelling fixtures against the school.^[2][3]

History

In 1902, when the Boer War came to an end, there was an urgent need for schools in the Transvaal. The Milner Administration, in search of suitable buildings in which to establish temporary classrooms, found a vacant cigar factory in Johannesburg, on the corner of Gold and Kerk Streets, which was chosen as venue for "The Government High School for Boys", also known as the "Johannesburg High School for Boys". Thus was born a school which ultimately became the King Edward VII School.

It grew so rapidly that, in 1904, it was moved to Barnato Park where it was established in the mansion that originally had been designed for the mining millionaire Barney Barnato, who died at sea in 1897. At its new location, it was referenced as "Johannesburg College" but, within seven years, the premises were deemed inadequate and, in 1911, the school was moved to its present site on the Houghton ridge where new buildings had been impressively-designed and specifically constructed for the school. The time frame, within less than a year after the founding of the Union of South Africa and the death of Queen Victoria's eldest son and successor, Edward VII, led to the proposal that the institution's name be changed to honour his memory, thus establishing the appellation, King Edward VII School.

Buildings

Over a century old, the school buildings of King Edward retain their impressive appearance and are considered national monuments. These include the school hall, the back facade, the front facade, the lecture theatre and library wing, the memorial wing and the cenotaph in the main quad.

They are also fully committed to fulfill their duty to the school and offer newly renovated classes, a modern and renovated lecture hall, one of the biggest libraries in Gauteng, three state-of-the-art IT centres with 110 computer stations, art centres, a museum, historic hall and theatre built by the Dramatic Society in previous decades.

Notable Old Edwardians

• Sydney Kentridge;
• Sydney Lipworth, lawyer and businessman
• Mark Weinberg
• Donald Gordon, businessman and philanthropist
• Johann Kriegler
• Richard Goldstone, together with Sir Sydney Kentridge, served on the Constitutional Court
• Ronnie Kasrils, cabinet minister
• William Kentridge, artist
• Bryce Courtenay, novelist ("The Power of One")
• Anthony Preston, Naval Historian

Sportsmen

• Gary Player, golf
• Ali Bacher, cricketer
• Kevin McKenzie, cricketer
• Neil McKenzie, cricketer
• Ray Jennings, cricketer
• Hugh Page, cricketer
• Adam Bacher, cricketer
• Nic Pothas, cricketer
• Graeme Smith, cricketer
• Joe van Niekerk, rugby player
• Bryan Habana, rugby player
• Rhys M. Thomas, rugby player (Wales)
• Richard Gough, soccer player
• Cliff Durandt, soccer player
• Vaughn van Jaarsveld, cricketer
• Scarra Ntubeni, rugby player
• Quinton de Kock, cricketer
• Dane Vilas, cricketer
• Shaun Keeling, rowing
• Stephen Cook (cricketer)

References

External links

• King Edward VII School Family Official Website

Coordinates: 26°10′24″S 28°03′46″E / 26.17333°S 28.06278°E / -26.17333; 28.06278