A SCHOOL HISTORY

Newington, Stanmore

Newington House undergoing renovations between 1996–98

The formal opening of the College at Stanmore, 18 January 1881.

A Short History of the College

FROM THE ARCHIVES | NOTABLE NEWINGTONIANS

Our colonial history is littered with worthy but unfulfilled statements about the need for education – and about as many schools which failed to survive. An exception in both cases, Newington College had its genesis in a desire from the Methodist community that the Church should establish a Collegiate Institute – a desire which had been expressed publicly over several years.

The River Days at Newington, where our first students gathered at Silverwater.

Support for the concept was fostered by the Rev John Manton, who successfully put a motion before the Methodist Conference of 1862. Manton was later appointed Principal-elect of the new school and is rightly regarded as the founder of the College.

At the Conference it was decided that the institution should be "decidedly Wesleyan in character" and at the very start it was expected to "be open to the sons of parents of all religious denominations" – a philosophy which remains an essential ethos of the College 140 years on.

There being no suitable buildings in Sydney Town, a property was leased at Silverwater on the Parramatta River. Formerly belonging to the pioneer Blaxland family, 'Newington House' was the centrepiece of a 1200 acre estate of the same name.

On Thursday 16 July, 1863, 16 "miserable boys" – as one of their number later described them – gathered together in the gloomy winter twilight at the old mansion. Newington had begun.

The College prospered and during its time at Silverwater – known as 'the River Days' – it made a significant impact on the education scene in the colony, as well as on the sports field. It was the first school to play rugby football, the first school in Australia to hold an athletics carnival, it was virtually undefeated at rifle shooting – often in contests against mature army and marine teams – and it contributed to the membership of early Australian cricket teams.

With these successes came expanding numbers, and it soon became clear that Newington House was not to be a suitable home into the future. More extensive premises closer to the city were sought and a bequest of land – the Stanmore Estate, from which the suburb gains its name – provided the opportunity. And so, in 1880, the River Days came to an end.

Then began the enormous task of raising funds to erect a suitable building for the provision of accommodation for theological students, an essential part of the scheme from the outset. One of several entrants in a competition to design the new College buildings, a young colonial architect named Thomas Rowe was selected and works began in 1876. Rowe later designed several significant buildings including Sydney Hospital and The Great Synagogue. By 1880, the now heritage-listed sandstone building, known today as the Founders' Wing, was completed and the great migration from Silverwater to Stanmore began, taking with it the name Newington; by resolution of the College Council, the name was to be perpetuated on the new site.

The College has remained at Stanmore. From 70 students at the time of the move, it now has about 1600 with an additional Preparatory School on the North Shore, first at Killara but now at Lindfield.

In latter years, particularly since World War II, the College buildings and facilities have improved and expanded significantly – the latest of which are the Physical Education Centre (on a site where there has been a gymnasium since 1890 and a swimming pool since 1894) a new boatshed at Abbotsford and new Library and Design & Technology facilities.

The Stanmore-based Preparatory School at Wyvern House relocated in 1998 to new premises in Cambridge Street. There are Boarding facilities catering for boys from Years 7 to 12.

Over the decades, the College has seen the services of a number of distinguished Headmasters. The Rev Dr C J Prescott [1900 to 1931] is the school's longest serving Headmaster – Prescott was the most influential educator of his day in Australia – and Mr P R Le Couteur (1931–1948) who guided the College through the recovery from the Great Depression and through World War II. Mr L R D Pyke [1952 to 60] initiated the post-war building programme and Mr A J Rae (1972 to 1993) developed an academic, sporting and extracurricular balance which is the envy of other institutions.

Mr Rae was succeeded by Mr Michael Smee in mid-1993. Mr Smee spent a decade at the helm, overseeing major building projects including the relocation of Wyvern House Preparatory School to new premises in Cambridge St, Stanmore.

The current Headmaster, Mr David G Scott, took over in mid-2003.

The history of Newington College is chronicled by Dr Peter Swain in his book Newington Across the Years, 1863–1998. Copies are available for purchase for $25 plus postage. Contact the Alumni Manager by email: alumni@newingtoncollege.nsw.edu.au