The John Kinder Theological Library Archive cares for the surviving records of St Stephen’s School.
St Stephen’s was an Anglican Māori boarding school for boys. Initially located in Parnell and then in Bombay, Auckland, the school was one of the oldest and longest-running schools in New Zealand when it closed in 2000. Sadly, the school records do not reflect its long history as there was a devastating fire on 20 April 1904 which destroyed a classroom and all the maps, books, and files stored there. The classroom was eventually rebuilt but the historic school records were irreplaceable.
The St Stephen’s Register online
The earliest surviving records start from 1905, including various school admission registers. The register of applications for admission to St Stephen’s School 1905-1928 [Archives reference: SSQ-2-15-1] has been fully transcribed and published online in Pūtake. Researchers can search for boys who applied to attend the school and find out information such as their age, where they lived and when they started school. The level of detail recorded in the register varies. From about 1914 only the date of application and the names of the boys applying were recorded and it’s not always clear whether the boys were admitted to the school. Even so, it’s still a valuable record for people researching their family history.
Albert Wilson, Principal of St Stephen’s School
Albert Wilson (below left) was the principal of St Stephen’s School from 15 February 1905 until 1927. He would have been responsible for recording the applications in this register and corresponding with the parents or guardians who wished to enrol their boys at the school.
Besides, the school admission registers, Albert Wilson’s outward letter books are also held in the Archives. A glance through the indexes of these books reveals insights into life at the school.
For instance, in 1905 Albert Wilson introduced a school uniform as he thought this would give the boys a sense of belonging and pride in the school. The basic school outfit consisted of two good suits, one old suit for working in, a cloth cap, a straw hat, two pairs of boots or shoes, three shirts, four handkerchiefs and three pairs of socks or stockings. With only three shirts and three pairs of socks, so regular washing would have been essential. In the 1920s washing clothes was labour-intensive and took all day, so it was usually only done once a week. St Stephen’s boys are pictured here (below, right) on wash day hanging out the washing.
Insights into school life and pupils
The letter books and school admission registers provide other insights, such as the number of different nationalities that make up the school roll.
In this admission register you can see an increasing number of students from the Pacific Islands applying to attend the school, this was probably due to several factors such as wanting to improve their English and parents wanting the best possible education for their sons. Due to the nature of the handwriting in the original applications register, it can be hard to read and, in some cases, errors in interpreting the names and correct spellings may have been made.
You can view the transcribed register for St Stephen’s School on Pūtake.
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