The Hutchins School Explained

The Hutchins School
Motto:	Latin: Vivit Post Funera Virtus
Motto Translation:	Character lives after death
City:	Hobart
State:	Tasmania
Country:	Australia
Coordinates:	-42.9058°N 147.3294°W
Type:	Independent, day & boarding
Denomination:	Anglican
Sister School:	St Michael's Collegiate School
Chairman:	Andrew Walker
Principal:	Dr Robert McEwan
Chaplain:	Dr Lee Weissel
Gender:	Boys
Colours:	Black, gold & magenta
Athletics Conference:	SATIS
Enrolment:	1,100
Employees:	~250^[1]

The Hutchins School is an Anglican, day and boarding school for boys from pre-kindergarten to Year 12 in Hobart, Tasmania. Established in 1846, Hutchins is one of the oldest continually operating schools in Australia.

Hutchins is a founding-member of the International Boys' Schools Coalition (IBSC),^[2] and a member of Independent Schools Tasmania (IST).^[3] The Hutchins School is one of two boys' schools in Tasmania.

History

The Hutchins School was established in 1846 at Hobart Town in memory of The Venerable William Hutchins, first Archdeacon of Van Diemen's Land. Arriving in the colony in 1837, Archdeacon Hutchins had worked to establish a faithful ministry, erecting churches and schools and laying the foundation for secondary education under the auspices of the Church of England.

The School commenced operations under Headmaster John Richard Buckland at Ingle Hall, a large Georgian house dating from 1811 which still stands in lower Macquarie Street, Hobart. Three years later it moved several blocks up Macquarie Street to a purpose-built schoolhouse designed by Tasmanian architect, William Archer.

In the early days of many and varied schools and tenuous longevity, Hutchins survived by absorbing pupils, staff and plant of other less robust institutions, including Christ's College (1846–1912), The High School (1850–65), Horton College (1855–93) and Officer College (1888–1900). When Hutchins joined forces with Christ's College in 1912 it was the signal for Arthur A. Stephens to close Queen's College, founded by him in 1893, and accept the post of vice-master of Hutchins. In 1905 Hutchins amalgamated with Buckland's School, opened in 1893 by William Harvey Buckland, son of founding headmaster J. R. Buckland and brother of second headmaster John Vansittart Buckland. Hutchins would go on to absorb King's Grammar School (1907), Franklin House School (1917) and Apsley House School (1928), and affiliate with Gryce (1934) and Gladwyn (1937) Schools.^[4]

By the 1950s the School was growing too large for its inner-city site and in 1957 a new Junior School was built on an elevated site overlooking the River Derwent at Sandy Bay. This followed the opening at the Sandy Bay site of a sub-primary section in 1946 and the Memorial Oval and pavilion in 1955. The Senior School was later constructed on the adjacent site of the former Queenborough Cemetery, following a council referendum in which ratepayers voted '1 for educational purposes' in 1960.^[5] By 1964 the Senior School campus encompassed a boarding house and science wing, quickly followed by an administration block and classrooms, while the Junior School campus across the road soon expanded to include a fledgling Middle School. The Macquarie Street building was sold in 1965, with Hutchins commencing full operations at Sandy Bay the following year.

In March 2024, two graves were found during earthworks for a new building at the school.^[6] An archaeology team was brought in and, by July, 1331 human remains had been exhumed with about 500 more expected to be uncovered. The remains were reinterred at the Cornelian Bay Cemetery.^[7]

Co-curricular program

The school runs an extensive co-curricular program^[8] offering music, performing arts, debating, sports and the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.

Sport

The Hutchins School is a member of the Sports Association of Tasmanian Independent Schools (SATIS).

SATIS premierships

The Hutchins School has won the following SATIS premierships.^[9]

• Athletics (23) – 1968, 1981, 1983, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021
• Basketball – 2009
• Cricket (22) – 1926, 1938, 1962, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1994, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2018, 2021
• Cricket T20 (2) – 2018, 2021
• Cross Country (38) – 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
• Football (14) – 1968, 1969, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010
• Hockey (17) – 1978, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
• Rowing (28) – 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021
• Rowing Eight (46) – 1923, 1924, 1926, 1928, 1934, 1937, 1957, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021
• Soccer (7) – 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2014
• Swimming (27) – 1976, 1977, 1978, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2018
• Tennis (10) – 1962, 1974, 1975, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2005, 2020, 2021

Headmasters

Headmaster	Term begin	Term end	Notes
John Richard Buckland
J V Buckland	1874	1892
H H Anderson	1892	1906
E G Muschamp	1907	1908
G A Gurney	1908	1912
L H Lindon	1912	1917
C C Thorold	1918	1929
J R O Harris	1929	1942
V S Murphy	1942	1945
P Radford	1946	1953
W H Mason-Cox	1954	1958
H V Jones	1958	1958
G H Newman	1959	1963
D H Lawrence	1963	1970
D B Clarke	1971	1986
J M B Bednall	1987	1996
W D Toppin	1997	2007
Warwick Dean	2007
Dr Rob McEwan		incumbent

Notable alumni

Notable alumni of The Hutchins School include:

• Errol Flynn, Hollywood actor

• Percy Abbot, a soldier, politician and solicitor^[10]
• Stuart Barnes, poet (1981–1995)^[11]
• John Bisdee, first Australian winner of the Victoria Cross (1882–1885)
• Frank Bowden, scientist^[12]
• Tim Bowden, broadcaster, journalist and author (1946–54)^[13]
• Sir Stanley Burbury, Governor of Tasmania (1973–1982)^[14]
• Bob Clifford, founder of Incat, shipbuilder and entrepreneur (1961)^[13]
• Sir John Davies, politician, newspaper proprietor and first-class cricketer^[15]
• Lyndhurst Giblin, economist^[16]
• Stephen Gumley, engineer and first CEO, Australian Defence Materiel Organisation (1966–74)
• Richard Hewson, master mariner and navigator, winner of 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race (1992–97)
• Mitchell Hibberd, AFL Footballer
• Michael Hodgman, Liberal MHR (1947–56)
• Roger Hodgman, theatre and television director
• Will Hodgman, Liberal Premier (1980–86)
• Kevin Hofbauer, actor (2006)^[13]
• Paul Hudson, AFL footballer and coach (1988)^[13]
• Leonard Huxley, physicist and former President of the Australian Institute of Physics
• Thomas Murdoch, politician^[17]
• Brodie Neill, designer (1983–96)
• Harold Nicholas, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, judge and politician^[18]
• Hamish Peacock, javelin olympian (2008)^[13]
• Sir James Ramsay, Governor of Queensland (1977–1985)
• John Stopp, President of the Legislative Council of Tasmania (1992–1995)
• Damon Thomas, Alderman and former Lord Mayor of Hobart, Tasmanian Crown Solicitor, State Ombudsman, CEO of the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Korean Consul (1967)^[13]
• James William Tibbs, Headmaster of Auckland Grammar School, 1893–1922 (1867–72)
• Alan Walker, architect^[19]
• Owen Walsh, Administrator of Norfolk Island (2008–2012)
• Denis Warner, war correspondent, author and journalist (1928–35)
• Guy Wylly DSO, joint first Australian winner of the Victoria Cross (1889–1893)

Rhodes Scholars & Victoria Cross Recipients

As of 2024, The Hutchins School has had 26 Rhodes Scholars, the latest being the 2024 Tasmania scholar, Billy Blackett.^[20] Alumni have been awarded the Rhodes Scholarship for Australian states other than Tasmania, such as the 2016 New South Wales scholar, Harjeevan Narulla.^{[21] [22]}

Notable Hutchins alumni to be awarded the Rhodes Scholarship include:^[23]

• 1923 – Leonard Huxley

• 1979 – Stephen Gumley

Two Hutchins Old Boys have been awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration for valour in Commonwealth countries. They include:

• Major Guy George Egerton Wylly VC DSO (1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen; Boer War; 1900)^[24]
• Trooper John Hutton Bisdee VC OBE (1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen, Boer War; 1900)^[25]

See also

• List of schools in Tasmania
• List of boarding schools
• Education in Tasmania
• International Boys' Schools Coalition

External links

• The Hutchins School website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Positions of Employment . 2007-09-06 . 2007 . The Hutchins School . https://web.archive.org/web/20070929074211/http://www.hutchins.tas.edu.au/ . 29 September 2007 . dead . dmy-all .
2. Web site: International Boys' Schools Coalition. International Boys' Schools Coalition. 2016-04-12.
3. Web site: Independent Schools Tasmania. Independent Schools Tasmania. 2016-04-12.
4. Book: Mason-Cox. Margaret. Character Unbound: A History of The Hutchins School. 2013. The Hutchins School. Hobart, Tasmania. 978-0-646-90355-2. 13–27.
5. News: The Mercury. 5 April 1960.
6. News: Murray . Will . 2024-03-06 . Gruesome discovery at Hobart school a consequence of city's practice of building over top of cemeteries . 2024-07-27 . ABC News . en-AU.
7. News: Duggan . Josh . Kloser . Eliza . 2024-07-23 . Human remains found during excavation for new Hobart school building now top 1,300 — with 500 more expected . 2024-07-27 . ABC News . en-AU.
8. Web site: Co-Curricular. The Hutchins School. 2016-04-12.
9. Web site: McBride. Barb. History of Winners SATIS. 26 August 2016 . 2021-09-10. en.
10. Hogan. Terry. Percy Phipps Abbott (1869–1940). abbott-percy-phipps-4962. 1979. 7. 11 January 2015.
11. https://www.uqp.com.au/authors/stuart-barnes/ Australian poet Stuart Barnes
12. McLaren. Alex. Spink. J.A.. Frank Philip Bowden (1903–1968). bowden-frank-philip-9550. 1993. 13. 11 January 2015.
13. Web site: Star students: The Hutchins School . The Mercury . 10 April 2020.
14. Web site: Hutchins 1979 . The Hutchins School . 28 August 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150324032815/http://apollo.hutchins.tas.edu.au/community/digital-heritage/The%20Hutchins%20School%20Magazine%2018942008/1970-1979/1979.pdf . 24 March 2015 . dmy-all .
15. Web site: Boyer, Peter . 1981 . Davies, Sir John George (1846 - 1913) . . . 17 May 2015 .
16. Cain. Neville. Lyndhurst Falkiner Giblin (1872–1951). giblin-lyndhurst-falkiner-6303. 1981. 8. 11 January 2015.
17. Jones. Elizabeth. Thomas Murdoch (1868–1946). murdoch-thomas-7696. 1986. 10. 11 January 2015.
18. Web site: Ward, John M. . Nicholas, Harold Sprent (1877–1953) . . . 1988 . 17 May 2015 .
19. News: OBITUARY. . . Hobart, Tasmania . 14 December 1931 . 11 January 2015 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
20. News: Ewan . Tia . 3 November 2023 . Tasmanian on Rhode to success after awarded prestigious scholarship to study at Oxford . subscription . The Mercury . Hobart, Tasmania.
21. Hamilton, S. 2015. UNSW wins fourth Rhodes Scholarship in three years.University of New South Wales. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
22. Web site: Henwood, Belinda . UNSW Law claims seventh Rhodes Scholar in seven years . 23 November 2020 . University of New South Wales . 5 December 2020.
23. Mizzen. Michelle. 1 December 2020. Our 25th Rhodes Scholar. Magenta & Black Magazine. The Hutchins School. Hobart. 112. 17.
24. News: Howard . Jessica . 17 January 2021 . Descendants of Tasmanian Victoria Cross recipients to gather for first time at historic event in Hobart – search on for two missing families . subscription . 7 May 2024 . The Mercury.
25. Web site: Centenary of ANZAC - Trooper John Hutton Bisdee VC . 2024-05-07 . www.centenaryofanzac.tas.gov.au.