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Killinchy School: the first reunion of 1951-52
Description
TitleKillinchy School: the first reunion of 1951-52
DescriptionThe Preparations
There was a small attendance at the first meeting called in May 1951 to plan the celebration of the 80th anniversary (1871-1951).
At the well-attended second meeting, four days later, it was decided to hold the church service, roll call, banquet, school sports, and ball in November 1951.
At further meetings committees were formed to look after refreshments, transport, decoration, ball, etc. and it was decided to move the date to 4 January 1952.
Last minute arrangements for moving tables and chairs and organising the people into decades were made on the final formal meeting held on December 27th.
Prominent among the committees were the surnames Allen, Boal, Boon, Bray, Chappell, Dawson, Happer, Hill, Irvine, Lemon, McClure, McIlraith, McLenaghen, Mahan, Manson, Rathgen, Riches, Watson, Weavers, West and others.
The Ball
The Killinchy Hall, beautifully decorated with hanging bowls, greenery and streamers of blue and gold, the school’s colours, was able to accommodate the 380 attendees. "Such was the gaiety at the jubilee ball that dancing continued well into Friday morning.” Daybourne’s orchestra played the music.
The Day
While Thursday was wet, Friday 4th “dawned with cloudless perfection.” Around 400 people from as far away as Dargaville and Invercargill attended “one of the greatest days in the history of the Killinchy District.”
Officially the programme began with the hoisting of the original school flag by Mary O’Brien who started school in 1871 and was featured in an earlier Ellesmere Echo article.
A welcome was extended by Les Allen and then the school bell was rung by James E. Haines who also attended the school in 1871.
There followed a service conducted by the Revs. H.G. Sell and A.M. Costain and then the names on the school Roll of Honour were read by senior pupil Peter Mahan.
Ex-pupils were then photographed by decades.
The Banquet
A large marquee housed the banqueters at a function which was both well-arranged and carried out.
Numerous speeches covered absent friends, the school, school committees, Education Board, teachers and the chairman.
Much admired at the banquet was the jubilee cake cooked by Mrs. Weavers, the district’s renowned baker and married to Selby, and iced by Miss Jean Lemon.
A model, in icing, of the second Killinchy School adorned the top of the cake.
While the banquet was in progress the children were entertained by a ventriloquist and a display of conjuring among other entertainments.
A whole £2 ($4) was spent on ice cream for the children.
The Exhibits
A display of old photographs was set up in the school and one of the star exhibits on display was the arithmetic textbook used by early pupil, James E. Haines.
Amongst the usual exercises on compound division, multiplication and simple interest was an unusual section devoted to tare and tret. According to Google, tret is an allowance of 4 pounds for every 104 pounds of suttle weight formerly added to various commodities (as spices) to offset deterioration in transit or chaff removed in cleaning. Now you know.
Mike Noonan & Sandra Opie
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date30 September 2021 SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationKillinchy
DescriptionThe PreparationsThere was a small attendance at the first meeting called in May 1951 to plan the celebration of the 80th anniversary (1871-1951).
At the well-attended second meeting, four days later, it was decided to hold the church service, roll call, banquet, school sports, and ball in November 1951.
At further meetings committees were formed to look after refreshments, transport, decoration, ball, etc. and it was decided to move the date to 4 January 1952.
Last minute arrangements for moving tables and chairs and organising the people into decades were made on the final formal meeting held on December 27th.
Prominent among the committees were the surnames Allen, Boal, Boon, Bray, Chappell, Dawson, Happer, Hill, Irvine, Lemon, McClure, McIlraith, McLenaghen, Mahan, Manson, Rathgen, Riches, Watson, Weavers, West and others.
The Ball
The Killinchy Hall, beautifully decorated with hanging bowls, greenery and streamers of blue and gold, the school’s colours, was able to accommodate the 380 attendees. "Such was the gaiety at the jubilee ball that dancing continued well into Friday morning.” Daybourne’s orchestra played the music.
The Day
While Thursday was wet, Friday 4th “dawned with cloudless perfection.” Around 400 people from as far away as Dargaville and Invercargill attended “one of the greatest days in the history of the Killinchy District.”
Officially the programme began with the hoisting of the original school flag by Mary O’Brien who started school in 1871 and was featured in an earlier Ellesmere Echo article.
A welcome was extended by Les Allen and then the school bell was rung by James E. Haines who also attended the school in 1871.
There followed a service conducted by the Revs. H.G. Sell and A.M. Costain and then the names on the school Roll of Honour were read by senior pupil Peter Mahan.
Ex-pupils were then photographed by decades.
The Banquet
A large marquee housed the banqueters at a function which was both well-arranged and carried out.
Numerous speeches covered absent friends, the school, school committees, Education Board, teachers and the chairman.
Much admired at the banquet was the jubilee cake cooked by Mrs. Weavers, the district’s renowned baker and married to Selby, and iced by Miss Jean Lemon.
A model, in icing, of the second Killinchy School adorned the top of the cake.
While the banquet was in progress the children were entertained by a ventriloquist and a display of conjuring among other entertainments.
A whole £2 ($4) was spent on ice cream for the children.
The Exhibits
A display of old photographs was set up in the school and one of the star exhibits on display was the arithmetic textbook used by early pupil, James E. Haines.
Amongst the usual exercises on compound division, multiplication and simple interest was an unusual section devoted to tare and tret. According to Google, tret is an allowance of 4 pounds for every 104 pounds of suttle weight formerly added to various commodities (as spices) to offset deterioration in transit or chaff removed in cleaning. Now you know.
Mike Noonan & Sandra Opie
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date30 September 2021 SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationKillinchyConnections
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Killinchy School: the first reunion of 1951-52 (30 September 2021 ). Selwyn Stories, accessed 29/05/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5345