Waitaki Boys' High School war memorials

Waitaki Boys' High School war memorials

Memorial dedication

Waitaki Boys' High School's Hall of Memories is one of the country's more impressive war memorials. About 700 old boys served during the First World War, 119 of them dying, so at the 1920 Easter reunion it was decided to erect a special hall of memories. Oamaru architect John Forrester, son of Thomas Forrester who designed many of the town's best buildings, inspected many English public school halls before designing this Perpendicular Gothic structure.

Governor-General Jellicoe laid the foundation stone in 1923 and the Duke of York performed the official opening ceremony on 16 March 1927. The interior's stained glass windows, flags, plaques trophies, crests and other memorabilia honour the school's royal, vice-regal and military and other illustrious connections.

Memorial window

Waitaki Boys' High School memorial window.

Jock Phillips and Chris Maclean, c.1986

Waitaki Boys High School memorial stone

Memorial stoneWW2 names

Greg Hall, 2006 (WW1 names); Gavin McLean, 2008 (WW2 names)

Find out more about the people listed on this memorial from Auckland Museum's Cenotaph database

Community contributions

3 comments have been posted about Waitaki Boys' High School war memorials

What do you know?

June Ryan

Posted: 25 Aug 2012

Dear Tania and Ann,
I was searching for some info on my great grandparents, David and Flora Garvie who came to Oamaru from the Isle of Lewis, and I came across your contributions. We are about to go to England, and while there will go to the Isle of Lewis. My grandmother, Ann Russell, went there when she was 80 in the early 1970s, so I'm also doing a bit of a pilgrimage. Ann, David Garvie who married your mother must be the brother of my grandmother. I would really appreciate some more family history. I went with my mother May to the South Island when I was in my teens in the 60s and met many of her family then.

Ann Portlock

Posted: 02 Aug 2012

Tania, I might be able to help you with some information about Flora Garvie. She married David Garvie. My Mother Mavis Mathews married David Garvie, son of David and Flora Garvie. I have some of the family history. Ann Portlock

tania isaia

Posted: 03 Apr 2009

hello i was wondering if you could help me regarding some photos that are in the hall of memories in Oamaru. they are of my great grand parents. my great grandmother died in 1840. they were very well known and at her funeral there was a big scottish funeral in the main street as she was the oldest member. they played bagpipes. her name was Flora Garvie nee McKay and my great grandfathers name is not known to me. i have been looking on here to find the photos but have been unsucessfull . i hope this is some help to you to help me recover some of my family history. thank you for your time tania isaia