Christ's College, Canterbury
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Christ's College, Canterbury was founded in 1850 as an independent (tertiary) college and a boys' grammar school. Now it is a mixed day and boarding school in Christchurch, New Zealand for boys aged 13 (Form III or Year 9) to 18 (Form VII or Year 13). It is named after Christ's College, Cambridge where the Canterbury provincial superintendent JE Fitzgerald had studied.
Its most famous alumnus is Captain Charles Upham who was awarded the Victoria Cross twice. Michael Cullen, Minister for Finance is also an Old Boy.
The Quadrangular Rugby Football Tournament occurs annually between Christ's College, Wellington College, Nelson College and the Wanganui Collegiate School. The Quadrangular is reputed to be one of the oldest organised rugby tournaments in the world.
Christ's College is famous for its buildings in the Gothic revival style.
Christ's College is governed by a Warden and Fellows. The Bishop of Christchurch is ex officio Warden. The Head Master (as of June 2004) is Simon Leese.
Upper department (College House)
Very briefly, from 1871 to 1873 Christ's College was an affiliated College to the University of New Zealand. Christ's College was instrumental in creating the Canterbury University College, and Christ's was a constituent College of Canterbury, with the upper department of the College known as College House.
The upper and lower departments (tertiary and secondary departments) separated in 1957, and College House began to operate independently of the College. The lower department (unusually) retained the original administrative structure of the Warden and Fellows, rather than the upper department.
The upper department of Christ's College since the beginning was specialised in theology (despite not being a seminary), and now College House has an Institute of Theology, following the trend of Selwyn and Knox Colleges, Otago.
External links
- Christ's College, Canterbury (http://www.christscollege.com/)
- College House, Canterbury (http://www.collegehouse.org.nz/)