King Edward VII School (KES) is a public English medium high school for boys situated within the city of Johannesburg in South Africa's Gauteng Province, one of the historically significant Milner Schools.
The school is a public school, with an enrollment of over 1,100 boys from grades 8 to 12 (ages 13 to 18). King Edward VII Preparatory School (KEPS), which is situated adjacent to the High School and shares its grounds, caters to boys from grades R to 7.
History
In 1902, when the Boer War came to an end, there was an urgent need for schools in the Transvaal. The Milner Administration, in search of suitable buildings in which to establish temporary classrooms, found a vacant cigar factory in Johannesburg, on the corner of Gold and Kerk Streets, which was chosen as venue for "The Government High School for Boys", also known as the "Johannesburg High School for Boys". Thus was born a school which ultimately became the King Edward VII School.
It grew so rapidly that, in 1904, it was moved to Barnato Park where it was established in the mansion that originally had been designed for the mining millionaire Barney Barnato, who died at sea in 1897. At its new location, it was referenced as "Johannesburg College" but, within seven years, the premises were deemed inadequate and, in 1911, the school was moved to its present site on the Houghton ridge where new buildings had been impressively-designed and specifically constructed for the school. The time frame, within less than a year after the founding of the Union of South Africa and the death of Queen Victoria's eldest son and successor, Edward VII, led to the proposal that the institution's name be changed to honour his memory, thus establishing the appellation, King Edward VII School.
Headmasters
Captain Edward Lancelot Sanderson M.A (3rd Battalion Prince of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment)
Buildings
Over a century old, the school buildings of King Edward retain their impressive appearance and are considered national monuments. These include the school hall, the back façade, the front façade, the lecture theatre and library wing, the memorial wing and the cenotaph in the main quad.
Sports and culture Sports that are offered in the school are:
Athletics Basketball Chess Cricket Cross country Golf Hockey Rowing Rugby Soccer Squash Swimming Table tennis Tennis Water polo
Cultural activities that are offered:
English Public Speaking Afrikaans Public Speaking Debating Model UN Music Society Choral Society Pipe Band Marimba
Notable Old Edwardians
Sydney Kentridge, lawyer and judge Sydney Lipworth, lawyer and businessman Mark Weinberg Donald Gordon, businessman and philanthropist Johann Kriegler Richard Goldstone, Constitutional Court judge Ronnie Kasrils, cabinet minister William Kentridge, artist Bryce Courtenay, novelist ("The Power of One") Michael McClelland, Professor of Microbiology and Genetics at the University of California, Irvine Antony Preston, Naval Historian Arthur Walker HCG, Bar, SAAF Pilot
Sportsmen Buster Nupen, cricketer Gary Player, golf Chud Langton, cricketer Ali Bacher, cricketer Kevin McKenzie, cricketer Neil McKenzie, cricketer Ray Jennings, cricketer Hugh Page, cricketer Adam Bacher, cricketer Nic Pothas, cricketer Graeme Smith, cricketer Ryan Watson (cricketer) Joe van Niekerk, rugby player Bryan Habana, rugby player Rhys M. Thomas, rugby player (Wales) Cliff Durandt, soccer player Vaughn van Jaarsveld, cricketer Scarra Ntubeni, rugby player Thabo Nodada, football/soccer player Quinton de Kock, cricketer Darryn Anthony, Olympic Weight LifterOlympic Games Stephen Cook (cricketer) Malcolm Marx, Springbok rugby player Keaton Jennings, cricketer (England) Stan Schmidt, karateStan Schmidt at IMDb John Gartly, cricketer Stuart Hiddleston, cricketer Tony de Zorzi, cricketer David Teeger, cricketer Lythe Pillay, athlete
References
External links King Edward VII School Family Official Website