THE HISTORY OF OUR HOUSES
After Fairbridge, Stirling returned to the
original site. When Woodbridge House was
formed in 1962 Stirling was moved to the
old Science Laboratory which is now the Tuck
Shop and then eventually moved back to the
Hamilton Library building again until 1989,
when it moved to its current location. The
House motto is Stude Virtuti, which is Latin
and defines a student who exhibits moral
excellence or goodness; one who makes
ethical choices and lives by a moral code; an
individual who acts with integrity.
By 1927, School House had grown to such
an extent that the decision was made to
divide the House into two parts to create
more even numbers. The new house was
named Henn’s House after the School’s
fourth Headmaster, Canon Percy Umfreville
Henn, who retired in 1924. The first
Housemaster was Mr Norman Roff. Henn’s
House was originally located in what we now
know as the Graham Malcom Junior Hall
of Residence, moving to its current location
in 2007 when it became a day boy house.
The House emblem of the lion is taken from
the cuff links worn by Canon Henn and the
House motto, Sumper Studens is Latin for
‘Always Studying’. For a period the House
dominated the Cock House Cup competition,
being overall champions from 1998 through
to 2007.
In 1958, the original Headmaster’s house
was converted into a new boarding house
and named after the founder of the School,
Charles Harper, heralding the birth of Harper
House. The House adopted the motto
Coelum Est nigrum Et Album, meaning
“Heaven is black and white” in the 1980s,
which also signified the House colours. For
the first few years, Harper House was led by
Mr Douglas McIntyre and was made up of
only first and second year students, which
meant they were slightly disadvantaged
in competition. However, it is noted that
Harper House always fought gallantly and
immediately showed a great keenness in
spirit.
In 1961, Stirling House split into two houses
to form a sixth house, Stirling II. By 1962,
the new House had adopted the name
Woodbridge and its maroon and gold
colours. The House was named after the
home of Charles Harper and was originally
housed in the Hamilton Library before
moving to its current location in 1989.
The House motto Virtus meaning ‘Valour,
moral strength, excellence and worth’ was
paired with a Griffin on the House crest.
Even though the House struggled in its
first few years as part of the House system,
Woodbridge students used their fighting
spirit to quickly become Cock House Cup
champions in 1968.
Freeth House was founded in 1965 and
named after Bishop Robert Evelyn Freeth,
the sixth Headmaster of the School. The
first Housemast