Roseville Boys' College

An article by Max Farley. Reprinted form the Society Newsletter, June 2008.

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Roseville College, a girls’ school, recently published a history
to mark its 100 years. It was in 1908 that Miss Isobel Davies
took over Hinemoa School in Victoria Street, Roseville and
renamed it Roseville College.

This Centenary publication, Memories and Dreams – Roseville
College 1908-2008, was written by Denise Thomas, an
educator and historian, and includes much of interest not just to
those closely associated with Roseville College but also to
Roseville residents. On the lighter side is the revelation that in
its early days the College enrolled boys up to eight years of
age. It continued to do so until as late as 1979.

These boys included Robert and John Fowler who lived in
the nearby Firs cottage in Roseville Park, as well as Colin
Begg and Paul Toose, who became judges, and Chester
Porter QC. John Fowler, who attended from 1920, is
reported by Denise Thomas as recalling “that life was
sometimes difficult for boys attending Roseville, because
they were mocked by boys from other schools. Fortunately,
he said, the girls of Roseville College were happy to have
them”.

Though this history does not dwell on the topic, the earlier
Hinemoa School had been conducted for several years by
Mrs Maria Tingcombe who lived in Hinemoa cottage with
her husband George, daughter Dorothy, and Ellen Tingcombe,
a spinster cousin. Maria had operated the school for several
years. The name, Hinemoa, was that of a legendary Maori
maiden of noble birth and the heroine of a romantic love affair.