In Memoriam

Jonathan Persse was the quintessential King’s Master. Many of his initiatives are written into the fabric of today’s school and stand as a worthy and enduring testimony to his faith in, and commitment to, The King’s School.

Jonathan Persse

Jonathan Persse

(1934-2022)

Jonathan’s Persse’s association with The King’s School began in 1949 as a boarder in Baker House. He assumed leadership roles as a Cadet Lieutenant in the Cadet Corps and was a School Monitor. In 1952 he was awarded the Broughton Scholarship, the King’s School Club Prize for 1st in Sixth Form English and received the Alan Mitchell Prize for the best all-round boy at the School. During his final two years at the School, Persse was a member of the Faraday Club and a Debater in the School’s 1st Team.

Persse’s contribution to the School’s co-curricular program was varied. He was MIC of Debating and Coach of the 1st Debating team (1964-1968, 1972-1974). He founded the Cartesian Club in 1966, which went into abeyance the following year before he revived it in 1972. He was the Club Patron until 1997. For 20 years, Persse prepared teams for the JA Thomson History Debating Competition and edited more than 60 editions of The King’s School Magazine. He coached Rugby and Cricket and enjoyed the outdoors, organising hikes for Form 2 boys, a precursor of the current Year 8 Camp. He organised work parties to lay sandstone walls around the gardens, most of which remain.

Headmaster Kurrle asked Persse to direct the School’s Sesquicentenary Celebrations. In the lead up, he complied an eight-part history of the School that was published in the magazine between 1978 and 1981. He produced or assisted with a large number of both School and House plays. He introduced the farewell to Sixth Form Dinner, which we now know as the Valete Dinner.

Within the wider School community, Persse and Peter Spencer introduced Extension courses in 1979, open to students and parents. In excess of 150 people joined one of the many courses offered each term. During the 1970s he was Secretary and then Chairman of the Common Room and from 1964 to 1979 he was the School’s representative for the Old Boys’ Union. Following his retirement from teaching in 1998, Persse was elected as a Governor on the School Council, a position he held from 1999 to 2005.

Together with Ben Saul (1994), Persse co-edited five editions of Youth Writes, a bi-annual anthology of student writing from around Australia. He published Fact, Faith and Fantasy, an anthology of poems by Eric Sowerby Drake and two works on the poet and Old Boy David Campbell.

Persse’s interests were varied and he served his School community bravely and faithfully until he passed away on 19 September 2022.

Jonathan Persse was the quintessential King’s Master. Many of his initiatives are written into the fabric of today’s school and stand as a worthy and enduring testimony to his faith in, and commitment to, The King’s School.

He is survived by his wife Georgina and extended family and by the many hundreds of boys who were privileged to count him as a teacher and mentor.

In Memoriam

In 1987, he embarked on a building project for eight new classrooms. Richards skilfully navigated the philanthropic campaign to secure significant support for a building that is still used by Tudorians. The Warren Anderson building may be his most tangible legacy.

Then, in 1993, in response to falling enrolments, Richards drafted a revolutionary blueprint for a new Tudor House that proposed co-education and weekly boarding only. The proposal was rejected because it tried to alter the balance of a community which had evolved over nearly a century. Almost 25 years later, Richards’ vision for co-education was realised with the introduction of girls to Tudor House in 2017.

Phillip Richards is remembered as a great servant of the School, having given 20 years of his life to Tudor, including ten as Headmaster. His heart for the students, his understanding of the Tudor DNA and his passion for boarding are memories that will be fondly associated with Richards and his legacy.

He will be missed by our community and all who knew him.

Phillip Richards

Phillip Richards

(1948-2022)

The community was deeply saddened by the passing of Phillip Richards, the 11th Headmaster of The King’s School, Tudor House.

Richards began his first stint at Tudor House as a young teacher in 1971, working under Headmaster RB Darke (Richards would go on to marry Darke’s daughter, Louise). The apprenticeship under Darke strengthened his understanding of the Tudor House ethos and provided opportunities to work as Meyer and Medley Housemaster. In 1977, he was appointed as Senior Master.

In 1981, Richards moved to Melbourne to take up a position at Caufield Grammar School. This experience away from Tudor House proved invaluable when the School was looking for RB Darke’s successor at the end of 1985. His intelligence, innovative approach to education and academic qualifications allowed him to secure the appointment as Headmaster in 1986. His sense of humour and willingness to swim against the tide was aptly summarised by Ashton’s comments in the Tudor history book: “PGR was the merry prankster forged by the 1960s counter-culture, cocking a snook at his elders, a suburban Che Guevara challenging the bourgeois hegemony, marching to a different drum.”

Brian Larking

Brian Larking, OAM

(1938-2022)

Brian Richard Larking was a much-loved member of the King’s community and contributed richly in many ways through the Old Boy’s Union, The King’s School Council and the Foundation. He is survived by his wife Jill and two daughters, Leisa and Katrina, and their families.

Roy’s impact on the Prep School continues today, as many of his initiatives are still very much part of the School.

Brian was a student at The King’s School from 1952 to 1956. He was also a member of Macquarie House, splitting his final year between Broughton and Macquarie. He represented the School in Cricket, Rugby and Tennis and was a member of the Cadet Corps.

After joining The King’s School Old Boy’s Union in 1957, Brian worked tirelessly and was a frequent attendee at many events. He was a Committee member from 1966, holding various positions. In 1981 he became Assistant Secretary and then Secretary from 1982 to 1998, when he became President and served in this role until 1990.

Brian served twice as an elected Governor of The King’s School. He was Governor in 1996 (OBU representative on Council) and was elected again from 1999 to 2014 serving as Honorary Treasurer /Chairman of the Finance Committee, member of the Executive Committee and member of the Risk/Audit and Compliance Committee.

From 1990, Brian was The King’s School representative at the Great Public Schools Association (GPS). He held this position for 30 years.

Outside his commitments to the School, Brian was a Chartered Accountant at BDO Nelson Parkhill and past director of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust. In 2015, he was awarded the Order Australia Medal for a range of social welfare, cultural and educational bodies.

A sports enthusiast, Brian enjoyed returning to the JS White Oval to barrack for King’s. The King’s School Archivist, Jenny Pearce, recalls spending many hours watching Rugby home games with Brian, solving the problems of the world. Brian loved Rowing and the School named a racing four in his honour. Alongside his love of sport, Brian was passionate about the theatre. He was appointed Secretary of Braeside Music and Drama in 1981, subsequently holding the position of Director from 1992 until at least 1996.

Brian’s achievements were in line with his principles. Family came first and he always showed compassion for others, helping those in need and supporting various charities. Everyone who was blessed to know him speaks of how he maintained the highest moral stands in his private and public life.

Roy Horrocks

Roy Horrocks

(1928-2022)

On 22 November 2022, the School lost one of its most faithful servants. Roy Horrocks was the much-loved husband of Gwenda (deceased) and father of Michael (1978), Jennifer, Megan and their families. Roy was a former student of St Andrew’s Cathedral School, where he was Head Chorister, and Shore. He taught at Tudor House and Knox before being appointed to The King’s School, Preparatory School in 1956. Roy combined teaching with studying and graduated BA (USyd), later completing a Dip Ed (UNE).

Roy encouraged intellectual growth as Head of the Prep School from 1967 to 1985. He loved art, singing and literature and was a much-loved coach of Rugby and Cricket. In 1980, the Annual Art Show had its genesis under Roy’s watchful eye. He established The Stables as the Prep Art Centre and oversaw the Prep building program which opened in 1984.

Roy’s impact on the Prep School continues today, as many of his initiatives are still very much part of the School. His passion for teaching and student engagement was chronicled in Moonibah, the magazine he published from 1962 to 1975, in which the boys wrote about their excursions, sport, literature and everyday events.

Although he retired in 1985, Roy never left the School and generations of Prep students have very fond memories of him. He always had a twinkle in his eye as he encouraged play at the annual Old Buffers Cricket match.

Roger Peiyang Kong (’11) to Leanne Fong

Michael Penn (Mike) and Kate Symons, a son Max John Jacka, 2 April 2022