A brief Huntley history

A boys’ school was founded in Marton in 1896, under the joint Headmastership of Messrs Charles Mather and Basil Wilson, to prepare boys for entrance to the Wanganui Collegiate School.  Accordingly, in 1899 it was given the name, the Marton Preparatory School.  The school occupied various buildings until 1900 when it moved into the original two storeyed, wooden building on the present site. 

Mr Wilson died in 1902, but Mr Mather continued as Headmaster, renaming the school Huntley School after Huntley Hall which was his home in England.  He retired in 1919.  By this time the roll was in the seventies and the original building had been greatly extended.

The school continued to be owned by its successive headmasters, viz:-  Messrs Strombom, Sherriff and Rix-Trott, until a Trust Board was established in 1954 to purchase and run the school, with Noel Rix-Trott continuing as Headmaster.  The formation and financing of the Trust Board was due mainly to the efforts of a small group of very dedicated Old Boys of the school.  There are eight members of the Board.  Three of these are elected representatives of the Old Boys’ Association, three are the elected representatives of the Parents’ and Friends’ Association, and two are appointees of the Diocese of Wellington