Historical information

In October 1939, on the sudden death of his father, Headmaster Charles C Thorold, son, John Jeffery (J.J.) Thorold, a 26-year-old accountant and sole beneficiary and executor was suddenly responsible for 42 students. Numbers had dwindled during the Depression and the situation was so dire, J.J. put the School up for sale. Fortunes changed when the parent of a boarder offered financial support and together with the skeptical backing of Francis Wellington Were, father of J.J.'s step mother, Jessie, the School numbers grew during the war from 50 to 280. The majority of the newcomers were boarders and evacuees from northern Australia as well as England. J.J. adopted the title Principal and worked tirelessly to build the school. He briefly appointed Arthur Burnaby as Headmaster before his search for a permanent Head resulted with the appointment of Lionel Ashley Large in 1945.