G NIGHTINGALE came to KGV (then Kowloon British School ) from Queens College in 1919. He was the Headmaster from 1919-1933 and was largely responsible for the creation of the Central British School as a major secondary school. He also prepared the way for the latter move of the CBS to Homantin. He is the longest serving Principal in the history of the school.
G UPSDELL came to KGV in 1925 from Queens College. He was appointed Principal in 1935 overseeing the move to our present site in Homantin. He remained as Principal until the school closed in 1940. He and his wife were imprisoned in Stanley during the occupation. They both survived but died in 1946 as a result of the effects of these five years.
T ROWELL was at the school in the late 1920's and a Housemaster in the Red House in early 1930's. He became the Director of Education after the war and retired in 1950. He was a highly regarded chemistry teacher and was responsible for the design of the present school building. He also was very much the inspiration behind the changeover from being a British to a International school in 1947. It was he who initiated the change of the school name from CBS to that of King George V School (1948).
D CROZIER came to the school in 1936 as a History teacher. He served in the Volunteers in December 1941 playing a major role in the resistance on the Island. He was imprisoned during the occupation. After the war he spent most of his time in the Education Department becoming a Director in the 1950's. He had taught at the school for many years and his wife was for a time House Mistress of School House.
The History of the Houses
The House system was probably first adopted in the early 1920's when the names of the three houses were:
- Nathan and Bede
- Lugard and St Dunstan's
- May and St George's
These somewhat clumsy names were replaced in the early 1930's by the simple use of three colours - respectively
Red Blue Chocolate
When the school was re-opened in 1946 the Houses were renamed as Nightingale, Upsdell and School House. In 1950 School House was renamed Rowell House and in 1961 a fourth House was added and named Crozier House.
