Building lifelong friendships and
a sense of belonging
Building lifelong friendships and a sense of belonging
A sense of family
At Hilton College, we value family and promote honesty, fairness, and kindness to create a sense of family in our boarding houses. Our housemasters and their families live in houses attached to our boarding houses, as do our deputy housemasters.
Grade 12 boys are charged with caring in a brotherly way for the Grade 8 boys, ensuring that they integrate into the house and feel valued and at home. Brotherhood teaches boys to be considerate, look out for each other, and to balance individual needs with the wellbeing of the group.
Taking responsibility
A good home is a launch pad into adulthood, inspiring independence, self-discipline, justice, and temperance. At Hilton College, we instil gratitude and humility, shifting the focus from entitlement to a sense of responsibility. We ask our boys to consider how they will use their privilege to contribute to the world.
Leadership at Hilton College isnʼt just for Grade 12s; it’s for everyone. It’s about learning to lead ourselves well and to serve others.
Seven houses, one family
Hilton College’s seven boarding houses – Churchill, Ellis, Falcon, Lucas, McKenzie, Newnham, and Pearce – have distinguishing features but share common values. Housemasters live on-site, maintaining a sense of family and order.
Dorms comprise 16 boys per grade. Since these boys live together for five years, they learn to live with people from all walks of life and form lifelong friendships in the process. Friendships extend beyond houses, as boys eat, study, play, and pray together.
Churchill
HOUSEMASTER
Devon van der Merwe
Churchill is named after Frank Fleetwood Churchill, who was born in Durban in 1861. He was one of the school’s founding pupils and went on to become a lawyer. Instrumental in the formation of Hilton College Ltd, he became a generous benefactor and the first Life Governor of Hilton College.
HOUSEMASTER
Devon van der Merwe
Ellis
HOUSEMASTER
Sipho Moniwa
Ellis is named after Hilton College’s second headmaster, Henry Vaughan Ellis, who came from Rugby School in England. He introduced to our school the Fleur-de-Lys and our motto “Orando Laborando” which means “By Prayer and Work”. In 1904, Ellis sold the school to a group of old boys who established Hilton College Ltd, the precursor to the Hiltonian Society, which is the non-profit entity that owns the school to this day.
HOUSEMASTER
Sipho Moniwa
Falcon
HOUSEMASTER
Wilbert Tenga
Falcon gets its name from William Falcon, who was headmaster of Hilton College between 1906 and 1933. Falcon, who had taught at several well-established English public schools, saw Hilton through the First World War and the enteric outbreak of 1920-1921. The Falcon era was a fruitful one which saw growth in enrolment and in the school’s reputation.
HOUSEMASTER
Wilbert Tenga
Lucas
HOUSEMASTER
Msizi Mchunu
Lucas is named after one of our school’s founding fathers, Gould Arthur Lucas. Lucas was an Irishman who served in the British Army in the Cape Colony and later as a staff officer in Pietermaritzburg, where he met cleric and teacher William Orde Newnham. Lucas owned the land upon which our school was established.
HOUSEMASTER
Msizi Mchunu
McKenzie
HOUSEMASTER
Cameron Frazer
McKenzie house is named after Dr Archibald McKenzie, one of the school’s founding pupils and head of school. A medical doctor, McKenzie served as the school doctor and chairman of the Board of Governors from 1908 to 1934. He was also a generous benefactor who contributed substantially to the construction of McKenzie house.
HOUSEMASTER
Cameron Frazer
Newnham
HOUSEMASTER
David Smythe
Named after the Rev William Orde Newnham, the school’s first headmaster, Newnham house is one of the oldest of our boarding houses. Newnham studied mathematics at St John’s College, Cambridge under John William Colenso, who would go on to become Bishop of Natal. After his ordination, Newnham came to Natal on the invitation of Colenso.
HOUSEMASTER
David Smythe
Pearce
HOUSEMASTER
Sibonelo Khanyile
Pearce house is named after Archibald Pearce, who came on staff in 1889 and died at Hilton College in 1906 when he was acting headmaster. Pearce is described as a great teacher and scholar who played the American organ and led the choir and singing at Sunday services. Pearce house was located in the Cambell building until 2007 when its own residence was built.
HOUSEMASTER
Sibonelo Khanyile
Boarding… from the mouths of boys
How we mind souls and tend minds
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