Profiles

Literature, Arts, and Science.

Welcome to a Profiles page for notable Old Boys, where we proudly showcase the achievements and contributions of some of our most distinguished alumni. This page is dedicated to highlighting the remarkable journeys and successes of our Old Boys, who have made significant impacts in various fields and industries.

Highlighted within this page are some of the Old Boys who have pushed the boundaries or excelled in the fields of Literature, Arts, or Science. Check back to this page as it will be updated with more exemplary Old Boys.

Geoffrey Thomas Alley

Geoffrey Thomas Alley, who became New Zealand’s first national librarian in 1964, was born in Amberly, North Canterbury, on 4 February 1903. He was the fourth son and firth of seven children on Frederick James Alley, an innovative teacher who gave his children a love of literature, music, physical fitness, and the land, and his wife, Clara Maria Buckingham, who in 1896 had been on the youngest delegates at the inaugural meeting of the National Council of the Women of New Zealand. Two of Geoffrey’s siblings were to become well known for their work in education: his sister Gwen Somerset in Canterbury and Feilding, and his brother Rewi in China.

Bernard Cracroft Aston was born on 9 August 1871 at Beckenham, Kent, England, the son of Mary Griffin and her husband, Murray Aston, a stockbroker. Bernard came to Christchurch, New Zealand with his parents as boy. He received his secondary education at Christchurch Boys’ High School and undertook further studies with the Dunedin Technical Classes Association, qualifying in chemistry and botany.