Wellington College (New Zealand)

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Wellington College, often referred to simply as Coll or WC, is a boys state secondary school in the Wellington, New Zealand suburb of Mount Victoria.HistoryWellington College opened in 1867 as Wellington Grammar School in Woodward Street, though Sir George Grey gave the school a deed of endowment in 1853. In 1869 the school moved to a new, spired, wooden building on the hills above the central city in Clifton Terrace from where it could be seen from many places in Wellington. In 1874 the college opened in a much larger building at its present location. The former boarding establishment at the College, Firth House, was named after Joseph Firth, the headmaster from 1892 to 1921.Wellington College's Pavilion, Firth House and the Gifford Observatory were opened on 1 December, 1924. The War Memorial Hall was opened on 2 March, 1928, financially supported by £6000 from the Old Boys' Association. The War Memorial Hall and classroom wings were demolished by the Ministry of Works and replaced in the 1960s with a new hall and seven-storey Tower classroom block due to its lack of earthquake reinforcements. The stained glass window from the front of the War Memorial Hall is now located in the front of the existing hall.During the 1970s the Maths, Library and Technology blocks were opened, replacing the last of the War Memorial Hall building and classroom wings that opened in 1928. Also, the Old Boys Gymnasium was built on the eastern boundary of the campus replacing the swimming pool.In 1980 Firth House was demolished to make way for a new gymnasium which opened in 1982. 1987 saw the opening of the Arts and Music block, and the Brierley Theatre, named after old boy Ron Brierley.