19th Century
On 15 June 1846, Launceston Church Grammar School opened its doors with 24 boys enrolled, under the Headmastership of Rev Henry Kane. The School was situated in a rented house on the South East corner of George and Elizabeth Streets, now the Colonial Hotel.
The School’s colours of blue black and white were introduced by Headmaster Rev William Savigny in the 1870s, along with the School’s first motto ‘Mos Patrius Disciplina’, which translates to ‘the custom and training of our forefathers’.
As the end of the century approached, Launceston Grammar continued to grow, adding facilities and sporting teams who gained success across the state. In 1895, the School crest which remains to this day was introduced by Co-Headmasters Rev Christopher Wilkinson and Mr Harry Gillett.
History
20th Century
At the start of the 20th Century, the Second Boer War and the First World War sadly saw a number of old boys killed in action. In the 1920s, the School had grown enough to warrant its relocation from Elizabeth Street to Mowbray and construction of the School Chapel was begun.
The Second World War saw 46 old boys killed in action and many others wounded or taken as POWs. The end of the war, however, brought a welcome cause for celebration in the School’s centenary.
The 1960s saw further growth, with new science facilities, a sports pavilion, and the introduction of an Outdoor Education Program. Launceston Grammar was only the second school in Australia to have such a program, which remains an integral part of the student experience to this day. The final two School Houses of Roff and Fraser were also established at this time.
The 1970s saw the first girls admitted to Launceston Grammar, and in 1982 the School amalgamated with Broadland House Girls’ School, which soon became the site of the School’s Junior Campus.
In 1996, the School celebrated reaching 150 years by finally completing the School Chapel after 60 years!
History
21st Century
After the millennium, the School celebrated being named among the top ten best schools in the country by The Australian Newspaper, an accolade enjoyed throughout most of the decade. In 2006 the inaugural Christmas Camp took place with student carers working with young people with physical and intellectual disabilities. This development was followed up by the opening of the Launceston Grammar swimming pool in December 2008.
The improvement in facilities has continued over the last decade and a half with the opening of an architecturally designed café space – Café 1846, a two-kilometre, professionally constructed mountain bike track, a newly designed Food Technology and Textile Design Centre, and the state-of-the-art Spark Hub.
From its humble beginnings with 24 students, almost 200 years have seen Launceston Church Grammar School grow into a vibrant learning community of over 700 students, that continues to look forward while cherishing its rich history.
History
