Rich history of the Houses – MacGibbon House

1 August 2025

William S MacGibbon, a Scottish-born accountant who was an early advocate of St Andrew's College.

REGULUS // ISSUE 2 // AUGUST 2025

As St Andrew’s celebrates 100 years since Rector A K Anderson started the very first House Competitions at the College in 1925, with two houses for boarders Strowan and Rutherford, and two for dayboys, Erwin and Thompson, it is great opportunity to be reminded about the history of each House, and the men behind each of their names.

In 1982, the House Competition system was reorganised by Rector Dr John Rentoul, who replaced the name Strowan with Thompson, and ensured there was a mix of boarding and day students across each of the Houses. Today students continue to have a deep sense of identity and pride in their House, with the friendly rivalry between the Houses as they take part in various sports and activities in a bid to win the coveted House Cup, a key aspect of the St Andrew’s College experience for all students.

MacGibbon House

MacGibbon House is not only a competition House, but also a boarding house for boys from Years 9–11. Its name honours William S MacGibbon, a Scottish-born accountant who was a good friend of the College founder, Rev. A T Thompson. He became an early advocate of St Andrew's College, as well as the Secretary and Treasurer of the College’s first Board of Governors from 1917–1919. Generosity was a hallmark of his life. Right from the time he started work, MacGibbon set aside 10 per cent of his salary for good works.

William MacGibbon maintained an interest in St Andrew’s throughout his life, and on his death in May 1962, became a major benefactor of the College, leaving it a substantial amount of money. His generous bequest allowed several upgrades and new builds, including the construction of a Mountain Lodge in Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill and the start of our Outdoor Education programme. The Mountain Lodge was officially opened on 1 May 1965 after 19 months of hard work by the entire College community, and then rebuilt in 2008 into the award-winning Alistair Sidey Mountain Lodge.

There are very few schools with such exceptional facilities and outstanding Outdoor Education programmes, and the College is grateful to William MacGibbon for the legacy he helped to create with his generous bequest.

Related Posts