House Competition

Spirited competition takes place among Marsden's six Houses in contests which include the Swimming and Athletics Sports, House sports, House Music and a range of other activities, including cake-decorating.

Students in each House vote for their new Head and Deputy in contested elections at the end of each year.  A Head of Houses is appointed to co-ordinate the competitions.

If a new student has family links with a House, it is likely she will be placed there.  Otherwise new girls are spread randomly through the different Houses, where their particular talents are welcomed.

Baber House is named after Miss Baber, Principal of the school from 1907-1931

Right: Baber at the Athletics Sports

Jellicoe was named after His Excellency Admiral Lord Jellicoe (the Governor General of the time) who laid the foundation stone of the school in 1923

Left:  Jellicoe stall at the  2009 Gala

Hadfield-Beere – Hadfield is after Ernest Hadfield, friend of the Swainsons, and son of the famous Bishop Hadfield; and Beere after Oswald Beere, who was the first secretary to the Board of Governors after the School was sold to the Anglican Church

Right:  Hadfield-Beere students march at the Athletics Sports

Johnson was the first chaplain of the school when it moved up to Karori.

Left:  Johnson at the Swimming Sports 2009

Richmond was named after Rachel and Beatrice Richmond who were staff members of the Fitzherbert Terrace School. Rachel had the responsibility for the Lower School and later married to become Mrs Crompton-Smith. Beatrice Richmond taught with Miss Baber during the Swainson years and later when Miss Baber owned the school.

Right: Richmond at Athletics 2009

The first part of Swainson-Riddiford pays tribute to the founder of the school, Mrs Maryann Swainson, and her daughter Mary who became Headmistress when her mother died. The Riddiford brothers who gave the 10 acre block of land in Karori to the Church to enable the school to be built up here are recognised in the second half of the name.

Left: Swainson-Riddiford supports its swimmers at the Swimming Sports.

History

The Houses are named after significant people in the early years of the school's 131 year history. They maintain long held traditions in sporting and cultural competitions as well as house pride and spirit.

House groupings were informal when the school was in Fitzherbert Terrace but by 1927, when the school came up to Karori, there were seven Houses based on the area the students came from.

This was to enable the older students to look after the younger students on their way home after games afternoon.

Later, with transport services improved and sport being re-arranged these seven Houses became four – each with double-barrelled names. In 1970 with an increased roll,  these changed again to the six house we have today – two still with their double barrelled names.