Small Wellington Primary School Celebrates 100 Years

On Friday 13 October, a small school in the seaside suburb of Seatoun Wellington, will start its weekend long 100-year celebrations with a mix and mingle event. St Anthony’s Primary School has been serving whānau, both Catholic and non-Catholic in the community for 100 years.

Centenary celebrations will include mass and formal photos on Saturday and a Dinner Dance on Saturday evening. “We’re looking forward to having past and present pupils joining with us to celebrate this milestone,” says Organising Committee Chairperson, Julie O’Brien. “There are various activities and people can attend as many, or as few as they like”.

“Our school holds a special place in the hearts of so many,” says former pupil, now Principal, Denise Johnson, “the school holds a roll up to 120 pupils, meaning students get a small, almost country school experience in the middle of a busy city”.

The school motto is ‘Small School, Strong Spirit’ and well-known former alumni have certainly lived up to those words. Victoria Taylor, a co-founder of Tory & Ko bespoke jewellers based in Wellington, has supplied four pieces of jewellery for Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Wales and was honoured to be commissioned to create a piece for the late Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate her 90th Birthday.

Charlies Juice co-founder Stefan Lepionka, is also a past pupil as is Beverley Wakem, former Chief Executive of Radio New Zealand (RNZ), and the Ombudsman from 2005 – 2015.

The school and parish community have a long history in the area. First steps to independence as a parish began in 1919 when Seatoun, together with the other suburbs of Wellington East, were separated from Newtown Parish and made part of the newly created parish of Kilbirnie. A cottage was erected on the current site so the few Catholics living in the area could celebrate mass. During 1921 and 1922 accommodation for mass was insufficient and the parishioners were called together to provide a solution. It was suggested that a bigger premise was built to house both the school and church.

On Sunday July 25 1923 at 3pm, the newly combined school/church building was blessed and opened by Archbishop O’Shea. On Sunday 4 March Mass was offered in the new building for the first time. School had already commenced, with two Sisters of Mercy nuns coming each day from Star of the Sea Convent to teach in the three classrooms.

“The school also reflects the area’s history over the last 100 years. During the early 1940 regular drills were held, so students knew how to get to the air raid shelter, which was behind the original classrooms,” says O’Brien. “There were also drills to run up Beacon Hill Road in the event that the enemy invaded the harbour and landed onshore.”

In 1945, The ‘Church Friends’ was formed, and the first bazaar was held to raise money for the school - the biannual bazaar still runs and is a major fundraiser for the school and church community.

Attendees can register by clicking here.

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