Hilton College was founded in 1872 by magistrate Gould Lucas and teacher and cleric William Newnham as a Christian boys’ school.
Lucas worked as a magistrate in Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal, where he assisted Newnham in founding a school.
However, after he purchased a tract of mist-belt grassland above Pietermaritzburg, the pair created Hilton College at its current location.
The stretch of land Lucas bought, which became Hilton College’s grounds, was a farm called Ongegund, established by pioneering Voortrekkers.
In 1849, Johanna Grobbelaar, widow of the original owner, sold Ongegund to a young Englishman, Joseph Henderson.
Later, in 1857, Henderson and his wife renamed the farm Hilton, after Hilton Hall in Staffordshire, England.
In 1871, Lucas purchased a part of the Hilton farm from the Hendersons on which Hilton College could be founded.
Hilton College was officially opened on 29 January 1872. The first 50 pupils were housed in dormitories built near the stables.
The original farmhouse was enlarged to serve as the main school building. At first, the school was little more than two thatched bungalows.
However, a double-storey block was built, with the upper storey dubbed ‘The Lords’ and the lower ‘The Commons’.
From this modest nucleus, Hilton grew, with buildings being constructed, playing fields levelled and avenues planted. Initially, the school was leased from Lucas.
Newnham’s successor as Hilton’s headmaster, Henry Vaughan Ellis, bought the school grounds. In 1903, they passed into the hands of the old boys, where they remained.
Over the last 153 years, Hilton College has become a world-class school offering exceptional education to its students.
The school produced numerous exceptional sportsmen, justices, business leaders, politicians, and generals.
Well-known Hilton alumni include Springboks Bobby Skinstad and Gary Teichmann, Microsoft executive Paul Maritz, and politician Tim Harris.
